Certification in Poetry Therapy Foundations
Nine months. Fifty sessions. A cohort of professionals learning to use therapeutic writing with the people they serve.
- Duration
- 9 months
- Sessions
- 50
- Didactic hours
- 200
- Investment
- $8,000
See the IFBPT training guide Ask about the next cohort
Next cohort: start date, deadline, and seats from the Cohorts collection
Who this is for
Educational and experiential training for clinicians, educators, caregivers, coaches, and helping professionals who want to bring expressive writing practices into their professional work and their own development.
It is built for people who intend to actually use this. The experiential half of the program exists because you cannot facilitate this work credibly without having been through it yourself.
Program structure
Duration Nine months
Instruction 25 weeks
Sessions 50 total
Format Two 90-minute sessions per week
Each week has two halves. One session is theory. The other is experiential practice, where you do the work rather than study it.
What is included
- 200 hours of didactic instruction
- 40 hours of peer-group experiential learning
- A trauma-informed and trauma-focused curriculum throughout
- Mentorship and professional development alongside the coursework
The certification pathway
This is the part people get confused about, so here it is plainly.
-
This course
The theory and the supervised practice hours. The curriculum is aligned with the expectations of the International Federation of Biblio/Poetry Therapy.
-
Supervised practice
Completed with a certified mentor. I am a Certified Mentor through the IFBPT, which means I can speak to the pathway from the inside.
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An IFBPT credential
Apply toward one of three credentials through the IFBPT. All three require at least a bachelor's degree.
CAPF
Certified Applied Poetry Facilitator
For non-clinicians. Suited to people who want to work with healthy populations.
CPT
Certified Poetry Therapist
For licensed clinicians working with clinical populations.
PTR
Poetry Therapist Registered
For licensed clinicians working with clinical populations.
If you are trying to work out which credential fits your license and your goals, that is a good conversation to have before you enrol. More detail at ifbpt.org
Important note on scope
This certification does not confer professional licensure. It is intended for use by licensed or otherwise qualified professionals operating within their respective scopes of practice.
The IFBPT Training Guide
The International Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy publishes a guide to its training requirements, setting out each credential and what it asks of you. It is free, it is the authoritative source on the certification pathway, and it will answer a great deal before you talk to anyone.
It is published by IFBPT, not by Writethought, and they ask for your name and email on their site before sending it.
Investment
$8,000 for the nine-month program.
Next cohort: dates for the next cohort are not yet open. Ask to be told when they are.
Common questions
Do I need a clinical license to enrol?
To be confirmed. The degree requirement may apply only to the IFBPT credentials afterward.
Is the training online?
To be confirmed.
How much time will this take each week?
Two 90-minute sessions, plus reading and writing between them.
What happens after I finish?
You can approach certified mentors and begin the IFBPT certification process. I am one of them and I am glad to talk about it.
Are payment plans available?
To be confirmed.
What if I miss a session?
To be confirmed.
Talk to me about
the next cohort
Cohorts are limited and start on set dates. If you are considering it, the earlier we speak the better.