Cognitive Biblical
Therapy Coursework
Counseling Through God’s
Transformative Word
Chapter 2 Practicum Preparations
Scope of Practice
CBT Certification Process
Practicum Components
CBT Coursework Assessment
Essay Questions: Answering the section questions (red buttons) is a great way to prepare for the end of the Chapter Quiz. Chapter 2 questions require you to analyze the case study and apply both present and previous course understanding, while using common sense. The section questions will provide Dr. Wilkinson’s feedback to your answers.
Quiz Requirement: At the end of the Chapter, a score of 75% is necessary on the Chapter Quiz in order to access the next chapter.
Account Access: You must be logged into the coursework page to take the quiz and advance.
Chapter 2
Practicum Preparations
Scope of Practice
As you prepare to practice using the Cognitive Biblical Therapy model and tools, the next step is narrowing the focus of your practice. Whether you are presently practicing as a professional counselor, counseling as a pastor or support group leader, or currently in graduate school, your calling and plan for the future is important to our guidance through your mentor for your practicum plan. In this chapter, you will be asked to examine your thinking and calling to describe your future goals. To assist you with your future plans and desires, read the Scope of Practice document primarily for Professional Counselors. Services provided by pastors, seminary/graduate students and/or lay counselors will be discussed in the next section. I hope this document will also help you to prepare for future discussions with your mentor. While reading this document, you can consider what will be your scope of practice for your practicum will be. Your practicum’s scope may or may not be different than your present or future work setting. Whatever works best for you to complete both your practicum assignments and your current or future practice responsibilities is fine. You will be responsible to set up your practicum site and get approval for it to fulfill Course 5 requirements as described later in this chapter.
As a part of this chapter, you will be evaluated on your current understanding the principles and processes of CBT. This practicum course is a part of your CBT Certification process. When your mentor understands your desired level of CBT certification, he/she will help you to fulfill the necessary requirements.
Last, you will need to: a) write a descriptive essay (minimum of 1 page) regarding the scope of your desired practice, with details of the client types you will serve, the population region (urban, suburban, rural), and segment of the population you wish to serve (higher education, teenagers, families, married couples, homeless, those with addictions, mission field, etc.); b) review and determine the best type of certification to meet those needs, c) evaluate and reflect on your current understanding of CBT practice and process, d) determine the best type of practicum setting needed, and e) best type of person to supervise you. Submit this essay to your mentor and to cbtcertification@gmail.com. I hope combining your practicum experience and CBT Certification will compliment and prepare you for your future scope of practice.
CBT Certification
In order to provide the highest quality possible of mentors who are trained in Cognitive Biblical Therapy, your level of training and desired level of certification will determine access and permission for using CBT methodology and forms. Your mentor will guide you in determining your level of certification, along with the completion of your level of certification process. We desire to assist you in your development, completing the Level of CBT Certification form will start the application process. While using the CBT methodology, within any setting, the counselor must carry professional liability insurance, unless provided by the organization.
First, let’s define the certification categories:
Professional Counselor is a clinician holding a master’s degree in counseling, psychology, or a related field who actively delivers clinical services as a private practitioner, independent contractor or agency employee. This includes Licensed Professional Counselors (see LPC state requirements), Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists, Provisional Counselors in Supervision, Certified Biblical Counselors, Certified Pastoral Counselors and Chaplains. Other certifications and licenses may apply such as a Certified Christian Counselor (FACCT), a Licensed Pastoral Counselor (NBCPC), a Board Certified Chaplain (NBCPC).
Pastor is an ordained minister of the Gospel, actively participating in a church or parachurch setting with counseling duties. Pastors usually have either a Bible college or seminary degree (graduate level is preferred). Pastors will need to have completed at least two of the following: 1) seminary/graduate level counseling courses; 2) pastoral counseling certificate; or 3) pastoral counseling experience over 5 years with 1000 session hours.
Seminary student or recent graduate successfully passing graduate level classes in counseling, psychology and/or related fields of study. Ideally, students have developed their counseling skills in practicum and/or an internship settings, seeking to learn a Biblical Counseling methodology like Cognitive Biblical Therapy. Therapy skills will need to be developed outside of the CBT Coursework and assessed by a CBT mentor on an individual basis prior to CBT Certification. This individual can complete the CBT Courses 1-5 and use the methodology only in practicum/intern settings with supervision in order to develop their counseling skills and use of the methodology.
Lay counselor is an unpaid but educated and certified care giver, with 5 or more years in lay counseling or care giving ministry. The CBT Lay Counselor certification provides the lay person a Biblical methodology to use in a non-profit organization or private care setting that is generally not paid and is not a professional practitioner. Counseling skills will need to be developed outside of the CBT Coursework and assessed by a CBT mentor on an individual basis prior to CBT Certification. This individual can complete the CBT Courses 1-5 and use the methodology only in practicum/intern settings with supervision in order to develop their counseling skills and use of the methodology.
