Master the fundamentals of cognitive behavioural therapy in this free online course to treat a host of mental disorders.

Today's world is full of stress-inducing situations caused by factors such as work, time limitations, family trouble and so on. If not managed well, stress can lead to depression and anxiety. Over the years, psychiatrists have developed treatments for those who suffer from such conditions, including cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). This diploma course takes you through the history of CBT, the conditions it treats and the processes involved. We examine the underlying principles that inform various approaches to psychotherapy. The course then explores basic counselling skills, procedures and the code of ethics and professional standards required of psychotherapists. We include several practical exercises to help you understand these concepts. We explain case formulation, irrational beliefs and the ‘antecedents, behaviour, consequences’ (ABC) Model, followed by a step-by-step demonstration of a CBT session.

The course takes you through basic CBT techniques used to challenge negative thoughts and cognitive distortions. We study the use of CBT in treating depression, anxiety and phobias while investigating their causes and symptoms. We then examine the treatment’s role in addressing anger issues and insomnia. Finally, the course examines dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) and solution-focused therapy (SFT) to help you understand how they differ from CBT before laying out their histories and procedures.

These psychiatric conditions can negatively impact patients’ quality of life and even their physical health, leading to the possible onset of lifestyle diseases and eventually death. Patients should seek professional help as soon as symptoms are detected to prevent further degeneration. This course is aimed at psychotherapists, psychiatrists and medical practitioners who would like to enhance their skills to bring comfort to those suffering mentally. It also suits psychology and medical students or anyone with a particular interest in counselling.