Professional Certificate in Clinical Practice and CBT Foundations for Adults

Overview

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 email Nur Zahirah at zahirah@nus.edu.sg.

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Course Structure and Details