ECP Certificate

The European Association for Psychotherapy (EAP) has established the European Certificate of Psychotherapy (ECP) to ensure the standardisation of the profession of Psychotherapy throughout Europe.

The ECP was established to create a comprehensive Europe-wide standard for the profession of Psychotherapy.  It ensures equal standards of education and training across Europe.

The ECP is awarded by EAP to applicant psychotherapists whose psychotherapy education and training conforms to the ECP standard.

The ICP acts as an awarding body on behalf of the EAP, conferring the ECP in Ireland. The criteria for the awarding of this Certificate form the minimum training requirements and entry criteria for all modalities of psychotherapy.

The European Certificate stipulates that the total duration of the training for psychotherapists is 3,200 hours spread over a minimum of seven years. This seven year period comprises an initial under-graduate component, or equivalent, followed by a specific psychotherapy training. Nearly 300 of the ICP registrants to date have been awarded the European Certificate. 

How To Apply For An ECP

There are two possible ways to apply for an ECP.  One way is to apply through a grandparenting procedure that involves recommendation from an EAP National Awarding Organization (NAO)  – the ICP in the case of Ireland – and a European Wide Awarding Organization (EWAO) The other way is the Direct Award (DA) through one of the European Accredited Psychotherapy Training Institutes (EAPTIs).

Strasbourg Declaration on Psychotherapy

About ECP (European Certificate of Psychotherapy)

About ECP (European Certificate of Psychotherapy)

How to Apply for An ECP

The ECP – Important Information for ECP (European Certificate of Psychotherapy) Application

Documents | ECP Application Forms by Grandparenting

CV Structure for ECP Application by Grandparenting

Notification by the NAO of Recommendations for the Award of the ECP by Grandparenting

Practitioner Registration Form for ECP