Dr. Aaron Beck discusses initial steps to increase a client's readiness for change. Using examples from his own work, Dr. Beck addresses the importance of first conceptualizing and uncovering the specific beliefs and fears that interfere with the client's readiness for change.

To attend a workshop at the Beck Institute, visit: http://www.beckinstitute.org/cbt-workshops.

Increasing Clients' Readiness For Change

In this audio clip from a recent CBT workshop at the Beck Institute, Dr. Aaron Beck discusses the therapeutic alliance. He stresses the importance of fostering a strong working alliance to achieve therapeutic gain, as well as developing strategies for working with clients with varying personalities. 

For more information on Beck Institute's workshops, visit www.beckinstitute.org/cbt-workshops.

The Therapeutic Alliance

In this audio clip from a recent Beck Institute workshop, Dr. Aaron Beck discusses the effects of unhelpful core beliefs. When individuals' negative beliefs dominate their thinking, they tend to distort even relatively neutral situations. 

For CBT Resources, visit http://www.beckinstitute.org.

Negative Core Beliefs In CBT

Dr. Aaron Beck discusses the relationship between CBT and neuroscience. Dr. Beck explains that various biological findings have been associated with successful CBT treatment and that preliminary and future research will seek to determine whether certain genomes respond better to different CBT techniques. 

The Relationship Between CBT And Neuroscience

In this audio clip from a recent Beck Institute Workshop, Dr. Aaron Beck discusses how new wave therapies can be integrated into the cognitive therapy (CT) framework. Dr. Beck describes when it is helpful to utilize newer strategies that encompass for example, acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness, and dialectical behavior therapy. Dr. Beck emphasizes the importance of using these strategies within the general theoretical model of CT and specific case formulation of the disorder in order to address patients’ specific needs based on their individual case conceptualization.

Integrating New Wave Therapies And CBT

During a recent Beck Institute Workshop, Dr. Aaron Beck discusses the origins of his theory of depression. He then describes several research techniques he employed to test the psychoanalytic hypothesis that depression is caused by inverted hostility. 

For CBT resources, visit http://www.beckinstitute.org

Origins Of Dr. Aaron Beck's Theory Of Depression

In this audio clip from a recent Beck Institute workshop, Dr. Judith Beck and Dr. Aaron Beck describe the important distinction between specific phobia and panic disorder.  Dr. Aaron Beck then provides an example illustrating a safety behavior utilized by a panic disorder patient.

For CBT resources, visit www.beckinstitute.org

Specific Phobia Versus Panic Disorder In CBT

In this audio clip from a recent Beck Institute Workshop, Dr. Aaron Beck and Dr. Judith Beck discuss ways to implement cognitive and behavioral techniques in the treatment of depression. Dr. Aaron Beck provides several examples to illustrate the efficiency of particular techniques, including behavioral activation, hypothesis testing, utilizing thought records in cognitive restructuring, and activity scheduling, in patients with depression. Both Drs. Beck note that the selection of appropriate CBT techniques depends on the case formulation and the patient's level of severity. 

Cognitive And Behavioral Techniques In The Treatment Of Depression

In this audio clip from a recent workshop, Dr. Aaron Beck and Judith Beck discuss current literature on combining medication with cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). Dr. Aaron Beck references experiments that suggest anti-anxiety medications may interfere with learning and the deconditioning process in CBT treatment of anxiety. 

For CBT resources, visit http://www.beckinstitute.org

The Use Of Medication With CBT

In this audio clip from a recent Beck Institute workshop, Dr. Aaron Beck, Dr. Judith Beck, and Dr. Amy Wenzel describe strategies for empowering clients with anxiety and the role of medication in supporting long-term personal growth.

For CBT resources, visit www.beckinstitute.org

Empowering Patients With Anxiety

In this audio clip from a recent workshop, Dr. Aaron Beck and Judith Beck discuss therapeutic rapport, providing examples from their own experiences. Two ways of building the therapeutic alliance include sharing common ground and connecting on a human level.

