Behavioural Therapist

This programme qualifies trainees who have met all requirements of the International Association of Counselors & Therapists (IACT) for admission as licensed behavioural therapists. Behavioural therapists are trained to understand developmental, emotional, and behavioural challenges arising from neurodevelopmental, cognitive, and psychosocial differences across the lifespan. They are equipped to address diverse presentations in home, school, and community settings, including difficulties in self-regulation, social interaction, attention, adaptive functioning, and mental health. These challenges are addressed through evidence-based modalities such as Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and other integrative behavioural approaches. Trainees gain hands-on experience with a range of tools and protocols for behavioural screening, informal and standardised assessment, functional analysis, case formulation, and intervention planning. They are also trained in procedures for monitoring outcomes and supporting the generalisation of skills across environments.

The programme equips trainees with specialised expertise to address complex behavioural and emotional needs in school-age students and young people. These needs may arise from developmental, cognitive, and neurological differences, as well as environmental and trauma-related factors. By integrating current behavioural and psychological science with practical skills, graduates are prepared to deliver evidence-based screening, assessment, and intervention strategies that extend beyond traditional classroom or counselling approaches. These strategies include functional behaviour assessment, ABC (Antecedent-Behaviour-Consequence) analysis, behavioural experimentation, skills training, exposure-based interventions, behavioural activation, contingency management, token economies, and skills modules drawn from CBT, ACT, and DBT, such as mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Together, these approaches enable practitioners to make a meaningful impact on individuals who may otherwise fall through the gaps of standard education and mental health systems.

The programme provides comprehensive training to support diverse school-age students and young persons with behavioural, social-emotional, and developmental needs. This includes individuals with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, learning disabilities, anxiety and mood disorders, behavioural disorders, and trauma-related presentations. Trainees develop practical competencies for working with multilingual and culturally diverse individuals, families, and school communities, including those who benefit from visual supports, structured routines, and collaborative, family-centred approaches. In addition, trainees build strong clinical reasoning skills to interpret behavioural profiles, identify maintaining variables, and recognise underlying processing differences such as executive functioning challenges, sensory processing differences, and emotional regulation difficulties. They learn to design targeted intervention plans that promote meaningful and sustained progress.

Trainees also become proficient in a range of applied assessment tools and methods, including behavioural interviews, rating scales, structured and naturalistic observation, functional behaviour assessment and analysis, goal-attainment scaling, progress monitoring, and error-pattern analysis in real-life tasks. Furthermore, they are trained to integrate modality-specific frameworks, such as CBT case formulation, ACT-based psychological flexibility models, and DBT-informed skills frameworks, into coherent and individualised behavioural treatment plans.

IACT is a leading and prestigious professional body based in the USA, admitting individuals who meet the rigorous requirements of its practising licence programmes as licensed counsellors or therapists. Membership signifies a commitment to high, ethical practice and professional excellence. Practising members are clinically competent, adhere to strict ethical guidelines, and are recognised internationally, with eligibility to practise in multiple regions subject to local regulations.

IACT’s practising licence comprises three tiers: Credentialed, Registered, and Board-Certified, with Board-Certified representing the highest level of recognition. In accordance with IACT requirements, all coursework, assignments, case reports, and reflective essays must be supervised and verified by an IACT-approved instructor and submitted to the IACT Assessment Board in the United States for final evaluation.

Merlion Academy is authorised to supervise and verify trainees’ work in support of their IACT membership applications, with additional support provided by the IACT Singapore and Malaysia chapters.

Admissions are conducted on a rolling basis and may commence at any time.