Behavioral Medicine Training for Clinicians (Certificate Program)

Training Directors: Amaro J. Laria, PhD & Katharine M. Larsson, RN, CS, PhD

Boston Behavioral Medicine offers a certificate training program in behavioral medicine for clinicians. Trainees will learn a variety of specialized behavioral medicine techniques including: relaxation skills, diaphragmatic breathing, autogenic training, mindfulness meditation, as well as applied CBT, DBT and motivational interviewing skills, They will also learn specialized behavioral medicine interventions for particular medical (e.g., cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, skin, pain, sexual, etc.) and mental health disorders (e.g., panic, phobia, PTSD, ADHD, habits, etc.). A main emphasis of the certificate training program is the collaboration between mental health and medical systems of care, and the integration of behavioral medicine techniques into clinicians’ practice. We also strongly recommend the optional intensive on-site training in “Clinical Hypnosis and Biofeedback.”

• Eligibiltity for participation: The training is available to clinicians who have completed their professional training in a mental health or medical field and who are either licensed or “license-eligible” (i.e., have completed all requirements for licensure to practice in their respective discipline).
• Program description: includes some theory, but emphasizes the development of practical skills (see tentative core seminar schedule)
• Duration: September 25, 2009 to June 4, 2010
• Date/Time: 3 training hours per week: Fridays 1:00-4:00pm; core seminar 1:00-3:00pm; mentoring group 3:00-4:00pm; (total = 78 hrs)
• Additional clinical requirement: Trainees will also complete 30 hours of applied behavioral medicine practice on their own (mentoring will be provided by our staff)
• Certificate completion: After completion of a total of 108 training hours (52 seminar hrs, 26 mentoring hrs, and 30 clinical hrs) trainees will be awarded a Certificate of “Specialty Training in Behavioral Medicine”
• “BBM’s Friday Brown Bag Series”: free attendance to didactic lunch series (Fridays 12:00-1:00pm during lunch hour) that includes presentations by BBM staff and other guest speakers on a variety of topics.
• Optional hypnosis and biofeedback training are strongly recommended (but not required to obtain certificate)
• Chat room discussions: opportunity to ask questions and maintain open discussion with other program participants

For the schedule for the training seminar for 2009-2010 click here.

How to register.