PE Certification Program

The CTSA offers trainings and consultation that lead to three levels of certification (PE Therapist, PE Consultant, and PE Trainer).

Note that this training, consultation, and certification program is the official Prolonged Exposure Therapy training program endorsed and overseen by the developer of PE, Dr. Edna Foa. In order to be considered for CTSA PE Therapist, PE Consultant, and/or PE Trainer certification, all of your PE training must be completed at the CTSA or with a CTSA certified PE Consultant or Trainer. If you have any questions about what trainings or consultants are certified by the CTSA, please contact Dr. Sandy Capaldi. Alternatively, look for this logo or banner on PE workshop brochures or materials.

Requirements for PE Therapist certification:

• Completion of the 4 day Intensive Workshop in Prolonged Exposure Therapy conducted by a CTSA certified PE trainer
• Completion of PE Consultation (at least two full PE cases under a CTSA certified PE consultant)
• Recommendation of the CTSA certified PE consultant to certify the therapist

Click here to review the process and costs related to becoming a PE therapist.

Requirements for PE Consultant certification:

• Completion of certified PE therapist requirements
• Completion of at least five full PE cases
• Completion of the 5 day PE Consultant Workshop conducted or certified by the CTSA

Requirements for PE Trainer certification:

• Completion of certified PE supervisor requirements
• Completion of at least 15 full PE cases
• Observation of two Intensive Workshops in Prolonged Exposure Therapy conducted by certified PE trainers
• Completion of the 3 day PE Trainer’s Workshop conducted or certified by the CTSA

Benefits of PE Therapist Certification

Increase your confidence and competence in delivering PE

• Participating in consultation to become a certified PE therapist allows you to obtain support and advice during your first cases of PE, allowing you to feel more confident that you are delivering it competently
• PE Consultants provide valuable feedback and session preparation tips that improve your competence in delivering PE

Inclusion in our online Find a PE Therapist list

• Colleagues and potential patients can access this list (organized by location), resulting in increased referrals to your agency or practice
• This list also helps to increase the availability of evidence-based psychotherapy for PTSD

Benefits of PE Consultant Certification

Specialized training in PE consultation methods   

• Receive the unpublished PE Consultant Manual with instruction in evaluating therapists’ adherence and competence in providing PE
• Opportunities to rate PE sessions and practice providing feedback to therapists

Ability to independently certify PE Therapists

• As a certified PE Consultant, you can provide the PE Therapist Certification benefits described above

Inclusion in our online Find a PE Consultant list

• Colleagues and potential consultees can access this list (organized by location), resulting in increased referrals for consultation to your agency or practice

Benefits of PE Trainer Certification

Highly specialized training in PE training methods   

• Receive the unpublished PE Trainer Manual with instruction in providing the 4 day Intensive Workshop in PE

• Become an expert in the theoretical background and empirical support for PE as well as the components of PE

• Opportunities to practice integration of illustrative material (e.g., excerpts of therapy sessions) and role plays with lectures and discussion

Ability to independently provide the 4 day Intensive Workshop in PE

• As a certified PE Trainer, you can provide the 4 day Intensive Workshop in PE
• Therapist who attend your workshops are eligible for all the benefits of participating in a certified PE workshop (being added to our PE list-serv, being eligible to pursue certification)

Receive requests to conduct PE workshops

• The CTSA fields requests for PE workshops and refers requests in your area to you when appropriate