European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP)

The European Association of Psychotherapy (EAP) was founded in 1991 as an organisation to support and promote psychotherapy in Europe. It unites 120.000 psychotherapists and 128 psychotherapy organisations from 41 European countries.
Members of EABP play a very significant role in the day-to-day running, the establishment of the structure, and the politics of EAP – and thus in the profession of psychotherapy in Europe.

European Wide Accrediting Organisation (EWAO)

EABP is a fully accepted European Wide Accrediting Organisation (EWAO) of the European Association of Psychotherapy (EAP). As such EABP has a seat on the Governing Board of EAP and is a member of the European Wide Organisations Committee (EWOC).

In order to become an EWAO (European Wide Accrediting Organisation), there must be training programs at European Certificate of Psychotherapy (ECP) level, in at least 6 European countries.

The Scientific Validity of that method of psychotherapy must also be clearly established which is done by answering 15 Questions about the Scientific Validity and then submitting these to the EWOC for scrutiny and acceptance. 15 Questions EABP on the Scientific Validity of Body-Psychotherapy was completed in July 1999. In 2006 it was established that EABP can also institute a process to determine which methods or submodalities of body psychotherapy are ‘scientifically valid’.

European Certificate for Psychotherapy (ECP)

Body psychotherapists can apply for the ECP either through Direct Award or through Grandparenting.

More than 300 body psychotherapists currently have the ECP.

Direct Award

Students who completed full psychotherapy training in a European Accredited Training Institute (EAPTI) are entitled to apply directly for an ECP after graduation.

One Body Psychotherapy training institutes is an EAPTI:
Institut de Formation en thérapie psychocorporelle

All EAPTIs have been thoroughly checked by the Training Accreditation Committee (TAC) before their acceptance. They have to prove that their training program brings students up to ECP level. This is why the application procedure for graduates from EAPTIs involves less administration on the part of the EAP.

To apply for European Accredited Psychotherapy Training Institute (EAPTI) status the institute has to be registered with the NAO in their country and accredited by EABP through the FORUM of Body Psychotherapy Organisations or by another EWAO. Their body psychotherapy ‘method’ or ‘modality’ also needs to have been scientifically validated.

Grandparenting

Body psychotherapists can also apply for the ECP through the relevant National Awarding Organisation (NAO). They must be on the National Psychotherapy Register in their country and be fully accredited members of EABP or another EWAO.

Certain countries within EAP do not yet accept body psychotherapists onto their Register and therefore these people cannot get the ECP. Currently one of these countries is Austria, though some Austrian psychotherapists have got the ECP by applying through Germany. German body psychotherapists can get the ECP, even though the German law on psychotherapy is quite restrictive.

All Full Members of EABP in the various European countries are encouraged to apply for the ECP and EABP is assisting these people to get onto the ECP Register.  Other body psychotherapists, already on a National Register, may have to join EABP to get their European-wide accreditation, though in several countries the EABP National Association is a member of the NAO and a second ‘separate’ membership is not necessary.

Members of EABP play a very significant role in the day-to-day running, the establishment of the structure, and the politics of EAP – and thus in the profession of psychotherapy in Europe.