Course Overview

We recognise the needs and challenges for mental health practitioners working with individuals and families in a wide range of settings. That is why we've developed this course to be beneficial for professionals from a diverse range of backgrounds including health, local authority, volunteering and the independent sector.

Taught by experienced practitioners who specialise in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), this course will develop your knowledge and skills in treating mental health sufferers with particular focus on how you apply CBT theory and practice to your own work with individuals and families.

Delivered over half-day weekly sessions, this course will challenge you to reflect and evolve your current practice with particular focus on engagement, assessment, and strategies to address the risk of relapse and social disabilities. Through a series of workshops and presentations you will also develop a deeper understanding of the approaches, models, relationships and interventions needed for effective use of CBT in a range of mental health care settings.

Armed with this invaluable knowledge you will not only be more effective in your practice but increase your employment prospects and obtain academic credits that can be put towards further undergraduate or postgraduate study, such as a BSc degree or MSc Mental Health Studies.

Please contact the module leader, Patricia Shanahan [email protected] for more information

Course content

This short course is devised to enable you to maintain your professional employment while studying by attending half-day weekly study sessions at our London campus.

This course uses workshops and presentations to cover the following subjects:
Cognitive behavioural approaches
Getting started
Engagement and assessment
Developing and maintaining collaborative relationships
Vulnerability Stress Models of mental Illness
Therapeutic Interventions
Interviewing/questioning skills: re-framing, goal setting, problem solving, task setting
Strategies to address the risk of relapse and social disabilities
Family sessions, structuring sessions and achieving the aims

Learning and teaching

Teaching on this module is delivered between January and April via a hybrid mode i.e. face-to-face on campus attendance and virtually (streamed via Zoom or Microsoft Teams), for students who are unable to attend the on-campus sessions. The student must ensure that they have access to both these platforms as well as a working laptop/computer. Teaching methods on this course include PowerPoint presentations, group work, practical skills practice, scenario-based teaching, use of digital technologies including videos, pre and post session work activities, and formative multiple-choice quizzes.

Assessment

Formative assessment

You will be expected to participate in a short role play for 15/20 minutes demonstrating the use of MI strategies and techniques for which you will receive verbal and written feedback from your fellow classmates and the module leader.

You will be required to incorporate the learning gained from this exercise into your final submission.

Summative assessment scheme

This course is assessed entirely through a taped interview and discussion.

Teaching dates

In 2025: 23rd January, 24th January, 29th January, 30th January and 31 January.

How to apply

To be eligible for this module, you must provide evidence of an ability to study at Level 7. Apply for this module through our online application form.

Please note applications to this module will close 10 days before the module start date.

Download an enquiry form and for more information on the application process. Applications to this module should be made directly to the university, apply for a CPD module or programme.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Module