EIRT – European Institute for Reality Therpay
https://www.realitytherapy.eu/

Psychotherapy Training for Europeans -Reality Therapy/Choice Theory achieves full recognition from the European Association for Psychotherapy

We are very happy to report that there has been a successful conclusion to the efforts of past EART President Leon Lojk to have Reality Therapy recognised as a scientifically validated psychotherapy by the European Association for Psychotherapy. This was achieved at the EAP meeting in Tirana, Albania, on October 20th, 2007, where EART was recognised as a European Wide Organisation in the EAP. Recognition as an EWO requires that the therapy is recognised as scientifically valid, and that there are national associations in at least six European countries. (EART has six members at present: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Ireland, Finland, Great Britain, and Slovenia).

Welcome although this recognition was, EART President Leon Lojk, and EART Secretary Boba Lojk continued to work hard to achieve one final goal: To be recognised as a European Wide Awarding Organisation (EWAO) within the EAP. This would allow EART to award the European Certificate in Psychotherapy (ECP) to those who complete a course of training in RT/CT beyond the level of RT Certification. To achieve the ECP, a candidate must (a) have a university degree (or equivalent) in the human or social sciences; (b) complete WGI Certificate training in RT/CT; (c) work with people who need psychotherapeutic interventions; and (d) complete a further three year programme of training in RT/CT, delivered under the auspices of EART by WGI faculty who already have the ECP. In all, 2070 sessions of training are required (not including the university degree). This includes 300 sessions of theory, 170 sessions of training of self-evaluation, connecting and therapeutic skills, 1150 hours placement in work with clients in public (medical and social), private or voluntary institutions, with 200 hours of this practice supervised, and 250 sessions of personal psychotherapeutic experience, which included personal therapy and personal development experiences.

It was important that EART should become an Awarding Organisation for the ECP because it would then be possible to have professionally recognised Reality Therapists trained to the highest European standards. This was achieved on June 13th, 2008, at the EAP meeting in Brussels, Belgium, where EART was awarded EWAO status.

The development of the ECP programme in RT/CT continues throughout Europe.