Lata K. McGinn
Yeshiva University and Cognitive & Behavioral Consultants, New York, USA

Lata K. McGinn, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and a tenured Professor of Psychology and Director of the CBT training program at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University. Dr. McGinn is also Co-Founder of Cognitive and Behavioral Consultants (CBC), an evidence-based treatment and training center. She specializes in the vulnerability, prevention, treatment, and dissemination of stress, anxiety, trauma, OCD, depression, and related disorders using cognitive and behavioral therapies (CBT). Dr. McGinn teaches and supervises graduate and post-graduate trainees, conducts research and authors books and articles, conducts lectures and workshops worldwide to both lay and professional audiences, consults to schools, agencies, businesses, and other organizations, and treats adults and adolescents in her practice. Her extensive publications span peer-reviewed journal articles, chapters, and her co-authored books, "Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder" and, "Treatment Plans and Interventions for Depression and Anxiety Disorders."

Dr. McGinn is the president of the World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (WCCBT), a global multidisciplinary organization comprised of six regional CBT membership organizations (ABCT, ACBTA, AACBT, EABCT, ALAMOC, and IACBT). The WCCBT is dedicated to the prevention, assessment, and treatment of mental distress and suffering, and the promotion of health and well-being through the scientific development and implementation of the broad range of evidence-based cognitive and behavioral approaches.

Dr. McGinn is also a founding fellow, certified consultant-trainer, and past-president of the Academy of CBT (A-CBT). She is also past president of the International Association of CBT (IACBT) and continues to serve on the Board of Directors. She has also previously served on ABCT's Board of Directors and is currently Chair of ABCT's International Associates Committee. Dr. McGinn is a founding fellow of the New York CBT (NYC-CBT) association, helped found the Indian Association of CBT (IACBT) and is its honorary president. Dr. McGinn is also vice-president of the Access Psychology Foundation, which she co-founded in 2021. The mission of the Access Psychology Foundation is to improve behavioral health disparities for racially diverse and underserved populations by increasing access to evidence-based prevention, treatment, training, and education.

Dr. McGinn is the associate editor of the peer-reviewed journal Cognitive Therapy and Research, serves on the editorial board of the International Journal of Cognitive Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Practice, and is on the advisory board of the Journal of Cognitive Behavior Psychotherapy. In recognition of her achievements in the field of CBT, Dr. McGinn has earned the title of Beck Scholar and was appointed a Fellow of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapies (ABCT). She won the Outstanding Service to ABCT award in 2020 and was awarded a certificate of appreciation by ABCT in recognition of her professional contributions to disseminating trauma prevention interventions on a Trauma Task Force following Sept. 11, 2001.

TITLE: CBT FOR TRAUMA

Lata K. McGinn
Yeshiva University and Cognitive & Behavioral Consultants, New York, USA

Background & Rationale
Traumatic events are common in our lives and the lives of our families and there are a range of reactions to adverse and traumatic events. Although resilience is the most common outcome in the face of adversity, the risk for developing clinically post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is high for a subset of individuals. Understanding how adverse and traumatic crises impact us, who is at risk for developing PTSD, learning the differences between normative and pathological symptoms of post-traumatic stress, and using evidence-based treatments to treat PTSD is important in effectively managing the aftermath of trauma.

Based on multiple randomized trials, CBT for PTSD, with prolonged exposure (PE), cognitive therapy, and cognitive processing therapy (CPT) are gold standard treatments for PTSD. This workshop will offer clinicians with the knowledge and skills to effectively treat PTSD across the lifespan using a comprehensive approach to enhance gains.

The workshop will describe traumatic events that lead to PTSD, distinguish between normative and pathological symptoms, describe how to evaluate risk, review different types of evidence-based treatments for PTSD, and describe treatment components of CBT for PTSD in detail with clinical case examples. Clinicians will learn how to functionally assess symptoms to set goals and use and refine different strategies, including psychoeducation, grounding and relaxation strategies, cognitive strategies, and prolonged exposure. Emphasis will be placed on (1) relaxation strategies to regulate physiological arousal (2) psychoeducation and cognitive strategies to normalize and validate symptoms while modifying rigid, stuck dysfunctional cognitions (3) all phases of prolonged imaginal exposure to the traumatic event(s) including post-exposure cognitive processing and (4) in-vivo exposure to overcome current avoidance and suffering. Clinical examples will be used to illustrate techniques. Clinicians are encouraged to ask questions and bring in treatment cases to ensure maximal learning.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees will learn grounding techniques and relaxation techniques to ground individuals and regulate physiological arousal.
• Attendees will learn how to use cognitive strategies to normalize and validate symptoms while modifying rigid, stuck dysfunctional cognitions in PTSD.
• Attendees will learn all phases of prolonged imaginal exposure to the traumatic event(s) including planning, preparing, conducting prolonged imaginal exposure, and conducting post-exposure cognitive processing.
• Attendees will learn how to plan, prepare, conduct, and process in-vivo exposure to overcome current avoidance and suffering and meet life goals.

Recommended readings
American Psychological Association. (2017). Clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of PTSD. www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/ptsd.pdf

Leahy, R.L., Holland, S, & McGinn, L.K. (2011). Treatment Plans and Interventions for Depression and Anxiety Disorders. NY: Guilford Press.

McGinn, L. K., Bonavitacola, & L., Buerger, W. (2023). Disaster trauma. Cognitive Behavioral Strategies in Crisis Intervention (Fourth Edition) (pp. 281-300). Eds. Dattilio, F.M., Shapiro, D.I., Greenaway, D.S. NY: Guilford Press.

Schnurr, P.P, et al., (2022). Comparison of Prolonged Exposure vs Cognitive Processing Therapy for Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Among US Veterans A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Network Open. 2022;5(1):e2136921. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.36921.

Prof Dr Zubaidah Jamil Osman
International Medical School, Management and Science University (MSU), Malaysia.

Professor Zubaidah Jamil Osman was professionally trained in Melbourne, Australia where she obtained her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Melbourne, in 2003. She did her clinical attachment with the Pain Research Unit, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, Australia in 2009. Her main area of interest is Chronic Pain Management – focusing on the psychosocial issues experienced by patients as consequences of their persistent pain. She finds that proper ways in managing pain have played a significant role in improving the quality of life and well-being in her patients. She has been appointed as a Visiting Consultant Psychologist in Hospital Selayang since 2006, where she has been working closely with the Pain Management Team in Hospital Selayang.

