Training Programs

For more information about any of these Training Programs, contact:

Dr. Marianne Farkas
Director of Training and Consultation
Email: psyrehab@bu.edu; phone 617-353-3549

Vocational Recovery

Vocational Recovery training programs are available as introductory/exposure-level training to increase people’s awareness and basic knowledge of the intervention; as experiential training; and as skill development.

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Vocational Peer Support

Vocational Peer Support (VPS) is an approach designed for trained/certified peer support specialists who want to support the vocational aspirations of the people they serve. VPS training involves 10 Modules directed at supporting employment, education, and career goals.

Training options available include: in person (at BU or at your site); and through distance learning tools (e.g., live webinars).

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Vocational Illness Management and Recovery: Wellness at Work

Vocational Illness Management and Recovery (VIMR), is a modification of the evidenced-based Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) curriculum. The VIMR training involves 9 Modules oriented towards helping people with mental health conditions live well and thrive as they choose, get, and keep meaningful employment.

Training options available include: in person (at BU or at your site); and through distance learning tools (e.g., live webinars).

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Job Retention and Development

The  course is designed for those who work as Employment Specialists, Rehabilitation Counselors, Employment Networks, Vocational Peer Specialists and others who assist people in mental health recovery towards successful employment. The course involves 5 Modules which focus on engaging the job seeker, marketing to employers to create job openings, and developing good collaboration with workers and employers to improve job retention.

Training options available include: in person (at BU or at your site); and blended learning (self-paced modules with online discussions).

Psychiatric Rehabilitation

Psychiatric Rehabilitation training programs are available as introductory/exposure level training to increase people’s awareness and basic knowledge of the intervention; as experiential training; and as skill development. Training is also available in becoming a trainer in this content, a supervisor or a program consultant in this content.

Training options available for all Psychiatric Rehabilitation programs below include: in person (at BU or at your site); and live webinars.

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Person-Centered Readiness for Psychiatric Rehabilitation: Assessment and Development

The 5-Module Assessment portion of this training program teaches practitioners how to help people to actively assess their own willingness and preparedness to engage in rehabilitation. The 3-Module Development portion of this training program teaches practitioners who know how to facilitate the assessment process, how to help people to develop their own readiness to engage in rehabilitation.

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Setting a Self-Determined Overall Rehabilitation Goal: Identifying A Valued Role

A self-determined goal motivates individuals to participate in rehabilitation and increases the likelihood that they will achieve their goal. It is a long-term goal (i.e, 6-24 months) that directs all other rehabilitation activities. This 3 Module training teaches practitioners how to assist people in choosing their preferred residential, educational, vocational, and social roles and environments.

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Person-Centered Skill and Support Assessment

Skill and resource assessment helps the person to evaluate the availability and use of their skills and supports, critical to their overall preferred goal. The first 3 Modules teach practitioners how to help define and evaluate the skills needed for people to be successful and satisfied in that overall goal. The second 3 Modules train providers in how to help people define and evaluate the supports or resources they need to be successful and satisfied in their overall goal.

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Developing Critical Skills to Achieve a Role

Developing critical skills includes Direct Skills Teaching as well as Programming Skill Use. These two elements are taught in a 4-Module program that trains practitioners how to involve individuals in comprehensive instructional activities, enabling them to perform skills when they choose to do so.

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Developing Critical Supports to Achieve a Role

Developing critical supports is a process by which people are supported in negotiating for services that they need and desire.  The 4-Module training teaches providers to help people to plan for supports or resources, link to services and to advocate for service improvements.

Promoting Recovery

Promoting Recovery training programs are available as introductory/exposure-level training to increase people’s awareness and basic knowledge of the intervention; as experiential training; and as skill development. Training is also available in becoming a supervisor or a consultant in this content.

Training options available for all Promoting Recovery programs below include: in person (at BU or at your site); live webinars; and a pre-recorded, webinar-based course.

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Partnership Skills to Promote Recovery

Developing a real partnership to promote recovery requires shifting the power relationship between the person helping and the person who is on their recovery journey. This 3-Module training, delivered through a pre-recorded webinar series, provides information and exercises to teach those helping how to achieve a recovery-oriented partnership. The training is part of the Recovery Promoting Competencies Toolkit.

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Inspiring Skills to Promote Recovery

Most practitioners never learned how to inspire others in their practice although they are expected to encourage hopefulness all the time. This 3-Module training, delivered through a pre-recorded webinar series, provides information and exercises to teach providers how to inspire people who are struggling with their recovery. The training is part of the Recovery Promoting Competencies Toolkit.

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Teaching Skills to Promote Recovery

Recovery-oriented practice requires shifting to the role of coach, consultant and teacher. This 3-Module training, delivered through a pre-recorded webinar series, provides information and exercises to teach those promoting recovery how to teach information and skills. The training is part of the Recovery Promoting Competencies Toolkit.

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Choosing Skills to Promote Recovery

Recovery-oriented practice also requires helping people to make their own choices, large and small, during their recovery journey. This 3-Module training, delivered through a pre-recorded webinar series, provides information and exercises to teach those promoting recovery how to help individuals make decisions. The training is part of the Recovery Promoting Competencies Toolkit.

National Resources in Training on Employment: Who Else Does This?

Below you will find a curated listing of available online employment training from various organizations. Offerings from these trainings include features such as paid and free content, continuing education units, blended learning, archived trainings from the past, and ongoing trainings into the future.