• Offered for Year: 2024/25

• Module Leader(s): Mr Stephen Holland
• Lecturer: Mrs Michelle Bowen, Dr Christine Blincoe, Dr Anna Chaddock, Mr Matthew Stalker

• Owning School: Psychology
• Teaching Location: Mixed Location

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

To develop practical competency in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for depression

To develop critical knowledge in the theoretical and research literature for cognitive and behavioural models with depression.

This module is designed to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes in the cognitive-behavioural treatment of depressive disorders to CBT practitioner level. It is intended to improve proficiency in the fundamental techniques of CBT and support the development of competency in the specialist techniques applied to the treatment of depressive disorders. There will be a balanced emphasis on behavioural and cognitive approaches.

Outline Of Syllabus

Building on learning and skills developing through the Fundamentals of CBT module, this module is
designed to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes in the cognitive-behavioural treatment of depression including:
- Behavioural Activation (BA)
- Cognitive Therapy for Depression (CT)
- CBT for Insomnia (CBT-I)
- Evidence-based 3rd Wave Cognitive Behavioural Therapies

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Jointly Taught With

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The choice of teaching methods is informed by two models of skill acquisition. Individual workshops will follow the training model developed by Barton (2018) which identified the main components of a successful training process, and the interactions between them: guidance, demonstration, reflection, practice, feedback. The second model informing the training within this module is the Declarative Procedural Reflective (DPR) model (Bennett-Levy, 2006). This model emphasises experiential learning and the transformation of factual knowledge to practical knowledge or skills, through the process of reflection. This enables trainees to learn to discriminate which skill to apply to which client, under which set of circumstances, and at which point in time in therapy.

Within each workshop there is didactic teaching regarding the declarative knowledge required for the module.
Workshop leaders offer demonstrations of specific clinical skills and trainees work in small groups to enable formative practice of these skills, receive formative feedback on their performance and reflect on their learning.

Within individual tutorials trainees reflect on their learning styles and are encouraged to develop effective learning strategies. They undertake discussions regarding the theories underpinning models so as to enhance their depth of understanding.

Through specialist group CBT supervision from a BABCP accredited practitioner trainees are enabled to embed
theory in their clinical practice. They receive formative feedback on the quality of their clinical work and are
encouraged to reflect on the personal impact of their work and to develop effective self-care strategies.
Clinical supervision in service provides trainees with further formative feedback on their skills and the opportunity for formative practice through role play etc.

Trainees will spend time preparing for and reflecting on their practice and learning and will continue to use their reflective Log (initiated in the Fundamentals module), to reflect on the process of applying CBT to the specific needs of patients in different healthcare settings.

Trainees develop their applied clinical skills by delivering CBT to clients in their host services, with regular
opportunities to adapt and optimise interventions according to the needs of individual clients.

The case study assessments require trainees to effectively communicate how they have drawn links, between theory
and practice, to apply evidence-based models, analysed and address challenges that arise and reflected on their
learning from undertaking this work.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The assessments are required to be within the scope determined by the national NHS Talking Therapies curriculum,
set by Health Education England, & the British Association of Cognitive Behavioural Therapies (accrediting body).

The CTS-R assessment (professional skills) is the standard benchmark assessment of competence in CBT in the UK.
In addition to assessing competence, this assessment will provide detailed feedback on specific CBT skill
developments that map directly onto the knowledge, skills and attitudes outlined in the intended learning outcomes and programme aims. A reflective review of clinical work undertaken for the summative submission provides an opportunity to draw theory/practice links and for the identification of personal strengths and areas for improvement.

The case study requires the student to provide a critique of the model supporting treatment with a depressed client and reflect on the process of using that model in therapy. It is also an opportunity to report and evidence the use of clinical skills employed in treatment and critical reflection on the process and outcome of the case. A personalised formulation of the patient’s depression will demonstrate the knowledge and skills to produce a balance of adherence to the model in question and appropriate personalised adaptation. A reflective practice section will require students to reflective on the personal impact on working with this case and be explicit about what has been learned from the experience.

In order to pass the module, trainees must pass both assessment components.

Reading Lists

• PSY8094's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• PSY8094's Timetable