With today’s article we observe a use of Single Session Therapy that goes beyond the best-known one applied in the clinical field. The SST , in fact, seems to represent an important resource also in the field of training .
It is well known that in the professional training courses of psychologists and psychotherapists the need to observe how work in the field is approached is essential, however in the majority of training experiences this aspect is not yet fully achieved.
So how can SST represent a resource in this area?
To visualize the advantages of using Single Session Therapy as a training tool we present the experience of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists ( RANZCP ) which deals with the training , education and representation of psychiatrists in Australia and New Zealand (Cheah, Hopkins, Whitehead, 2021)
What is the objective of the RANZCP?
The RANZCP is accredited by the Australian Medical Council (AMC) and the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) to provide specialist training and professional development programmes. However, registrar psychiatrists wishing to access the RANZCP fellowship must have experience of working with clients of all age groups, as well as knowing how to work with families and the wider network of the RANZCP. customer. However, acquiring these skills is not always easy for trainees.
How can the process of acquiring the skills required for the registrar psychiatrist be facilitated?
In the article Single session family therapy for beginners: what difference does it make to psychiatry registrars to participate in family sessions in front of and behind the screen? (Cheah, Hopkins, Whitehead, 2021) published in the Journals Sage magazine , data collected through an online survey addressed to fourteen registrar psychiatrists who participated in a Single Session Family Therapy ( SSFT ) during their learning experience in the scope of intervention with children and adolescents.
What results were obtained?
Participating in SSFT during training was initially daunting, but has had a positive effect on the trainees , in some cases influencing their future subspecialization.
What specifically have psychiatrists learned?
Learning by doing and seeing change allowed registrars to learn:
- the importance of the role of the family;
- teamwork;
- technical skills;
- self-confidence .
What were the benefits of training based on such practical experience?
The opportunities for trainees to participate in SSFTs allowed them to more effectively learn what is only taught theoretically in the classroom. The advantages of such experiences lie in the fact that trainees can improve the perception of family work and orient themselves with greater confidence regarding future subspecialization.
Conclusions
The use of Single Session Therapy as a training tool undoubtedly represents a useful resource from many points of view as we have learned from the article . In line with the learn by doing principle , for example, the Italian Center for Single Session Therapy has for years been offering training experiences based on the idea that truly effective and professionalizing learning cannot ignore practical experience, therefore training in and through the SST represents a key element.
Angelica Giannetti
Psychologist, Psychotherapist
Team of the Italian Center .
for Single Session Therapy
Bibliography
Cannistrà, F., & Piccirilli, F. (2018). Single Session Therapy: Principles and Practices . Giunti Editore.
Cheah, D., Hopkins, L., Whitehead, R. (2021). Single session family therapy for beginners: what difference does it make to psychiatry registrars to participate in family sessions in front of and behind the screen?, Journals Sage from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/10398562211051247