Clinical Competence-Oriented Approach in Psychotherapy Training

EU Chapter Webinar Series, Presented on January 28th, 2025. Presented by Henriette Löffler-Stastka. Webinar description: This SPR webinar deals with the development of a practical desideratum for the implementation of psychotherapy training and continuing education based on current psychotherapy research findings and the respective law, e.g., the psychotherapy act 2024 - an amendment implemented currently in Austria. Guidelines from the European Higher Education Area, professional law, university didactics, and psychotherapy research provide recommendations and points of orientation for clinical academic psychotherapy training. Steps towards competence-oriented approach in training: The focus is on the consistent link between theory and practice, as well as the comprehensive psychotherapeutic identity developed along consecutive learning objective levels, which is characterized by a psychotherapeutic attitude, appreciation of diversity, and above all, professionalism. Quality assurance and admission procedures: Based on preliminary work to assess therapists professional abilities, admission scenarios can be designed for the respective levels of learning objectives, which include various observation and assessment methods as well as an opportunity for students to receive feedback. Examples as structured interviews (OSCE) to assess general factors, e. g., empathy, mentalization capacity, therapeutic relationship, as well as 4 cluster-specific competencies that are also commonly used for progress monitoring for academic success and competency acquisition over time are presented and discussed. How to identify and address learning gaps: Spotting which students are struggling and pinpointing the specific areas of difficulty is key to helping candidates succeed. In this part of the session, Henriette Löffler-Stastka walks you through effective ways to identify learning gaps early, use data and assessments to understand what’s going on, and share strategies to support students with targeted interventions. Clinical teaching, patient safety and approbation exam: During and after observed interviews in clinical practice, an assessment carried out by two independent assessors will be shown: the focus is on ethical and therapeutic attitude, self-perception and self-reflection, the ability to establish a working alliance, and emotional resilience. Further assessment of psychoanalytic core competency, psychodynamic interventions, systems competence, humanistic attitude or behavioral therapy competencies is discussed. Research: Practice oriented clinical research on competence development is presented for an overview and can be developed further. Whether you're looking to fine-tune your teaching or boost student outcomes, this webinar will give you actionable insights to make a real difference.