General Information on NIRE’s Certification Programs

(Specific Certification Program Information is Below)

NIRE offers certification programs in:

• Relationship Enhancement® Couple Therapy
• Relationship Enhancement® Family Therapy
• Child-Centered Play Therapy
• Filial Family Therapy

Each certification program is described below.

History of NIRE’s Certification Programs
The National Institute of Relationship Enhancement® and its parent organization IDEALS have been offering shorter-term skills consultation and formal certification programs since 1972. Under the leadership of Bernard Guerney, Jr., Ph.D., Louise, Guerney, Ph.D., William Nordling, Ph.D., and Robert Scuka, Ph.D., M.S.W., these skills consultation and certification programs continue to promote the highest standards of excellence in clinical training.

A Comprehensive Training Experience
The purpose of each of NIRE’s certification programs is to deepen and refine your skills as a practicing clinician in your chosen method. Through feedback, modeling, role-play, and goal-setting, you will build your knowledge and skills in order to more effectively structure sessions, implement the therapeutic process with confidence, and master common situations, issues, and problems encountered in conducting the chosen modality.

Distance Consultation
Wherever you live, you may easily participate in any of NIRE’s certification programs through Distance Consultation. Over the past 20 years over 90% of our certification program participants have made use of our long-distance phone consultation methods. Indeed, even many participants local to a NIRE-approved Supervisor have opted to utilize this method due to the educational benefits and convenience our phone consultation methods provide.

Those participating in Distance Consultation may choose one of two methods of receiving skills consultation. In either case, the trainee mails a videotaped therapy session to their NIRE-approved Supervisor. In the first method of distance consultation, the NIRE-approved Supervisor reviews the videotaped session preceding a scheduled phone session, and provides feedback about the session and preparatory feedback for structuring the next session. In the second method of distance consultation, the NIRE-approved Supervisor and the trainee review and discuss the videotaped session together over the phone as each views the session simultaneously in their own location. Both methods of distance consultation allow an optimal context for skill building through discussion, modeling, role-play, and goal setting for future sessions.

Educational Requirements for Applicants
Applicants for NIRE’s certification programs must have a graduate degree in a mental health field (or be enrolled in such a graduate program), and be legally eligible to provide therapeutic services under their state legal codes, either independently or under supervision. Applicants who are not qualified to provide therapeutic services independently must document their immediate supervisor’s permission for participating in the NIRE certification program.

Time Required for Certification
In general, a total of 26 hours of skills consultation are required for certification in any of NIRE’s certification programs. Consultation time includes both the time the skills consultant spends reviewing videotaped sessions and the time used in giving feedback.

It should be noted that ultimately the awarding of certification is based on the participant reaching certain levels of skill mastery, not merely the completion of a certain number of hours. However, because of the educational and training prerequisites, over 95% of those who are accepted into the certification program complete it successfully within the 26-hour framework.

Cost

The hourly fee for skills consultation by a NIRE-approved Supervisor is $120 for individual consultation.

The hourly fee for a NIRE-approved CCPT or Filial Supervisor who also holds the RPT-S credential through the Association for Play Therapy is $160 for individual consultation.

International supervisees (excluding Canada and Europe) are offered a reduced rate. Inquire at niremd@nire.org

To make the cost of participating in one of NIRE’s certification programs more affordable, hours are billed and charged at the beginning of each month based on the number of actual consultation hours from the preceding month.

Application Process
To apply for one of NIRE’s certification programs, please download and complete the Application for Supervision and Certification Program  on this website and email it to: niremd@nire.org

There is a non-refundable application fee of $145.00.

This is payable via the Donate Link at the top of the main page on this website.

NIRE

If you have questions or would like additional information about NIRE’s certification programs, please contact Robert Scuka, Ph.D. at 301-680-8977 or niremd@nire.org.

