Training Institute for Behavioral Therapy and Behavioral Medicine (AVVM)

• All training content (including PT1 and PT2) from a single source

• Completion after three years thanks to structuring and coordination of the training content

• No training fees, no "hidden" costs, the training costs are offset against the income from the practical training within the institute

• Payment of a salary over a maximum of 36 months, currently 33% E13 TV-L. During this time, you will be insured under social law via the training center (statutory health insurance, etc.) or as an external employee at one of our cooperation clinics

• The opportunity to do scientific work and obtain a doctorate at the MHH

• Access to specialist literature (also online) via the MHH library

• Discounted ticket for public transportation in Hanover

• Support/supervision by psychotherapists and specialists (both VT and TP) during PT1 and PT2

• and much more....

Training in behavioral therapy to become a psychological psychotherapist aims to qualify students to carry out behavioral therapy independently and on their own responsibility and to prepare them for the state examination, the passing of which is a prerequisite for obtaining a license to practice.

The content of the training takes into account the statutory requirements laid down in the Act on the Professions of Psychological Psychotherapist and Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist (PsychThG) and in the Training and Examination Ordinance for Psychological Psychotherapists (PsychTh-APrV).

After successfully completing their training, our training graduates can register for the state examination with the competent authority with the issued "certificate of participation in training events". In the federal state of Lower Saxony, this is the Niedersächsische Zweckverband zur Approbationserteilung (NiZzA). The NiZzA organizes the examination twice a year (in March and August, the exact examination dates are published on the website of the Institute for Medical and Pharmaceutical Examination Questions - IMPP). This consists of a written and an oral part. After successfully passing the exam, our graduates receive a license to practice as a psychological psychotherapist via NiZzA and a certificate showing the specialization procedure (behavioral therapy). The AVVM also issues a certificate of completion.

In principle, graduates of university psychology programs with a degree in psychology (Dipl.-Psych. or M.Sc. Psychology) whose studies included the subject of clinical psychology are eligible for training. In the case of Master's degrees in psychology, which are based on Bachelor's degrees in a subject other than psychology, the suitability must always be clarified individually with the State Examination Office.

The Niedersächsische Zweckverband zur Approbationserteilung (NiZzA) is responsible for the tasks of the state examination office in Lower Saxony. The NiZzA can check the admission requirements for training in the AVVM on its own and with binding effect. We will be happy to check your qualifications in advance when you submit your application. However, a final decision on the suitability of the qualification can only be made by NiZzA. We would like to point out that the examination offices of different federal states assess the suitability of university degrees differently. This applies in particular to foreign degrees. We therefore recommend that you check your own degree for suitability for training at the NiZzA in good time.

Training at the AVVM begins on October 1st. We accept approx. 15 training candidates each year.

Training at the AVVM is free of charge. We also do not charge any "hidden" or additional fees. So no fees for the interviews, no fees for the examination, or fees for the use of mobile card readers or the billing software, etc.

If you have completed fewer than 680 approved treatment hours during your practical training in accordance with PsychTh-APrV § 4 (outpatient treatments), a fee of EUR 2000 will be payable to the AVVM for self-awareness. This means that you can decide for yourself whether you only want to complete the required minimum number of hours in the training section and pay the low self-awareness fee to the Institute, or whether you want to avoid the costs by completing additional treatment hours.

We currently offer two training models (internal and external employment).
In the internal employment model, we currently offer ten aspirants the opportunity to train each year. The training is then linked to a job at the Center for Mental Health at the MHH. The trainees receive a monthly salary of currently 33% E13 TV-L for a maximum of three years (duration of training).

Training in external employment is carried out in collaboration with our cooperation partners. They employ the trainees in regular, temporary employment relationships in their Clinical Departments and enable them to participate in the training events at the AVVM in Hanover through work release agreements. In most cases, they are employed at 50% E13 TV-L. The number of training places in the employment relationship varies annually depending on the places made available to us by our cooperation clinics and usually amounts to approx. 3 to 5 places per year.

