Profession - Psychotherapy

In the Law of Georgia "On Higher Education", we read that a regulated profession is an activity for which, in addition to an appropriate academic degree or professional higher education qualification, a state certification exam is a prerequisite.

Currently, psychotherapy as a regulated profession does not exist in Georgia. Academic education in psychotherapy (e.g., postgraduate education, residency, licensing or certification exams), as is the case, for example, in medicine, is not regulated by Georgian legislation.

According to the EAP (European Association of Psychotherapy) standard, to specialize in psychotherapy, a person needs, first of all, an academic degree (at least a bachelor's degree, and possibly a master's degree, a doctorate) in social or human sciences (psychology, medicine, sociology, philosophy, social work...), then to complete a training program in a specific psychotherapy modality at an EAP-accredited school.

According to the current EAP standard, an accredited school's curriculum in a specific psychotherapy modality is at least 4 years long, including mandatory components, study and mastery of the theory and methodology of the modality, and the 5th year may be devoted to work on a research paper. Programs also include individual therapy, clinical practice, and supervision.

The following psychotherapy modalities are currently recognized as valid by the EAP:

1. Biosynthesis

2. Bioenergetic analysis

3. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)

4. Psychoanalysis, psychoanalytic and psychodynamic psychotherapy

5. Body-centered psychotherapy

6. Gestalt therapy

7. Hypnotherapy

8. Integrated psychotherapy

9. NLP

10. Psychoorganic analysis

11. Positive psychotherapy

12. Psychosynthesis

13. Systemic family psychotherapy

14. Psychodrama

15. Client-centered psychotherapy

16. Logotherapy and existential analysis

17. Multimodal approach

18. Transactional Analysis

19. Reality therapy

20. Connective psychotherapy

Therefore, which modality and school you choose, in Georgia or abroad, depends on your interest, personal experience, belief in the effectiveness of a particular modality, and your desire or taste.

Tamar Merabishvili - Psychologist, Psychotherapist, MSc., PhD., Director of Psychoars.