Does the Federation provide training in poetry therapy?
Is poetry therapy only about poetry?
Does a practitioner in the field of poetry therapy have to be a poet?
What are the advantages to earning credentials?
Where do CAPFs/CPTs and PTRs work?
Where can I begin training to become a poetry therapist?
How do I know whether I should study for the CAPF, CPT or PTR?
How long will it take for me to become certified/registered in poetry therapy and what will it cost?
I don't have an approved mentor/supervisor geographically close to me. How can supervision be conducted?
Will I receive credit for my relevant previous experience?
Do I need to apply for the CAPF first if CPT is my desired goal, but I am still working on my masterçs degree in a clinical field?
Does completion of training in poetry therapy mean that I am certified as a poetry therapist?
How do CAPFs, CPTs and PTRs maintain their credentials?
Are "NAPT Membership" and "Certification in Poetry Therapy" the same thing?
What do I do first?

Does the Federation provide training in poetry therapy?
The Federation sets the standards and grants approval to individuals (mentor/supervisors) or organizations to provide training in biblio/poetry therapy. 

Is poetry therapy only about poetry?
Credentialed practitioners of poetry therapy use the poetic in all literature. The poetic is the evocative, imaginal language that invites personal and individual response. Journal writing, story telling, creative and reflective writing and poetry are some of the many tools we use to enhance the creative and healing process. Poetry therapy, applied poetry, biblio/poetry therapy, journal therapy, poetry/journal therapy and bibliotherapy are synonymous; all focus on the written, spoken, and auditory aspects of interactive literature.

Does a practitioner in the field of poetry therapy have to be a poet?
A trained practitioner of poetry therapy recognizes the poetic ability in all people. Many of us become interested in this field because of our personal experience with writing and reading as growth-promoting or healing forces. Others may not consider themselves to be poets but rather people with a poet’s vision -- an ability to appreciate metaphor and other expressive, symbolic language. It is not necessary to be a poet in order to be a practitioner of poetry therapy, but it is essential to be a reader, to have a thirst for knowledge and a hunger for the interactive wonder of words.

What are the advantages to earning credentials?
Your title of certified applied poetry facilitator (CAPF), certified poetry therapist (CPT) or registered poetry therapist (PTR) announces to the professional community that you have been trained in an area of specialty by the highest standards and have earned your place with your peers as a qualified professional in the creative arts therapies. Your status as a credentialed professional will enhance your opportunities for employment and compensation in fields such as writing, psychotherapy, library science, education, rehabilitation and the creative arts therapies.

Where do CAPFs/CPTs and PTRs work?
Many CAPFs/CPTs/PTRs work in school systems, religious organizations, various programs for children, adolescents and elders through state and local agencies, corporations, hospitals and other institutions, treatment/rehabilitation programs and correctional facilities, and many are in private practice as therapists or consultants. Practitioners of poetry therapy can be found wherever there is a need for healing and growth.

Where can I begin training to become a poetry therapist?
There are private training institutes in poetry therapy led by Federation-approved mentor/supervisors and there are colleges and institutions around the country that offer the course work necessary for completing the CAPF/CPT/PTR satisfactorily. NAPT annual conferences provide excellent training opportunities. New listings are always being added and expanded. The Credentials Committee recommends that you interview at least two mentor/supervisors so that you may make the most informed choice about your training program.

How do I know whether I should study for the CAPF, CPT or PTR?
Although the CAPF and CPT training programs are identical in scope, the qualifying criteria changed in April 2006: 

• The certified applied poetry facilitator (CAPF) credential is for people not licensed in a medical or graduate mental health field who satisfactorily complete the 440 hour training program. (see Summary of Training Requirements). CAPF applicants may have bachelor degrees in any field and may be required to complete additional coursework in literature and psychology core competencies to prepare them for training in poetry therapy.
  
  
• The certified poetry therapist (CPT) is for people licensed in a graduate mental health field, or as licensed doctors of medicine or doctors of osteopathy, who satisfactorily complete the 440 hour training program. Previously credentialed (on or before April 22, 2006) CPTs may continue to call themselves "poetry therapists" if the states where they live and work do not restrict the term. However, the Federation recommends that all previously credentialed CPTs who are not currently licensed graduate mental health professionals, MDs, or DOs voluntarily convert to the CAPF designation.
  
