Psychotherapy Training Abroad and in
Malaysia
By
Dr. Edward Chan FMPsyA FMCBTA
B.Sc.(Psych) PgDip (Clin.Psych) MSc.(IT & Learning) D.Phil.(Psych) CSAC
Principal Consultant Psychologist, Malaysian Psychology Centre
Unlike the profession of medicine, where the
practitioners are all physicians, many different professions or sub professions
are involved in the practice of psychotherapy. This has led to different
programs of training as well as different professional or field loyalties.
In Freud’s (who is considered by many as the founder of psychotherapy) time, in
Europe, and for sometime afterward, the practitioners of psychotherapy were
primarily physicians. Although Freud, himself, did not advocate medical training
for psychotherapists, and some well-known analysts were referred to as “lay
analyst” because they lacked medical training, as most of the psychotherapy was
conducted by psychiatric physicians. It is also well to remember that
psychotherapy was in no way as popular as it is today.
Furthermore, prior to the Second World War in Europe, clinical psychology was a
relatively small and underdeveloped field with a major emphasis on the
administration of psychological tests.
After the war, however, the situation changes drastically. In the United States,
there was a shortage of psychiatrists and a great need for trained personal to
care for the veterans who had developed psychiatric difficulties. With
government support, graduate programs in clinical and counseling psychology were
developed and psychotherapy became an important part of the training. Although
there were subsequent conflicts with organized medical groups about the
independent practice of psychotherapy by psychologists, these diminished and
psychotherapy became the primary function of clinical psychologists.
The greater participation of clinical psychologists in psychotherapy has been
paralleled by a similar pattern in other groups.
This expansion of providers of psychotherapeutic services was a direct response
to the shortage of mental health personal to meet the needs of individuals with
various psychological problems. In Europe and the United States, there are a
variety of programs to train individuals to perform specific therapeutic
procedures with such diverse groups as emotionally disturbed children and adult
alcoholics. So-called “indigenous nonprofessionals” were trained to work in
different types of neighborhood centers. Such individuals were trained and
supervised by professionals mental health workers.
Many institutions and mental or behavioural health centers in these countries
utilize psychologists with less than doctoral training and social workers and
others with graduate degrees. Programs recently developed for chemical and
alcohol dependent individuals utilize such individuals as important members of
their therapeutic team.
A single profession of psychotherapy was considered seriously some years ago.
Cross disciplinary interests have also flourished in the society for
Psychotherapy Research and the society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy
Integrations, both international organizations.
It should be evident that with such a diversity of therapists, the types of
training provided also would very considerably. Psychiatrists are trained first
in medicine, where as psychologists receive their training in academic
departments of psychology, in free standing professional schools of psychology,
in doctoral psychology programs located in medical schools, or even in graduate
schools of education. Whereas practically all psychiatrists have M.D. degrees,
clinical psychologists can receive either the more traditional research-
oriented Ph.D. degree or the more recent professionally oriented Doctor of
Philosophy or Psy.D.degree. Counseling psychologists can also obtain these
degrees as well as a doctorate in education or Ed.D. degree. School
psychologists, who may engage in psychotherapy, have similar choices in terms of
degrees. Social workers may earn a doctoral degree, Ph.D. or D.S. W. (Doctor of
Social Work), although this is not as typical of social work practitioners as it
is of psychologists.
There are also significant number of individuals performing psychotherapeutic
services who have a master’s degree or less. The traditional degree for
professional social workers has been the M.S. W.(Master of Social Work), and
many guidance counselors, marriage and family counselors, school psychologists,
as well as clinical psychologist have received training at master’s level. The
training for all of these professional groups is thus quite diverse. In
addition, not only does the emphasis on psychotherapy vary from program to
program, but the quality and extent of training vary as well. Furthermore, in
the case of psychologists, since Ph.D. and Psy.D. degrees can be obtained from
either graduate programs in universities or from freestanding professional
schools, one cannot distinguish the training a particular psychologist has
received by simply knowing the type of degree he or she has. Since the various
programs may emphasis different theoretical orientations and different practicum
experiences, the diversity in training can be quite marked. Some candidates have
returned to Malaysia with these diverse training qualification and others would
surely want to pursue future training.
The Malaysian Psychotherapy Association is setting a professional training
programme for its members in order to standardized the training competencies of
psychotherapy practitioners in Malaysia, whereby anyone wishing to practice
psychotherapy in Malaysia needs to enroll and pass a standardized postgraduate
psychotherapy programme which include in its content, the practice of
psychotherapy from various client population including children, adults, the
elderly, couples, families, minority group and addiction and the practice of
therapy using various techniques such as cognitive therapy, psychodynamic
therapy, behavioural therapy, gestalt and emotional release type therapy and
hypnotherapy. Candidates also need to complete an approved number of supervised
clinical hours over a two year period for which he or she is awarded a Masters
degree and conferred practitioner membership to MPA.
Enrolment for the professional programme is opened only to those who have
obtained a first degree in psychotherapy or related discipline or its
equivalent. Those who has acquired relevant postgraduate qualifications can
apply to be exempted from some part one of the programme. MPA also offers
bridging psychotherapy diploma courses for suitable candidates who do not have
the necessary prerequisite qualification to enroll for the MPA professional
postgraduate psychotherapy course.
Published in the Complementary Therapist, Issue 2, April-June 2004
The author can be contacted at:
Dr. Edward Chan FMPsyA, FMCBTA
Principal Consultant Psychologist
B.Sc.(Psych.) PgDip (Clin.Psych.) MSc. D.Phil.(Psych.) C.Pr. NLP CSAC
Prinicipal Consultant Psychologist
Malaysian Psychology Centre
The Centre of Excellence for Personal & Organisational Growth
Kuala Lumpur:
25-1 Jalan Desa
58100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03 79824424 Fax:03 79838410
Penang:
1B, 1-01 & 1-02, Komtar,
Jalan Magazine, 10000 Penang.
Tel: 03 04-2625437 Fax: 04-641 5318
Sabah
TB318, Blk 37, Lot 6,
Fajar Complex, Town Extension 2,
91000 Tawau, Sabah.
Tel: 089223240
Email: Edward@Psychology.com.my
Website: www.Psychology.com.my