She has been invited to speak on non-pharmacological pain management at many local and international conferences as well as on local television and radio on general psychological issues. Since 2007, she has been appointed as one of the faculty members in the multidisciplinary field of Pain Medicine by the University of Santo Tomas, Philippines, who, in collaboration with the University of Sydney, has started to offer postgraduate degrees in Pain Management for candidates in the ASEAN region. She is also actively involved in the education of pain management from non-pharmacological perspective to other allied health professionals in Malaysia and South-east Asia region. A committee member of a few task forces developed by International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), she has been actively involved in promoting knowledge transfer and information to the people of South-East Asia. Apart from that, she is also the current President of Malaysian Association for the Study of Pain (MASP) and a committee member of ASEAPS (Association of South-East Asian Pain Societies) and Pain Toolkit Asia group, which played a significant role in conducting self-help pain management trainings to health care providers in those relevant regions.

TITLE: CBT in Chronic Pain management

Prof Dr Zubaidah Jamil Osman
International Medical School, Management and Science University (MSU), Malaysia.

Background & Rationale
While most of us would naturally try to avoid pain, many do not realise that pain is an important reaction of the nervous system, that serves as a protective factor to prevent further injury or harm to our body. There are two types of pain, acute pain that lasts about 3 months that is usually related to injury, and people usually have minimal disturbance as their life will go back to normal once the injury is healed. The other one is chronic pain, which may be relieved temporarily and then come back, lasting beyond the usual course, and this pain persists and no longer serves to protect our body. Sometimes, the cause of chronic pain is not exactly known, hence it is not given an "accurate" diagnosis by medical practitioners. This may lead to on-going investigations and referrals – and often disappointment and anxiety start to build up as the cure is not found. As it is experienced persistently, chronic pain tends to lead to physical disability and interfere with one's daily activities and functioning. The impact on one's psychological and social functioning has been well documented in the literature. This workshop will expose the participants on cognitive behavioural approaches in helping patients with chronic pain to gain back their quality of life and functioning.

Learning Outcomes
At the end of the workshop, participants should be able to:

• Differentiate acute from chronic pain.
• Conceptualise pain using a biopsychosocial framework.
• Integrate the cognitive behavioural approaches in pain management.

Training Modalities

• Interactive lectures
• Hands on activities

Eligibility criteria for participants:
Any healthcare providers who are interested in health psychology or CBT in medical settings.

Minimum & Maximum number of participants – Minimum 10, maximum 30
Specific requirements (if any) - Participants are encouraged to bring their own laptops.

Meera Bahu
Senior Clinician/CBT therapist
IPT, EMDR and MBCT trained
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. England.

Meera Bahu is a senior clinician with expertise in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT). Based at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, she specialises in treating anxiety, depressive disorders, and complex post-traumatic stress disorder (C-PTSD). Meera is dedicated to training junior psychiatric doctors and aspiring CBT practitioners. She is a member of the Expert Advisory Group for NHS England's Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) initiative and has previously served as the secretary of the Culture and Equality Special Interest Group at the British Association for Behavioural & Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP).

Meera led mindfulness projects at St George's Mental Health Trust and Camden and Islington NHS Trust, where she supervised MBCT practitioners and contributed to guide for psychologists, mindfulness-based approaches published by the British Psychological Society's Clinical Psychology Division. Her expertise lies in trauma and traumatic stress, including research and the development of tailored programs for torture survivors, refugees, and asylum seekers, integrating mindfulness practices. Meera is an active researcher in Psychology, and her commitment to advancing knowledge in mental health care is reflected in her publications, including impactful research on traumatized refugees featured in prestigious journals like the Cambridge Journal and Behavioral and Cognitive Psychotherapy.

Meera focuses on the challenges of delivering trauma-focused interventions, particularly for individuals with PTSD and continuous trauma exposure. Her contributions encompass clinical practice, training, advocacy, and research, with particular reference to culturally-adapted CBT approaches and trauma therapy, and are testimony to her prominence in the field of psychology.

TITLE: MBCT for Relapse Prevention in Depression: An Exploratory Workshop.

Meera Bahu
Senior Clinician/CBT therapist
IPT, EMDR and MBCT trained
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. England.

Background & Rationale
In this three-hour pre-conference workshop, participants will gain practical skills, delve into core principles, and explore the theoretical foundations of MBCT. This workshop emphasises early relapse detection and intervention, highlighting MBCT's versatile applications in enhancing emotional well-being, resilience, and personal and professional growth.

Key Learning Objectives:

• MBCT's Evolution: Understand how MBCT has evolved from a depression prevention method to a dynamic fusion of mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral techniques.
• Navigating Internal Distress: Acquire practical skills to effectively manage internal distress, including thoughts and emotions, harnessing MBCT's empowering capabilities.
• Core Principles of MBCT: Delve deep into MBCT's core principles, focusing on qualities like patience, kindness, curiosity, and empathy when addressing internal distress.
• Theoretical Foundations: Explore the theoretical foundations of MBCT, uncovering its integration of mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral approaches for mental well-being.
• Preventing Relapse: Grasp the central mission of MBCT, centered on early relapse detection and intervention, with the aid of "decentering" to reduce the risk of relapse.
• Beyond Depression: Recognize MBCT's remarkable effectiveness extending beyond depression prevention, potentially benefiting a broad spectrum of mental health issues.
• Personal and Professional Growth: Discover how MBCT can empower both personal and professional growth by enhancing emotional well-being and resilience.
• Participating in this workshop at the 8th Asian CBT Congress promises invaluable insights and practical skills that can transform your approach to mental well-being and enhance your professional growth.

Prof. Dr. Firdaus Mukhtar
Universiti Putra Malaysia

Professor Dr Firdaus Mukhtar is a Professor in Clinical Psychology and currently the President of the Asian Cognitive Behavior Therapies Association (ACBTA) and the Training and Accreditation Taskforce (TAC) of World Confederation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapies. (WCCBT). She was the advisor for 7th Asian CBT Conference 2021 and in 2012 she won L'oreal Young Scientist Award to recognise her contribution in research. She was the first secretary of the Malaysian Society of Clinical Psychology and had served as CBT Consultant in Malaysia as recognised by the World Health Organization. She has trained Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Dialectical Behavior Therapy to psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, medical specialists, and allied health professionals especially related to depression, anxiety, weight management and vaginismus.

