Behavioral Medicine Training for Clinicians
Certificate Program
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.”
Eligibility 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 sample seminar schedule)
Duration: On Fridays from mid September (First Friday: 9/13/2024) to mid June (Last Date: 6/27/2025; approximately 32 Friday meetings)
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 = approximately 96 didactic hrs)
Additional clinical requirement: Trainees will also complete a minimum of 32 hours of applied behavioral medicine practice on their own (mentoring will be provided by our staff)
Certificate completion: After completion of a total of approximately 128 training hours (64 seminar hrs, 32 mentoring hrs, and 32 clinical hrs on clinician’s own time and clinical practice) trainees will be awarded a Certificate of Specialty Training in Behavioral Medicine
Optional hypnosis and biofeedback training are strongly recommended (but not required to obtain certificate).
Co-Directors of Training
Katharine Larsson, RN, CS, Ph.D. / 617-232-2435 x1 / kimlarsson.bbm@gmail.com
Amaro Laria, Ph.D. / 617-232-2435 x2 / amarolaria.bbm@gmail.com
Hypnosis & Biofeedback Training
Introductory Clinical Hypnosis Intensive 3-Day Course – 20 hours; live attendance required; dates: September 12-14, 2024; Thurs-Sat *
Intermediate Clinical Hypnosis Intensive 3-Day Course – 20 hours; live attendance required; (dates: February 6-8, 2025; Thurs-Sat) *
General Biofeedback Intensive 4-day Course – 32 hours on site attendance required; dates: October 16-19, 2024; Weds-Sat **
* This training can be used towards certification by the American Society of Clinical Hypnosis (ASCH); the combined introductory and intermediate workshops (fall and spring) provide the required 40 hrs of didactic-practical training. It also qualifies for the clinical requirement (20 hrs) for membership in the Society of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis (SCEH).
** This training qualifies for the didactic education requirement (48 hrs) to pursue certification in general biofeedback (non-EEG) by the Biofeedback Certification Institute of America (BCIA).
Registration & Application
Click here to open the application form for our Behavior Medicine Training Programs. The form is in Adobe Acrobat format*. You can either fill it out on your computer or print it out and then fill it out by hand. Please mail it to the address on the form with the appropriate deposit. See the form for details.
*To open this form you will need to have a copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. It can be downloaded for free from the Adobe website.
Withdrawal Refund Policy
Trainees who withdraw from the certificate training program will receive a tuition refund according to the following schedule:
- Before the start of the core seminar: 100% of the tuition collected
- After the first week: 75% of the tuition
- After the second week: 50% of the tuition
- After the third week: No refund
Please note that the $50 application fee is non-refundable.
Psychology Training Program
Practicum/Post-Doctoral
Boston Behavioral Medicine offers a psychology training program that meets the requirements for either a 3rd year practicum or advanced practicum (4th or 5th year), or post-doctoral fellowship. The training program emphasizes learning specialized behavioral medicine techniques while developing solid integrative psychotherapy skills.
The program promotes the development of a true "bio-psycho-social" framework for the treatment of a variety of medical and psychological conditions with adults, children, and families. Integrative perspectives are emphasized, including cognitive-behavioral, psychodynamic, systemic, and socio-cultural models.
We provide specialty training in: clinical hypnosis, biofeedback, mindfulness, motivational interviewing, CBT, DBT, and couples' and family therapy, among others. Trainees also develop skills necessary to working collaboratively with medical providers.
This training program is available to students in doctoral programs in clinical psychology who already have a master's degree or who are at a "master's equivalent" level (successfully completed at least 2 yrs in a doctoral program). We also offer post-doctoral fellowship positions.
Training Activities
Duration: 12 months; 22 hrs x wk (July to June; later start date may be negotiated).
BBM Team meeting (weekly-attendance required; Fridays 10:00-12:00; 2nd half of meeting includes case presentations by BBM staff and trainees and occasional guest speakers on a variety of topics).
Core seminar: "Principles and Techniques of Behavioral Medicine & Integrative Collaborative Models of Care" (Fridays 1:00-3:00pm).
Advanced Clinical Seminar (Fridays 3:00-4:30pm).
Individual supervision (2 hrs x wk; at least one supervisor is a licensed psychologist).
Group supervision (1.5 hrs x wk).
Hypnosis training: a) Intensive introductory weekend training (offered in the fall, 20 hrs), and b) Intensive intermediate weekend training (offered in the winter/spring, 20 hrs).
Biofeedback training: Intensive 4-day training (32 hrs).
Average ongoing caseload: 12 patients x wk (45 min sessions).
Opportunities to co-lead behavioral medicine groups with staff members.
Opportunities to become involved in clinical research projects.
Opportunities to be involved in consultation projects to primary care and other medical specialties.
Pre-doctoral trainees will receive no stipend. Post-doctoral fellows will receive a stipend on a fee-for-service basis.
Co-Directors of Training
Katharine Larsson, RN, CS, Ph.D. / 617-232-2435 x1 / kimlarsson.bbm@gmail.com
Amaro Laria, Ph.D. / 617-232-2435 x2 / amarolaria.bbm@gmail.com
Application Guidelines
To apply, please send the following via email:
letter of interest
current CV
two letters of reference
Application deadline for 2024-2025 training program:
Advanced Practicum: Monday January 8, 2024
Post-doctoral Fellowship: Monday January 15, 2024
Please email application materials to: amarolaria.bbm@gmail.com
*Letters of recommendation must be sent electronically directly from referrers to the email address above.
