MH OT Certifications & Trainings
Alright, so as a Mental Health Occupational Therapist I have been searching for more training, certifications, or ways to become even more "specialized". I know.... kind of silly right? Here is the thing, finding these specialized trainings are hard to come by. These certifications or trainings are not easy to find and they often have you left confused on even if you are "qualified enough” or “allowed" to take the training. The worst part is sometimes you do not get CEUs. Plus, lets not mention how much CEU's cost and how much time becoming "specialized" takes. And personally, I have often operated on the assumption that anything "specialized" was way out of my budget or just simply not necessary. To me, experience always counted.
As a full time outpatient/private practice OT and mom of two toddler boys the last thing I have is time or money to spend on CEU's or multiple courses to become even further "specialized" in a niche than I already am.
When I adventured on my new journey to Fargo, North Dakota to join a team of EMDR Psychotherapists, a massage therapist, and a music therapist- I truthfully found myself feeling under qualified. I had no additional "letters" behind my name, I dont have a doctorate, and so on. Really, I could go on about my negative thought process- but I will spare you. So what did I have to bring to this new team? I quickly learned that what I was bringing was an entire new discipline and approach to this area. Little did I know, that there was no other OTs within the Fargo/Moorhead area (so far that I know) that do outpatient Mental Health with adolescents/adults with specific sensory modulation or chronic condition interventions. So once again it was my experience as a clinician that I was bringing to this new team and I was letting my imposter syndrome get in the way.
What I had was my willingness to learn and an open mind which is why I ended up in Mental Health OT in the first place. That willingness to learn opened my eyes to take notes and learn from the other multidisciplines around me. Not every OT has /had this opportunity. With some reflection in fact, I may be one of the only OT's possibly working in a "emerging" practice.
So a month or two had gone by and my caseload has picked up quickly. Plus, I was getting to learn from some osmosis from the other practitioners. This sparked my curiosity so I started my search to be more “qualified”. I wanted more, more information on the role of OTs in trauma along with any interventions or specialities I could obtain. I have done a lot of digging and I am still debating the pros/cons of certain certifications or specializations. Through my digging I have gotten to chat with some really passionate MH OTs and upcoming OT students entering the profession.
It has been rejuvenating for me and to see other OT's sound so passionate- which re-fueled my fire. So I did decide eventually to pursue my Certified Trauma Professional certification. Why? Because to be honest I got it at a decent price and I wanted to learn more about trauma overall before narrowing down my speciality even further. For reference, I got this certification through PESI in partnership with evergreen certifications. Check that out here for a general broad overall training about trauma https://www.evergreencertifications.com.
Below, you will see all the information I have dug up over time. I encourage you to reach out to an OT that offers these approaches before pursuing it yourself. And let me remind you that these special “niches” are not required to be a Mental Health OT and nor should you get certified or take a training if you are not sure that this is something you truly want to do or use in your practice. Do CEU's and certifications help you?- yes of course. Do they make you a better OT? -not necessarily. Some of my best mentors that have been lifelong OTs in the Mental Health (30+ years) and there experience has taught me everything I know today. Nothing can replace that. Having mentors as a student or new graduate can really help you in your beginning stages of a career.
Also for disclosure purposes the CEU's, Certifications, & Specialized trainings I am going to list below are not necessarily going to give you CEU's and you may have to further refer to your state/countries regulations. These are listed because I have heard other OTs become trained in them but since I am not personally trained in them all I do not know all the requirements.
If you have any further recommendations I encourage you to go to the new mOTivating community forum to share and discuss this blog post further!
EMDR- Eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing
Depending on the place of certification, Occupational therapists who are working in mental health specifically that are working with clients that have experienced trauma are listed as eligible professionals to receive EMDR training.
EMDR was developed by a clinical psychologist, Dr Francine Shapiro. EMDR directly influences the brain and helps to restore normal healing. The goal with EMDR is that once an individual completes all eight of the phases that any past traumatic/painful memories an individual has are no longer painful when they are brought up. These memories can be recalled- but they are no longer upsetting. EMDR does mimic similarly to REM which is our sleep rhythm/cycle. This helps process painful memories in a less distressing way. EMDR also uses bilateral stimulation which creates biochemical changes in the brain.