TITLE: CBT for Vaginismus

Prof. Dr. Firdaus Mukhtar
Universiti Putra Malaysia

Background & Rationale –
Cognitive Behavior Therapy is an evidence-based interventions for various psychiatry disorders, including vaginismus. Most vaginismus cases were seen by medical professional and physiotherapist. Lack of clinical psychologists who able to conduct issues related to psychosexual may be one of the reason that patients are not getting holistic treatment in managing vaginismus. In this presentation, there will be an explanation on how Cognitive Behavior Therapy is important in managing vaginismus, demonstration on relaxation and Kegel exercise, discussion on clinical cases to guide participants on how to run an effective session for patients with psychosexual issues.

The goal of the CBT for vaginismus that is outlined in the present workshop consists of three components:

• Teaching the importance of CBT skills (breathing technique; progressive muscle relaxation; Kegel exercise) in treating vaginismus to patient and spouse.
• Modifying dysfunctional beliefs between patient and spouse that block the process of change, that is, common beliefs about sex, penetration, ability to do sexual intercourse –often based on their own upbringing, stigma, and spouse's dysfunctional beliefs about the patient commonly complicate with personal assumption and history, comparison, and distraction/addiction.
• Improving communication and problem solving, between patient and spouse about patient's general anxiety, fear of penetration and overall marital commitment.

Learning Outcomes -
Participants will acquire the following skills:

• Conducting effective exploration session regarding vaginismus issues towards the treatment goals
• Coaching patient in guiding behavioural strategies such as relaxation skills and Kegel exercise
• Identifying and challenging dysfunctional patient and spouse cognitions about the anxiety of future penetration and ability to commit in the process of treating vaginismus
• Conducting hands-on session on drafting erotic script to facilitate mind control during pre-mid-post penetration process.

Training Modalities -
In this workshop, the three components of the treatment will be taught through instruction, modeling, case discussion and role-plays.

Prof Dr Muhammad Najib bin Mohamad Alwi
International Medical School, Management and Science University (MSU), Malaysia.

Professor Dr. Muhammad Najib bin Mohamad Alwi graduated with Doctor of Medicine (MD) in 1992 from Universiti Sains Malaysia. In 1999 he completed his MSc (Clinical Psychiatry) at Imperial College, London and qualified as a psychiatrist with MRCPsych from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, London. In 2009, he received his PhD in the field of cognitive rehabilitation specialising in Cognitive Remediation Therapy at the University of Sydney, Australia.

He worked as a psychiatrist at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia, Kubang Kerian, Malaysia for 9 years (1999-2008). He then worked as an Associate Professor in Psychiatry at Cyberjaya University College of Medical Sciences (CUCMS), Cyberjaya, Malaysia from 2009 to 2018.

In 2018, Dr. Najib moved to his current institution, Management and Science University (MSU) as a Professor of Psychiatry. He is currently the Deputy Dean (Clinical, Postgraduate and Research) at the International Medical School (IMS), the Director at the MSU Clinical Centre of Excellence (MyCeLL) and the Chairman of MSU's University Ethics Committee (UEC). He is also a Consultant Psychiatrist at MSU Medical Centre, and a visiting Consultant at An Nur Specialist Hospital (Bangi).

He has been involved in numerous training workshops especially on Cognitive Remediation Therapy, Research Methodology, Scientific Writing and Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, and has been invited to speak on various topics at local and international conferences and meetings. He is also involved in several committees at national level with the Ministry of Health Malaysia and the Malaysian Medical Council.

For Cognitive Remediation Therapy, he has conducted more than 20 training workshops related to the subject both locally and overseas, including for 2 batches of trainees who have completed their Professional Certificate in Cognitive Remediation Therapy at MSU.

His main research interests are in cognitive rehabilitation for mental illness, psychological aspects of disaster, and evidence-based practices in mainstream psychiatry and complementary treatments. In the recent Covid-19 global pandemic, he was also involved in researching on the psychological impacts of the prolonged pandemic to general public.

TITLE: Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT)

Prof Dr Muhammad Najib bin Mohamad Alwi
International Medical School, Management and Science University (MSU), Malaysia.

Background & Rationale –
Cognitive Remediation Therapy (CRT) is an evidenced based treatment option for clients who present with cognitive deficits due to mental illness, traumatic brain injury or neurological disorders.

The workshop will serve as an introduction to CRT and it will cover a quick overview of cognitive deficits in mental illness and why it is important to find effective ways to reduce them to improve the prognosis of treatment of mental illness.

Relevant concepts and techniques in conducting CRT will be explained, focusing on the neuropsychological educational approach to remediation (NEAR) which uses carefully chosen educational software and apps as important tools in treatment. The most important focus will be on how to plan the treatment programme to be engaging and interesting to clients and how clients can use the skills learned in therapy in their daily activities.

Learning Outcomes – At the end of the workshop, participants should be able to:

• Understand basic concepts used in CRT.
• Explore various potentials of using CRT in cognitive rehabilitation.

Training Modalities –

• Interactive lectures
• Hands on activities

Eligibility criteria for participants - Pre-requisites to maximally benefit from the workshop would be some basic exposure to psychological concepts, previous clinical or work experience dealing with patients with psychiatric or neurological conditions and most importantly the enthusiasm and interest to learn new skills!

Associate Professor James A Courtney
Fellow, APS College of Clinical Psychologists
Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health
School of Psychological Sciences
Monash University, Australia

Associate Professor James Courtney is an academic and clinical psychologist with the School of Psychology at Monash University in Melbourne Australia and is the Director of the Turner Clinics at the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health. James has pursued a clinically focused career that encompasses roles in the public sector as a trauma specialist, private practice, and government consulting projects. He offers expertise in the assessment and evidence-based treatment of mental health disorders associated with occupational trauma and for communities exposed to natural

TITLE: Assessment, diagnosis, and clinical considerations for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Complex PTSD.

