Workshop Duration

1 day/6 hours

Workshop Level

most suitable for mental health professionals with intermediate to advanced CBT skills

Although exposure and response prevention (ERP) is a proven treatment for obsessive compulsive disorders (OCD), our ability to treat the cognitive component of obsessional conditions has been much more limited.  Many individuals continue to suffer from obsessive thinking and its associated distress even after a trial of standard CBT.  This workshop presents the cognitive appraisal approach to treatment of obsessions and other recurring, distressing thoughts.  It begins with the critical features of obsessional thinking, followed by an elaboration of the cognitive appraisal theory of obsessions.  Most of the workshop is devoted to case illustration, role play demonstrations, problem-oriented case consultation, and participant exercises that teach individuals how to conduct a cognitive appraisal case formulation and how to implement cognitive and behavioral strategies that counter faulty appraisals, neutralization and mental control of obsessions.

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES:

• RECOGNIZE the hallmarks of obsessional thinking
• UNDERSTAND the cognitive appraisal model of obsessions
• APPLY appraisal-oriented assessment and case conceptualization
• LEARN interventions to reduce neutralization and mental control
• ENHANCE clinical effectiveness in treatment of obsessional thinking

   

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

• to apply the new cognitive appraisal model to obsessive thinking
• to  tailor assessment that focuses on faulty appraisals, beliefs and neutralization efforts
• to modify cognitive restructuring to correct faulty meta-cognition and control
• to construct experimental exercises and homework assignments that counter excessive reflection and control
• to build specialized relapse prevention into the treatment approach