CBT Workshop

Introduction

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What is CBT?

• CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) is an approach to help people experiencing a wide range of mental health difficulties.

• The basis of CBT is that what people think affects how they feel emotionally and also alters what they do.

• Thinking > feeling > doing.

For example:

• Being late….”if I am late, then I won’t have time to set up and my presentation will be rubbish” – feel anxious – set alarm early, walk dog in a rush, shout at children for not being ready etc etc etc!

• Being late….”if I am late, then I am sure I can manage to make the time up”, an enjoyable morning (for some).

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CBT Continued

• During times of mental distress, the way the person sees and judges themselves and the things that happen to them alters. Things tend to become more extreme and unhelpful. This can worsen how the person feels and causes them to act in ways that keeps their distress going.

CBT – hot cross bun.

• Thought

• Feelings

• Behaviours

• Physical symptoms.

• All of which worsens thoughts / feelings and behaviours.

Hot cross bun exercise.

• Think of a situation when you felt a strong emotion that you are happy to share (can be positive).

• In pairs – talk through the following:

• What did you think?

• What did you feel?

• What did you do?

• What physical sensations were about?

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Main Assumptions of CBT

• We do not passively react to events but actively interpret what happens to us.

• The way we think about situations about others and ourselves affects the way we feel and behave.

• Our thought patterns (cognitions) reflect our underlying beliefs and assumptions.

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Main Assumptions CBT Continued

• Our beliefs and assumptions are the result of what we have learned through past experience and upbringing.

• Psychological problems are caused and maintained by unhelpful cognitions (ie. thoughts, images and beliefs).

• Therapy involved, uncovering unhelpful cognitions, understanding why they are unhelpful and identifying more adaptive ways of thinking.

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Dog Joke

• A depressed man walks down the street and steps into dog dirt. His thought would be ‘Typical, this always happens to me, can’t even walk down the street without messing up. What a sad bloke I am’.

• Anxious man. ‘Oh no, if I go into work like this, people will think it is me. If I go home and clean it off, I will be late for work and might get the sack. What am I going to do?’

• Angry man. ‘What so and so let their dog crap here. I pay my taxes to keep the streets clean.’

• CBT’d man. ‘Good job I did not have a hole in my shoe.’

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Style of CBT

• It is collaborative

• None Judgemental

• Explicit and open

Exercise.

• Using the material given – generate a hot cross bun.

• What would you imagine would be helpful for this young person – in terms of helping him manage thoughts, feelings, behaviours and physical symptoms.