Associate Professor James A Courtney
Fellow, APS College of Clinical Psychologists
Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health
School of Psychological Sciences
Monash University, Australia

Background & Rationale –
This workshop will focus on clinical skill development and compliments the Congress presentation by A/Prof Courtney titled Untangling Complex PTSD and PTSD - theory, diagnosis, and implications for clinical management.

The World Health Organisation introduced Complex PTSD (CPTSD) as a Disorder specifically associated with stress in the International Classification of Diseases 11th revision (ICD-11; 2018). This relatively new diagnosis informs the conceptualisation and treatment of complex trauma which is generally defined as sustained, repeated, or multiple forms of traumatic exposure. In contrast, the diagnostic basis of PTSD is long-established and effective treatments are well documented and supported by a robust literature base. Clinicians working in the field of trauma related mental health must now 'upskill' to differentiate the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of these disorders given that the approach to CPTSD is typically adapted from existing modalities and guidelines for PTSD.

This workshop will focus on CPTSD and how this diagnosis extends our currently understanding of trauma responses. Discussion will encompass the precursors and diagnostic differences between PTSD and CPTSD, approaches to assessment, evidence-based therapies for CPTSD, and the diversity of symptoms, ongoing stressors, and comorbidities associated with this relatively new psychiatric diagnosis.

Learning Outcomes –

By attending this workshop, participants will:

• Understand the basis and clinical approach to diagnosing PTSD and CPTSD with reference to DSM 5 and ICD 11 classification systems.
• Further develop their clinical skills in the accurate assessment and diagnosis of trauma related mental health presentations.
• Learn about specific assessment tools that inform assessment and diagnosis of PTSD and CPTSD.
• Better understand the evidence-based therapies for trauma including the roles of CBT, exposure-based modalities, cognitive processing therapy, and EMDR.
• Improve their clinical knowledge in the conditions that might act as precursors to CPTSD.
• Better understand the diversity of symptoms, ongoing stressors, and comorbidities associated with trauma presentations.

Training Modalities -
This workshop will be presented using PowerPoint and supported by some group discussion (Q&A). No breakout groups will be convened and there is no required pre-reading.

Eligibility criteria for participants (if any) –
This is a clinically focused workshop and will particularly benefit psychology students at the more advanced level of training and psychologists working in clinical practice or academia. Other professions are welcome to attend and students in the earlier stages of study will still gain useful knowledge.

Peter J. Norton
Professor and Associate Dean (Research), The Cairnmillar Institute

Professor Peter J. Norton is a full professor of Psychology and Associate Dean (Research) at Cairnmillar Institute in Melbourne, Australia. He is an internationally recognized expert on CBT and has authored nearly 200 research papers and books. Professor Norton is the author of Group CBT of Anxiety: A Transdiagnostic Treatment Manual (2012).

TITLE: Implementing Transdiagnostic CBT for Emotional Disorders in Group and Individual Formats.

Peter J. Norton
Professor and Associate Dean (Research), The Cairnmillar Institute

Background & Rationale – This workshop is an evidence-based CBT training for clinical psychologists and other mental health professionals and students in transdiagnostic CBT (tCBT) for anxiety and related emotional disorders. The "transdiagnostic" approach is gaining widespread acceptance because it enables therapists to treat a variety of emotional disorders, including anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and depressive disorders, using a single treatment approach that targets the common processes underlying and maintaining the disorders. tCBT has also shown to be particularly effective in treating complex comorbid presentations, by focusing on common underlying factors rather than diagnosis-specific features. Training will focus specifically on transdiagnostic case conceptualisation and the delivery of tCBT, with an emphasis on Cognitive Restructuring (Thought Challenging) and Emotional Exposure.

Learning Outcomes –

• understand the basic strategies involved in providing transdiagnostic CBT for anxiety and related emotional disorders.
• understand the understand the issues and approaches to treating anxiety and emotional disorders from a transdiagnostic framework.
• be able to begin implementing transdiagnostic group CBT

Training Modalities -

• Presentation
• Group practice exercises

Dr Pawel D. Mankiewicz
National University of Singapore

Dr Pawel D. Mankiewicz is a Senior Clinical Lecturer, Deputy Director of Clinical Psychology Programme, and Clinical and Research Lead of Clinical and Health Psychology Centre at the National University of Singapore. He is also an External Examiner for post-graduate severe mental health programmes at the University of Exeter, UK. He holds a Chartered status and Associate Fellowship with the British Psychological Society, and is a member of British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies. He has an internationally established expertise in evidence-based treatments of psychoses, comorbid mood and anxiety disorders, and complex traumas. During his extensive clinical career, he has worked for Cambridge University Health Partners (University of Cambridge Teaching Trust), acute psychiatric wards and assertive outreach teams in East of England, and early intervention services in Greater London. Dr Mankiewicz has codeveloped a strengths-based CBTp framework, and cognitive therapy intervention model for paranoid, schizotypal and schizoid personality disorders. He currently propagates compassionate implementation of cognitive restructuring and behavioural exposure interventions for psychosis internationally, with particular focus on South-East Asia. He oversees research projects exploring public stigma of psychosis in Asian contexts and randomised control trials investigating effectiveness of digitalised cognitive behavioural stigma-reduction interventions.

TITLE: Culturally sensitive CBT for psychosis (CBTp): Key conceptualisation models and clinical competencies.

Dr Pawel D. Mankiewicz
National University of Singapore

Background:
The prevalence of diagnostic comorbidity between psychosis and anxiety disorders has been shown to be considerable (Buckley et al., 2009). Likewise, coexisting experiences of post-traumatic stress have been often identified in complex presentations of psychoses (Hardy et al., 2016), while integrated models for cognitive conceptualisation and treatment of psychosis with comorbid PTSD have been developed (Keen, et al., 2017).

The literature indicates a considerable reduction in psychosis-related experiences and comorbidities, and an overall improvement in the clients' interpersonal functioning, following a course of CBTp, while highlighting the importance of direct intellectual engagement with the content of delusional beliefs, alongside methodically facilitated graded behavioural exposure, in the treatment of complex and socially debilitating psychoses (Mankiewicz & Turner, 2014; Mankiewicz, 2019).

