Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is the most widely-used form of psychotherapy in Canada for a broad array of clinical presentations. The behavioural side encompasses goal-setting, exposure therapy, social skills training, contingency management, and much more. But what about the cognitive side?

This 6-hour (one day, two half-days, or three 2-hour sessions) course for mental health professionals examines the fundamentals of cognitive therapy from a practical and clinical perspective. We discuss the role of thoughts in human experience, and their link to emotions and behaviour. Even long-time practitioners will find new metaphors, strategies, and approaches that they may never have used before.

We consider automatic thoughts, which arise spontaneously when we are presented with new circumstances, and which we may not always perceive as “stories” about the events we encounter. We discuss methods of accessing these automatic appraisals and the factors that can make them unhelpful, incorrect, or imbalanced. We also consider the role of cognitive biases, underlying beliefs about the world, and “core beliefs” that can distort the way we and our clients see the world.

Participants learn how to use the experiential triangle model with clients to explain the role of thoughts, how to complete 5-column thought records and “downward arrow” exercises, how to introduce the concept of cognitive distortion, how to discuss the attendant beliefs and biases, how to help clients generate more helpful and reality-based ways of thinking about events, and how to conduct specific cognitive therapy techniques, including cost-benefit analysis, the pie chart technique, and the examination of attributions. We also consider the role of the appraisal of emotions themselves, and the links to both mindfulness practice and to acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) approaches.

Cognitive approaches apply to everyone - including therapists. Participants are be encouraged to work through exercises, including thought records, based on their own experiences. Applying cognitive therapy techniques in your own life can be remarkably beneficial - both for you and for your practice.