Please note that most professionals seek certification in Relationship Enhancement^® Couple Therapy prior to seeking certification in Relationship Enhancement^® Family Therapy. This order is not mandatory; however, please note that those seeking to obtain certification in Relationship Enhancement^® Couple Therapy first will significantly decrease the requirements for also obtaining certification in Relationship Enhancement^® Family Therapy. This process of joint certification is outlined in the description of the certification program in Relationship Enhancement^® Couple Therapy.

The National Institute of Relationship Enhancement (NIRE) and its parent organization IDEALS have been offering supervision and certification programs in Relationship Enhancement^® Couple Therapy and Family Therapy since 1972. Under the leadership of Bernard Guerney, Jr., Ph.D., William Nordling, Ph.D., and Robert Scuka, Ph.D., MSW, these supervision and certification programs continue to promote the highest standards of excellence in clinical training.

The purpose of the supervisory and certification program in Relationship Enhancement^® Family Therapy is to deepen and refine one's skills as a Relationship Enhancement^® Family Therapist. Through feedback, modeling, role-play, and goal-setting, the supervisee builds knowledge and skills for more effectively structuring sessions, teaching relationship skills to family members, and mastering common situations, issues, and problems encountered in conducting Relationship Enhancement^® Family Therapy. Close attention is also given to such therapy-related tasks as effective structuring of the intake interview, integrating home assignments into the therapy, maintaining a safe constructive working atmosphere, managing crisis situations, and troubleshooting obstacles that commonly impede therapy.

Wherever you live, you may easily participate in any of NIRE's supervision and certification programs through Distance Supervision. Over the past 20 years over 90% of our supervision and certification program participants have made use of our long-distance phone supervision methods. Indeed, even many participants local to a NIRE-approved supervisor have opted to utilize this method due to the educational benefits and convenience our phone supervision methods provide.

Those participating in Distance Supervision may choose one of two methods of distance supervision. In either case, the supervisee mails an audiotaped or videotaped therapy session to their NIRE-approved supervisor. In the first method of distance supervision, the NIRE-approved supervisor receives an audiotaped or videotaped session and then reviews it immediately preceding a scheduled phone supervisory session in which feedback about the session and preparatory feedback for structuring the next session are given. In the second method of distance supervision, the NIRE-approved supervisor receives a copy of an audiotaped or videotaped therapy session and then both the supervisee and supervisor review and discuss the tape together over the phone as each views or listens to the tape simultaneously in their own location. Both methods of distance supervision allow an optimal context for skill building through discussion, modeling, roleplay, and goal setting for future sessions.

Live supervision is available to those local to NIRE's facilities or to a NIRE-approved supervisor elsewhere in the country. Participants local to NIRE may opt to participate in either individual supervision or on-going supervisory groups offered at NIRE. All participants in the supervision and certification program may also attend any of the regularly scheduled advanced workshops offered by NIRE as a way of partially fulfilling certification requirements.

Applicants for NIRE's supervision and certification in Relationship Enhancement^® Family Therapy must have a graduate degree in a mental health field (or be enrolled in such a graduate program), and be legally eligible to provide therapeutic services under their state legal codes, either independently or under supervision. Applicants who are not qualified to provide therapeutic services independently must document their immediate supervisor's permission for participating in the NIRE supervision and certification program.

Applicants to the supervision and certification program in Relationship Enhancement^® Family Therapy must complete a minimum of 13 hours of NIRE training in Relationship Enhancement^® Couple/ Family Therapy (i.e., either a two-day or three-day workshop offered by NIRE), or its equivalent in college courses or training workshops offered elsewhere.

In general, a total of 26 hours of supervision are required for certification in Relationship Enhancement^® Family Therapy. Supervision time includes both the time the supervisor spends reviewing audiotaped or videotaped sessions and the time used in giving supervisory feedback.

It should be noted that ultimately the awarding of certification is based on the participant reaching certain levels of skill mastery, not merely the completion of a certain number of hours. However, because of the educational and training prerequisites, over 95% of those who are accepted into the certification program complete it successfully within the 26-hour framework.

In calculating supervision hours, individual supervision hours are calculated on a 1 for 1 ratio; small group supervision hours are calculated on a 1 for 2 ratio; and credit for attendance at advanced workshops is calculated at a 1 for 4 ratio. For example, if you attended a 2-hour small group meeting you would receive credit for 1 hour of supervision; if you attended a 13-hour advanced workshop you would receive credit for 3.25 hours of supervision.

Please note that up to 50% of supervision hours may be acquired through small group supervision or through attendance at advanced workshops; the remainder must be individual supervision. Of course, you may choose to complete all supervisory requirements through individual supervision.

Whether enrolled in a supervision program or a certification program, the hourly cost for supervision by an NIRE-approved supervisor is $75 for small group supervision and $75 for Individual supervision. In the case of individual supervision, if you request a supervisor with specialized credentials (e.g., an AAMFT-Approved Supervisor) the fee for individual supervision is $95. All phone or postal costs associated with supervision are borne by the supervisee. NIRE offers a number of payment plans to make participation in the supervision or certification programs convenient and affordable.

To apply for acceptance into the supervision and certification program, please download and complete the Application for Supervision and Certification Program form and mail it together with an application fee of $75.00 to:

Robert Scuka, Ph.D.,
Co-Director of Certification Programs
NIRE, 4400 East-West Highway, Suite 28
Bethesda, MD 20814

If you have questions or would like additional information about NIRE's supervision and certification programs, please contact Robert Scuka, Ph.D. at (301) 986-1479.