However, treatment provision often remains limited, predominantly among individuals with more severe presentations, which is often associated with insufficient training of clinicians (Mankiewicz & Turner, 2012). Development and implementation of culturally contextualised adaptation of such intervention appears important in the context of Asian cultures, given excessive societal stigmatisation of individuals with experiences of psychosis (Pang et al., 2017; Subramaniam et al., 2017; Tan et al., 2020; Yang et al., 2013). Recent clinical studies have demonstrated cross-cultural acceptability of CBTp as an intervention of choice among individuals experiencing psychosis (Mankiewicz et al., 2021).

Learning Outcomes:
Participants will be exposed to key conceptualisation models, with particular focus on the maintenance processes of emotional distress. Selected intervention strategies will then be considered and illustrated. Cultural sensitivity of such interventions will be reflected on, with specific focus on adaptation to Asian contexts.

Training Modality:
Participant-centered teaching methods will be employed to stimulate divergent thinking among workshop attendees.

Eligibility criteria for participants:
The workshop is aimed at mental health practitioners working with clients experiencing psychosis using cognitive behavioural approach. It is suitable for both junior and senior clinicians who wish to broaden the repertoire of client-centred interventions strategies, while considering their cultural sensitivity.

Key references:

• Mankiewicz, P.D. (2013). Cognitive-behavioural symptom-oriented understanding of psychosis: Abandoning the disease paradigm of schizophrenia. Counselling Psychology Review, 28(1), 53- 63.
• Mankiewicz, P.D. (2019). Cognitive restructuring and graded behavioural exposure for persecutory paranoia and agoraphobic anxiety in complex psychosis. Clinical Case Studies, 18(2), 143-158.
• Mankiewicz, P.D. (2019). Increasing subjective wellbeing with strengths-based cognitive behavioural psychotherapy in first episode psychosis. International Journal of Happiness and Development, 5(3), 183-200.
• Mankiewicz, P.D., O'Leary, J., & Collier, O. (2018). "That hour served me better than any hour I have ever had before": Service users' experiences of CBTp in first episode psychosis. Counselling Psychology Review, 33(2), 4-16.
• Mankiewicz, P.D., Reid, J., & Hughes, E.A. (2021). Demographic equality of access to cognitive behavioural treatment for early psychosis in community mental healthcare in Greater London. Athens Journal of Health and Medical Sciences, 8(3), 149-170.
• Mankiewicz, P.D., & Turner, C. (2014). Cognitive restructuring and graded behavioural exposure for delusional appraisals of auditory hallucinations and comorbid anxiety in paranoid schizophrenia. Case Reports in Psychiatry, 14, 1-8.

Prof. Melissa Norberg
Macquarie University

Melissa Norberg received her PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (USA) and is currently a Professor in the School of Psychological Sciences at Macquarie University (Australia). She is an international leader in the field of hoarding disorder, having published numerous groundbreaking scientific articles on the topic. Her research on hoarding disorder has been funded by the International OCD Foundation and the Psyche Foundation.

TITLE: CBT for Hoarding disorder

Prof. Melissa Norberg
Macquarie University

Background & Rationale – Hoarding disorder is a chronic and serious mental health condition that tends to worsen with age. Although it's commonly conceptualized as a problem of saving and clutter, many individuals with hoarding disorder also struggle with significant acquiring issues. Thus, CBT for hoarding disorder needs to address all 3 components.

Learning Outcomes

• Understand the role of object attachment in hoarding disorder
• Understand the evidence for CBT
• Learn how to conceptualise a hoarding case, and
• Gain familiarity with the principles and procedures for CBT for hoarding disorder

Training Modalities - The training begins by introducing hoarding disorder, outlining its significant impacts, and then delves into cognitive-Behavioral therapy (CBT) case conceptualization for hoarding. We will also explore strategies aimed at addressing the underlying factors contributing to hoarding behaviour. The audience will be asked to engage in group discussions and role plays.

Dr Frank Ryan
Faculty of Medicine Imperial College, London, UK.

Frank Ryan studied applied psychology in University College Cork, and then trained as a clinical psychologist at Edinburgh University. He worked as a consultant in the National Health Service in the UK until 2019. He currently practises as a cognitive behaviour therapist with a special interest in addiction and co-occurring disorders. He is an Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine at Imperial College, and a Visiting Research Fellow at London South Bank University. He served as Chair of the Addiction Faculty of the British Psychological Society between 2019-2021. The focus of his research is behavioural and cognitive processes in addiction and translating science into practice. He is the author or Cognitive Therapy for Addiction: Motivation and Change (2013) Willpower for Dummies, (2014) and Psychotherapeutic Strategies to Enhance Motivation and Cognitive Control (2022)

TITLE: Addiction: a motivational problem with a cognitive solution

Dr Frank Ryan
Faculty of Medicine Imperial College, London, UK.

Background & Rationale –
The workshop draws on recent research findings, notably those stemming from the Research Domains Criteria (RDoC) framework, indicating that addiction is maintained by changes in reward processing and cognitive control. In combination, these core processes contribute to the persistence of addictive behaviour in the face of negative impacts on health, wellbeing, and social harms. Conversely, these processes can provide a therapeutic focus enabling those seeking help with addictive disorders to identify, pursue and savour novel rewarding experiences. This remediation is essentially a cognitive process as it entails goal formation, decision making, goal pursuit and the anticipation and amplification of deferred hedonic experience.

Examples of cognitive strategies that enable and sustain goal pursuit and experience of novel, harm free rewards are:

• Episodic future thinking, the construction of vivid multi -sensory prospective memories of positively valanced future outcomes.
• The "Now vs Later" technique which guides the person to acknowledge the immediate ("now") rewarding or hedonic experience of choosing to use a substance or gamble in parallel with considering the delayed ("later") consequences.
• The "If…then" anticipatory plan coaches the client to identify simple actions when encountering hedonic triggers e.g. If I am offered a cigarette then I will say "no thanks, I've quit".

Learning Objectives Participants will require the following skills.

• Conducting a motivational conversation with a potential client to identify alternative, non-addictive, rewards.
• Understand that reward processing is pivotal in the development of and recovery from addictive disorders.
• The use of three cognitive strategies (as above) in a therapeutic context.
• Identifying and addressing unhelpful thoughts or assumptions about positive affective experience typically associated with the attainment or consumption of rewards.

Teaching Methods
Participants will have an opportunity to learn by instruction, experiential exercises, and role-play.

