I often get questions about how someone who has finished grad school and is practicing out in the real world can get good training in CT. 　Some of us were fortunate enough to receive comprehensive training in Cognitive Therapy in graduate school, in practica and internships, in post-doctoral training, or on the job. Others of us have been less fortunate.

For most people, the first alternatives which come to mind are reading and workshops. These can be quite valuable but have obvious limitations. We are fortunate to have many good books on CT available (see the recommended readings listed in this forum) but reading a good book is very different from having the opportunity to discuss the material covered or gaining supervised experience in applying the material. Workshops can be interesting and useful but a one or two day workshop does not give you the opportunity to try out the interventions in practice then return for follow-up. I would advise you not to stop with reading and workshops but to consider some of these other options as well:

* Look for an organized training program. If there is a Center for Cognitive Therapy in your area (or in the nearest large city), good training may be easily available. The Academy of Cognitive Therapy's web site http://www.academyofct.org lists both workshops and on-going training programs. A number of the CT centers around the country offer extended CT training programs designed to meet the needs of practicing clinicians. These programs vary from Center to Center but typically meet for 60 or 70 hours over the course of a year and include readings, lectures, video, experiential exercises, and opportunities for consultation.

* If no organized CT training program exists in your area, consider importing one. If your employer, local psychological association, or a group of like-minded colleagues is interested, it probably would be feasibly to bring someone in to conduct a CT training program. This costs a bit of course, but if you have 20 or so who are interested in participating, it may well be affordable. The Cleveland Center for Cognitive Therapy (my outfit) offers training nationally and I bet many other Centers do as well.

* Find a consultant or supervisor. If you can locate someone in your area who is qualified to provided supervision of consultation in CT, supervised experience combined with reading and workshops can give you a solid foundation. To locate possible consultants or supervisors contact the nearest Center for Cognitive Therapy, check the Academy of Cognitive Therapy directory at http://www.AcademyofCT.org, check the AABT directory at http://www.aabt.org, or check with your local university's Psychology department.

* Organize a peer consultation group. Locate a few like-minded colleagues who are interested in meeting regularly to discuss cases, raise questions, and discuss readings. Meet regularly, and make it clear that the goal is to learn, not to try to impress each other. It may take a little effort to stay on task rather that just BS-ing but you will find that this can be really valuable.

In this thread I will post training opportunities as I discover them. Please add any opportunities you have located which I do not mention.