The pathway to certification with the Gottman Institute is very well structured to assist therapists who have already developed micro-counseling skills and an understanding of therapeutic process, to be able to very successfully apply Gottman Marital Therapy (GMT) in a highly competent and successful manner.
The pathway to certification with the Gottman Institute is very well structured to assist therapists who have already developed micro-counseling skills and an understanding of therapeutic process, to be able to very successfully apply Gottman Marital Therapy (GMT) in a highly competent and successful manner.
The first step is to attend the Level 1 Workshop – Bridging the Couple Chasm. This 2 day workshop is aimed at assisting therapists, counselors, pastors and community leaders to understand the theoretical basis of what makes relationships work based on the 40+ years of Gottman’s incredible body of research. Day 1 includes a brief summary of his research approach, the major relevant findings, the development of his model of relationships (The Sound Relationship House - SRH) and how to accurately assess the current status of any relationship using the SRH as your exemplar.
During day 2 we are introduced to the work of Dr Julie Schwarz-Gottman as she demonstrates the application of 9 of the key Gottman developed interventions with a wonderful couple, Paul and Shantel. These video demonstrations are accompanied by clear, concise explanations for introducing interventions and applying them.
At the end of this workshop, you will leave with an excellent understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of this approach as well as a range of excellent interventions to practice with the help of your couples.
The second step in developing your skills towards becoming a CGT is to attend the Level 2 Workshop – Assessment, Interventions and Co-Morbidities. This is a 3 day workshop in which we spend more time deepening your understanding of how to assess complex couples where trauma and mental health, alcohol and drugs, affairs and/or domestic violence may be present.
Over this 3 day period you are able to view new demonstration videos from the Gottman Clinical office to assist you to refine your clinical skills and expand your strategies and interventions in your work with more challenging couples and presentations. You will be encouraged to internalize and integrate these techniques into your practice through the use of demonstration, role play and coaching in a safe and supportive environment.
The practical components covered over your 3 days of training will help you to gain insight into when to use which methods and situations where couples therapy is contraindicated. You can’t help but gain more confidence in applying these techniques and more expertise in assessing very difficult clients and presentations.
Level 3 training – the Practicum – is also a 3 day training which is devoted to providing you with hands on experience and answering all your practice questions. There is no better way to learn how to apply GMT than this workshop. Through videotaped cases of your real couples, live demonstrations, hands-on role-plays and nuanced discussion of techniques, the Level 3 Practicum significantly expands your understanding of when and how to us GMT approaches.
In a small group setting, you will have the opportunity to practice and refine your skills and receive personal guidance in developing a roadmap for clinical decisions.
Level 3 Practicum content represents the true resistances and co-morbidities we face as therapists and how we can transform them into effective healing methods for our couples. The workshop is structured to help create a safe and secure environment so participants can learn and practice while feeling free of criticism and negative judgement.
Once you have completed your level 3 training you are eligible to apply for the Certification Track with The Gottman Institute. This mentoring process provides you with one on one or small group contact with a Senior Certified Gottman Therapist and Consultant. These practitioners have engaged in many extra hours of practice and training to become expert in the application of GMT. You will undertake a minimum of 8 hours of individual consultation or 12 hours of small group consultation to finely hone your GMT skills. During this process you will present your consultant with videos of your work and together you will explore your process and help you completely integrate your skills and knowledge into your practice. This process takes your work as a couples’ therapist to a whole new level.
Once you and your consultant agree that your work meets the competency criteria set out by the Gottman Institute you can submit 4 of your videos along with documentation covering at least 100 hours of working with couples using GMT and some case study material. This will be assessed by independent assessors and once passed you will be able to add “Certified Gottman Marital Therapist” to your list of accomplishments and professional qualifications.
This also provides you with the opportunity to continue on and train as a presenter for the Gottman state of the art couples workshop – The Art and Science of Love. But that’s a story for another day.
If you have any further questions about becoming a Certified Gottman Therapist please don’t hesitate to contact us.