The USPBSPA exists to provide training and certification in the Pesso Boyden System Psychomotor. In order to be certified in PBSP psychotherapy you must submit a video of your structure work to the Membership committee of the USPBSPA. In order to submit a video of your work you must have a minimum of 27 days of training with a USPBSPA certified Trainer. Any number of Trainers can be used. In this video you must demonstrate your knowledge of both the method and the theories of PBSP (see below for the curriculum to get an overview of this knowledge base).
As of now, there are two ways to accumulate the training days needed to attain permission to submit a video for supervision. One way is to put your own program together by attending Trainer conducted training sessions. All such trainings are listed in the “Events” section of this website. Obtaining training in this way makes you, the learner, entirely responsible for learning the curriculum. Admission to these ad hoc trainings will be at the discretion of the individual trainers involved. In order to follow this path, you must keep track of you should keep a diary of the training sessions you have attended, with which trainers, and what parts of the curriculum were covered. Experience has shown that no one has ever achieved certification with just the 27 days of training. To ensure your success it is highly recommended that you establish a supervisory relationship with a certified Trainer or Supervisor. With that person you should use videos of your work. When your supervisor and you reach a consensus that your video has achieved the level of skill needed for certification, you will have a much better chance of presenting a successful video for certification. Because most often it is personal issues that interfere with presenting a successful video, your supervisor may recommend that you do some personal structure work as well.
The second way to gain training is to participate in an organized 3-year training program. The format of these programs may vary, but in general, they will provide them minimum 27 days of training that will cover the entire curriculum. These organized programs will require participants to register at least one year. (Meaning, the yearly tuition must be paid if you attend all sessions or not.) These programs may vary in frequency of meeting (for example, they may meet for 3-day weekends, or 2 five- day training sessions per year. These programs will also be listed in the “Events” section of this website. These 3-year programs will require an application and signing a contract. (Currently, there is one such program starting up in San Diego, CA, which will be starting in the fall of 2023. Contact Maya Heffernan, mheffernan.therapy@gmail.com. Note: for the USPBSPA Certification Committee, submission for certification is a learning opportunity as well as an assessment of your understanding of the model and proficiency in the skill sets. To this end, we require your certified supervisor to help you select a recording to submit, in essence, making submission collaborative rather than a solitary process. It is important to us that your supervisor support your submission as worthy of certification.
1. Clearly state which certification you are applying for. The specific certifications along with requirements for each are listed on the website.
2. Documentation of your training and supervision hours, which includes dates, times, names of trainers and supervisors and content.
3. Video of your certification structure along with a brief history of the client.
4. The fee for applying for certification is $500, payable to the USPBSPA. (Mail checks made out to the USPBSPA to: Catherine Rice, Treasurer USPBSPA, 9875 221st Ave NW, Elk River, MN 55330. You can contact her at catherinerice01@gmail.com to make a payment by other means than a check.)
The committee is made up of three members. Matt Fried, Ph.D., Robin McInturff, LPC, LMFT, Debbie Willbur, LCSW. Tapes are reviewed by two primary members and, in the event of a tie, the third member then reviews the tape and all three members then come to a consensus.
5. Completion and submission of the 18-point questionnaire with the submitter’s comments regarding each.
6. Transcription of your video. In order for the committee to answer the 18 point questionnaire, we ask that you transcribe your video noting what you say, what the client says, identifying witness statements, voices and enrollments and reversals. The review process is greatly aided when the transcription is submitted with the recording. It also can be a great learning tool. As no structure is perfect, the transcription provides a way to identify decisions made which might have been done differently in retrospect. This can show the certification committee the depth of your understanding of the model. Transcription and answering the 18 points may be done conjointly with your supervisor. If you don’t want to make the transcription yourself, we can refer you to an excellent one, and, if her fee poses a hardship, provide some contribution to defray the cost.
7. Once the committee has reviewed your material, they will meet with you to go over teaching points. This is a very interactive, enriching process.
8. Once certified, we encourage continued supervision to help you with your learning points.
Video:
1. Your video must be clear and easy to see and hear (the transcription will help clarify potentially inaudible places).
2. Make sure enrollments are captured in your video. We need to be able to see the placement of the enrollments and what objects are used. If people are used, we want to see how they accommodate and how you supervise this.
3. Submissions can be sent digitally if such transmission is secure. Thumb drives can also be submitted. In the latter case, send to both primary members of the supervision committee:
Matt Fried, Ph.D.
P.O. Box 63
Margaretville, NY 12455
email: mattf@aol.com
Debbie Willbur, LCSW
1358 Cor Jesu Ct.
Longwood, FL 32750
email: psydaw1@gmail.com
4. To use other forms of transmission, please contact the committee directly.
