Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis

The programmes deliver the clinical skills and theoretical background to work creatively and effectively with people with a schizophrenia spectrum diagnosis. The Postgraduate Diploma in CBT for psychosis (CBTp) is designed for qualified mental health practitioners and covers both the clinical skills and theoretical background required to become an innovative and successful practitioner of CBTp. We recommend completion of the programme on a part-time basis, over two years. A fast-track one year full time option is available for students with previous experience of relevant clinical work and masters level study. The Postgraduate Certificate in Therapy Skills emphasises the clinical skills component of the programme, for mental health practitioners who are primarily concerned with clinical practice, rather than academic development. The Postgraduate Certificate in Theoretical Background is designed for people without a mental health qualification, for researchers or academics, or as an introduction to CBTp. Students attend seminars and workshop teaching in order to acquire a detailed understanding of psychological models and interventions, together with their evidence base, but clinical supervision is not usually provided. Certificate programmes are offered on a part-time basis over a calendar year.

The programmes have been developed with the South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and designed in accordance with the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence Schizophrenia Guideline psychological therapy recommendations (NICE, 2003, 2009). The purpose of the programmes is to improve the delivery of cognitive behavioural interventions for people with psychosis. CBTp is a complex therapeutic intervention and requires of independent practitioners an advanced theoretical understanding of cognitive models of psychosis and specialist post-qualification skills in relationship building, assessment, formulation and intervention. Our programmes train students in each of these requirements, enabling them to develop competence then mastery in therapy delivery, and to provide consultancy, training and supervision to others.

The programmes are modular, following a credit framework. Two clinical skills modules build from early therapy activities (Engagement, Assessment and Formulation – Module 1) through to intervention and specialised applications (Intervention & Supervised Practice; Module 2). Two academic modules develop students' critical appraisal of the theory underlying psychological models of psychosis (Theoretical background I: Psychological Models, Module 3) and the evidence base for interventions (Theoretical Background II: Interventions, efficacy & future directions, Module 4). Diploma students complete all four modules; clinical skills certificate students complete Module 1 and Module 2 only; theoretical background certificate students complete Modules 3 and Module 4 only.

Click here for a diagram showing the module structure of the programme.

 

Case supervision is strongly emphasised on the clinical programmes. Weekly morning supervision sessions take place in small groups (four to five) on the teaching day with all supervision carried out by the programme team. Additional close supervision (listening to audiorecordings of therapy sessions) is a course requirement.