Learn essential physical, cognitive, behavioral, emotional and somatic techniques to optimize mental health. Earn 32 CEUs for physical therapists and physical therapist assistants.
The coexistence of mental and physical health conditions is prevalent. 80% of Physical therapists encounter patients with psychological distress every week. To achieve optimal physical therapy outcomes, neither should be treated in isolation.
Fortunately, it is within our professional scope of practice to manage behavioral and mental health conditions—addressing interconnected physical, psychological, and social health domains to ensure whole-person care. PTs and PTAs are uniquely well-positioned to have a positive impact on their patients’ mental and psychological well-being.
“It is within the professional scope of physical therapist practice to screen for and address behavioral and mental health conditions in patients, clients, and populations.”
– APTA Policy P06-20-40-10
As a certified mental health physical therapist, you’ll take a whole person approach to prevention, screening, and management to optimize your patients’ well-being.
The Mental Health Physical Therapist Certification provides physical therapists with the knowledge and skills to integrate mental health care into their clinical practice. This comprehensive certification prepares professionals to identify, screen, and manage common mental health conditions while recognizing the complex interaction between mental and physical health. By focusing on the management of mental health conditions, this training expands the personal scope of a physical therapist’s practice to include essential components of mental health care.
Participants will explore models of care that highlight the biological, psychological, and social factors contributing to mental health while also learning the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration with mental health professionals. Practical skills training includes trauma-informed, relational, and empathic approaches to care that address psychological distress through cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and somatic techniques. Additionally, this course equips participants with tools to implement psychosocial interventions that are feasible to deliver within the physical therapy setting. By learning how to scale these interventions across stepped-care systems, physical therapists will be prepared to innovate in mental health treatment, addressing gaps in care at both the individual and population levels. Graduates of the certification program will be able to apply their expanded skills to provide a more holistic, patient-centered approach that promotes both physical and mental health.
Mental Health Foundations
Gain the knowledge and clinical skills to identify, screen, and address common mental health conditions while appreciating the dynamic interplay between mental and physical well-being.
Mental Health Essential Skills
Equip yourself with practical cognitive, behavioral, emotional, and somatic techniques and tools for managing mental health within the scope of your PT practice.
Mental Health Mastery
Dive into experiential learning, where you can directly apply advanced techniques in real or simulated clinical scenarios. The focus is on developing practical skills through guided practice, reflection, and interactive exercises.
“The Mental Health Physical Therapist Certification program has been so affirming.”
In this certification program, you will:
As a PT, it is within your scope to screen for and manage mental health conditions. When you gain this competency, it will make all the difference for your patients, while setting you apart as a highly competent and well-resourced practitioner.
With the MHPT certification in hand, you could specialize in integrating mental and behavioral health screenings and interventions into your practice as a PT. This can place you ahead of your colleagues because your innovative, whole person approach will achieve greater outcomes.
PTs and PTAs will earn 32 CUs upon completion of the program.
“Being a physiotherapist, I haven’t seen any courses like this”
Dr. Joe Tatta is the CEO of the Integrative Pain Science Institute, where he leads initiatives that advance integrative and psychologically informed physical therapy.
He has published 13 peer-reviewed articles and authored three books on pain management, including the textbook, Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine in Physical Therapy: A Guide to Primary Care, Health Promotion, and Prevention.
His scholarly contributions to pain science include the Pain Recovery and Integrative Systems Model, Pain Resilience Therapy, and promoting mental health physical therapy as a distinct practice area. Professional accomplishments include developing scalable practice models grounded in health behavior change and empowering physical therapists to assume the role of primary care providers.
Dr. Jeremy Fletcher is a dedicated leader in advancing health equity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and rehabilitative care. As the founder and CEO of Community Health Strategies, LLC, he works to empower communities through innovative educational initiatives and strategic consulting. A former healthcare executive and experienced clinician, Dr. Fletcher has a deep commitment to addressing mental distress in Veterans along the Gulf Coast as a Patient Aligned Care Team Physical Therapist in the Veterans Health Administration.
His work extends to continuing education, partnering with the Integrative Pain Science Institute to promote mental health physical therapy as a distinct practice area. Dr. Fletcher has presented nationally at major conferences, including the APTA Combined Sections Meeting, and has delivered keynotes for local and state organizations.
Dr. Jeremy Fletcher is a dedicated leader in advancing health equity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and rehabilitative care. As the founder and CEO of Community Health Strategies, LLC, he works to empower communities through innovative educational initiatives and strategic consulting. A former healthcare executive and experienced clinician, Dr. Fletcher has a deep commitment to addressing mental distress in Veterans along the Gulf Coast as a Patient Aligned Care Team Physical Therapist in the Veterans Health Administration.
His work extends to continuing education, partnering with the Integrative Pain Science Institute to promote mental health physical therapy as a distinct practice area. Dr. Fletcher has presented nationally at major conferences, including the APTA Combined Sections Meeting, and has delivered keynotes for local and state organizations.
Yes! This course is approved for 32 CEUs for PTs & PTAs.
Registration includes unlimited access. You have as long as you need to complete the program and you can come back to the training as many times as needed.
There are both on-demand and live portions of the program. All content is recorded and uploaded to the participant’s platform. So if you fall behind there is a way to catch up. We understand you are busy and are here to support your learning!
This program requires approximately 1-2 hours per week to complete.
Lessons are available in a variety of formats to make learning easy and fun, including video, audio, transcripts, study guides, PDF handouts and quizzes.
Your scope of practice is informed by three components:
While you will gain valuable insights and knowledge from this program regardless of the type of pain practitioner you are, the MHPT Certification is specifically geared toward PTs.
Send an email to support@integrativepainscienceinstitute.com. We are here to support you in every way!
“This certification gave me a whole new lens through which to view patient care”
“and it’s made me a better,
more empathetic clinician.”
“My role as a physical therapist has changed.”
As a PT, you’re ideally positioned to make a considerable difference in the lives of your patients. Many patients see their PT far more often than other providers, so you are uniquely positioned to keep a finger on the pulse of their mental health concerns.
Create a more holistic practice by strengthening your mental health knowledge and skills. As you take a mind-body approach, you will improve patient outcomes and elevate your career.
Effective Date: May, 2018
Your privacy is very important to us. We want to make your experience on the Internet as enjoyable and rewarding as possible, and we want you to use the Internet’s vast array of information, tools, and opportunities with complete confidence.
The following Privacy Policy governs the online information collection practices of Joe Tatta, LLC d/b/a joetatta.co and www.backpainbreakthrough.com ( collectively the “Sites”). Specifically, it outlines the types of information that we gather about you while you are using theSites, and the ways in which we use this information. This Privacy Policy, including our children’s privacy statement, does not apply to any information you may provide to us or that we may collect offline and/or through other means (for example, at a live event, via telephone, or through the mail).
Enter your email and get the latest in pain science, podcast episodes,
CEU opportunities, and special offers.