EMDR is an accelerated approach and in general lasts in shorter duration than other trauma therapies.
See: https://emdrworks.org/eligibility-to-train/
https://www.emdria.org
PRICE- average $1000
Additional Info- length of training varies however, becoming fully certified requires a minimum of 50 clinical sessions in which EMDR was utilized, and 20 hours of consultation in EMDR by an Approved Consultant. To maintain the credential, EMDR Certified Therapists must complete 12 hours of continuing education in EMDR every two years.
Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT)
The goal of ACT is to create a rich and meaningful life. “ACT” is about taking effective action guided by our deepest values and in which we are fully present and engaged.ACT involves noticing, accepting and embracing thoughts and feelings, including even the unwanted ones, ACT is one of the so-called “third wave” of behavioral therapies—along with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)—all of which place a major emphasis on the development of mindfulness skills. ACT can be used with individuals, couples and groups, both as brief therapy or long term therapy, in a wide range of clinical populations. Furthermore, rather than following a manualized protocol, ACT allows the therapist to create and individualize their own mindfulness techniques, or even to co-create them with clients.
ACT acronym that summarizes ises a more adaptive way of behaving:
-Accept your reactions and be 'present'
-Choose a valued direction
-Take action
See: https://www.aptmentalhealthtraining.com
https://myaota.aota.org/shop_aota/product/OL5166
https://www.actmindfully.com.au/about-act/
https://contextualscience.org/act
Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - TF-CBT
The clinical work and research of Judith Cohen, Anthony Mannarino, and Esther Deblinger led to the development of TF-CBT. Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents impacted by trauma and their parents or caregivers. In TF-CBT, interventions specifically tailored to meet the needs of children and adolescents experiencing emotional and psychological difficulties as a result of a trauma are integrated with humanistic, cognitive behavioral, and familial strategies.
See: https://www.tfcbt.org
Certification Criteria: https://www.tfcbt.org/tf-cbt-certification-criteria/
Neurofeedback & Biofeedback
Lets start with Biofeedback. Biofeedback is a therapy tool that is used to teach individuals to consciously identify and change their internal state of regulation. Biofeedback uses EMG, Galvanic Skin Response, skin temperature regulation, heart rater variability (HRV). By using these physiological signals as feedback, a client gains insight in their physiology, starts to understand the relationship between body and mind. This eventually changes behavior to restore physiological balance and improve health.
See: https://www.advancedots.com/biofeedback/
Neurofeedback (NF)-Neurofeedback is a therapy tool that places EEG sensors on different locations on the head in order to train brainwave patterns. Specialized computer software is programmed to encourage the brainwaves to move in a specific direction through the use of operant conditioning (encouraging behavior through positive reinforcement). The response to the feedback is on a subconscious level, meaning the brain is intuitively learning to change its patterning. It does not require a strong conscious effort on the part of the participant. It is a gentle process that encourages change
See: https://www.ot-innovations.com/neurofeedback/
https://www.advancedots.com/neurofeedback-2/
Brainspotting
Dr. David Grand is a psychotherapist, writer, lecturer, performance coach and humanitarian famous for the discovery and development of the internationally acclaimed Brainspotting method. Brainspotting is a focused treatment method that works by identifying, processing and releasing core neurophysiological sources of emotional/body pain, trauma, dissociation and a variety of other challenging symptoms.
https://brainspotting.com/get-certified/
https://player.vimeo.com/video/186019577?h=a2e39cd2e7
Somatic Experiencing (SE)
Work by Dr. Peter A. Levine. SE is based on the idea that traumatic experiences can lead to dysfunction in your nervous system, which can keep you from fully processing the experience. The Somatic Experiencing method works to release this stored energy and turn off this threat alarm (FFF) that causes severe dysregulation and dissociation. SE helps people understand this body response to trauma and work through a “body first” approach to healing.
