Introduction

The American Group Psychotherapy Association (AGPA) is a not-for-profit multi-disciplinary organisation dedicated to enhancing the practice, theory and research of group psychotherapy.

Brief History

The inception of the American Group Psychotherapy Association began in 1942 with the actual decision to found the organisation being made in February 1943 during a meeting of the American Orthopsychiatric Association in New York City. The organisation was first named the American Group Therapy Association. In 1952, the name was officially changed to the American Group Psychotherapy Association. Samuel R. Slavson was one of the founders and served as the first president of the AGPA.

Membership

American Group Psychotherapy Association is a national organisation with over 2000 members internationally and 31 affiliate societies. Members come from disciplines such as psychology, creative art therapy, psychiatry, nursing, social work, professional counselling, addictions, and marriage and family therapy. AGPA’s annual meeting attracts approximately 1000 attendees.

Certification

The International Board for Certification of Group Psychotherapists is a not-for-profit corporation formed to function autonomously from AGPA. The International Board for Certification of Group Psychotherapists (IBCGP) awards group therapists certification after they have presented documentation demonstrating the completion of a significant amount of training through coursework, experience, and supervision. A Certified Group Psychotherapist (CGP) is also required to continue lifelong learning by obtaining continuing education credits (CEU’s) in effective leadership of psychotherapy groups.

Organisational Involvement

The diversity of AGPA membership has been actively involved in the promotion of group therapy as an alternative treatment to the public and private sectors. The development of ethical and practice standards. AGPA membership has also responded to the nation’s disasters; for example, September 11 and Hurricane Katrina. AGPA has also developed a set of standards of practice for group therapy for use by practitioners. This resource assists the clinician in the development of evidence-based and best practices. AGPA does not de-certify its members or monitor its membership for quality of practice, instead, they go by the state licensing. The only time an AGPA member would lose their CGP certification is if their license was suspended by their state’s board of psychologists.

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