Pre / Post Qualifying Certificate in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Overview

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a psychotherapy which helps people understand how their dominant beliefs, assumptions, thoughts, affective responses and behaviors have developed, and as importantly, how these may relate to inaccurate appraisal of events, leading to cognitive, affective and behavioural responses which maintain status quo at best, or deteriorating mental health at worst.

The general approach, was drawn from the findings of the Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences. Combining the knowledge gained from these aspects of psychological research, Dr Aaron Beck, a psychiatrist who started from a psychodynamic background but found cognitive distortion to be a significant aspect of anxiety and depression, began to use and describe his therapeutic method and approach which is knownas CBT.CBT has developed over recent years to be much less of an 'expert' and more of a collaborative model and takes account of the complex interaction between thoughts feelings and behaviours.

The particular therapeutic techniques of CBT vary according to specific client needs or issue, but will always include identifying, evaluating, questioning and testing automatic thoughts and assumptions and beliefs that are unhelpful and/or unrealistic; gradually facing activities which may have been avoided; and trying out new ways of thinking, behaving and reacting emotionally.

CBT is widely accepted as an evidence- and empiricism-based, cost-effective psychotherapy for many disorders and psychological problems.

This course will provide participants to an introduction to the model of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and it's theoretical underpinnings; demonstrate the importance of thorough CBT assessment, case conceptualisation and formulation and develop sufficient knowledge and skill for the practitioner to begin to apply simple CBT techniques in their clinical practice. This will be acheived through didactic teaching sessions supported with discussions and role plays. Sufficient time will be left between modules for participants to begin to use the CBT framework in a graded fashion prior to commencing onto the next level.

Progress through the course will be monitored and evaluated via individual case studies which will include detailed assessments, case conceptualisations and ongoing formulations.

Post Qualifying Certificate in CBT

This course has been created specifically for practitioners who have post qualifying experience in counselling or therapy and are registered with a regulatory body. E.g. UKCP, BACP, BPS, HPC. The aim of the course is to provide a sound base in CBT theory and its early applications in practice.

Post Qualifying applicants will need to provide evidence that they are in current supervised practice as the course requires the successful completion of three written case studies, two of which involve early applications of CBT techniques in practice.

The course takes place over four weekend intensives. To maximise the learning experience for course members didactic teaching, small group discussion, role plays and video demonstrations of CBT in clinical practice are provided. There is also a comprehensive course manual and handouts for each of the first three modules. Module four is dedicated to discussions and presentations of 'applications in practice', discussion and questions related to theory to practice links and issues of ethical practice.

Successful completion of this course requires full attendance at all four weekend training modules and attaining a pass mark for all three written assignments.

Pre-Qualifying Introductory Studies in CBT: Attendance Certificate

This course is for those wishing to know more about CBT but are in the process of attaining a qualification in therapy or counselling, or have a suitable training /employment experience, but are not yet registered with a therapeutic practitioner regulatory body.

Pre-Qualifying applicants will need to provide evidence of their current training or previous training and experience. Each applicant will be individually considered for suitability depending upon information provided regarding their current/prior training and experience.

Participants on this course attend the same four modules as those attending to complete the Post Qualifying Certificate in CBT. They will receive the same support materials (eg. training manuals and handouts), however course members at this level will be expected to complete only the first of the three case studies, which does not require the course member to be in current clinical practice. Successful completion of this course requires full attendance at all four training modules and a pass mark for the coursework assignment.

Should the Pre Qualification applicant go on to become supervised counsellors/therapists within two years of completion of the Pre-Qualifying Introductory Studies in CBT, and become registered by a suitable regulatory body, they can apply to go on to complete the Post Qualifying Certificate in CBT by attending a further two days top-up training and the submission of the two additional supervised practice case studies to pass level. The top-up training costs are not included in the fee for the Pre-Qualifying course and would be payable upon successful application for the top-up training.

Both course levels are Iron Mill Institute internally accredited training courses. Neither has external accreditation or validation at the present time.

Experienced counselors and therapists currently in practice, with little or no prior knowledge of CBT. Consideration is also given to professionals from other fields that can bring live case examples to the training.

Course CONTENT

Module one

• Mental health – origins of healthy and problematic cognitions, affective responses and behaviour, and their maintenance
• What is CBT?
• Why CBT and for what?
• Theraputic Alliance and the CBT format

Module two

• Review of practice case study
• Contexts and Cognitive Triads
• Problems and cognitive style
• Assessment for CBT and Case Conceptualisation

Module three

• Review of case study
• Practice Principles
• Practice CBT specific Applications
• Challenging negative automatic thoughts
• Socratic Questionning
• Guided Discovery
• Diaries, metaphor, experiments and evaluations

Module four

• Review of 'Live' Clinical Case studies.
• Endings

COURSE AIMS

This course will provide training consistent with the NICE guidelines for basic cognitive behavioural therapy knowledge and skills relating to:

Knowledge of the cognitive component in CBT –
the way people think and create meaning about events in their lives, how this links to the ways in which they develop beliefs about themselves, others and the world in which they live and how these beliefs influence behaviours.

Knowledge of the behavioural component in CBT-
the ways in which people respond to distress by behaviours which can maintain or worsen their problem (for example by avoidance or by reducing or restricting an activity, as a method of managing difficult emotions).

The course will also address:

• Theoretical underpinnings of CBT
• Principles for practice of cognitive behavioural therapy
• CBT specific interventions through Guided Discovery
• Opportunities to apply theory, techniques and principles for practice through discussion and rehearsal (role play)

COURSE OBJECTIVES

Participants will be able to:

• Conceptualise presented problems from a CBT perspective.
• Assess appropriately the client's ability to make use of CBT and contextual influences
• Improve your skills base to include CBT as an applicable method of enquiry and intervention, particularly with anxiety and depression
• Utilise the principles and techniques of practice to design interventions.
• Help clients develop a focussed approach to problem solving
• Increase client learning through collaboration
• Evaluate effectively