With a regular training program, you are financially secure at least at the level of a scholarship and do not need to worry about further financing of the training or additional part-time jobs. In the internal training program, there is also the opportunity to earn additional income by participating in expert activities. Our training participants also have the opportunity to purchase a discounted annual ticket (D-Ticket Job Hannover of the MHH) for public transport.

The duration of the training depends on the individual performance of the training participant. However, it does not fall short of the statutory minimum requirement of three years.

The training curriculum is designed in such a way that it is easily possible to complete all training components within the three-year period. Most training participants at our training center complete their training with the state examination within the three years.

In the internal training model, you receive all training modules "from a single source" at the MHH. The individual training elements are coordinated and already organized for you. You only need to follow our curriculum and will be able to take the examination after three years. Of course, individual deviations from the curriculum are also possible. Such deviations are often related to academic work (dissertation) or personal changes (starting a family, having children).

In the external model, you will complete Practical Training I and II (PsychTh-APrV § 2.2.1 and 2.2.2) in one of our partner clinics located in the Hanover region. You will complete all other training modules at the AVVM. Training participants in the external model also sometimes want individual adjustments to their training. Here, too, we always find suitable individual solutions.

Scope: at least one year with at least 1200 hours of work in periods of at least three months each.

You will usually complete this training module with us within the first 13 months of your training. After starting in October, you will have the opportunity to prepare and familiarize yourself with your work in inpatient care during the first month. The participants from the previous training year will help you here. At the end of your work in inpatient care, you will be able to familiarize yourself with the work of the participants in the new training group. You will be deployed "full-time" on the wards and will be released for participation in other training modules. You will be assigned to appropriate work locations according to the company's possibilities, taking into account your interests and skills. Training participants who complete their training in our cooperation clinics will be assigned there according to individual agreements.

Within this training module, the treatment of at least 30 patients (including at least four involving the family or social partners) must be documented on a case-by-case basis, stating the scope and duration.

Scope: at least 6 months with at least 600 hours of work.

You usually complete this training module with us directly after completing the "Psychiatry Year". For a period of at least one year, you will be involved in activities in the day clinics or within the outpatient clinics of the Center for Mental Health at the MHH at least one day a week. Trainees who complete their training in our cooperation clinics are deployed there according to individual agreements.

Scope: at least 600 hours

As a rule, you will complete this training module with us over the entire training period. The theoretical training takes place at our clinic mainly in the form of weekend events (usually on Friday afternoons and Saturdays all day, a total of approx. 40 dates, mainly within the first two years of training) and teaching units during the week as part of the clinic's internal training measures. The weekend events can be made up as part of the curriculum of other training years without incurring any costs.

You may also attend the events of our Institute of Depth Psychology for Nurses (IPAW). Of course, you can also complete more than the 600 theory hours as part of your training with us at no additional cost.

Scope: at least 600 hours of treatment under supervision of at least 50 individual and 100 group hours.

You will usually complete this training module in the second half of the training period. The treatment of outpatients takes place within our psychotherapeutic institute outpatient clinic. To successfully complete this training module, you must complete at least 600 hours of treatment at the AVVM. Both approved treatment hours from regular patient care and treatment hours carried out as part of integrated care are taken into account. We attach great importance to ensuring that the therapies started are completed by the training participants and that the patients do not have to undergo any unnecessary changes of therapist (in the final phase of training and treatment).

For supervision, we provide a list of AVVM-approved supervisors. The training participants organize their own supervision by contacting the supervisors directly. Group supervision should take place in groups of at least four participants who organize themselves independently.

During the practical training, the trainees must prepare at least six anonymized written case reports on their own patient treatments. Two of these case presentations form the basis for part of the oral examination to become a psychological psychotherapist.