The goal of SE is to help you notice bodily sensations stemming from mental health issues and use this awareness to acknowledge and work through painful or distressing sensations.
See: https://traumahealing.org/se-101/
Trauma Informed Yoga
Trauma informed yoga is for those mental health professionals who are seeing individuals that are grounded in trauma or even complex trauma. Trauma causes people to exhibit hyperarousal, be hypervigilant, and have issues processing sensation. When you relieve unresolved trauma, your nervous system can be in overload. This causes your body to create stress and ultimately lead to chronic illness, pain, poor sleep, and decline in cognitive processes. Trauma informed yoga helps clients to feel comfortable in their bodies, tackle ruminating over their trauma and improved their self-regulation. This type of yoga can heal and empower people who have experienced trauma and lead better lives. It is a specialized yoga
See: https://myvinyasapractice.teachable.com/p/trauma-informed-yoga?affcode=395920_1qyncacn
https://yogainternational.com/ecourse/warriors-at-ease
https://yogaed.com/teacher-training/trauma-informed-yoga-youth/
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) - Credit OT innovations-
https://www.ot-innovations.com/psychosocial/dialectical-behavior-therapy/
DBT was developed by Dr. Marsha M. Linehan, is a combination of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Zen Buddhism, originally designed for use with clients with Borderline Personality Disorder. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is primarily offered by DBT trained psychotherapists that provide individual therapy, in conjunction with DBT skills trainers providing weekly DBT group sessions. Dialectical Behavior Therapy is an evidence-based practice that is used with individuals with a wide variety mental health symptoms, needs and goals.
Understanding the DBT philosophy and theoretical underpinnings is essential before use, because both the therapist’s attitude and the therapeutic relationship are central to effective DBT treatment. Involvement in DBT often requires a considerable commitment of at least one year by the client and their DBT trained therapist – with individual, group sessions, and homework assignments being the most common form of treatment delivery.
Occupational therapists working in mental health must recognize and respect the importance of these therapeutic relationships and receive proper training when utilizing DBT materials, or engaging in treatment with clients who are participating in DBT. When engaging in treatment with these individuals we are becoming a part of this structured therapeutic process. Formal DBT training is often strongly encouraged for OT’s practicing in mental health.
With a focus on skills training, the structure of treatment is generally as follows:
Core Mindfulness training – focuses on learning, through practice, to be in control of your mind and in the moment by observing, describing, and participating.
Interpersonal Effectiveness training – focuses on learning to deal with conflict situations, to get what one wants and needs, and to say no to unwanted requests and demands. It focuses specifically on doing this in a manner that maintains self-respect and others’ liking and/or respect.
Emotion Regulation training – focuses on enhancing the control and modulation of emotions, recognizing that complete emotional control cannot be achieved.
Distress Tolerance training – focuses on learning to tolerate distress, surviving crises, and accepting life as it is in the moment. Generally, these skills are ways of surviving and getting through terrible situations, without resorting to behaviors that will make the situation worse.
DBT Book Here:
Polyvagal Theory
Developed in 1994 by Stephen Porges. This theory is based on the vagus nerve which is the component of the parasympathetic nervous system. It presents that there are two distinct branches in the parasympathetic nervous system the ventral vagal and dorsal vagal system. Stephen Porges has also developed the safe and sound protocol. The Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), a non-invasive application of Polyvagal Theory, is an auditory intervention designed to reduce stress and auditory sensitivity while enhancing social engagement and resilience. By calming the physiological and emotional state, SSP can open the door for improved communication and more successful therapy. Trainings can be found on PESI or here:
See classes here https://www.polyvagalinstitute.org/courses-1
Sensory Attachment Intervention (SAI)
Sensory Attachment Intervention (SAI) is a therapy approach which considers the child or young person’s sensory processing alongside their emotional regulation – and the impact that one has on the other. This approach might be particularly useful for children who are in Foster Care, who have been Adopted, and/ or those who have experienced early trauma or adverse experiences, perhaps medical or social in nature (for example surgeries, or displacement).
https://www.sensoryattachmentintervention.com
