Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Attachment Therapist in the making

OK. This post is for Christine. If any one has been thinking that becoming an attachment therapist might be for you this is the approach I am taking. Now each state does have different laws for becoming a counselor. In Nebraska you have to be a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner. You can get this certificate by getting either a masters in counseling or a master in social work and becoming a licensed clinical social worker. (and passing state licensing test at the end of your internship) I am getting a masters in counseling. This involves 60 credits of masters counseling classes. I am taking 2 at a time at a college that has an accelerated graduate program. Each term is 9 weeks long which means a semester in 9 weeks. Its a sprint! It will take me a year and a half of classes. I about have the half done with a year to go. THEN I have to do a 9 week practicum. This is followed by an internship. The length of the internship will depend on how many hours a week I work. All of this will give me what I need to become a therapist in Nebraska. To become an attachment therapist I have to be trained by an attachment therapist. I really hope to be able to get a large part of my internship hours with an attachment therapist. While we have been going to one for a long time it has trained me to be the mom of a child with RAD not to do the therapy. There are only a few attachment therapists in the state. Hopefully within a couple of years there will be one more! There is a shortage of therapists trained in working with children who have RAD and their moms. If your children are reaching a point where you can consider this PLEASE do. The need is so great!

6 comments:

C said...

Thanks, Brenda.

Oklahoma is sorely lacking, as well. I'm guessing it's that way everywhere, so I thought this would be valuable.

I still have no idea what I'll do when I grow up.

Brenda said...

I've always said When I grow up I want to be a grandma. I'm still standing by that!! : )

Torina said...

Thanks for the info!

Interesting. It didn't occur to me that one could go the route of the MSW and do that. But now that you mention it, one of our therapists did that. Hmmmm....

Brenda said...

Torina,

Our attachment therapist is a LCSW. (Licensed Clinical Social Worker) You would be an amazing therapist!

Sevan said...

I read from your latest post down to here. What a wonderful family you have. I don't doubt that everyday brings its own challenges and unfun parts. Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. Yes I do believe we could say "remission" and while its not normally applied to my disease...works for me!

Story of our Life said...

If I could just get this algebra class done...then the class that would transfer to a 4 yr college...

I might have went this route. I've decided that I need to think of a different path because the path that I was attempting hasn't went so well - aka...exactly what you posted here.

Great info and I hope it reaches a great deal of people who can/will be able to use it. There is such an incredible need for attachment therapists who NOT only have a degree but have btdt...