Eligibility criteria for participants –
Participants will benefit more if they have some prior experience or training in CBT but knowledge of substance misuse or addictive disorders not essential.

Prof. Paul Salkovskis
University of Oxford and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, UK

Prof. Paul Salkovskis is regarded as an expert in several areas of clinical psychology, including Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, the understanding and treatment of anxiety disorders in general, and more specifically in OCD, Panic and Agoraphobia and health anxiety, having contributed to the psychological understanding and treatment of these areas. He also has expertise in Health Psychology, having working on Health Screening, Health Decision Making and the identification and treatment of psychological issues in "Medically Unexplained Symptoms" and Long Term Conditions. He is registered with the HCPC as a Health and Clinical Psychologist and is similarly Chartered with the BPS. He was recipient of several prizes including the Aaron T Beck award and the Monte Shapiro Award. He is regularly invited to present at national and International Conferences.

TITLE: CBT for OCD: Helping people with OCD to choose to change.

Prof. Paul Salkovskis
University of Oxford and Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, Warneford Hospital, UK

Background:
Obsessive-compulsive disorder results when people misinterpret otherwise normal intrusive cognitions as indicating not only that harm may occur, but that they may be responsible for it through what they do or fail to do. The preventative action is motivated by the way in which the person interprets intrusions. Such responses have two effects. Firstly, they can increase the occurrence of intrusive cognitions and secondly, maintain or even increase the person's beliefs about threat and their responsibility for it.

Cognitive-behavioural treatment builds on this modification of behavioural theory and invariably includes the use of Exposure and Response Prevention, framed as behavioural experiments. The primary focus of intervention is to help the patient understand their problem as one of anxiety centred round their concerns about broadly defined responsibility rather than harm. The understanding is used to weaken the motivation and drive for compulsive responses as a prelude to helping the patient to choose to respond differently. Ultimately the purpose of such interventions is to allow the person affected by OCD to reclaim their life, a process which should be integral to treatment.

Training modality:
The importance of treatment flexibility and integrity will be emphasized and consideration will be given to contextual adaptations including issues of cultural issues and diversity.

The process of treatment will be illustrated through practical clinical case material, including where possible video of actual therapy. Examples of more complex and "difficult to treat" issues will be included.

Selected references:

• Challacombe, F., Oldfield, V. & Salkovskis, P.M. (2011) Break Free from OCD Vermillion Press (a book intended for patients as a self help guide….some therapists also find it useful)
• Bream, V, Challacombe, F, Palmer, A & Salkovskis, P.M. (2017) Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for OCD Oxford University Press: Oxford (A recent Therapist Manual)

Professor Keith S. Dobson
University of Calgary, Canada
Past President, WCCBT

Dr. Dobson is a Professor Emeritus of Clinical Psychology at the University of Calgary, where has served in roles such as the Director of the Clinical Psychology Program, and Head of the Department of Psychology. His research has focused on both models and the treatment of depression, particularly using cognitive-behavioural therapies. Further, he has written about developments in professional psychology and ethics and has been actively involved in organized psychology in Canada, including a term as President of the Canadian Psychological Association.

Dr. Dobson is also a Principal Investigator for the Opening Minds program of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, with a focus on stigma reduction related to mental disorders in the workplace. Dr. Dobson's research has resulted in over 340 published articles and 80 chapters, 17 books, and conference and workshop presentations in many countries. His recent books include Law, Standards and Ethics in the Practice of Psychology, 4th Edition (2021), The Stigma of Mental Illness (2021), The Treatment of Risk Factors in Depression (2024), and Clinical Depression: An Individualized Biopsychosocial Approach (2024).

In recognition of his work he has received numerous awards including the Canadian Psychological Association Gold Medal for Lifetime Contributions to Psychology, Fellow status with the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, the Royal Society of Canada, and Officer status in the Order of Canada.

TITLE: The Therapeutic Relationship in CBT: The Heart of the Matter

Professor Keith S. Dobson
University of Calgary, Canada
Past President, WCCBT

Description:
Many books and manuals in the field of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) include key interventions that are recommended for different client problems and groups. It is recognized, however, that all interventions in psychotherapy also rest on the foundation of a therapeutic relationship. Models of psychotherapy have emphasized generic or transtheoretical relationship elements for a long time, including the therapeutic alliance, goal consensus, therapist empathy and positive regard, and client engagement. Within the field of CBT, other specific relationship elements have also been developed and studied, including collaborative empiricism and the Socratic dialogue. In this workshop both the generic and CBT specific therapeutic elements will be reviewed and defined. Videos will be used to show some aspects of these features, and an exercise model will be used to encourage participants to examine their own relationship style in CBT.

Learning objectives:

• Review the importance of the therapeutic relationship in psychotherapy in general, an CBT in particular
• Identify and understand the generic and specific therapeutic relationship factors that are used in CBT
• Explore personal elements of therapeutic relationships, and consider areas for development.

Kam Gillar, MSc, MBA.
Accredited CBT & Compassion Focused Psychotherapist.
Accredited EMDR Practitioner.
Internal Family Systems Therapist

Kam Gillar is a Senior Clinical Psychotherapist who has witnessed the healing power of compassion, both in her personal and professional life. Kam has found CFT invaluable for working with her clients who struggle with intense unstable emotions, relationship difficulties, complex trauma, PTSD, a deep sense of shame, self-harm and suicidal behaviours. Kam found that CFT was as a complement to DBT and CBT approaches.

In 2018 Kam completed a Postgraduate Certificate in CFT with Professor Paul Gilbert. Kam remains passionate about sharing the wonderful CFT model with other therapists, both within supervision and training.

TITLE: An introduction to the Theory & Practice of Compassion Focussed Therapy.

Kam Gillar, MSc, MBA.
Accredited CBT & Compassion Focused Psychotherapist.
Accredited EMDR Practitioner.
Internal Family Systems Therapist

Background & Rationale –
Compassion focused therapy is rooted in an evolutionary model of human psychology. Participants on this workshop will be introduced to the difficulties that the human brain encounters because of its evolutionary history and the way in which old motivation and emotional systems interact with newly evolved cognitive competencies and intelligences.

Participants will also be introduced to the three affect regulation systems linked to threat awareness and coping, reward and resource seeking, and contentment and soothing -- and how they form complex patterns within the mind.

