ABFT Level II: Supervision and Advanced Workshop
Supervision
After completing the Level 1 workshop, training therapists are eligible to begin a series of 22 fortnightly, 60-90 minute (depending on group size) individual or group case consultation meetings with an ABFT certified consultant (~1 year). Trainees are expected to discuss their current cases in which they are applying ABFT. Therapists are required to send a short case write-up using the ABFT Case Write-up Outline when they present a case. In addition, they are expected to present 5-10 minute recordings of their therapy sessions. Supervision groups have a limit of 7 people per 60-minute groups and 12 people per 90-minute group.
Individuals or agencies who do not want to commit to the certification process can contract for a minimum of 11 supervision sessions at a time.
Individuals or agencies may participate in as many rounds of 11 supervision sessions as they desire.
Training Format for Supervision
Supervision takes place online via a HIPAA-secure web-conferencing system.
Benefits of Supervision
Supervision sessions help therapists who have attended the 2-Part Introductory Workshop implement ABFT more effectively with clients. During supervision, therapists learn how to conceptualize from an ABFT framework so that they can utilize ABFT with a variety of different clients, presenting problems, and difficult situations. Through presenting 5-10 minute videos of sessions, therapists receive detailed feedback on the moment-by-moment decisions that occur in therapy. Additionally, the brief videos help therapists hone their ABFT specific skills. ABFT Supervisors also help therapists identify and work through person-of-the-therapist issues that arise when doing this interpersonal, emotionally deep work.
Target Audience
Therapists in the U.S. need to have at least a master’s degree in social work, mental health counseling, clinical or counseling psychology, or couple’s and family therapy. If therapists are not licensed and/or are graduate students, they need to be employed somewhere where they are receiving supervision. Internationally, therapists need to have local certification or licensure allowing them to practice therapy. ABFT Supervisors do not take on legal responsibility for cases.
3-Day Advanced Workshop
The 3-day Advanced Workshop is a follow-up, intensive, supervision workshop with some didactic presentations. This workshop, helps advance therapist’s ABFT skills. Participants discuss person of the therapist issues as they relate to ABFT and learn about the use of emotion-deepening skills in the context of ABFT. During the advanced training, a certified ABFT trainer provides supervision via live supervision (when possible), and role-play. In preparation for the training, we ask therapists to think about their biggest challenges in utilizing ABFT with families in Tasks 1-5. As many live supervision sessions as possible are scheduled during the 3-day advanced training.
Attendance is limited to 30 people (per trainer) who have previously attended the 3-day Level 1 workshop. Ideally, attendees have also participate in the supervision program as well. This way all of the attendees come to the advanced workshops with a high level of knowledge and experience with the model.
Benefits of the 3-Day Advanced Workshop
The Advanced Workshop helps solidify ABFT skills. Participants gain an understanding of how their own attachment history creates barriers or can help facilitate their delivery of therapy. They learn how to utilize their own personal experiences in life to build empathy and understanding of their clients’ experiences. Additionally, with practicing emotional deepening skills in role plays and receiving feedback, participants leave with a new understanding of how to deepen their ABFT work with clients. In this workshop we also talk more about how to adapt and or modify ABFT with more challenging clients.
Target Audience
The target audience for the 3-day Advanced workshop is Counselors, Couple and Family Therapists, Mental Health Professionals, Psychiatrists, Psychiatric Nurses, Psychologists, Psychotherapists and Social Workers who have previously attended the 3-day Level 1 Introductory Workshop. Attendees do not have to participate in ABFT supervision to attend the Advanced Workshop but it is preferred.
Training Format Options for the Advanced Workshop
The Advanced Workshop can be conducted in-person or live online as three full days or six-half days.
Level II Trained ABFT Therapist
In order to achieve the status of a Level II Trained ABFT Therapist, therapists must complete the following activities:
- Participate in 22 supervision sessions.
- Present at least 4 cases during supervision utilizing the case write-up or case conceptualization form. Case presentations do not have to be from the same case.
- Show at least 2 video excerpts of cases during the course of supervision.
- Attend the ABFT Advanced Workshop.
- Complete the ABFT Exam and receive at least an 80%.
OR
- Complete the yearlong ABFT program at KU Leuven University in Belgium
- Complete the ABFT Exam and receive at least an 80%.