CERTIFICATION STANDARDS
Last Update: January 2005
Welcome to this special section of the ASGPP web site
that features the standards for certification as established by the American
Board of Examiners in Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy (the
Board) and approved by its certified members. As a professional courtesy the
ASGPP has donated this space to the Board. Please remember that the Board and
the ASGPP are two separate and distinct professional organizations, each with
its own mission and area of concern. The ASGPP's mission statement and listing
of its programs and services can be found on the opening page of this web
site.
The American Board of Examiners in Psychodrama,
Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy was established and incorporated as a
not-for-profit organization in the District of Columbia in 1975. The Board was
founded to serve two basic purposes: 1) to establish, on a national level,
professional standards in the fields of psychodrama, sociometry and group
psychotherapy; and 2) to certify qualified professionals on the basis of these
standards.
Two levels of certification have been established by the
Board:
1) A Certified Practitioner (CP) has been
professionally trained and supervised in psychodrama, sociometry and group
psychotherapy by a Board certified Trainer, Educator, Practitioner (TEP), has
met established standards of the profession and has successfully fulfilled the
requirements of the Board
2) A Trainer, Educator, Practitioner (TEP) is a
Certified Practitioner (CP) who has received a minimum of three years
additional supervised training, education and experience in the design and
implementation of professional training programs and has successfully
fulfilled the requirements of the Board.
To receive a copy of the Directory of Certified
Psychodramatists and Certification Standards or for information on standards,
procedures and fees, write or call. Please be advised that at this point in
time the Board has neither a web site nor email.
American Board of Examiners
P.O. Box 15572
Washington, DC 20003-0572
(202) 483-0514
CERTIFICATION IN
PSYCHODRAMA
SOCIOMETRY & GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY
(Certification by Examination and Submission of Credentials)
PRACTITIONER CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
1. EDUCATION
A. A master’s degree from
an accredited university in a field relevant to the applicant’s areas of
practice. Note: Individuals certified by the Board are expected to practice
and/or train only within their areas of competence.
B. Applicants must
document postgraduate training/education in the following areas: human growth
and development, theories of personality, abnormal behavior (psychopathology),
methods of psychotherapy, and social systems. Applicants who are master’s
level licensed mental health professionals or applicants who have master’s
level mental health degrees are assumed to have these competencies and are not
required to document the training and education. Examples of these master
level mental health degrees include Master’s level degrees in Counseling or
Clinical Psychology, Social Work, Mental Health Counseling or Pastoral
Counseling, Expressive Arts Therapies, Art Therapy, Dance/Movement Therapy,
Drama Therapy, Music Therapy and Psychodrama.
2. TRAINING
A. A minimum of 780 hours
of training in psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy from
individuals certified by the Board.
B. A maximum of 100 hours
of the required 780 training hours may be waived if the applicant is either a
master’s level licensed mental health professional, or certified or registered
from the following professional associations: American Art Therapy
Association, American Dance Therapy Association, American Music Therapy
Association, and The National Association for Drama Therapy.
C. A maximum 160 hours of
the required 780 training hours may be from individuals certified as
practitioners and formally admitted as a Practitioner Applicant for Trainer
(PAT) or certified trainer/educator/practitioners (TEPs) by Board of Examiners
from other countries that have established formal reciprocity agreements with
the Board.
D. A maximum of 100 hours
of the required 780 training hours may be obtained from individuals other then
TEPs and PATs provided that the training occurred at local, regional, and
national conferences sponsored by the American Society of Group Psychotherapy
and Psychodrama, The American Group Psychotherapy Association and the National
Association for Drama Therapy.
E. Except for the
exemptions listed above (B, C, D) all other training hours must be from
individuals certified as trainer, educator, and practitioners (TEPs) by the
Board.
3. PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
A. Fifty-two weeks of supervised experience in the
practice of psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy is required. The
supervised experience practice must be current with the application for
certification. The supervised experience must be completed within four years
from the date of application for certification.
B. The fifty-two weeks of supervised experience can only
begin after a minimum of 80 hours of training has been completed and the
primary trainer approves the supervised field experience.