Second, let’s describe possible counseling settings:
For professional counselors, the Scope of Practice identifies specific settings and possible services these professionals can provided.
Pastors who are certified as a CBT provider can practice within their church, role and oversight of their church leadership. Here are some of the potential practices pastors can provide:
Brief spiritual guidance
Pastoral care using CBT
Marriage counseling using CBT
Premarital counseling using CBT
Grief support using CBT
Crisis support with referral
Life-transition counseling
Spiritual formation and/or Biblical discipleship
Seminary or graduate students who obtain a CBT Certification are permitted to provide care services within seminary or university settings. This practice is contingent upon formal recognition by institutional leadership and must adhere strictly to the scope of care defined by the respective institution. Here are some of the potential practices students can provide:
Spiritual mentoring and discipleship.
Pastoral care in a church or seminary setting.
Lead support groups with appropriate training.
Conduct ministry-related counseling under supervision.
Practice counseling skills in supervised training settings.
Complete counseling practicum and internship experiences.
Facilitate spiritual formation conversations.
Cognitive Biblical Therapy with students while under Supervision.
Lay Counselors who obtain a CBT Certification are permitted to provide care services within a church or parachurch settings, while under both administrative and clinical supervision. This practice is contingent upon formal recognition by the organizational leadership and must adhere strictly to the scope of care defined by the respective institution. Here are some of the potential practices students can provide:
Church members/attenders responding to a message invitation.
Biblical knowledge and spiritual maturity.
Cognitive Biblical Therapy under Supervision.
Organizational policies.
Lead support groups with appropriate training.
Supervision and accountability for church members.
Personal competence and experience.
Your next step will be to take the two assessments at the end of this chapter. You will need to achieve a 75% passing grade to move on to the Practicum Application. I want to be sure you understand and grasp CBT’s foundational base and the top 20 facets of CBT, before you begin your practicum. You can reach out to potential practicum sites, if you do not already have a site that has already granted you permission. Though the main focus is assuring yourself and the CBT administrators (including your mentor) that you have a firm knowledge, conceptual understanding and potential for applying the Cognitive Biblical Therapy method with people in a practicum setting.
Next, once you have identified your certification category or level of certification and your Scope of Practice, you will use this information to set up your practicum setting and practice. While working with your mentor, you will be responsible to write up a Practicum Site Request (Sample Request) as a part of gaining CBT Coursework and Certification approval to start your practicum. During your practicum experience, you will move through CBT’s Five Phases of the Methodology that is located in this course, chapters 3-8. These chapters are geared towards helping you to walk through each phase with your practicum clients. Once your practicum is completed and your mentor has graded your practicum (Course 5), your mentor will recommend you apply for your CBT Certification.
Practicum Components
As you may notice, the CBT Coursework and Certification process is thorough and comprehensive in providing credible online learning with flexible options for you to learn Biblical counseling. After you have completed the first eight chapters in Course 5, you can start your hands on practice of your CBT skills. We also want you to have a solid understanding of the CBT Courses 1-4, that’s why we have created two online assessments (end of this chapter) which you can review with your mentor. Then the practicum will provide you the opportunity to practice the CBT method and learn how to use the tools.
The combination of your present level of knowledge, your conceptual understanding of CBT and ability to apply CBT first needs to be assessed. The evaluation results will provide your mentor with your level of understanding in starting your practicum and determine the steps you will need to take in your practicum. Second, your counseling education, background and experience will also be considered in this process. For example, for professional counselors with five plus years of experience, your counseling and relational skills will provide you a solid base to apply your new knowledge of CBT. For counselors in a current practice, your mentor may permit you to skip the remaining chapters here in Course 5 and begin your practicum application process. I recommend seeking clients who are willing to consent to the practicum guidelines (see Practicum Manual below).
The next chapter on the Analysis Phase will prepare you for your initial steps with these clients. For pastors, graduate/seminary students or lay counselors, as an introductory part of Course 5’s Practicum, you will be encouraged to initially begin with family members and/or friends to practice your newly acquired knowledge of CBT that include use of the Analysis Questionnaire for Agape Love (AQAL), scoresheet and the Agape Love Analysis Profile (ALAP graphs). No matter your scope of practice, implementing your CBT knowledge and tools with volunteer participants will significantly build your confidence in your practicum. Be sure you, the student have completed the AQAL, scoresheet, ALAP, ISI, IDI and have personally practiced the Process of Patience. At the same time, be humble and ready to make mistakes. Counseling within your scope of practice and acknowledging your limitations will protect you and your practicum clients, which is your ethical duty.
