PAs and CBT / Therapy skills

[mills2525]

Just starting out as a PA on an inpatient unit managing medical issues, I think it will be good for me to use and strengthen medical knowledge while being around a psych population early in my career. There is opportunity to take on some psych patients of my own eventually. Any advice moving forward about how to strengthen skills in conducting a psychiatric interview effectively ? I feel this was not stressed in school and I got minimal practice on rotations. Eventually I might like to move into outpatient or into a job with more psychiatric responsibility. How would I obtain skills in CBT administration? There seem to be some training institutes. Are those necessary? They also want some therapy hrs recorded before signing up. Any advice is much appreciated.