  
• The registered poetry therapist (PTR) is for people licensed in a graduate mental health field, licensed doctors of medicine, or doctors of osteopathy, who satisfactorily complete the 975 hour training program with emphasis in clinical applications of biblio/poetry therapy.

How long will it take for me to become certified/registered in poetry therapy and what will it cost?
Time and cost vary. Much depends on your motivation, the resources in your community, and the credentials you have already earned. Some trainees satisfactorily complete the work in the minimum required 2 years, while others may take 2.5 to 4 years of part time study because of other work and life commitments. People who have completed their training program in 2 years have estimated that it took them an average of 10 hours a week to fulfill the training requirements. Your approved training plan is valid for 5 years with required annual updates submitted to your mentor/supervisor. Mentor/supervisors set a range of fees for training and supervision. Some partial scholarships may be available through the NAPT Foundation’s Rosalie Brown Scholarship Fund. Ask your mentor/supervisor for details.

I don't have an approved mentor/supervisor geographically close to me. How can supervision be conducted?
A mentor/supervisor does not need to be in your geographical area to guide you effectively in your training. An approved mentor/supervisor of your choosing will work with you via audio/visual taped sessions, e-mail, written reports, phone consultations, 1:1 sessions or group sessions, depending on arrangements you work out together. Supervision hours may also be acquired through attendance at the NAPT national conference if your mentor/supervisor meets with you there, through poetry therapy training institutes and through on-site supervision with another mental health professional that is documented and approved by the mentor/supervisor and the Credentials Committee. A mentor/supervisor is your constant guide toward your certification/registration. He or she will help you to chart your own course and will be with you every step of the way for encouragement, guidance and expertise.

Will I receive credit for my relevant previous experience?
Since many professionals seeking certification/registration have already earned degrees in literature or psychology, the Credentials Committee evaluates each applicant individually to allow as much credit as possible without sacrificing the integrity of training requirements. The essential elements of a poetry therapy training program are: didactic, facilitation, supervision, and peer experience for the CAPF/CPT plus institutional experience and other meritorious learning for the PTR. As a general rule, a maximum of 60 hours of previous experience in any or all areas of training requirements may be credited towards the CAPF/CPT and 100 hours may be credited towards the PTR. Of these hours, no more than 30 may be applied as previous facilitation for a CAPF/CPT candidate and 50 for an PTR candidate. Up to 10 (CAPF/CPT) or 20 (PTR) hours of previous supervision may be credited if verifiable documentation is submitted.

Do I need to apply for the CAPF first if CPT is my desired goal, but I am still working on my master’s degree in a clinical field?
No. However, to attain the CPT you must have completed a master's or a doctorate in a mental health or be a licensed doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy, and be licensed as a clinician. When you satisfactorily complete your poetry therapy training program, you will be awarded the CAPF; when your documentation of degree and licensure are approved by the Credentials Committee, you will receive your CPT.

Does completion of training in poetry therapy mean that I am certified as a poetry therapist?
Completion of training in poetry therapy is documented according to the NFBPT Guide to Training Requirements and is submitted to the Federation’s Credentials Committee.  The Credentials Committee evaluates the credentials application and certifies the training as qualifying for the CAPF, CPT or PTR credential, depending on the applicant’s qualifications and supervised course of study.

How do CAPFs, CPTs and PTRs maintain their credentials?
To renew their credentials, CAPF, CPT and PTR credential holders pay a renewal fee biennially (every two years), in July of even years. For details, see the Renewing Credentials section.

Are “NAPT Membership” and “Certification in Poetry Therapy” the same thing?
NAPT membership and certification in biblio/poetry therapy are completely separate from each other.  Some people confuse them.  Membership in NAPT (www.poetrytherapy.org) affords you the benefits of a professional community of like-minded individuals who value and use language, symbol and story for growth and healing.  Certification or registration in biblio/poetry therapy is the outcome of successfully completing a supervised, structured training program that has been approved by the Credentials Committee of the Federation.

Your NAPT membership dues and Federation credential renewal fees are completely separate from each other. The NAPT membership renewals are due in October every year.  The credential renewal fees are paid two years at a time and are due in July of even years.

What do I do first?
You’ve already done it by finding the website of the National Federation for Biblio/Poetry Therapy!  Next, contact the administrator at admin@nfbpt.com and request a copy of the Guide to Training Requirements and research the mentor/supervisors that you want to interview.  Follow the procedures outlined and you’ll be well on your way. Congratulations on taking this important first step on your poetry therapy training journey!