Module 8 Clinical Skills

Psychoeducation

Providing the client with information about issues relevant to their presenting problem, tailored to them

ABCD Model

A framework in CBT where events (A) trigger thoughts (B) that lead to emotions (C) and behaviors (D).

Case Conceptualisation Feedback

A collaborative discussion about the therapist's understanding of the client's case

cognitive principle

events trigger cognitions, which in turn trigger emotions, and behaviour

behaviour principle

behaviour is imperative in maintaining and challenging cognition and emotion

continuum principle

mental health problems are exaggerated or extreme versions of normal processes, rather than being entirely distinct

here-and-now principle

the focus of therapy should be what is happening right now rather than distal causes of current problems

interacting systems principle

problems occur as an interaction between systems, including those within (emotion, cognition, behaviour) and outside (environment) the individual

empirical principle

theories and treatments should be evaluated as rigorously as possible

interpersonal principle

the efficacy of CBT relies on the working alliance between the therapist and client

Cognitive Distortions

inaccurate and irrational thoughts that lead to distorted perceptions of reality

Automatic Thoughts

Immediately triggered appraisals of events that can be positive, neutral, or negative, and easily become conscious

Core Beliefs

Fundamental beliefs about oneself, the world, and the future, not immediately accessible to consciousness

Underlying Assumptions

Rules for living that bridge the gap between core beliefs and automatic thoughts, often structured as 'if, then' statements

cognitions of depression

negative beliefs about the self, the world, and the future

cognitions of anxiety

bias towards overestimation of threat ad underestimation of ability to cope

cognitions of panic

catastrophic misinterpretation of harmless anxiety symptoms

cognitions of health anxiety

misinterpretation of harmless symptoms over a longer period of time

cognitions of social anxiety

belief one will be negatively evaluated by others

cognitions of ocd

feeling responsible for or needed to prevent harm to the self or others

cognitions of anger

others behaviours are seen as unfair, breaking some rule, or having hostile intent

Thought Record

A CBT technique used to identify and measure thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in specific situations

Cognitive Restructuring

A CBT technique that involves identifying unhelpful thoughts, challenging their validity, and replacing them with more balanced/helpful ones

Coping Statements

affirmations used to manage difficult situations, prepared beforehand and practiced regularly

Downward Arrow Technique

A Socratic questioning method used to reveal underlying core beliefs by exploring the meaning and implications of ATs

Behavioral Experiments

Tasks tasks that test the validity of core beliefs by comparing predicted outcomes with actual experiences

Socratic Questioning

Guiding a person towards understanding by strategic questioning that challenges assumptions

all or nothing / dichotomising / perfectionism / polarised thinking

thinking in total black and whites

overgeneralisation

generalising from one to all events

catastrophising

seeing things as worse than they are or expecting things to go very wrong

filtering

filtering out positives and magnfying negatives

disqualifying positives

turning neutral or positive events into negative ones

jumping to conclusions / mind reading

believing we know how others are thinking and feeling

attribution errors

believing we know a persons intentions

emotional reasoning

taking feelings as reality

shoulding

using should/ shouldnt / ought / must too often

hot thought

unhelpful thoughts that strongly trigger negative emotions

cognitive restructuring process

identify the situation, rate the mood, identify unhelpful thought, identify evidence for, and against, rate the more balanced thought, re-rate mood

behavioural experiments process

write the core belief, design tasks to test this, identify expected outcome, carry out the task, identify what did occur, compare actual and predicted results, identify a more balanced belief