Earning the CGP will benefit you by:

• FORMAL RECOGNITION that you have added knowledge, skills and expertise in group therapy and have MET INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS for providing group psychotherapy services

• REASSURANCE FOR CONSUMERS AND EMPLOYERS that your expertise is internationally recognized and validated by having met the educational and experience standards to be CERTIFIED IN GROUP PSYCHOTHERAPY, thus increasing their confidence

• SUPPORTING your chosen profession in establishing and ADVANCING STANDARDS OF PRACTICE AND EDUCATION for group psychotherapy

• PROMOTING PROFESSIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY for clinical mental health professionals who practice group psychotherapy

• DEMONSTRATING YOUR HIGH LEVEL OF CONTINUED EXCELLENCE through continuing education and recertification

• INCREASED MARKETABILITY because this certification can positively influence employers, insurers and consumers

Earning the CGP credential also means that you will benefit from the many accomplishments the Certification Board has made on behalf of CGPs:

• The Certification Board has certified over 3,000 group psychotherapists, setting a standard for group psychotherapy practice for consumers, the professional community, training institutions and the third-party payers.

• As a CGP, you will be listed in the CGP online directory on our comprehensive group psychotherapy website www.agpa.org, which helps consumers find a group therapist. This valuable referral tool shows your particular areas of expertise and is searchable by name and geographic locale.

• The Group Circle and Group Connections, the Certification Board's print and online newsletters published collaboratively with the American Group Psychotherapy Association, keeps CGPs informed of changes in the behavioral healthcare field, presents suggestions for developing a successful group therapy practice, addresses ethical issues specific to group psychotherapy, and keeps CGPs informed about the Certification Board’s ongoing efforts on behalf of those certified.

• The Certification Board advocates for group psychotherapy as a treatment modality in a number of professional and popular publications, as well as with insurance companies, government agencies, and opinion leaders.

• The Certification Board promotes professional accountability through the regular recertification process by requiring continuing education and testament to ethical practice.

• Your CGP listing in the International Board for Certification of Group Psychotherapists includes a complete practice profile, which is available to your colleagues and third-party payers.

We hope that you will take this opportunity to take the next step in your group psychotherapy career by becoming certified. Please call the Certification Board's office toll-free at 877-668-2472 or 212-477-2677, or e-mail us at info@agpa.org, if you have any questions.