CALGARY, CANADA  – 2 day workshop

Drawing on evidence-based methods pioneered by Aaron T. Beck and David Jobes, Dr Padesky illustrates interventions that can lower suicide risk, reduce suicide attempts, and increase client safety.

WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION

This workshop, designed for therapists at all experience levels, emphasizes strategies to manage common obstacles encountered by therapists working with depressed and suicidal clients.

For example, Padesky’s clinical demonstrations and group exercises regarding behavioral activation teach principles and methods designed to target the inertia, pessimism and overwhelming fatigue that often discourage depressed clients from engaging in activities. Instead of only teaching the basics of Thought Record use, this workshop targets knowledge gaps and common errors made even by therapists who have used this method for many years: How do you identify and test images? What do you do if the hot thought is a core belief? What guideline teaches clients to find the most useful evidence that doesn’t support the hot thought? In addition, Dr. Padesky integrates her seminal work on strengths-based CBT to illustrate how depressed and suicidal clients benefit when interventions build on existing strengths.

All therapists need to have a high level of skill in assessment of suicide risk. Most of the second day of the workshop teaches suicide assessment and interventions, including methods for working with suicidal imagery. Past participants especially appreciated that structured interviews and interventions are demonstrated and practiced; key forms are included in the workshop handouts.

CUTTING EDGE IDEAS FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE, ALL BASED IN CURRENT RESEARCH

Therapists want to help depressed and suicidal clients feel better as quickly as possible. To help you do this, Dr. Padesky presents effective cutting edge ideas for clinical practice, all based in current research. This master clinician reveals a wealth of Best Practices. Join in on this new state-of-the-art workshop.

MULTIMODAL LEARNING

• Creative and engaging PowerPoint slides
• Skillful demonstrations
• Role plays
• Guided exercises
• Detailed handouts with key questionnaires provided

To enhance learning, participants observe skillful demonstrations by Dr. Padesky and then try out best practice methods in role plays and guided exercises. Detailed handouts help sustain learning post-workshop.

EVIDENCE-BASED, ENGAGING, UPLIFTING

While depression and suicide are serious topics, this workshop is designed to be engaging, fun and uplifting. It provides an evidence-based foundation for therapist practice so you can honestly communicate positive therapy expectations to your depressed clients.

“We hope you will attend this state of the art workshop that reveals a wealth of “best practices in CBT for depression and suicide”

LEARN

• To focus on specific client symptoms to create “smarter” therapy
• How spacing sessions can reduce the “discontinuation effect”
• When group therapy can be as effective as individual therapy
• To structure CBT to maximize client participation, skill development and relapse risk reduction
• To choose interventions that are most likely to help in the time available
• How to engage a client so he or she gives these interventions a full opportunity to help, and
• What interventions are most effective for pessimism, hopelessness and negativity so these do not produce a drag on therapy’s effectiveness.

WORKSHOP OBJECTIVES

Attendees learn to:

• Use a structured interview to assess suicide risk
• Individualize suicide intervention plans
• Employ 3 behavioral experiments to increase anti-depressant client activity
• Use client symptom measures to guide treatment and decision-making
• Test negative automatic thoughts in action as well as on paper
• Incorporate client strengths into treatment

BROCHURE available online from: http://ucalgary.ca/pd/Depression (link inactive)