Training

Training mental health professionals in the best practice principles of BPI is central to our work at CambridgeBPI.

You’ll leave our training workshops feeling confident and informed, ready to start treating patients and making a real difference in the lives of young people suffering from depression.  There are many fantastic benefits to training in BPI with CambridgeBPI, including:

• Knowledgeable tutors
• Clear instruction
• A short training window
• Comprehensive supporting materials (including a therapist manual and workbooks for young people)

Each training session is designed to help you identify and understand the key markers of adolescent depression, and to provide a flexible management plan for patients to follow.

There are three training levels available in BPI:

This training leads to a certificate of completion to be a BPI therapist, obtained after our two-day teaching programme and six months of being supervised by a local supervisor who is already trained in BPI or is completing Level Two training (described below).  Level One completion requires treating three depressed adolescents under local supervision.  Level One BPI therapist applicants need a mental health qualification or equivalent and must have at least 12 months of clinical practice within an adolescent mental health service (or equivalent).

This training is for those wishing to become a BPI supervisor of clinical staff within their own organisation.  Level Two training is also available to those who have successfully completed Level One.  These prospective BPI Level Two therapist-supervisors will already have supervision, clinical care, and management responsibilities in their organisation for other clinical staff, and at least 36 months of experience working with adolescents with mental health difficulties. Completing the Level Two training requires six months of monthly video supervision with the CambridgeBPI supervisors, seeing three clients of their own, and supervising at least three clients of their BPI training staff they are working with locally.

Learn how to be a BPI trainer. This is a qualifying course that CambridgeBPI provides to existing Level Two qualified BPI supervisors.

Those who successfully complete Level Three training will be able – under a licence agreement from CambridgeBPI – to undertake both Level One and Level Two training within their organisations.

Applicants for Level Three will already be Level Two supervisors, and will demonstrate to a CambridgeBPI-approved training observer that they can:

• Deliver the two-day BPI training programme to the required teaching and learning level.
• Undertake BPI-specific clinical and additional theoretical supervision of supervisors.
• Conduct video reboot sessions for therapists and supervisors they are training.
• Undertake supervision with CambridgeBPI supervisors on a further three clinical cases.

Level Three certification of competence is likely to take a further 6-12 months, following Level Two completion.

1. How does BPI training work?

Our group-based workshops are delivered by our two lead trainers, ensuring you have all the support you need to get to grips with the key principles of BPI.  You’ll be in safe hands with our experienced tutors, who each have extensive knowledge of BPI practice and theory.

Workshops are designed for mental health professionals who want to learn beneficial new skills and enhance their existing techniques in this fascinating field of practice.  Instead of bombarding you with jargon, we focus on equipping you with the knowledge and skills you need to help young people live happier, healthier lives.

Through each workshop, you’ll learn:

• How an understanding of mental states matters
• Effective communication skills for BPI treatment
• The BPI action plan
• Problem-solving within the BPI approach
• Importance of liaison across services
• BPI-driven consultation skills

Once certified as a BPI practitioner, you’ll show young people how to:

• Manage their depressive triggers
• Develop healthy habits
• Build productive, person-centred goals

All training is targeted towards practical use and real-world problem-solving.  To help make our training more accessible and keep everyone safe during the Covid-19 pandemic, training is currently delivered via video conference.

2. How long does training take?

Basic training from CambridgeBPI takes just two days to complete.  Afterwards, you’ll be ready to start supervised delivery of the techniques you’ve learned.

Compared to other forms of therapeutic treatment, BPI training is a recommended framework that mental health professionals can learn relatively quickly.  However, research shows it is just as effective as alternative methods of treating adolescent depression.

Within an average of six months of completing one of our CambridgeBPI workshops, you’ll be fully certified in basic training, Level One (BPI therapist certification).

3. How much does training cost?

We strive to make CambridgeBPI training accessible to both individual mental health professionals and groups.

To find out more about our pricing, please contact us.