Workshop Duration: 2 days / 12 hours

A brief description can been seen here: ANXIETY TRAPS

Anxiety Traps! is aimed at novice to intermediate therapists familiar with anxiety treatments and yet often uncertain their therapy is on the best track.

Clients often feel trapped in anxiety. This is because common anxiety coping strategies such as avoidance and safety behaviors unwittingly maintain anxiety disorders. Unfortunately, it is also the case that some common therapy practice designed to relieve client distress instead trap therapists and clients in ineffective cycles of therapy.

This two-day workshop from leading cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) instructor Christine A. Padesky, Ph.D. teaches principles and methods that help therapists and clients avoid both types of anxiety traps. Participants learn to identify and target central beliefs and behaviours that maintain anxiety. Learn Padesky’s organizing framework for understanding anxiety disorders and designing effective treatment plans. Practice CBT interventions most helpful for each type of anxiety disorder. Also learn when they are likely to be effective or likely to prolong anxiety treatment. Participants have an opportunity to bring their learning to life in carefully designed experiential exercises, framed by clear didactic teaching, organized handouts, and rich clinical discussions.

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES

• LINK the anxiety equation to specific anxiety disorders
• PRACTICE induction methods used in treatment of panic & OCD
• DEBRIEF behavioural experiments to maximize client learning
• TEACH clients to address “what if?” worries with action planning
• CONDUCT role play practice of “assertive defense of the self”
• OBSERVE approaches that address post-traumatic memory gaps

Workshop Topic  Building Resilience

Workshop Duration: 2 days / 12 hours OR 1 day / 6 hours

The following is an example of a 3 hour workshop on building resilience titled: When Life Gives You Lemons . . . Use Strengths-Based CBT’s Four-Step Model to Build Resilience

Requires a Basic level of familiarity with the material

PRESENTERS
Christine A. Padesky, PhD & Kathleen A. Mooney, PhD
Center for Cognitive Therapy, Huntington Beach, California

DESCRIPTION
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” You’ve probably heard this phrase so many times that it seems trite, but proverbs like this one point out the importance of being resilient in the face of life’s challenges. Therapists know giving advice does not change behavior. So how can a therapist help clients become more resilient in the face of adversity?

This workshop teaches a 4-step model that helps clients build a Personal Model of Resilience (PMR). It is a model that is easily integrated with classic CBT approaches and other evidence-based therapies.

Drawing on the principles of strengths-based CBT, five key methods are highlighted:

1. How to identify and integrate strengths into CBT
2. When and how to introduce resilience
3. The timing and rationale for therapeutic smiling
4. Use of imagery and metaphor
5. The importance of silence for fostering client creativity

This workshop is loaded with clinical demonstrations, structured participant role-plays, and question-and-answer segments that clarify the theory, rationale, methods, and application of a PMR. Common therapy pitfalls are identified along with recommended alternative approaches.

YOU WILL LEARN TO:

• IDENTIFY areas of strengths that relate to resilience
• PRACTICE Socratic methods to elicit client-generated imagery and metaphors of resilience
• BUILD & APPLY a personal model of resilience (PMR) to create win-win responses to acute and chronic life challenges

Participants are strongly encouraged to download and read Padesky and Mooney’s 2012 paper before attending the workshop. Greater familiarity with this material will foster increased depth of workshop learning (i.e., the more you know, the more you will learn).

RECOMMENDED READINGS
Mooney, K.A., & Padesky, C.A. (2000). Applying client creativity to recurrent problems: Constructing possibilities and tolerating doubt. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy, 14(2), 149-161. Available from https://padesky.com/clinical-corner/publications (click on Creativity section)

Padesky, C. A., & Mooney, K.A. (2012). Strengths-based Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy: A four-step model to build resilience. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 19 (4), 283-90. Available from https://padesky.com/clinical-corner/publications (click on Strengths-Based CBT section)

Workshop Duration: 2 days / 12 hours CBT

Boot Camp is especially designed for therapists who want to build and strengthen core CBT clinical competencies as well as understand more clearly how these competencies function as the foundation for all CBT protocols.

A brief description can been seen here:  CBT Boot Camp 1.0

By the end of Boot Camp, participants will achieve greater CBT fitness in the areas of: therapy structure and alliance, client observation and self-monitoring, awareness of safety behaviors versus good coping, assigning and debriefing relevant homework, and use of guided discovery methods (such as Socratic dialogue, thought records, and behavioral experiments). Dr. Padesky also demonstrates therapeutic responses to common therapy obstacles that often derail CBT progress. Following her demonstrations, participants engage in “obstacle courses” which are exercises designed to help therapists apply the appropriate core competency in the face of these challenges.