Scope: at least 120 hours

Self-awareness is the only part of the training for which fees may be charged. We currently charge a fee of EUR 2000 for group self-awareness if you have completed less than 680 hours of treatment in practical training. The self-awareness fee is waived if you have completed more than 680 approved hours of psychotherapy as part of your practical training. If applicable, the fee is due at the end of the training (at the time of the review of the training achievements in connection with the issue of the "certificate of participation in training events" in accordance with Annex 2 of the PsychTh-APrV).

At present, group self-awareness takes place in small groups (usually approx. 8 people). As a rule, self-awareness takes place over the course of seven weekend sessions (the first and last sessions are 20 hours each, all other sessions are 16 hours each). Missed appointments cannot be made up at no extra cost.

Scope: at least 930 hours

The scope of the "free peak" results from the discrepancy between the prescribed minimum number of hours of training of 4200 and the minimum number of hours of the individual training modules. The "free peak" can be freely designed by the training institutes.
At the AVVM, the following activities, among others, are counted towards the "free peak":
- Research activities (proof by means of a certificate from the head of the working group)
- Literature study
- Documentation activities as part of practical training
- Preparation and follow-up supervision
- Participation in congresses and further training courses to the extent of the documented further training points
- Hours of all training modules completed in excess of the minimum quota
- Probationary training

The state examination takes place in two stages (written and oral) and is organized in Lower Saxony by the NiZzA. The examination dates may not be earlier than two months before the end of the three-year minimum training period, with the written examination taking place on fixed dates twice a year (March and August). The oral examination then usually takes place on the premises of our training center.

For admission to the examination, you must register with the NiZzA with the "Certificate of participation in training events" issued by us. You will receive the certificate from us after you have completed all the necessary training and have documented your patient treatments in accordance with our requirements. We recommend that you check your training achievements in good time so that you do not unnecessarily miss the registration deadline at the NiZzA (usually around January 10 or June 10).

Once you have successfully passed the examination, you can apply to the NiZzA for a license to practice. With your license to practice medicine, proof of specialist knowledge (behavioural therapy) and, if applicable, proof of additional qualifications, you can apply for entry in the medical register of the relevant medical association.

The training ends after passing the state examination or after finally failing the examination (PsychTh-APrV § 12.3) or at the latest after six years from the start of training. An extension of the training period beyond the six years requires an individual agreement with the training institute and is possible in justified cases.

The Training Institute for Behavioral Therapy and Behavioral Medicine (AVVM) at Hannover Medical School (MHH) is looking for participants to train as psychological psychotherapists (behavioral therapy) with the simultaneous possibility of a doctorate.

The Institute is a state-approved training center for psychological psychotherapists according to § 6 PsychThG with a specialization in behavioral therapy. Due to the affiliation of the training institute with the Hannover Medical School with the Clinical Department of Psychiatry, Social- and Psychological Therapy and the Department of Clinical Psychology, we offer training that is oriented towards proven and modern (2nd and 3rd wave of behavioral therapy) evidence-based methods of behavioral therapy. In addition, the proximity of our training center to the university hospital ensures extensive opportunities for the treatment of both common and rare mental illnesses. Finally, participants in the training program also have the opportunity to participate in the research work of the Department of Psychiatry and, if interested, to complete a doctorate.

Our training is designed so that it can be completed in three years.

We currently offer two training paths. Both paths are free of charge for you (no training fees/offsetting of these against outpatient income). In special cases, only the costs for self-awareness (currently approx. EUR 2000) may be incurred.

In the first "internal" training pathway, the complete training including all practical components can be completed in the various Departments of the MHH. During the first three years of training, trainees receive a monthly salary of currently 33% E13 TV-L. During this time, they are insured under social security law and have the opportunity to obtain a monthly ticket at reduced rates from the MHH. The fields of activity in the psychiatric areas of "crisis intervention", "addiction disorders" and "affective disorders" as well as clinical psychology with a focus on "sexual medicine and sexual therapy" offer a wide range of opportunities to gain clinical experience under guidance and supervision in order to be well prepared for independent therapeutic work.

