Course Summary



This course will provide you with an in depth introduction to the foundational elements of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (CBT). CBT is an umbrella term for evidence-based psychotherapies that utilize cognitive and behavioral tools to reduce suffering and improve functioning in adults, adolescents, children, couples, and families. CBT skills are used across a wide range of mental health conditions and are applied in a variety of settings including community health, private practice, hospitals, clinics, and primary care. 

This course is led by leading voices in the field of CBT including Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD; Jacqueline B. Persons, PhD; Stephen J. F. Holland Psy.D; Lata K. McGinn, PhD; and Steven D. Hollon Ph.D. 

The Introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a self-paced course that includes video lectures, hands on activities, role play videos, and resources that you can start using right away with your patients. There are knowledge checks within the course for you to test your understanding of each section and contribute towards achieving CE credits.





Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD


Stefan G. Hofmann, Ph.D., is the Alexander von Humboldt Professor for Translational Clinical Psychology and the Department of Clinical Psychology, Philipps University Marburg, Germany, and Professor of Clinical Professor of Psychology at the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Boston University. He has been president of numerous professional organizations and is currently editor-in-chief of Cognitive Therapy and Research. He has been included in the list of Highly Cited Researcher and received many other awards, including the Aaron T. Beck Award for Significant and Enduring Contributions to the Field of Cognitive Therapy and the Humboldt Research Award. He was an advisor to the DSM-5 Development Process and was a member of the DSM-5 Anxiety Disorder Sub-Work Group and member of the Cross-Cutting Culture Review Group of the DSM-5-TR. Dr. Hofmann has published more than 400 peer-reviewed journal articles and 20 books on cognitive behavioral therapy for different forms of psychopathology.

Jacqueline B. Persons, PhD

Jacqueline B. Persons is Director of the Oakland Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center, a group private practice in Oakland, CA, and Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. She is internationally recognized for her writings on the role of the case formulation in cognitive behavior therapy, and is currently working to update her 2008 book, The Case Formulation Approach to Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, published by Guilford. She has presented dozens of training workshops on the topic of case conceptualization in many locations around the world and has published nearly 100 articles and chapters and three books. Dr. Persons is a past president of the ABCT and the Society for a Science of Clinical Psychology. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1979.

Stephen J.F. Holland, Psy.D.

Stephen J. F. Holland is Founder and Director of Capital Institute for Cognitive Therapy in Washington DC. He is co-author with Robert Leahy and Lata McGinn of Treatment Plans and Interventions for Depression and Anxiety Disorders, a widely used text on empirically supported cognitive behavioral therapies that has been translated into multiple languages. He is a Founding Fellow of the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies and has served on its Board of Directors.

Lata K. McGinn, PhD

Lata K. McGinn is a tenured Professor of Psychology and Director of the CBT training program at the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University and Co-Founder of Cognitive and Behavioral Consultants (CBC), an evidence-based treatment and training center. Dr. McGinn specializes in the vulnerability, prevention, treatment, and dissemination of anxiety, trauma, OCD, and depression using CBT. Her extensive publications span peer-reviewed journal articles, chapters, and her co-authored books, "Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder" and "Treatment Plans and Interventions for Depression and Anxiety Disorders.” Dr. McGinn is the associate editor of the peer-reviewed journal Cognitive Therapy and Research and serves on the editorial board of several other peer reviewed journals. She has earned the title of Beck Scholar and is a Fellow of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT). Dr. McGinn is the President-elect of the World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (WCCBT), a Founding Fellow, trainer, and a past president of the Academy of CBT, a Founding Fellow, and the honorary president of the Indian Association of CBT. She also serves on Board of Directors of the International Association of CBT (IACBT), and is the Vice-President of the Access Psychology Foundation (APF).

Steven D. Hollon, PhD

Steven D. Hollon is the Gertrude Conaway Vanderbilt Professor of Psychology at Vanderbilt University. His research focuses on the nature and treatment of depression, with a particular emphasis on the enduring effects of psychosocial treatments. He is a past president of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and the former editor of Cognitive Therapy and Research. He is the recipient of awards for Distinguished Scientific and Distinguished Professional Contributions to Clinical Psychology from the Society of Clinical Psychology of the American Psychological Association. He has over 350 publications and mentored over 20 doctoral and post-doctoral advisees.

Course Details

Introduction - Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD

Learning Objectives:

Describe history of CBT

Describe basic idea

Recognize mental disorders as common and costly to society

Recognize CBT as an effective treatment for all mental disorders

Give some examples of disorder-specific CBT models

Summarize outline of Modules


Module 1: Cognitive Behavior Therapy Guided by a Case Conceptualization - Jacqueline B. Persons, PhD

Learning Objectives:

List ways the model of case conceptualization-guided CBT helps the therapist ds

Identify the elements of a conceptualization based on Beck’s cognitive model 

List strategies for obtaining hypotheses about maintaining factors in the conceptualization 

Name characteristics of good treatment goals 

List reasons it is important to monitor therapy outcome at every session


Module 2: Therapy Relationship Process and Structure in CBT - Stephen J. F. Holland Psy.D

Learning Objectives:

Identify core relationship skills as described in the CBT literature 

Describe the elements and structure of a CBT session 

Identify relationship factors that research suggests contribute to good outcomes

Implement strategies for using the therapy relationship to promote positive change


Module 3: Behavioral Interventions - Lata K. McGinn, PhD


Learning Objectives:

Identify what behavioral interventions are and how to describe rationale for their use to make change.

Describe the general process of implementing behavioral interventions along with the process of conducting two specific behavioral interventions. 

Identify how to maximize change using behavioral interventions.


Module 4: Cognitive Restructuring - Steven D. Hollon Ph.D. 

Learning Objectives:

Recognize coherence between thoughts, feelings, physiology, and behavior in any given situation

Identify automatic negative thoughts and core beliefs that drive response to a given situation

Examine the accuracy of the negative thoughts and core beliefs relevant to any given situation



Conclusion - Stefan G. Hofmann, PhD

Learning Objectives:

Recognize CBT as an ever evolving discipline

Define the term Cognition

Describe role of CBT in:

Neuroscience 

Psychiatry 

Network science 

Evolutionary science 

Recognize the bright and exciting future of CBT

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