Workshop Duration: 1 day / 6 hours

A brief description can been seen here:  Collaborative Case Conceptualization

A new approach to CBT case conceptualization (Kuyken, Padesky, & Dudley, 2009) offers a step-by-step model to guide therapists’ treatment planning with complex cases, especially when no single treatment model applies. This approach incorporates three guiding principles:

1. Collaborative empiricism
2. Three levels of conceptualization that evolve over the course of therapy
3. Incorporation of client strengths into each level of conceptualization so therapy is designed to both relieve distress and build resilience

While this workshop demonstrates all three principles, there is an emphasis on incorporation of client strengths at each stage of conceptualization. Padesky models how to incorporate client culture, personal interests, imagery, and metaphors into constructive, strengths-based conceptual models. In addition to the opportunity to participate in structured exercises designed to develop relevant skills, participants explore the implications of explicitly adding a strengths and resilience focus to CBT conceptualization and treatment. This multimedia program enhances learning via live and video clinical demonstrations, structured role plays, small group exercises, and comprehensive handouts.

Dr. Padesky is internationally renowned for her ability to convey complex clinical processes with simplicity, depth and humanity. In addition, audiences appreciate her clinical excellence, warmth, clarity and humor. Don’t miss out! Learn this innovative approach that Aaron T. Beck calls “a gold standard for how to develop individualized case conceptualizations with our clients.”

Learning Objectives

• DIFFERENTIATE between three levels of case conceptualization
• IMPROVE your awareness of how to search for “hidden” client strengths
• PRACTICE methods to bring strengths into client awareness
• COLLABORATE with your clients to construct conceptualizations that incorporate strengths as well as vulnerabilities
• EXPLORE the added value of identifying client-generated metaphors and imagery

Recommended Readings

Kuyken, W., Padesky, C. A., & Dudley, R. (2009). Collaborative case conceptualization: Working effectively with clients in cognitive-behavioral therapy. New York: Guilford. (read the FIRST CHAPTER online) Mooney, K.A., & Padesky, C.A. (2000). Applying client creativity to recurrent problems: Constructing possibilities and tolerating doubt. Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy: An International Quarterly, 14 (2), 149-161. [article available online – creativity section]

Workshop Duration: 2 days / 12 hours

Use evidence based measures to help make treatment decisions, such as when to stop therapy and when additional sessions are needed This state of the art workshop

• Reveals a wealth of “Best Practices in CBT for Depression and Suicide”
• Shows therapists how to meet the challenges in the treatment of depression in both individual and group therapy
• Emphasizes clinical methods with a strong evidence-base for effectiveness
• Illustrates how depressed and suicidal clients benefit when these interventions build on existing strengths
• Teaches a structured interview method to guide suicide assessment
• Illustrates evidence-based interventions that can lower suicide risk, reduce suicide attempts and increase client safety

The good news in depression treatment is that there are many effective interventions. The challenges for therapists are how to: (1) choose interventions that are most likely to help a given depressed client in the time available, (2) engage the client so he or she gives these interventions a full opportunity to help, and (3) respond to pessimism, hopelessness and negativity so these do not produce a drag on therapy’s effectiveness. This workshop shows therapists how to meet these three challenges in both individual and group therapy. Emphasis is on effective clinical methods with a strong evidence-base.

In addition, Dr. Padesky integrates her seminal work on strengths-focused CBT to illustrate how depressed and suicidal clients benefit when these interventions build on existing strengths. Since each decade brings fresh knowledge and new findings to advance the successful treatment of depression and suicide, Dr. Padesky contacted several leading researchers to identify best practice guidelines, especially emerging ideas not yet widely disseminated. Consequently, participants in this workshop have access to current evidence-based measures that can help make treatment decisions (e.g., when to stop therapy and when additional sessions are recommended) and to rate client skills linked to lower rates of remission and relapse.

All therapists need to have a high level of skill in assessment of suicide risk. Padesky provides interview questions to guide suicide assessment, including suicidal imagery. She also illustrates evidenced-based interventions that can lower suicide risk, reduce suicide attempts, and increase client safety. In today’s healthcare environment it is important to:

• efficiently use therapist time and efforts
• focus on specific symptoms / create “smarter” therapy
• space sessions to reduce the discontinuation effect”
• strategically use self-help materials, groups, and individual therapy
• structure CBT groups to maximize participation, skill development and reduce relapse risk

To enhance learning, participants observe skillful demonstrations by Dr. Padesky and then try out best practice methods in role plays and guided exercises. Detailed handouts help sustain learning post-workshop.

