Training
Training packages are tailored to the needs of the recipient. As with any transfer of technology, a key set of questions focus on the level of expertise desired and the time and effort the trainee is willing to expend to truly master the new treatment. Training can range from mere “exposure” to the new treatment or wellness approach, all the way to full “certification” in the delivery of CIFFTA or Motivational Interviewing. Although the best outcomes result when CIFFTA is delivered by CIFFTA certified counselors and backed-up by all of the CIFFTA program support resources, this may not be a realistic goal for every agency.
A key is that the level of training must fit with the intensity and complexity of the counselor’s work. The level of family training required by a counselor only delivering psycho-educational interventions will be very different from the counselor providing intensive treatment to a youngster with severe drug use and/or self-harm behaviors, in a family with a history of violence. The Doherty and Baird model is very helpful in planning out the fit between the level of training needed and the intensity of family work that is planned.
CIFFTA Training Program
The 7 Step Certification Process
The full CIFFTA training leading to certification of therapists in a program consists of 7 steps and is outline below. Trainees desiring only “exposure” to the CIFFTA treatment (counselors/agencies that have not yet made the decision to fully implement or adopt CIFFTA) can choose to participate in a package consisting only of steps 1 and 5. Other training experiences can be tailored to meet the trainee’s needs.
Step 1: Access to a Training Website
Step 2: Face-to-Face 2-day training session
Step 3:
Step 4:
Step 5:
Step 6:
Step 7:
Ongoing Supervision / Coaching
Supervision will be provided over the period of four months, during which time the recorded sessions will be discussed with the trainer/supervisor. The CIFFTA supervision covers:
- Conceptualization of the case, which will define the strategy to tailor the engagement and intervention for each case, and
- Discussion of techniques used in the delivery of each component (family, individual and modules)
The format of the supervision is as follows:
- 1 group supervision session (4 participants) per week. The group supervision could be used to review tapes or to discuss concepts and techniques, or conceptualize family processes, according to the particular needs of the team members. Duration: 1 hour
- 1 individual supervision session every four weeks. The individual supervision will provide personalized feedback about the delivery of the intervention, based on review of videotapes. Duration: 1 hour.