IEDTA Certification of Training Programs
and of Teachers and Supervisors
Training Program Certification
IEDTA certifies training programs with two categories of certification: General and Specific Certification.
General (EDT) Certification signifies that a particular training program is approved by the IEDTA for
training therapists in one of the various Experiential Dynamic Therapy (EDT) therapy schools that are
part of the IEDTA.
Specific Certification signifies that a particular training program has fulfilled the requirements for
General (EDT) Certification, and the requirements for a specific EDT therapy school. Currently the only
type of EDT for which specific certification criteria have been created is Intensive Short Term Dynamic
Psychotherapy (ISTDP). We plan to create criteria for Specific Certification for other forms of EDT.
Upon “graduation,” a trainee will receive from his trainers/supervisors a General or Specific certificate
stating that he or she has successfully completed an IEDTA certified training program.
If you want to apply for training program certification, or would just like more information on the
process, please see the criteria below and contact the Certification Committee
Certification of Teachers and Supervisors
As can be seen in the certification criteria below, one requirement for a training program to be certified is
to have at least one IEDTA Certified Supervisor teaching in the program. IEDTA certifies both Teachers
and Supervisors, with the Supervisor requirements being more rigorous than those for Teacher. We
currently only have criteria for Teachers and Supervisors for General (EDT) Training Programs.
Criteria for Teachers and Supervisors in Specific therapy schools (e.g. ISDTP) will shortly appear on this
website. All current IEDTA Certified Teachers and Supervisors have achieved their certification by the
IEDTA.
Training Program Certification Application: no fee
Training Program Certification Maintenance Fee: $25 (USF) per trainee per year
Teacher or Supervisor Certification Application Fee: $25 (USF)
Teacher or Supervisor Certification Maintenance: no fee
"Grandparenting"
Please contact the Certification Committee for information about “grandparenting,” or the certification arrangements for those whose training took place before certification criteria were established.
General EDT Certification Criteria
1. All trainees must be licensed/registered or in a recognized degree program that leads to licensure/registration.
2. Training programs must be at least 3 years in duration..
3. 4-year term between renewals of certification.
4. Each trainee must have at least 18 hours of supervision of their own cases within a group.
supervision setting over the course of the three years of training..
5. Supervision must involve use of AV recorded cases..
6. Supervisors must be IEDTA Certified General (EDT) Supervisors. There must be at least one such Certified Supervisor acting as the teacher/supervisor of the training program..
7. There is no minimum or maximum training group size, nor a minimum number of non-supervision teaching hours.
8. Training programs, faculty, and trainees must adhere to ethical standards as set forth by professional organizations, such as the APA.
Specific ISTDP Certification Criteria for ISTDP core group training
Trainers/supervisors who want their training ISTDP-certified need to send a curriculum of their program, the names and professional degrees of their trainees, location of the training, participation fee to the certification committee. At the end of each year they need to send an evaluation form signed by trainee and supervisor.
1 - All trainees must be licensed/registered professionals, working in the (mental) health sector or they are still attending a recognized degree program that leads to license/registration in the mental health sector.
2 - Minimum group size: N= 4, Maximum group size N= 14
3 - If a group size is between 9 and 14 members: the program must minimally consist of 4 times a year three consecutive 8 hour days. The first day can be considered a theoretical/technical workshop. The 2nd and 3d day can be spent at supervision. However each student must have a minimum of 6 supervision hours within the core group per year.
If a group size is larger than 4 and smaller than: the program must minimally consist of 4 times a year two consecutive 8 hour days. See further above.
4 - Each trainee must make supervision possible via video material of the sessions to be supervised
Supervision to be conducted by an IEDTA Certified ISTDP Supervisor or his/her designee, but the ISTDP board member submits the name and guarantees the quality of the designee's supervisory capability in writing to the certification committee (organization) for approval.
5 - At completion of the ISTDP coregroup training the trainee will receive (IEDTA will develop) from his supervisor a standard certificate of completion (and supply it to be awarded to trainees at graduation to commemorate their completion of the curriculum).
6 - The supervisor(s) covers the following theoretical/technical topics (in their didactic/demonstration portion) over the three years.
1. the spectrum of stuctural neurosis and location of the patient
2. separation of ego from pathological superego part; central dynamic sequence
3. working in the (two) triangles of conflict and persons
4. the central dynamic sequence
5. establishing and maintaining the conscious and unconscious working alliance
6. assessment of front door and cellar door defenses
7. assessment of a patient´s anxiety regulation
8. restructuring of a patient´s ego adaptive capacity
9. assessment of a patient´s regulation of emotions
10. uncovering of the unconscious and experiencing of impulse and feelings
11. visualization of impulse, guilt, grief and access to past trauma
12. working through and making C-P-T- links
13. Termination phase and Follow-up
Specific ISTDP criteria for core training with groups smaller than N=4 and with individuals
1- All trainees must be licensed/registered professionals, working in the (mental) health sector or they are still attending a recognized degree program that leads to license/registration in the mental health sector.
2- Supervision is twenty times per year, 90 minutes per trainee during 3 years.
3- Each trainee must make supervision possible via video material of the sessions to be supervised.
4- Supervision to be conducted by an IEDTA Certified ISTDP Supervisor or his/her designee, but the ISTDPboard member submits the name and guarantees the quality of the designee's supervisory capability in writing to the certification committee (organization) for approval.
5- At completion of the ISTDP coregroup training the trainee will receive (IEDTA will develop) from his supervisor a standard certificate of completion (and supply it to be awarded to trainees at graduation to commemorate their completion of the curriculum).
6- The supervisor(s) covers the following theoretical/technical topics (in their didactic/demonstration portion) over the three years.
1. the spectrum of stuctural neurosis and location of the patient
2. separation of ego from pathological superego part; central dynamic sequence
3. working in the (two) triangles of conflict and persons
4. the central dynamic sequence
5. establishing and maintaining the conscious and unconscious working alliance
6. assessment of front door and cellar door defenses
7. assessment of a patient´s anxiety regulation
8. restructuring of a patient´s ego adaptive capacity
9. assessment of a patient´s regulation of emotions
10. uncovering of the unconscious and experiencing of impulse and feelings
11. visualization of impulse, guilt, grief and access to past trauma
12. working through and making C-P-T- links
13. Termination phase and Follow-up
The IEDTA acknowledges accredited EDT Teachers and EDT Supervisors
Minimal requirements to become an accredited EDT teacher
The colleague
- must be a licensed/registered professional, working in the (mental) health sector
- must have accomplished one of the specified core training programs (ISTDP, APT, EDPT), accredited by the IEDTA
- must have had audiovisual supervision of at least 9 patients and must have given account to the supervisor(s)of the initial assessment, the treatment plan, goals, therapy process, end results of these 9 patients
- must have worked minimally 10 hours per week with patient contacts during at least 2 years prior to his request for accreditation
- must have written an article or must have given an audiovisual presentation at a national or international symposium/workshop/cours/conference
- must have a recommendation of at least one supervisor
Minimal requirements to become an accredited EDT supervisor
The colleague
a) - must fullfill the criteria for accredited EDT teacher
b) - must have assisted in a core Group under guidance of an accredited EDT supervisor ( duration
3 years, 4 times a year 2 or 3 consecutive days)
c) - must have given supervision to members of a core Group. These supervisions must be
audiovisually recorded and must have been supervised by an accredited EDT supervisor
d) – b) and c) may have been taken place in the same period
(duration 3 years, 4 times a year 2 or 3 consecutive days)
Certified Training Programs
The following are training programs currently certified by IEDTA:
Certification Program
