Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy (P.Grad.Dip.)

Overview

Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy is a collaborative, structured approach to helping individuals with psychological difficulties. It views key beliefs and assumptions which an individual holds as being pivotal to maintaining their distress and rendering them vulnerable to recurring difficulties. The course offers post-qualification training in the theory and practice of cognitive psychotherapy, as applied in a variety of mental health settings. Competence is developed through a combination of weekly clinical supervision, lectures, workshops and written assignments. Assessment is based on the submission of case studies and theoretical reviews, oral presentations and standardised rating of therapy sessions. Prospective candidates may pursue the option of a one year part-time (every Friday over three terms) postgraduate diploma course in cognitive therapy. Emphasis will be on helping participants gain clinical competence in utilising this approach in hospital-based and community-based health care settings. The course substantially contributes to academic and theoretical requirements for accreditation as a cognitive behavioural psychotherapist and provides the opportunity to engage in introductory supervised clinical casework. Students would be required to complete further supervised clinical work to meet the clinical requirements for accreditation. For further information on accreditation as a cognitive therapist we recommend prospective students consult the BABCP website: www.babcp.com and Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy Ireland cbti.ie

The diploma course introduces the student to the basic theory of cognitive behavioural therapy and customised applications of this model to a range of clinical syndromes. The curriculum emphasises a knowledge of cognitive behavioural models, concepts and methods; competence in developing cognitive case formulations; devising and implementing individual treatment programmes for a range of emotional disorders, and evaluating their effects; understanding the links between cognitive therapy and developmental and cognitive psychology; ethics issues in practising psychotherapy.

Students are supervised treating a minimum of five cases (approx 40 - 50 hours of casework), and are taught the use of Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy in relation to a variety of different areas and disorders. Teaching takes place one full day per week (Friday) during academic term. Assessment is based on evaluation of the student's clinical performance using the Cognitive Therapy Scale - Revised and written assignments.

Career Opportunities 

This course equips graduates with the skills to use Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy in a variety of mental health settings. Graduates have also pursued further research.

Click Here for further information on modules/subject.