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The first wave of cognitive therapy focused heavily on behaviourist approaches to change, such as classical conditioning (Pavlov), and operant conditioning (Skinner).
The second wave came in the 1970s, with the arrival of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
CBT is based on the idea that thoughts lead to feelings, which lead to behaviours, and therefore the emphasis now switched to changing how we think.
We are now in the era of ‘third wave’ psychotherapy.
Interestingly, the focus of the third wave isn’t on changing thoughts or feelings themselves. Instead, these approaches aim to change our relationship to our thoughts and feelings, so we can enjoy greater wellbeing in day to day life.
Integrating techniques from CBT with concepts from neuroscience, mindfulness, evolutionary theory, and the science of compassion, third wave approaches have the potential to make a valuable contribution to the work of any psychotherapist, counsellor, psychologist or coach.
With practice, they can help us recognise how we become entangled in streams of worry, self-criticism and ruminative thinking, and break free from these patterns to improve our wellbeing and realise more of our potential.
During this online conference, you’ll explore the rapidly developing evidence base for Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Dialectical Behavioural Therapy (DBT), and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), and learn how these pioneering approaches can offer an effective solution to many of the mental health problems we face today.
The day will combine presentations with practical exercises, and will feature talks from three of the UK’s leading clinical psychologists. It is an introductory conference, and no prior experience or knowledge of any of the approaches is required.
You’ll learn how third wave approaches can help you improve your own wellbeing, but also how they can be applied to help others do the same.
What is compassion? How is it beneficial for people? And how can it be harnessed directly as part of therapy? In this talk, we’ll take a look at some of the key theories underneath and practices of CFT, and see how this can be a powerful way of working with distress and suffering.
This presentation will help you learn some of the key basics of CFT, and have an opportunity to try out a few CFT interventions and see how these may be useful. At the end of the workshop, you’ll have a better sense of what CFT is, how it can be helpful, and hopefully energise you to find out more about CFT in the future!
Dr Chris Irons, PhD, is a Clinical Psychologist, and Director at Balanced Minds, an independent psychology practice in London set up to bring compassion-focused approaches to individuals and organisations in London and the UK. In his clinical work, he uses Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT; Gilbert, 2009; Gilbert & Irons, 2005) in working with people suffering from a variety of mental health problems, but also in bringing these ideas to the general public. He is an internationally recognised trainer and supervisor of CFT, and the author of a number of CFT books, including: “The Compassionate Mind Workbook”, “CFT from the Inside Out” and “CFT for Difficult Emotions”.
Chris also works with the Compassionate Mind Foundation, a charitable organisation aiming to: “Promote wellbeing through the scientific understanding and application of compassion”.
Books and Articles:
Videos
Have you ever wondered what exactly DBT is? What are its essential components? What exactly are dialectics and why are they relevant to a psychological therapy? In this presentation, Professor Michaela Swales, an international expert in DBT, introduces you to the essential elements of DBT: underlying theories, treatment structure and treating clinical cases.
This presentation is aimed at those who know very little about DBT and who may be considering whether or not it is an appropriate intervention for their context, or for those who have heard about DBT and are curious to know more. There will be an opportunity to discuss the presented material and to assess whether DBT would be a good fit for your organisation or your clinical context.
Michaela Swales, PhD, is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with BCUHB and Reader in Clinical Psychology on the North Wales Clinical Psychology Programme at Bangor University. She trained in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy in Seattle in 1994 and 1995 with Marsha Linehan and for twenty years ran a clinical programme for suicidal young people in an inpatient service.
After completing specialist supervision in DBT, she became one of the founder members of the UK DBT Training Team in 1997 and Director of the Training Team in 2002. She has trained more than a thousand professionals in DBT, seeding over 400 programmes, in both the UK and further afield. She is the co-author of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy: Distinctive Features, which had its second edition published by Routledge in 2016 and Changing Behavior in DBT: Problem-Solving in Action, published by Guilford in 2015.
Mindfulness based approaches such as MBCT are on the spotlight and it is wonderful that these concepts are getting more attention. However, as more people are introduced to these practices, there is often a misunderstanding of what MBCT really is. This webinar will explore the main characteristics of MBCT, its scientific base, and will try to clarify some common misconceptions or confusion with similar approaches. The session will also explore how MBCT can help us recognize how we become entangled in streams of worries, self-criticism and ruminative thinking, and slowly learn to break free from these patterns to improve our well-being. No prior mindfulness experience or knowledge required.
Learning outcomes:
Dr Cinzia Pezzolesi is a chartered Clinical Psychologist and senior lecturer in mental health and wellbeing. She qualified as a mindfulness teacher at the University of Bangor and as CBT therapist at Oxford University.
Dr Pezzolesi is currently acting as the Clinical Director of The Mindfulness Project (UK), and over the years has developed a strong research interest around wellbeing and mental health in various health care settings. Her areas of expertise include anxiety, depression, eating disorders and mental health and wellbeing at work.
Cinzia also has a passion for Mindful Eating, which has led her to train as a Mindful Eating teacher and to develop professional training for other like-minded professionals. She is the Vice President of the Centre for Mindful Eating in the USA, a space dedicated to the education of professionals and general public around food and the interconnection between our bodies and minds.
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