High Intensity CBT Therapists (known as Cognitive Behavioural Therapists, High Intensity Therapists or Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapists) deliver evidence based CBT interventions. Trainees attend a BABCP accredited one-year post-graduate diploma training programme two days a week, undertaking supervised practice for three days a week. They will have met the Minimum Training Standards of the BABCP when they graduate and will then be eligible to apply for individual practitioner accreditation with the BABCP. Applicants to training who do not have a BABCP recognised core profession must enter via the knowledge, skills and attitude (KSA) route following their guidelines and complete a portfolio of evidence prior to interview that is completed by the end of the training.
CBT therapists deliver evidence based CBT interventions using the Roth & Pilling Competences for the effective delivery of CBT recommended protocols and implementing CBT across the competency domains. The framework describes the various activities which need to be brought together in order to carry out CBT effectively and in line with best practice. As stated by Roth & Pilling it is helpful to bear in mind that CBT is guided by a knowledge base and a philosophy, and that its techniques flow from this. Practitioners need to understand the rationale for what they are doing, and not treat CBT as a set of techniques. The competency framework map locates competences across five domains. It is not a hierarchical model, with some domains being more important or requiring more skill than others. Any intervention will require clinicians to bring together knowledge and skills from all domains. By clicking on the interactive version of the competence map on the link below to their website and each box will have a full list of the associated competences for that heading that can be downloaded.
Further information about the competencies and KSA as well as essential information about training as a High Intensity CBT therapist can be found on the links below along with UEA resources for High Intensity Therapists and applicants.
IAPT High Intensity Training and Resources
- BABCP Minimum Training and Standards
- BABCP Core Curriculum Reference Document
- BABCP Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics
- BABCP Career Guide to becoming a CBT Therapist
- Roth and Piling Competencies for the Effective delivery of CBT
IAPT High Intensity CBT Curriculums
- National Curriculum for CBT with Older People
- Recommended quality assurance criteria for the learning experience that IAPT trainees receive in an IAPT service
- National Curriculum for high intensity cognitive behavioural therapy courses
- Improving access to psychological therapies implementation plan curriculum for low intensity therapies workers