C. The fifty-two weeks of supervised experience is to be
comprised of 80 psychodrama sessions, each a minimum of 60 minutes in length.
The population served by these sessions may be individuals, couples, families
and groups. All the sessions may be group sessions, but if they are not, a
majority of these sessions (41 or more) must be group sessions. The format
for all these psychodrama sessions must use action based experiential methods
that may include but are not limited to psychodrama, sociodrama, action
sociometry, behavioral rehearsal, social skill training, bibliodrama, and
playback theater. All the sessions may be psychodrama sessions. But if they
are not, a majority (41 or more) must be psychodrama sessions. The supervised
experience may take place over a time period of not less than one year and not
more than four years.
4. SUPERVISION
A. At least 40 supervision sessions of at least fifty
minutes each must be obtained for the 80 psychodrama sessions that make up the
field experience.
B. One half of these supervision sessions (20) must be
provided by a TEP, while the remaining half (20) may be provided by any
clinical supervisor who has been approved by the primary trainer as qualified
to supervise sessions in psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy.
5. PROFESSIONAL
ACTIVITIES
A. Appropriate professional memberships, activities
and/or publications which demonstrate the applicant’s participation in the
fields of psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy.
6. ENDORSEMENTS OF COMPETENCY
A. Following successful completion of the above minimum
requirements for professional training, supervision, and practice candidates
are required to obtain three endorsements of professional competency
B. Two of the three endorsements must be made from a
primary trainer (TEP) and a secondary trainer (TEP) who attest to the
applicant’s professional competence and readiness to take and successfully
complete the examination process. The third endorsement may be from any
professional in the applicant’s area of practice who attests to the
applicant’s professional competence.
C. Sponsors must have witnessed a candidate direct a
psychodrama session on at least two occasions within the past three years and
must be willing to endorse the applicant for certification.
D. Endorsements of competency cannot be obtained from
family members, personal friends, professional colleagues who are financial or
business partners, and colleagues who were on-going group members in the
applicant’s training groups.
THE
EXAMINATION PROCESS
Individuals who are formally admitted to the examination
process are candidates for certification.
1. COMPREHENSIVE WRITTEN EXAMINATION. Candidates
must successfully complete a comprehensive written examination in the
knowledge, skills, and abilities to conduct group sessions in the fields of
psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy.
A. The comprehensive written examination assesses
candidates on seven areas: History, Philosophy, Methodology, Sociometry,
Ethics, Research/Evaluation and Related Fields.
2. ON-SITE EXAMINATION. A Board examiner will be
appointed to assess the session using a standardized evaluation form. The
on-site examination assesses a candidate’s ability to conduct a group
psychodrama session which includes a warm-up, action structures, closure and
sharing. The on-site examination also assesses the ability of the candidate
to process the session with the examiner after the group session is completed,
and the group members are no longer present.
TIME DEADLINES
There is no expiration of training hours, but the
supervised professional practice and supervision must be completed within four
years of the application for certification.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Application Materials. Application packages
for 1) Trainer, Educator, Practitioner (TEP), 2) Clinical Practitioner (CP)
and; 3) Practitioner Applicant for Trainer (PAT) are available each April
15th until June 30th of that year. Application Materials may be obtained by
writing to the Board and enclosing a check for $50.00 for each application
requested.
Submission of Application Materials. Completed
applications and all supporting materials must be received by July 15, 2005,
for admission to the 2005 certification process.
Examination Locations. Examinations
(both written and on‑site) for certification by the American Board of
Examiners will be administered only within the United States of America and
Canada. The Board will arrange to give the written examination within
seventy‑five miles of the candidate’s home address.
Written Examination (Date). The written
examination is given once a year and is always scheduled for the third
Saturday in October.
Written Examination (Content). Written
examinations are similar to university doctoral comprehensive examinations.
All questions are essay questions. A study guide including copies of all
previous examinations is included in the application materials. Additional
study guides may be purchased for $25.00 each.
