Effective Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Strategies to work with Negative Cognitions

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a complex therapeutic model. It rests upon a sound therapeutic relationship, a comprehensive assessment of the client and his or her needs, a case conceptualization that evolves as experience with the client develops, and the selection of interventions based on the case conceptualization that has demonstrated efficacy. CBT incorporates a wide number of specific interventions, including those focused on behaviour change, negative cognition, the assessment, and the potential change of dysfunctional core beliefs.

This workshop is presented by a noted international speaker. It incorporates both didactic and conceptual information, several illustrative role-plays that demonstrate how to work effectively with clients to first assess and understand their negative cognitions, and appropriate interventions based on the therapist’s understanding of those thoughts and appraisals. One of the critical distinctions made in the workshop is that when negative appraisals appear to be distorted, the therapist should select one of several evidence-based interventions. In contrast, when negative cognitions appear to accurately represent the client’s life circumstances, the therapist will have more success in examining alternative ways to think about the situation that may be more adaptive. The therapist also may address the meanings that the client attaches to the situation. In the former case, the therapist can continue to work at the level of -5 thoughts, whereas examining the meanings attached to negative thoughts will lead to the assessment and potential modification of core beliefs. Several specific strategies of this sort are both discussed and presented in the workshop, so that the therapist may select those interventions that have the highest likelihood of success.