Certification Programs in
Relationship Enhancement® Couple Therapy
and
Relationship Enhancement® Family Therapy

Prerequisite Training Requirements for Applicants
Applicants to the certification program in Relationship Enhancement® Couple Therapy or Family Therapy must complete a minimum of 13 hours of NIRE training in Relationship Enhancement® Couple/Family Therapy (i.e., either a two-day or three-day workshop offered by NIRE), or its equivalent in college courses or training workshops offered elsewhere, and recognized and approved by NIRE.

A Comprehensive Training Experience
The purpose of the supervisory and certification program in Relationship Enhancement® Couple Therapy or Family Therapy is to deepen and refine one’s skills as a Relationship Enhancement® Couple or Family Therapist. Through feedback, modeling, role-play, and goal-setting, the trainee builds knowledge and skills for more effectively structuring sessions, teaching relationship skills to family members, and mastering common situations, issues, and problems encountered in conducting Relationship Enhancement® Couple or Family Therapy. Close attention also is given to such therapy-related tasks as effective structuring of the intake interview, integrating home assignments into the therapy, maintaining a safe constructive working atmosphere, managing crisis situations, and troubleshooting obstacles that commonly impede therapy. Please see above under Distance Consultation, etc., for additional information.

If one desires to become certified in both Relationship Enhancement® Couple Therapy and Family Therapy, typically one begins with becoming certified in Relationship Enhancement® Couple Therapy. Then, only an additional 13 hours of skills consultation are required for certification in Relationship Enhancement® Family Therapy. This additional supervision covers the modifications and additional therapist skills and strategies necessary for working with multiple family members.

Certification Program in
Child-Centered Play Therapy

Prerequisite Training Requirements for Applicants
Applicants for the certification program in Child-Centered Play Therapy must have completed 13 hours of NIRE training in Child-Centered Play Therapy (e.g., the basic workshop offered by NIRE), or its equivalent in college courses or training workshops offered by a NIRE-Approved CCPT Instructor, Penn State, Guerney, Nordling, Scuka, SUNY-Oswego, North Texas State, Landreth, Andronico, Ginsburg, Lay, Levinger, Norton, Sywulak, VanFleet, or someone else who uses, as a strict guide, writings by Axline, Moustakas, Ginott or by the people listed above, and recognized and approved by NIRE.

A Comprehensive Training Experience
The purpose of the certification program in Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) is to deepen and refine one’s skills as Child-Centered Play Therapist. Through feedback, modeling, role-play, and goal setting by a NIRE-approved Supervisor, the trainee builds knowledge and skills for more effectively dealing with the common situations, issues, and problems encountered throughout the stages of the play therapy process, as well as related activities such as intake, parent meetings, and termination of sessions. Please see above under Distance Consultation, etc., for additional information.

Certification Program in
Filial Family Therapy

Prerequisite Training Requirements for Applicants
Applicants for the certification program in Filial Family Therapy must have received previous certification by NIRE in Child-Centered Play Therapy, or its equivalent in training and consultation. In addition, applicants must have completed 12 hours of NIRE training in Filial Family Therapy (e.g., the basic workshop offered by NIRE), or its equivalent in college courses or training workshops offered by a NIRE-Approved Filial Instructor, Penn State, Guerney, Nordling, SUNY-Oswego, North Texas State, Landreth, Andronico, Ginsburg, Lay, Levinger, Norton, Sywulak, VanFleet, or someone else recognized and approved by NIRE.

A Comprehensive Training Experience
The purpose of the certification program in Filial Family Therapy is to deepen and refine one’s skills as Filial Family Therapist. Through feedback, modeling, role-play, and goal setting by a NIRE-approved Supervisor, the trainee builds knowledge and skills for more effectively dealing with the common situations, issues, and problems encountered throughout the stages of the Filial therapy process, as well as related activities such as intake and explanation of the rationale for Filial Therapy to parents, establishing successful home sessions, and integrating parent skill training into later Filial sessions. Skills consultation can focus on utilizing Filial Therapy in an individual format with a single parent/couple or in a group format with several parents/couples. Please see above under Distance Consultation, etc., for additional information.