In the second "external" training pathway, we will place you at one of our partner clinics, where you will receive a regular employment contract, usually with a reduced number of hours. The training components are then completed both at the cooperation clinic and at our training institute.

We offer a very interesting field of work in a multi-professional team, a wide range of experience opportunities and very good training and further education opportunities.

If we have aroused your interest, please submit your application by post or e-mail(bewerbung.AVVM@mh-hannover.de).

Application deadline: April 17 for the October cohort.

Prof. Dr. Gregor Szycik

Institute for Behavioral Therapy and Behavioral Medicine (AVVM)
Podbielskistr. 162, 30177 Hannover

Please clearly state in the title of your application whether you are interested in the "internal" or the "external" or both training paths and whether you are applying for behavioral therapy or depth psychology-based psychotherapy training.

Do not include a letter of motivation with your application, only a short cover letter will suffice. In addition, we require a curriculum vitae, proof/certificates of degrees (Diploma, Bachelor and Master), proof of internships, information on additional qualifications, research experience (posters, publications, research knowledge/experience) and special commitments.

Once we have received your application documents, we will look through them with interest. We will then invite the training candidates to short interviews with us in Hanover. Within two weeks of the interviews, we will then confirm the training position and ask for a binding commitment to accept the training position.

Unfortunately, the number of applications is usually greater than the number of training places we have, so we are unable to offer all applicants a training place immediately. However, experience has shown that some training places become available shortly before the start of training or we receive further training places from our cooperation partners. In these cases, we will keep your application documents on our list of applicants who can move up and may be able to offer you a training place at a later date.

Unfortunately, we cannot reimburse travel expenses or other application costs that you incur during the application process.

As a university institution, we are particularly interested in training candidates who are aiming for a doctorate. Previous experience in scientific work is therefore advantageous for a successful doctorate at the AVVM. Special methodological knowledge (statistics, EEG, fMRI, psychophysics, programming, diagnostics) is also an advantage.

The formal possibility of doing a doctorate at the MHH is regulated by the respective doctoral regulations, which we recommend reading. It is currently possible for non-medical doctoral students at the MHH to pursue both a Dr. rer. nat. and a Dr. rer. biol. hum. doctorate. However, a degree in natural sciences is required for the doctorate in natural sciences. Usually, a degree in psychology is the admission requirement for the Dr. rer. biol. hum. doctorate at the MHH. Both a "classical" doctorate and a cumulative doctorate (based on publications) can be written.

From the very beginning of their training, we offer our trainees the opportunity to integrate into existing scientific working groups at the Center for Mental Health in order to plan their doctoral project with the respective working group leaders. We offer individual solutions with regard to the organization of the training upon commencement of academic work. These are coordinated with the respective research group leaders and the institute management. It is generally possible to complete the doctoral project after completing the training.

As part of your training at the AVVM, you can acquire the additional qualification for billing group psychotherapy services in accordance with the Psychotherapy Agreement (§ 6 para. 5) if you are interested and free of charge. As part of our curriculum, we offer 24 double hours of relevant theoretical training and 40 double hours of behavioral therapy self-awareness in groups. The required 60 double hours of continuous group treatment can be completed as part of additional clinical tasks at the AVVM. The required 40 hours of supervision are also provided by the AVVM.

As part of your training at the AVVM, if you are interested and free of charge, you can also acquire the additional qualification to bill practicing and suggestive techniques in accordance with the Psychotherapy Agreement (§ 6 para. 6). The necessary courses take place as part of the regular curriculum. You can also acquire the additional qualification in hypnosis in accordance with the Psychotherapy Agreement (Section 6 (6)) through our sister institute for depth psychology (IPAW).

We cooperate closely with the Lüneburg Training Institute for Child and Adolescent Behavior Therapy (LAKiJu-VT) in Lüneburg. If there is individual interest, we can arrange training to obtain additional billing approval for behavioral therapy treatments for children and adolescents in accordance with the Psychotherapy Agreement (§ 7).