The written examination consists of seven (7) areas of
competency:1)History, 2) Philosophy, 3) Methodology, 4) Sociometry, 5) Ethics,
6) Research/Evaluation and 7) Related Fields. CP candidates are expected to
demonstrate knowledge in the application of each of the areas to clinical or
educational practice, while TEP candidates are expected to demonstrate
knowledge of these areas in the application of each to training, supervision
and education.
On-Site Examination. The on-site
examination may not be scheduled until after the candidate has completed the
written examination. Candidates for CP are encouraged to schedule their
on‑site observations in their own clinical groups while candidates for TEP are
encouraged to schedule their on‑site observations in their own training
groups. The on-site observation for a CP examines the candidate’s ability to
direct a psychodrama session. While practitioner candidates are not always
expected to conduct a classical psychodrama session, it is expected that all
sessions will include a warm-up, action structure and closure. The on-site
observation for a TEP examines the candidate’s ability to teach and train the
philosophy, techniques and process of psychodrama, sociometry and group
psychotherapy. Additional information including guidelines for requesting and
scheduling the on-site as well as the on-site evaluation forms are provided to
candidates after they have completed the written examination.
TRAINER,
EDUCATOR, PRACTITIONER CERTIFICATION
REQUIREMENTS:
All individuals who wish to be certified as
trainer/educator/practitioners must have prior certification as a practitioner
and be formally admitted as a practitioner applicant for trainer (PAT). The
PAT will, in consultation with a primary and secondary trainer, develop a plan
of action towards meeting the following requirements in not less than three
years nor more than five years. Instructions for applying for PAT status are
listed elsewhere in this Directory.
1 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
A. The PAT candidate must document a minimum of 100
hours of post-graduate professional development in psychodrama, sociometry and
group psychotherapy and/or related fields.
B. The PAT candidate is expected to attend and
participate in local, regional, and national psychodrama conferences and
meetings and engage in other appropriate professional memberships and
activities.
2. PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
During a time period of not less than three years nor
more than five years, the PAT must conduct a minimum of 144 hours of
progressively responsible training of others in closely supervised training
workshops in psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy.
3. CONSULTATION
A. The PAT is required to obtain a minimum of 48 hours
of supervision from a trainer/educator/practitioner for the first 144 hours of
training workshops. The initial ratio of consultation is one (1) hour for each
three (3) hours of training conducted.
B. If more training workshops are offered by the PAT,
supervision is required at the minimum ratio of one (1) hour of supervision
for every eight (8) hours of training conducted.
4. ENDORSEMENTS OF COMPETENCY
A. Following successful completion of the above minimum
requirements for professional development, practice, and consultation
candidates for certification as a TEP are required to obtain three
endorsements of professional competency.
B. A primary trainer (TEP), a Secondary Trainer (TEP)
and a third professional reference from the candidate’s area of practice are
required to complete the endorsement forms.
C. Sponsors must have witnessed a candidate conduct a
training workshop in the areas of psychodrama, sociometry and group
psychotherapy on at least more than one occasion within the past three years
and must be willing to endorse the PAT for admission to the examination
process.
D. Endorsements of competency can not be obtained from
family members, personal friends, professional colleagues who are financial or
business partners, and colleagues who were ongoing group members in the
applicant’s training groups.
THE EXAMINATION PROCESS
Individuals who have completed the certification
requirements and are formally admitted to the examination process are
candidates for certification as a trainer/educator/practitioner.
1. COMPREHENSIVE WRITTEN EXAMINATION. Candidates
must successfully complete a comprehensive written examination in the
knowledge, skills and ability to conduct training, education and supervision
in the fields of psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy.
A. The comprehensive written examination assesses
candidates on seven areas: History, Philosophy, Methodology, Sociometry,
Ethics, Research/Evaluation and Related Fields. Candidates must demonstrate
knowledge of these areas in the application of each to training, supervision
and education.
2. ON-SITE EXAMINATION. The on-site examination
assesses the candidate’s ability to teach and train the philosophy,
methodology and process of psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy.
The training workshop should focus on one of the seven identified competency
areas (e.g., see written examination) and must include both didactic and
experiential components. A Board appointed examiner will assess the training
workshop using a standardized evaluation form.
