ISTFP.ORG

Advancing Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder

International Society of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy

Advancing Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder

Levels of Certification in TFP

Prepared by the ISTFP Training & Education Committee

Levels of TFP certification
Grade Level Training procedures Documentation / certification
A Student Participated in course, seminar or workshop, but did not go on to supervision. Student receives document specifying the topic, teacher(s) and number of hours (this is provided by the ISTFP institution/ teacher & supervisor, who delivered the training).
B TFP
didactic training graduate		 Curriculum (corresponding to at least 42 hours of training seminars, equivalent to 6 day-long seminars in TFP). Presentation of application of TFP techniques in supervision (or by videotaped cases);

Training completion document (this is provided by the ISTFP institution/ teacher & supervisor, who delivered the training).
C TFP therapist Further training corresponding to a total of 63 hours of training seminars (level B + C);

After achieving level B; continuous TFP supervision ≥2y with at least monthly presentation of the training case (2xweek) in supervision (minimum 20 hours of supervisions). Should have 2 supervisors in sequence (a waiver can be requested for situations where this is not possible).

 Normally, the case presented for the certification exam has to be 2 sessions a week. The candidate presents a case, with video material from 2 sessions, to a supervisor, or 2 if possible (these must be members of the ISTFP Board of Supervisors1). The examiner(s) give feedback about the candidates strengths and weaknesses.

Therapist certificate with statement of period of training (this is provided by the ISTFP institution/ teacher & supervisor, who delivered the training and supervision, ideally, the examiner should not be the same as the person who taught and supervised).

Note: In settings where 2x/week is not possible, “low dose” 1x/week will be accepted. It is expected that within 3 years the ISTFP will have defined criteria for standard TFP and low dose-TFP, respectively. These might make necessary changes of this requirement.
D TFP study therapist Sufficient adherence and competence ratings according to study design. PI is responsible for deciding this. PI has to be approved by the ISTFP Research and Publication Committee.
E TFP teacher and supervisor After achieving level C:

1) Applications to start the pathway to become T&S may be made by the candidate (see note), or may be proposed by the local institute (if recognized by the ISTFP) or the previous supervisor. Support from supervisors is necessary.

Admission will be evaluated by a group discussion between the supervisor(s), the local institute and/or T&E committee. If there is no local institute, the discussion will be limited to the supervisor(s) and T&E committee.

2) Requirements:

(after level C) continuous TFP supervision ≥2y with at least monthly presentation of another training case (2xweek, different from the level C) in supervision (minimum 20 hours of case presentations in supervisions).
Should have 2 supervisors in sequence (a waiver can be requested for situations where this is not possible).

3) experience in TFP teaching and co-supervision (see notes)

 For the exam, two candidates pair off with two members of the Certification Board.2

Part 1 – The candidate presents a new case (video-taped) with the second candidate acting as supervisor;

Part 2 – supervision of the second candidate’s case; in supervising, the candidate should be able to discuss both theoretical and technical aspects of the case;

The examiners observe and may ask questions;

TFP supervisor certificate (this is provided by the ISTFP Training & Education Committee).

Notes

Application for supervisor-trainer: the candidate writes a short paragraph describing why he/she thinks would be a good candidate

Co-supervision:

  1. One year of at least monthly continuous co-supervision with a T&S, as a member of an existing supervision group, with regular involvement in the process as a Co-supervisor
  2. If more than one candidate in a group, co-supervisor should take the lead of the supervision at least monthly (or for a longer period of time), in rotation with the other co-supervisors. If co-supervision cannot be done monthly, it will take longer time, e.g. 2 years.
  3. Specific arrangements for co-supervision will be discussed with the supervisor: frequency, organization of the supervision, etc.
  4. Example of co-supervision (1 hour – 1,5 hours):
    1. supervisions lasts 1 hour and a half in case of consecutive translation (very time consuming).
    2. transcription: it starts with brief updating of what happened inside and outside treatment since last supervision, goals and psychodynamic hypotheses, major difficulties, transference and countertransference issues; this is useful because it’s a question we always make and so it’s time saving to have it already written.
    3. for 30 (50) minutes the candidate-supervisor conducts the supervision with the therapist; time limit is useful to stimulate a priority of questions, comments, and suggestions to the therapist; it should protect from the risk of focusing on details and missing the big picture of what’s going on.
      T&S doesn’t intervene in this phase.
    4. for 20 (30) minutes T&S makes comments and questions mostly to the candidate-supervisor but also to the therapist.
    5. for 10 minutes comments from the group. This is a very short time and there is almost no possibility for analyzing parallel processes but consecutive translation doubles the time of every comment.

Co-teaching, examples:

  1. A junior teacher will accompany a senior teacher in TFP curriculum. Part of the teaching will be on the side of the candidate. If two or more candidates, different topics could be taught by different candidates.
  2. Co-teaching in seminars with T&S.
  3. In cases where it is not possible to participate in a formal curriculum, co-teaching experience could be arranged within the supervision group. Specific arrangements for co-teaching will be discussed with the supervisor.

 

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[1] The ISTFP Board of Supervisors will be constituted from all certified TFP supervisors. ISTFP members, who are already teachers and supervisors will automatically become members of the Board.

[2] An ISTFP Certification Board has been nominated by the Training and Education Committee and approved by the ISTFP Executive Board. Members of the Certification Board are (alfab): Marion Braun, Peter Buchheim, Eve Caligor, John Clarkin, Sergio Dazzi, Frank Denning, Diana Diamond, Stephan Doering, Nel Draijer, Miguel Angel Gonzalez Torres, Otto Kernberg, Tennyson Lee, Mathias Lohmer, Philipp Martius, Jos van Mosel, Lina Normandin, Alvise Orlandini, Agnes Schneider-Heine, Marike Steeman, Luis Valenciano, Joan Vegué, Anne Ward, Paul Wijts and Frank Yeomans.

Updated March 2022.