Before I provide you with the link to the Practicum Manual, below are some practicum guidelines I ask you to follow:
1) Unless you have previous experience working with couples or the opposite sex, I recommend your scope of practice for your practicum to be with individuals of the same sex. Ideal practicum clients are seeking help with personal or work relationships. Face to face sessions is expected, with exceptions based upon scope of practice and previous virtual experience.
2) Identify a site supervisor as your point person, to hold necessary forms (signed Practicum Site Request [including various agreement expectations], Liability Insurance Certificate, office hours/schedule, etc.) and has access to collaborate with your clinical supervisor and/or CBT Mentor. Ideally, your site supervisor is also your clinical supervisor as well.
3) If you’ve had or presently have a clinical supervisor, that is ideal and most helpful, though your CBT Mentor is necessary for your clients who have accepted and consented to follow the CBT method. The CBT Mentor can also be your clinical supervisor, based upon your site’s expectations, unless you are fully licensed and do not need a clinical supervisor, just a CBT Mentor. Either way, online supervision is allowed.
4) As a part of your “Informed Consent” (see Practicum Manual), be sure to include your site supervisor and clinical supervisor’s name and what information will be released to these supervisors. I recommend keeping your supervisors informed through secure communication regarding brief demographic and clinical focus of your counseling. Also, various clinical concerns, risks and/or provider referrals during the course of the client’s treatment needed to be reported to the student’s clinical supervisor and/or CBT mentor. It is the practicum counselor’s responsibility to: 1) obtain and provide all CBT forms for practicum clients to complete; 2) download the practicum forms from the Practicum Manual for your practicum clients to read and sign, and; 3) keep all client records and communication with supervisors secured, according to the setting state licensing statutes and Practicum Manual.
5) Reaching out to the CBT Coursework Administrator at: cbtcertification@gmail.com about your practicum questions or concerns outside of your mentor’s responsibilities or when recommended to do so.
Based upon the practicum counselor’s previous counseling experience, license/certification, scope of practice, practicum setting and CBT Courses 1-4 Assessment results, the mentor will determine the number of clients, practicum hours and mastery of CBT skills. Ideally, each practicum counselor will see 5 practicum clients from start to finish, walking the client through all five phases of the CBT methodology. Forty hours with clients face to face, plus 40 office hours in preparation and client review hours outside of direct client contact are required to complete the practicum. Flexibility will be given to CBT practicum counselor’s based upon their scope of practice and practicum setting. The student is responsible to keep track of their practicum hours (sessions, supervision & office work)and provide completed CBT client forms for mentor’s review, in a secure manner. During the practicum, the CBT Mentor will provide 5 hours of consultation with the practicum counselor and review of completed forms, included with practicum cost. You can reach out to potential practicum sites, if you do not already have a site that has already granted you permission.
Here is the Practicum Manual for you to review and use the provided forms as a part of your counseling practicum. The manual is thorough with room for flexibility based upon what was discussed above. Again, feel free to reach out to us for further clarification.
Comprehensive Assessments of CBT Courses 1-4
The CBT Administrators are excited you have reached this point, knowing you have spent a lot of time, money and effort into the CBT Coursework and Certification process. Thanks for responding to God’s call in such a responsible and faithful manner.
Let’s begin the assessment process by letting you know, there are two assessments below. The first one is the CBT Foundational Questions with Self-Assessment. There are six questions you will need to answer, graded upon content themes that includes a self-assessment after each of your answers. So remember, the goal is mastery of the coursework material so you can start to use it with your practicum clients and later with those who God sends to you. Retake the assessments as many times as needed, until you achieve a 75% passing grade or higher for your own satisfaction.
The second assessment is the CBT Top 20 Questions and Answers with Self-Assessment. You will find the same process as the first assessment, including the 75% passing grade requirement. We recommend you process your answers to both assessments with your mentor for his/her recommendation(s). We want to be sure you understand and grasp CBT’s foundational base and the top 20 facets of CBT, before you begin your practicum. Once again, please reach out to the CBT Administrator at: cbtcertification@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns.
The next step is to complete the two assessments below. After completing the assessments, be sure to contact your mentor and discuss your results. While waiting on this initial step with your mentor, you can move on to the next chapter, where we will discuss CBT Phase One: Analysis.
Copyright 1987, 1990, 1993 by Daniel D. Wilkinson. All rights reserved. For more information concerning this material, write to:
The Biblical Christian Counseling Ministries, Inc., gayle@thebccm.org.
Any reproduction of this material without the express written consent of the author is prohibited. Printed in the U.S.A..