Professional Certificate in Clinical Practice and CBT Foundations for Adults
In accordance with The National Mental Health and Well-Being Strategy's directives aimed at restructuring the mental health service landscape into a tiered care model (see full report), the NUS Psychology department presents this professional certificate course that serves professionals operating within the third tier of this model. Such personnel would come from mental health policlinics, community mental health teams, youth integrated teams, and similar entities.
This onboarding initiative aims to enhance the capabilities of local mental health services, targeting individuals without a specialised background in mental health. The curriculum is structured to equip participants with essential foundational interpersonal skills in counselling, motivational interviewing, and screening techniques for identifying mental health disorders, thereby facilitating appropriate referrals.
Upon completion of the programme, participants will also acquire the skills to administer basic psychosocial interventions, providing crucial support to individuals grappling with mental health challenges. Additionally, participants will engage in a period of supervised practice within their respective workplaces to further refine their skills. It is important to note, however, that while this course is informed by Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), achieving proficiency in CBT entails extensive additional training and supervised practice beyond the scope of this onboarding course.
The Professional Certificate in Clinical Practice and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Foundations for Adults will equip learners with the following competencies:
- Comprehend and apply the key principles and concepts underlying core psychological theories.
- Demonstrate the ability to establish therapeutic relationships, employ counselling skills, and utilize motivational interviewing techniques to effectively support clients in their journey towards positive behaviour change and improved mental well-being.
- Demonstrate the ability to accurately identify mental health difficulties, utilize appropriate screening tools, and employ a systematic approach to formulate a holistic understanding of clients' psychological functioning.
- Demonstrate familiarity with structured mental health intervention/treatment protocol and skills, including psychosocial interventions and evidence-based psychotherapy.
- Enable learners to identify and navigate ethical dilemmas, apply professional codes of conduct and guidelines, and make informed decisions that prioritize the well-being and autonomy of clients, while upholding ethical standards and promoting responsible and ethical practice in the field of psychology.
- Develop the ability to effectively utilize group supervision as a valuable resource for reflection, support, guidance, and professional development, leading to improved clinical practice and optimal client outcomes.
For enquiries, please write to psybox33@nus.edu.sg
Mode of Delivery
The mode of delivery is face-to-face workshops with didactic teaching, reflective practice group discussions and group supervision.
Assessment
Learners will be assessed in the following ways:
- Day 1-3: Online Test and Written Exam
- Day 3-6: Online Test
- Group Supervision: Oral Questioning
The entry requirements for the component workshops and the professional certificates are as follows:
- Background in Psychology, Social Work, Counselling, or related field
- A letter/email from employer verifying that applicant is working with clients with mild to moderate mental health difficulties and supervised by a qualified individual
- Fluent in English (instruction language)
The target learner profile is junior and senior community healthcare, social service and education workers with little formal training in psychological practice and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT).
It remains the sole responsibility of the participant to ensure that any practise involving the utilising of knowledge and skills acquired from the NUS workshops are within their areas of competence. It is strongly encouraged that participants pursue regular clinical supervision to further solidify the knowledge and skills acquired from these workshops.
| Professional Certificate | Application Links |
| Professional Certificate in Clinical Practice and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Foundations for Adults | Part I - choose May, Aug or Oct intake |
| Part II - choose May, Aug or Oct intake |
| Type of Applicants | Registration Guide |
| Self-Sponsored Applicant | Applicable to self-sponsored learners registering independently. |
| Company-sponsored Applicant | Applicable to company-sponsored learners and HR/Admin teams registering on behalf of their staff. |
Note:
- Course application closes 2 weeks prior to course commencement.
- Applicants are required to complete and submit their applications via two different links, as outlined above.
- Every professional certificate comprises of several modules. Learners will be awarded a professional certificate when they complete all modules and apply to the NUS Department of Psychology for the professional certificate.
