Training programmes for trainer psychotherapists

According to the recommendation (in Finnish) of the national consortium for psychotherapist training, training programmes for trainer psychotherapists can be organised

1. Independently by a university,
2. By a university in cooperation with another training organisation, or
3. By another training organisation in cooperation with a university, in accordance with a curriculum approved in advance by the university

Specialist organisations interested in the provision of trainer psychotherapist training can contact the University of Helsinki’s Psychotherapist Training Programmes (contact primarily by email: meilahti-specialist@helsinki.fi). The practices and cooperation methods associated with providing the trainer training are agreed together with the specialist organisations. The assessment of trainer training is subject to a fee.

The assessment of trainer training organised by a training organisation (recommendation (in Finnish)) and the monitoring of its implementation are carried out in cooperation with the University of Helsinki. The assessment includes an initial assessment and annual follow-ups: an interim assessment one year from the beginning of the training and a final assessment at the end of the training programme. In the assessment, consideration is given to the actual implementation of the training programme in accordance with the proposed curriculum (content of contact instruction and trainers) and the studies completed by students.

The training provider must collect student feedback on the training, which will be discussed in the interim and final assessments. When the quality of training so demands, the training provider must be prepared to develop training content on the basis of feedback or, for example, as advances are made in relevant research-based knowledge. Any significant changes to the content of the training programme must be reported to the University of Helsinki.

The organiser of the training must agree on the assessment timetable at the beginning of the programme, once the programme timetable is known. At the same time, an agreement is made on delivery of the information (e.g., feedback) used in the assessment to the University of Helsinki.

The fee for the assessment of trainer training is €1,800. When requesting an assessment of trainer training, the organiser undertakes to pay the above fee to the University of Helsinki. The fee for interim and final assessments is €500 per assessment. If, for some reason, the training is not approved in one of the assessments, the fee for a repeat assessment is €500.

Ongoing at the moment are the following Trainer Psychotherapist Training Programmes assessed by the University of Helsinki (only in Finnish):

• Psykodynaaminen nuorisopsykoterapian kouluttajapsykoterapeuttikoulutus helmikuu 2022 - kevät 2024 (5 lukukautta, 2,5 vuotta). Koulutuksen toteuttaa Nuorisopsykoterapia-säätiö.
• Psykoanalyytikko-kouluttajapsykoterapeuttikoulutus psykoterapeuteille syksy 2021 - kevät 2025 (8 lukukautta, 4 vuotta). Koulutuksen toteuttaa Therapeia-säätiö.
• Kognitiivisen psykoterapian kouluttajapsykoterapeuttikoulutus lokakuu 2023 - maaliskuu 2026 (5  lukukautta, 2,5 vuotta). Koulutuksen toteuttaa Kognitiivisen Psykoterapian yhdistys Ry. 

In 2023, the following trainer training programmes assessed by the University of Helsinki are planned to commence (only in Finnish):

• Psykodynaaminen nuorisopsykoterapian kouluttajapsykoterapeuttikoulutus syksy 2025 - syksy 2027 (5 lukukautta, 2,5 vuotta). Koulutuksen toteuttaa Nuorisopsykoterapia-säätiö.

At the completion of the training programme, the University of Helsinki will grant the students a certificate indicating that they have completed a training programme approved by the University of Helsinki. The certificate will be awarded after the University and the training provider have together determined in their final assessment that the training programme was successfully implemented and completed.