Participants will learn how early life experiences can shape our emotions increasing our dispositions towards threat-based emotions that underpin a lot of mental health difficulties

Learning Outcomes –
This workshop will help participants bring an evolutionary framework to the conceptualisation of mental health problems and their alleviation.

Participants complete the workshop with an understanding of compassion as a flow: compassion to others, being open to compassion from others, and compassion towards oneself.

The course is designed to encourage the use of practices that stimulate compassionate mental states and those that build a sense of the compassionate-self identity.

Dr. Shahanur Hossain
Associate Professor and Clinical Lead, Neuropsychology Lab, Dept. of Clinical Psychology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh & General Secretary, Bangladesh Clinical Psychology Society.

Dr. Shahanur Hossain is a qualified Clinical Neuropsychologist working at Dhaka University as an Associate Professor and clinical lead of Neuropsychology lab & Brain Injury Clinic at Clinical Psychology Department. He is the general secretary of Bangladesh Clinical Psychology Society and Board Member of Asian CBT Association. He has 18 years of clinical and research experiences in the field of Neuropsychology, Clinical Psychology, general mental health, substance used disorder, sexual medicine and Acquired Brain Injury. He has published more than 15 research articles in reputed scientific journals and completed more than ten research projects with national/international funding. He has been contributing as an international faculty in different conferences since 2015 and presented about 21 research papers. He had successfully organized the 6th Asian CBT conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2018.

TITLE: Managing Neuropsychological Consequences of TBI using CBT

Dr. Shahanur Hossain
Associate Professor and Clinical Lead, Neuropsychology Lab, Dept. of Clinical Psychology, University of Dhaka, Bangladesh & General Secretary, Bangladesh Clinical Psychology Society.

Background & Rationale –
Globally TBI is the leading cause of death and disability especially among the young population and therefore, it is considered as silent epidemic. TBI survivors commonly suffer from cognitive deficit (eg, attention, memory, executive) and personality change for which they experience significantly more and intense level of mental health problems like depression, anxiety, stress, sleep disturbances, fatigue, anger outburst etc. The direct and hidden impact of TBI significantly increases the level of threat to overall wellbeing not only upon the survivors but also on the family members which should be addressed from the initial phase of recovery using the evidenced based psychological treatment like CBT. Since the ultimate future of psychology is neuroscience, this workshop will elaborate the hypothesis- whether damaged neural substrates and area of brain can be reconstructed using CBT.

Learning Outcomes – Participants will learn about the immediate and long-term neuropsychological consequences of Traumatic Brain Injury and how to manage those using the principles and strategies of CBT.

Training Modalities – Participatory discussion using case studies.

Eligibility criteria for participants (if any) – anyone interested in neuropsychology, clinical psychology, Brain injury.

Dr. Siddiqa Najamuddin Mohammed Hussain
CTRTc
Director & Clinical Psychologist – Mindworksbait & Mindworksbuddy
Udaipur , Rajasthan

Ph.D , Clinical Psychology , Founder& Director of Mindworksbait & Mindworksbuddy Online Counselling services ,CBT certified practitioner, Faculty of William Glasser International , CTRT certified therapist & Basic Week instructor , Consultant – Student Wellness Center , IITB , Mumbai , Life member of IACBT , conducted trainings in CBT for national and international groups , Providing internship programs to Postgraduate and Ph.D scholars.

TITLE: Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Digital Well-Being

Dr. Siddiqa Najamuddin Mohammed Hussain
CTRTc
Director & Clinical Psychologist – Mindworksbait & Mindworksbuddy
Udaipur , Rajasthan

Background & Rationale –
Digital addiction, also known as technology addiction or internet addiction, refers to a behavioural addiction characterized by excessive and compulsive use of digital devices and online services like internet , social media, gaming, smartphone online shopping ,unhealthy and pornography which in turn, can have serious consequences on an individual's mental, emotional, and physical well-being. From poor cognitive - emotion regulation, impulsivity, impaired cognitive function, isolation , poor social skills , depression , poor sleep quality, lethargy , heightened level of stress, decreased critical thinking, poor decision making skills, decreased productivity, dependence on gadgets more than self can take a huge toll on the overall personality development.

Addressing digital addiction using CBT typically involves recognizing the issue, gaining insight in the excessive dependence, challenging their maladaptive behaviors, understanding and dealing with the psychosomatic changes, setting boundaries for technology use, which would promote healthier lifestyle.

Learning Outcomes -

• Understanding of Digital Addiction and its effect on the psycho-emotional health.
• Gain insight in into mental health problems & effect on cognitive functions due to digital addiction.
• Learn CBT techniques to challenge, validate and change the maladaptive beliefs.
• Learn to introspect and self – evaluate to gain better balance between digital and non- digital learning .
• Mindfulness techniques & effective coping strategies.

Training Modalities –
Power point presentations, skill-based activities

Dr. Allen Miller
Director of Training, Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Allen R. Miller, Ph.D. is Director of CBT Programs at Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy where he directs the development of CBT training and supervision programs, and their dissemination internationally. He is an experienced clinician, trainer, supervisor, researcher, and administrator for the application of Cognitive Behavior Therapy.

TITLE: CBT in Practice

Dr. Allen Miller
Director of Training, Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Background and Rationale:
From its inception, the Beck Model of CBT has placed a strong emphasis on structure of therapy sessions. Structure promotes efficiency and efficacy for treatment provided. Years of research and practice have provided refinements to individual elements and application for therapy sessions. Despite near universal agreement on the value of session structure, there has been little agreement on what constitutes structure and how elements of structure should be evaluated.

Over a three year period, Beck Institute undertook an in-depth study of the structure of CBT sessions. The process sought to answer questions about what constitutes structure, what does a therapist say and do to provide structure, and how can therapy sessions be reliably rated. One result of the project has been development of the Cognitive Therapy Rating Scale-Revised (CTRS-R). The revised scale retains the eleven items from the original scale developed by J. Young and A Beck in 1980. The revised scale includes prescriptive directions to therapists to guide them through the process of structuring therapy sessions. Rating scale items are described in the form of specific behaviors that may be observed and quantified by supervisors when rating sessions and preparing feedback for therapists.