Professional Certificate in Clinical Practice and CBT Foundations for Adults
| Fees Description | Total Payable (excluding GST) |
| Full course fees | $5,940.00 |
- GST shall apply at prevailing rates.
Course Structure and Details
Course Synopsis
The demand for evidence-based interventions to address mental health difficulties in adults has outpaced available community services. This workshop is designed for allied mental health practitioners assigned to mild and moderate mental health cases to deepen their expertise in Clinical Practice and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) while working with adult populations. Participants will explore basic psychological theories, practice counselling skills and motivational interviewing, and discuss ethical practices in mental health.
In addition, participants will explore the theoretical foundations of CBT and delve into case formulations and interventions for adults with mood and anxiety disorders, obsessive compulsive disorders, psychosis and insomnia. The training will emphasize hands-on learning through active participation in role-play exercises, discussion groups, etc. to refine their knowledge and skills in clinical practice and apply it to their respective contexts. The training will culminate in supervised practice group sessions, allowing participants to refine their CBT skills in their respective service contexts.
Learning Outcomes
The learning outcomes for each day of training are as follows:
| Day | Module Topic | Learning Outcome |
| 1 | Basic Psychological Theories |
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| 2 | Motivational Interviewing (MI) (theory and practice) |
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| 3 | Ethical Practices in Mental Health |
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| 4 | Mood Disorders |
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| 5 | Anxiety Disorders and Obsessive-compulsive disorders | |
| 6 | Psychosis, Schizophrenia and Insomnia | |
| 7 | Post-workshop group supervision sessions |
|
This Professional Certificate consists of six training days covering a range of topics followed by group supervision sessions:
- Day 1: Basic Psychological Theories
- Day 2: Motivational Interviewing
- Day 3: Ethical Practices in Mental Health
- Day 4: Mood Disorders
- Day 5: Anxiety Disorders and Obsessive-compulsive disorders
- Day 6: Psychosis, Schizophrenia and Insomnia
- Post-workshop group supervision sessions (4 sessions x 1.45 hrs)
Dates and Time
| August Intake | October Intake |
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Classes will be conducted from 9 am to 5:30 pm.
Training Venue
Classes will be conducted face-to-face in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, NUS.
About The Trainers
Dr Kean J. Hsu
Assistant Professor, National University of Singapore
Education
Ph.D. (Southern California)
M.A. (Southern California)|
B.A. (Hons) (Yale)
Kean J. Hsu, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at National University of Singapore. His research investigates how basic cognitive processes (e.g., attention, executive functioning) impact the etiology and exacerbate symptom severity of depression and anxiety. He is also interested in scalable mental health interventions (e.g., cognitive training, brief interventions) and examining mechanisms underlying psychotherapeutic interventions, as well as increasing awareness of issues surrounding mental health and stigma in communities that are typically under-served or under-utilize mental health services. Clinically, Kean specialises in the treatment of depression, anxiety disorders, and stress in adults.
Kean completed a B.A. with honours in psychology (with a behavioural neuroscience specialization) at Yale University before receiving his Ph.D. in clinical psychology at the University of Southern California in 2014. He completed postdoctoral research fellowships at McLean Hospital/Harvard Medical School, the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of Texas at Austin. He previously co-directed the Anxiety and Stress Clinic with Jasper Smits, Ph.D., at UT- Austin. Most recently, Kean was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Georgetown University.
Recent/Representative Publications:
- Hsu,K.J.,Shumake,J.,Caffey,K.,Risom,S.,Labrada,J.,Smits,J.A.J.,...Beevers, C. G. (2020, September 30). Efficacy of Attention Bias Modification Training for Depressed Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/btmfy
- Hsu, K.J., McNamara, M., Shumake, J., Stewart, R., Labrada, J., Alario, A., Gonzalez, G.D.S., Schnyer, D.M., & Beevers, C.G. (2020). Neurocognitive predictors of self-reported reward responsivity and approach motivation in depression: a data-driven approach. Depression and Anxiety, 37(7), 682-697. Doi: 10.1002/da.23042
- Hsu,K.J.,&Davison,G.C.(2017).Compoundeddeficits:theassociationbetween neuropsychological impairment and attention biases in currently depressed, formerly depressed, and never depressed individuals. Clinical Psychological Science, 5(2), 286-298.