While depression and suicide are serious topics, this workshop is designed to be engaging, fun and uplifting. It provides an evidence-based foundation for therapist practice so you can honestly communicate positive therapy expectations to your depressed clients.

Workshop Objectives

1. USE client symptom measures to guide treatment & decision-making
2. EMPLOY 3 behavioural experiments to increase anti-depressant client activity
3. TEST negative automatic thoughts in action as well as on paper
4. DESIGN therapy groups to enhance positive outcomes
5. ASSESS suicide risk
6. INDIVIDUALIZE suicide intervention plans
7. MAKE evidenced-based decisions about when to stop or continue therapy
8. DESIGN therapy groups to reduce relapse risk

Workshop Duration: 2 days / 16 hours See Padesky’s brief description on YouTube

This workshop is designed to enhance your understanding and skills

A brief description can been seen here:  Simplifying Personality Disorders

Too often theories and therapy approaches make treatment of personality disorders seem so complicated that therapists and clients become discouraged and frustrated. Over the last 20 years, Christine A. Padesky, Ph.D. and her colleague, Kathleen A. Mooney, Ph.D. have developed the NEW Paradigm for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) of personality disorders. The NEW Paradigm for CBT is a 4-stage model that is simple to understand and can be easily learned by therapists already familiar with CBT approaches for Axis I disorders such as depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and other common presenting issues.

The NEW Paradigm incorporates many of Padesky’s signature therapy approaches:

• collaboration
• guided discovery
• integration of client strengths
• methods for building client resilience

In addition, it places increased emphasis on

• client imagery
• use of client-generated metaphors
• kinesthetic awareness
• and a step-by-step therapy framework that is designed to help clients embrace change

Methods taught target construction of NEW belief systems and interpersonal behavior patterns, rather than focusing on dysfunctional beliefs and behaviors. Behavioral experiments are used to build resilience in use of the NEW system. Concrete steps are outlined and demonstrated using client examples. Participants practice applying skills in common clinical situations via structured role-plays. Learning is enriched through clinical demonstrations, structured participant exercises, didactic presentations, written handouts, and analyses of interpersonal clinical processes.

Attendees Will Learn To

• Simplify personality disorder treatment
• Work with impasses such as avoidance, rigidity or angry attacks
• Address your own reactions e.g., irritation with a particular client
• Increase client’s readiness to change
• Conceptualize the OLD overdeveloped interpersonal strategies
• Construct NEW belief systems and interpersonal behavior patterns
• Use imagery, metaphors and kinesthetics
• Strengthen the NEW system through behavioral experiments, core belief logs and continuums
• Set-up relapse prevention: predict challenges and develop active plans to manage them

Objectives

1. PRACTICE NEW language in role play interviews
2. IDENTIFY therapist beliefs that provide boosts or barriers to personality disorder treatment
3. EMPLOY a structured interview to help clients compassionately conceptualize their OLD personality system
4. GUIDE client construction of a NEW personality system via a structured interview
5. IDENTIFY client imagery and kinesthetic anchors for the NEW system
6. INCREASE awareness of the impact of nonverbal therapist communications on clients
7. DESIGN behavioral experiments to test predictions based on OLD and NEW systems
8. DEBRIEF behavioral experiments through a NEW lens

• Absolutely loved the anxiety traps workshop in London! Already putting things you taught into practise with clients!
• Anxiety Traps. Yet another great workshop & inspirational teaching.

• You had the Big Picture in mind
• Very interactive
• Repeated participant questions so we all could hear clearly
• Used projector to write examples
• Impressed with the number of times you checked with your client: to get their permission, to check their understanding and to check alignment

• Thank u so much for high quality of your wonderful workshop. For the generosity of sharing your knowledge and expertise. Was great (Geneva, Switzerland)

• We use your model of resilence in our Advanced CBT group on our Eating Disorder unit.
• A whole day yesterday spent working on models of resilience, strengths focused CBT, acceptance and mindfulness with nurse students.

• New paradigm for PD workshop very inspiring.

• Looking at developing group based CBT treatment for depression after your London lecture. Was so helpful thank you.
• Thank you for an inspiring and fun workshop on depression in London. Looking forward to putting it into practice.
• What an amazing workshop on CBT for depression and suicide in London this week. Inspiring.
• Very informative, and ready to face new challenges in suicide and depression.
• Excellent 2 day CBT for depression and suicide workshop in Wexford with the talented @Padesky #thanksforthephoto

• The Christine Padesky workshop in Liverpool was, without a doubt, the best workshop I’ve done. Thanks