Proposed new ISST membership statutes

The aim of these revisions to the membership criteria currently in the ISST statutes is to simplify them, remove clauses that are superfluous or irrelevant and clarify points that are ambiguous.  The way it is set out in the existing statutes can be seen at https://schematherapysociety.org/Statutes #5.

David Edwards 13th August 2018

#5 Membership

There are four categories of membership of the ISST based on the criteria set out below.  The detailed rights and obligations of Members in each of these categories are determined by regulations approved by the Executive Board.

1. Honorary Life Member: Honorary Life Members of the International Society of Schema Therapy are nominated by the Executive Committee and must be approved by a General Membership Assembly. Bestowing this level of membership is an honour accorded by the Society in recognition of outstanding contributions to schema therapy and the ISST and is relatively rare. Honorary Life Members have the same rights as Full Members but do not pay a membership fee.
   
   
2. Full member:  Full membership of the International Society of Schema Therapy is available to mental health professionals who have graduate (normally at Doctoral or Masters’ level) academic and professional training, in a mental health field (including, but not necessarily limited to, psychology, psychiatry and social work), that includes significant training in the practice of psychotherapy,  and who are, thereby, entitled to conduct psychotherapy autonomously and are licensed, when required,  by state/provincial/regional authorities in the country in which they live and work. Regulations approved by the Executive Board from time to time determine details of the specific courses of professional training and licencing authorities that are recognized for this purpose in different countries as well as the impact of complicating factors such as when a member relocates to another country or region from the one in which he/she is licenced.
   
   Full members must also be already certified as schema therapists by the ISST, or must have engaged with ISST approved training in schema therapy by attending at least 12 hours of an ISST approved training program leading to certification.
   
   
3. Associate member:  Associate members of the International Society of Schema Therapy do not meet criteria for full membership but are licenced or entitled to provide psychological interventions under supervision or in structured health settings.  This includes those who are enrolled in training at Masters’ or Doctoral level in mental health professional training courses such as those referred to in the criteria for Full Membership, which, once successfully completed, will lead to their being licenced to practice psychotherapy and to meet criteria for Full Membership. Regulations approved by the Executive Board from time to time determine details of the qualifications required or conditions that must be met within particular countries or regions for this level of membership to be granted.
   
   
4. Supporting member:  People who are interested in participating in activities related to schema therapy can become Supporting Members of the International Society of Schema Therapy. They are not required to meet the criteria listed for Full or Associate Members.