Dr Kenji Gwee
Senior Lecturer, National University of Singapore
Dr. Gwee is a perceptive clinician and a passionate educator. With over 18 years of experience as a clinical forensic psychologist at the Institute of Mental Health, he is well versed with psychological issues and life challenges that adults and youths face.
On the forensic front, he has provided expert testimony for high-profile criminal cases and set various standards for psychological assessments for local courts. He obtained his doctorate from Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia.
On top of teaching and training new psychologists, he also enjoys providing:
- Psychological therapy and assessments
- Consultation to lawyers and the courts
- Consultation to mental health professions
- Clinical supervision
Dr Lohsnah Jeevanandam
Senior Lecturer and Director of Clinical Psychology Programme, National University of Singapore
Education
D.Clin.Psych (University of Queensland)
BA (Hons) (University of Sydney)
Research Interests
- Developmental disabilities
- Dual diagnosis
- Behavioral modification
- Parenting programmes
Recent/Representative Publications
- Jeevanandam, L. & Toh, A. (2021). The Singapore Psychological Society Code of Ethics: The Beginning, the Current, and the Future. In K.L. Parsonson. (Ed.). Handbook of International Psychology Ethics. Routledge.
- Jeevanandam, L. (2021). Sexuality Development in Persons with Intellectual Disability: A Singapore Perspective. In M.E Wong & L.Lim (Eds.). Special Needs in Singapore (pp 309-322). Singapore: Work Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd.
- Goh, P.S., Goh, Y.W., Jeevanandam, L., Nyolczas, Z., Kun, A., Watanabe, Y., Noro, I., Wang, R. and Jiang, J. (2021), Be happy to be successful: a mediational model of PERMA variables. Asia Pac J Hum Resour. https://doi.org/10.1111/1744-7941.12283
Dr Hasse De Meyer
Lecturer, National University of Singapore
Education
Ph.D. (KU Leuven)
M.Sc. Clinical and Health Psychology (KU Leuven)
B.Sc. Psychology (KU Leuven)
Dr. Hasse is a Clinical Psychologist with a Master’s and Ph.D. degree from KU Leuven (Belgium) and recent work experience as a lecturer and Clinical Psychologist in Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) from 2019 until early 2022. Prior, she combined her Ph.D. research with clinical work at KU Leuven’s academic outpatient mental health clinic in Belgium. She primarily works with children and adolescents and specialise in assessing and treating behavioral, social, and emotional problems. Her largest expertise and area of interest lies in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). More specifically, she uses experimental tasks to study underlying deficits in reinforcement learning and potential remediation strategies in children with ADHD. More recently, she conducted studies on well-being during Covid-19 and parenting styles in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, and she have ongoing research projects in Japan and Belgium on reinforcement learning in children with ADHD.
Currently, she is teaching and supervising Master's level students in the NUS Clinical Psychology program.
Recent/Representative Publications:
- De Meyer, H., Tripp, G., Beckers, T. & Van der Oord, S. (2021). Conditional Learning Deficits in Children with ADHD Can Be Reduced Through Reward Optimization and Response-Specific Reinforcement. Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology. doi.org/10.1007/s10802-021-00781-5
- Hulsbosch, A.K., De Meyer, H., Beckers, T., Danckaerts, M., Van Liefferinge, D., Tripp, G. & Van der Oord, S. (2021) Systematic Review: ADHD and Instrumental Learning. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2021.03.009
- De Meyer, H., Ufiya, F., & Ng, S. L. (2021). Psychosocial and demographic predictors of mental health and distress. In G. J. Louis, S. Kaur, & H. F. Cheong (Eds.), COVID-19 and Psychology in Malaysia (pp. 39-53). Routledge Focus.