Training Modalities:
In this interactive workshop, participants will learn how to conduct therapy sessions in accord with the Beck Model of CBT as described in the CTRS-R. Each item on the scale will be reviewed and directions will be provided to instruct participants how to do each item. Demonstrations of skills will be provided. Participant will be given the opportunity to participate in activities throughout the workshop. Finally, participants will be informed about what constitutes acceptable performance of each item. They will be able to monitor their own skill development and give feedback to others.

Learning Outcomes:
After attending this workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify the salient features of the Beck Model of CBT
• Explain the role of structure in the Beck Model of CBT
• Describe items on the CTRS-R
• Improve their own skill level in structuring sessions
• Monitor and evaluate their own progress and that of supervisees

References:

• Beck, A. et al. (1979). Cognitive Therapy of Depression. Guilford. New York.
• Beck, J. (2021). Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Basics and Beyond 3rd Edition. Guilford. New York.
• Miller, A. (2022). Cognitive Therapy Rating Scale-Revised. Beck Institute.
  https://beckinstitute.org/cbt-resources/resources-for-professionals-and-students/cognitive-therapy-rating-scale-revised-ctrs-r/
• Eligibility: This workshop is appropriate for clinicians of all levels from beginner to experienced supervisor.

Prof. David Veale
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences, King's College London & South London and Maudsley NHS Trust

David Veale is a Consultant Psychiatrist and leads a national outpatient and residential unit service for people with severe OCD and related disorders at the South London and Maudsley Trust and the Nightingale Hospital London. He was a member of the group that wrote the NICE guidelines on OCD and BDD in 2006. He has published 150 per reviewed papers. He is an Honorary Fellow of the BABCP, a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He is a Trustee of the national charities, OCD Action and the BDD Foundation.

TITLE: UNDERSTANDING AND TREATING DEATH ANXIETY

Prof. David Veale
Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurosciences, King's College London & South London and Maudsley NHS Trust

Background & Rationale
Death anxiety is a term used to describe people's fear or negative feelings towards death or dying. Some people may focus on their own death, such as ruminating on all the things they will miss out on after they die, or what it will be like to not exist anymore. Some people may experience doubts about the nature of existence itself, such as questioning what will happen to them after death. Others may worry about the process of dying, such as whether their death will be painful, or what their final moments will be like. Some may be distressed at the idea of losing a loved one. They may worry about how they will cope with their loved ones' death or that they will somehow cause the death of their loved one without meaning to. For some there is a phobic avoidance and fear of anything related to death (e.g., going near cemeteries or funeral parlours).

All the experiences above are in many ways part of being human, but death anxiety is a problem when it is either sufficiently time-consuming, distressing or interfering in one's life. The concept cuts across different diagnoses including some types of Health Anxiety, OCD, specific phobias, and panic disorder. Unfortunately, death anxiety may not be adequately targeted in standard protocols for these disorders and this workshop will try to remedy this with a specific focus on the fears of death and dying. Treatment components will be discussed, centring on CBT that includes exposure and response prevention, which is the most evidence-based treatment for death anxiety.

Learning Outcomes - By the end of workshop, participants will Understand the phenomenology of death anxiety, and its relationship with relevant diagnoses.

Be knowledgeable about a cognitive behavioral model and understand the cognitive processes and behaviours that maintain death anxiety. This includes the intolerance of uncertainty, magical thinking, the awfulness of dying, as well as avoidance, safety seeking and checking behaviours related to death.

Develop alternative ways of thinking about common beliefs in death; for example, thoughts about the awfulness of not existing or the intolerance of not knowing what will happen.

Use appropriate exposure/ behavioural experiments for death and dying and consider what expectations are being tested. Fifteen different tasks will be discussed from writing out one's funeral wishes and obituary, painting one's coffin or collecting "memento mori".

Focus on living life to the full now as an alternative to focusing on death and dying

Training Modalities: Experiential learning; didactic teaching; videos

Eligibility criteria for participants -
Some experience and training CBT for anxiety disorders

Key reading:
Menzies, R.E., & Veale, D. (2021). Free Yourself from Death Anxiety: A CBT Self-Help Guide for a Fear of Dying. Jessica Kingsley Publishers London and Philadelphia

Menzies, R.E., & Veale, D. (2021) Creative approaches to treating the dread of death and death anxiety. In: Existential Concerns and Cognitive-Behavioral Procedures: An Integrative Approach to Mental Health. Menzies, R.G, Menzies, R,E, Dingle, G. (Eds). Springer: New York.

Dipti Joshi
MA, PhD. Level 4, TEAM CBT therapist.

Dipti Joshi. MA, PHD, Psychology. Level 4 TEAM CBT Therapist and Trainer certified by ' Feeling Good Institute California, She has an experience of more than 10 years of practicing CBT with clients suffering from depression, anxiety, relationship difficulties, unwanted habits, and addictions in her private practice at Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. She runs several training programs for therapist to learn CBT therapy techniques, originally designed by Dr David Burns.

TITLE: Harnessing Accountability in CBT

Dipti Joshi
MA, PhD. Level 4, TEAM CBT therapist

Background & Rationale – CBT is a therapy module which is based on the concept of collaborative empiricism where the client and the therapist have to work together to bring progress in therapy. Hence it's important for the therapists to learn processes and tools to hold their patients (and themself) accountable for change in CBT. Harnessing Client accountability is crucial to set up for success in CBT from our very first point of contact so that our patients are committed to working hard and making progress in therapy, this can be a crucial skill for the therapists to develop. Next, discovering new ways to help patients transition from talking to working in CBT. And finally, practice empathically holding our patients accountable for doing the hard work of change so that we as therapists and our patients feel encouraged and empowered all throughout our work together. Techniques in this course are based on the work of Dr. David Burns.

Learning Outcomes –

• Understand common challenges therapists encounter in harnessing patient accountability, and how can these obstacles be effectively overcome
• Set clear expectations for therapy during the screening process.
• Describe therapist behaviors that lead to greater patient commitment.
• Explain the concept of "sitting with open hands" to increase patient accountability.
• Use the gentle ultimatum technique to increase compliance in CBT.

Training Modalities – This workshop includes didactic teaching, live demonstrations, Q and A, and opportunities to practice new therapy techniques in small breakout groups with expert feedback so that you can walk away with new skills to help our patients - and our self.