How to Treat Depression: A CBT-Based Perspective

Presented by Randy Paterson, Ph.D.

Thursday, November 28, 2019 – Friday, November 29, 2019  |  Richmond, bc

Date & Location

Major Depression. It’s one of the most difficult challenges a person can confront – and one of the most common presentations in clinical settings. It has multiple risk factors, diverse presentations, and varying levels of severity. No two clients are the same. The evidence based treatment literature is a jungle of findings, recommendations, and protocols. Faced with a new client, do you struggle through a one-size-fits-none protocol, or do you abandon the research base and strike out on your own?

Perhaps the best answer is “neither.” Instead, you could view treatment as a set of evidence-based components selected based on the particulars of your client’s situation. Doing so, you can stay true to the need for research support for your treatment while truly building “a new therapy for every client.” This workshop will show you how. Along the way you’ll receive over 40 pdf forms, tools, and information sheets to use with your clients.

We’ll look at the assessment process and see how assessment and diagnosis can be construed as opposites rather than synonyms. We’ll review risk factors – and how to improve the efficiency of your assessment using the Depression Map Questionnaire, which helps to identify areas for further inquiry. We’ll consider how to get the client on board with treatment, despite the discouragement and lack of motivation such clients generally exhibit. And we’ll examine two models of depression you can use to help your client understand both the problem and the treatment.

Then it’s on to treatment. We’ll cover the essentials of behavioural activation, and how to use goal setting strategies as the therapeutic “batter” into which other interventions get stirred. We’ll examine strategies for lifestyle management – including physical activity, sleep hygiene, diet, screen time, and more. We’ll look at strategies for working with situational stressors and for building up the social support network. We’ll consider cognitive approaches and provide strategies to help clients examine how their thinking may be slowing them down. Then it’s on to the important topic of emotional acceptance, and an emphasis on allowing emotions to be present without putting them in the behavioural driver’s seat. We’ll consider the role of meaning as a motivator in the client’s life, and we’ll wind up with a consideration of relapse prevention.

Recommended Reading

Who Should Attend

Clinical Professionals: All mental health professionals including, but not limited to Clinical Counsellors, Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Social Workers, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Hospice and Palliative Care Workers, School Counsellors, Youth Workers, Mental Health Workers, Addiction Specialists, Marital & Family Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Vocational Rehabilitation Consultants and all professionals looking to enhance their therapeutic skills.

Agenda

Day One

• The nature and epidemiology of depression: A brief review
• Risk factors for depression and their link to treatment components
• Normalizing rather than pathologizing as an assessment strategy
• Use of the Depression Map Questionnaire as an aid to assessment
• The floating diamond and depression map models of depression
• Getting the client on board with life change
• The $10 Million Question and the Kidnapping Question
• Defining ultimate goals
• Defining and setting effective immediate goals
• Coping with success and failure
• Lifestyle management in depression
• The usefulness of routine, and 3-periods scheduling
• Exercise: The most potent antidepressant
• Dietary guidelines and supplementation
• Sleep hygiene training

Day Two

• Situational factors in depression
• Media buffering
• Work and finances
• The social census
• Initiating, deepening, and reviving interpersonal connections
• The partner and family during depression
• Introducing cognitive work
• Cognitive challenging using column forms
• Depressogenic beliefs, biases, and attributions
• The outcome of cognitive work: Revolution or detachment?
• Secondary appraisals: Overcoming the rejection of painful emotion
• The river metaphor
• Cognitive traps associated with mood fluctuations
• The role of meaning in recovery
• Helping clients identify values and sources of meaning
• Mindfulness in recovery and relapse prevention (a brief mention)
• Preparing for the worst: Stress and relapse plans

Learning Objectives

• Have an organizing principle for your assessment.
• Be able to present two related models for depression symptoms, causes, and treatment.
• Be able to structure behavioural activation for maximum effect.
• Be able to identify lifestyle factors for targeted treatment focus.
• Know how to introduce cognitive therapy concepts with depressed clients.
• Understand the role of depressogenic primary and secondary appraisals.
• Be able to integrate meaning-focused work within standard CBT.
• Have the basics for relapse prevention and planning.
• Own a set of 40+ client handouts for use with your own clients.

Your Presenter

Randy Paterson, Ph.D.

Randy Paterson, Ph.D, R.Psych. is a psychologist and the founding director of Changeways Clinic, a private psychotherapy service in Vancouver BC. He is the author of How to be Miserable: 40 Strategies You Already Use, The Assertiveness Workbook, Your Depression Map, and Private Practice Made Simple. He is the lead author of Canada’s most widely used group treatment program for depression, co-author of the online Antidepressant Skills Workbook, and creator of multiple manuals and resource guides for clinicians. In addition to his clinical work, Dr Paterson provides educational training programs for mental health professionals across Canada, internationally, and online on topics including diversity awareness, communication skills, positive psychology, and treatment strategies for mood and anxiety disorders. Recently his clinical work has focused on the issues of emerging adulthood and the establishment of independence. His forthcoming book is How to be Miserable in Your Twenties: 40 Ways to Evade Adulthood.

Testimonials

“Excellent presenter: solid ideas, research-based, practical tools, enjoyable presenting style.”
– Glenn Rau | Fall 2017

“I like the presenter’s willingness to discuss cases that didn’t work out and what it taught him. This is consistent with the message given to struggling young adults.”
– Fall 2017

“Dr. Paterson was an excellent presenter. I very much enjoyed his frank, humorous, and well organized presentations. The supporting documents and resources were excellent and much appreciated. It was very important to share some case study experience as well; a brave approach for a presenter. The case study examples were very helpful as they allowed me to formulate a possible approach I would use to a similar situation using the content of this course.”
– Paul Ruben | Fall 2017

“Truly enjoyed Dr. Paterson’s clear teaching method. He included excellent examples and resources.”
– Fall 2017

“An incredible amount of information delivered in an effective manner. I will definitely use this information in my practice. It was relevant, clear and just makes so much sense. I also really enjoyed listening to his delivery, it came across as extremely genuine. Fully satisfied!”
– Beth Crystal | Fall 2017

Registration & Fees