Dr Nur Hani Zainal
Assistant Professor, National University of Singapore
Education
Ph.D. (Penn State)
M.Sc. (Penn State)
B.Soc.Sci. (Hons.) (NUS)
Dr Hani is a Presidential Young Professorship (PYP) Assistant Professor in Clinical Psychology at the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Director of the Optimizing Wellness (OWL) Lab.
She completed a two-year postdoctoral research fellowship at Harvard Medical School (HMS), received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The Pennsylvania State University, and completed her predoctoral clinical fellowship at the HMS-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in the Cognitive Behavioral Scientist Track.
Her research centers on technology-facilitated interventions, particularly digital mental health interventions (DMHIs), and she is especially interested in identifying the predictors, moderators, and mediators that influence their effectiveness. Beyond this, she investigates how neurocognitive processes, psychoneuroimmunology, and cognitive-behavioral strategies contribute to the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders. To advance these aims, she draws on a range of approaches and datasets, including cross-sectional and longitudinal surveys, basic science experiments, ecological momentary assessments, and prospective cross-panel designs.
She hopes to make novel and positively impactful contributions to both basic science and translational clinical research and practice. Moreover, she is grateful to have received several awards that have supported her career, including the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) Leonard Krasner Dissertation Award, the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) Alies Muskin Career Development Leadership Program (CDLP), and the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) Superior Teaching and Research (STAR) award.
Recent/Representative Publications:
- Zainal, N. H., Wang, V., Garthwaite, B., & Curtiss, J. E. (2025). What factors are related to engagement with digital mental health interventions (DMHIs)? A meta-analysis of 117 trials. Health Psychology Review, 26, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/17437199.2025.2547610
- Zainal, N. H., Soh, C. P., Van Doren, N., & Benjet, C. (2024). Do the effects of internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (i-CBT) last after a year and beyond? A meta-analysis of 154 randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Clinical Psychology Review, 114,102518. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2024.102518
- Zainal, N. H., Liu, X., Leong, U., Yan, X., & Chakraborty, B. (2024). Bridging innovation and equity: Advancing public health through just-in-time adaptive interventions (JITAIs). Annual Review of Public Health, 46(1), 46-68. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-publhealth-071723-103909
Dr Matthew Lim
Senior Lecturer, Deputy Director and Curriculum Coordinator, Clinical Psychology Programme, National University of Singapore
Education
D.Clin.Psy (University College London)
D.Phil (University of Oxford)
Matthew completed his first degree in psychology at NUS. He later read a doctorate at the Department of Psychiatry, Oxford University, with a research focus on gambling-related cognitive vulnerabilities. His subsequent professional clinical doctorate was completed at University College London. Matthew wrote a doctoral thesis on recovery-based outcome measurement among Vietnamese refugees living in the UK as part of his clinical training. Upon graduation, Matthew returned to his alma mater, NUS, and received an early career award with his previous senior tutorship appointment at the Department of Psychology.
Matthew teaches and supervises on the masters in clinical psychology programme in NUS and received a faculty teaching award in 2021 for his teaching excellence. Matthew’s clinical and consultancy work has been informed by behavioural, cognitive, systemic and psychoanalytic ideas and contemporary "third-wave" meditative practices.
Matthew's research programme aims to develop local clinical psychology competency frameworks in specialist areas not covered by the SkillsFuture national guidelines. The masters and doctoral students he supervises have embarked on projects to articulate the competencies required in the following practice domains: mental health in disabilities, clinical health psychology, reflective practice, and clinical supervision. Findings from this research programme inform the curriculum design and assessment rubrics of professional courses in NUS.
Ms Ong Jiehan Jamie
Instructor, National University of Singapore
Education
M.Clin Psych. (NUS)
Jamie is a registered psychologist, an approved Clinical Supervisor with the Singapore Register of Psychologists and a member of the Singapore Psychological Society. She has extensive experience working with children and adolescents with developmental disorders and psychiatric conditions both in a hospital and community setting. Additionally, Jamie is teaching and provides clinical supervision to psychology students at the National University of Singapore.
Jamie's expertise includes administering standardised assessments for children and adolescents. She is certified to conduct the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2) and Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised (ADI-R). She is also skilled at a variety of individual and group therapies for children, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy and Social Thinking.
Dr Stephanie Si Min Lee
Lecturer and Graduate Clinical Research Coordinator
Education
Ph.D. (NUS)
M.Clin Psych. (NUS)
B.Soc.Sci. (Hons.) (NUS)
Dr. Stephanie is primarily interested in examining the development and treatment of psychopathology, with a specific focus on exploring the impact of parent-child relationship and peer associations on the development of emotion dysregulation.
Recent/Representative Publications:
- Lee,S.S.M.,Keng,S.-L.,Yeo,G.C.,&Hong,R.Y.(2021).Parentalinvalidationand its associations with borderline personality disorder symptoms: A multivariate meta-analysis. Personality Disorders: Theory, Research, and Treatment. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/per0000523
- Lee, S. S. M., Keng, S.-L., & Hong, R. Y. (2021). Examining the intergenerational transmission of parental invalidation: Extension of the biosocial model. Development and Psychopathology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579421000778
- Hong, R. Y., Lee, S. S. M., Chng, R. Y., Zhou, Y., Tsai, F., & Tan, S. H. (2017). Developmental trajectories of maladaptive perfectionism in middle childhood. Journal of Personality, 85(3), 409-422. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12249
Ms Carine Liew
Instructor, National University of Singapore
Education
M.Clin Psych. (Uni Melb-NUS)
BSc Psych. (Hons.) (Monash)
Carine is a registered psychologist, an approved Clinical Supervisor with the Singapore Register of Psychologists and a member of the Singapore Psychological Society.
Carine previously worked at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital’s (KKH) Department of Child Development where she worked with families and children, 6 years and under, with various developmental, behavioural and socio-emotional difficulties. She subsequently went on to work at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), where she was a Senior Clinical Psychologist, and in the private sector, working with children, teenagers and adults from diverse backgrounds with a broad range of psychiatric difficulties. Additionally, Carine contributed to Singapore's inaugural paediatric OCD clinic during her tenure at IMH. Carine is teaching and provides clinical supervision to psychology students at the National University of Singapore.
Dr Donald Yeo
Senior Lecturer, National University of Singapore
Education
Ph.D. (University of Melbourne)
As a qualified Clinical Neuropsychologist, Donald has a special interest in cognitive aging and dementia assessment, with more than 25 years of professional practice, advanced training, clinical research and academic teaching. He has established deep expertise in the cognitive evaluation of patients with brain disorders and providing psychological support to family caregivers, and has assisted the courts as an independent expert witness in medicolegal cases, such as personal injury compensation, mental capacity assessments in deputyship, Wills and Lasting Power of Attorney.
His extensive career in hospitals, private practice, and community settings has made him a trusted name for assessing a wide range of neuropsychological assessments including but not limited to dementia, aging, mental capacity, and medicolegal cases.
Ms Fiona Tan
Instructor, National University of Singapore
Education
M.Clin Psych. (NUS)
After earning her Masters in Clinical Psychology, Fiona joined the Institute of Mental Health (IMH) with the child forensic team at their Child Guidance Clinic (CGC) where she provided a wide variety of therapeutic & assessment services for children and adolescents. This includes performing assessments for youth offenders, and conducting individual and group interventions for children and adolescents to address trauma, mood and anxiety related conditions. Her wholistic approach goes beyond delivering assessments by offering concrete help to her clients and/or their families based on solid evidence-based clinical methods during therapy sessions.
With a special interest in Trauma and Resilience, her extensive work with survivors of traumatic events has given her a unique perspective to offer targeted help according to their immediate and future needs.