For CBT resources, visit http://www.beckinstitute.org

Building Rapport With Clients

At a recent Beck Institute Workshop, Dr. Aaron Beck, Dr. Judith Beck, and Dr. Torrey Creed discuss the central role of focus within the new generic cognitive model (See Beck, A.T., & Haigh, E.A.P., 2014). Dr. Beck further describes the inattention bias among clients and cautions about the risk of overusing refocusing to avoid unpleasant feelings. 
Watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_5j-OOfdng&list=UUZ8MAM1oUKyuTQArFrVTFZA

The Role Of Focus Within The New Generic Cognitive Model

Dr. Aaron Beck discusses how the cognitive model can be applied to various psychiatric disorders and psychological problems. Dr. Beck provides an example of a client with several problems including back pain, panic attacks, generalized anxiety, and depression to illustrate how the cognitive model is used to inform case formulation.

The Cognitive Model And Case Formulation

In this clip from a recent Beck Institute Training, Dr. Aaron T. Beck elaborates on his Cognitive Model theory, describing how he believes that no connections between environmental events and emotion exist without having first perceived the environmental event.

Perception Precedes Emotion

In this video from a recent Beck Institute Workshop, Dr. Aaron Beck discusses how the cognitive model can be applied to various psychiatric disorders and psychological problems. Dr. Beck provides an example of a client with several problems including back pain, panic attacks, generalized anxiety, and depression to illustrate how the cognitive model is used to inform case formulation.

From the 19th International Congress of the International Society for Psychological and Social Approaches to Psychosis (ISPS) in March of 2015, Dr. Aaron Beck discusses his first experience treating mental illnesses, specifically schizophrenia.  Dr. Beck describes his experiences as a medical resident in a psychiatric rotation, where he conducted group therapy with patients with severe mental illness.

Dr.  Aaron Beck’s First Experience Treating Individuals With Schizophrenia

Dr. Aaron Beck describes examples of the  application of techniques such as mindfulness, acceptance, and validation. He also explains how these and other important techniques can be used to enhance relapse prevention.


Selecting Techniques In CBT

From a 2013 workshop, Dr. Aaron Beck discusses his development of Cognitive Therapy.  Dr. Beck discusses his early work in Psychodynamic Therapy, and he takes us through his key realization that people are motivated by their beliefs.

The Importance Of Beliefs In CBT

Dr. Aaron Beck discusses the evolution of the therapeutic relationship in CBT. He compares and contrasts old view of the therapeutic alliance in psychoanalysis to the modern approach used in CBT today.

The Evolution Of The Therapeutic Relationship

Dr. Aaron Beck discusses in detail the protocol he and colleagues developed for CBT treatment of low functioning schizophrenics (published in 2011 in Archives of General Psychiatry).  The group hypothesized that a patient's negative beliefs about his abilities would have a greater impact on functioning than attentional or memory deficits, or deficits in executive functioning. A protocol was designed which included techniques such as setting very short term goals, engaging in regular "therapy walks," and incremental success experiences.  Dr. Beck supervised over 1500 therapy sessions for the study.  Indeed, outcomes demonstrated significant improvements in activity level and functioning, as well as surprising postivie findings related to hallucinations, delusions, attention, memory and exective functioning.  To attend a workshop on CBT for Schizophrenia, go to www.beckinstitute.org

Dr. Aaron Beck- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy For Schizophrenia

Dr. Aaron Beck discusses how automatic thoughts play a part in the therapy room, but they may not match the traditional psychoanalytic theory of the unconscious.

The Role Of The Unconscious

Dr. Aaron Beck discusses the use of a pie chart to help a client assess how important various aspects of his life were to him. He describes how the chart helped his client gain a different perspective on a loss he had experienced.

Pie Chart Of Value

Dr. Aaron Beck gives advice to mental health professionals who are just starting out in the field. He discusses the importance of using a cognitive conceptualization to guide treatment and he emphasizes learning techniques from a range of psychotherapeutic modalities to use in the context of the conceptualization.

Advice For New Therapists

In this audio clip from a recent Beck Institute Workshop, Dr. Aaron Beck discusses the importance of the therapeutic alliance in CBT. Today, such skills as empathy, warmth, and understanding are emphasized in all of the psychotherapies and associated with successful outcomes. Dr. Beck explains that "knowing the patient's story" is key to establishing a "human element." CBT therapists are trained to utilize CBT techniques, not robotically, but within the context of the client's individual conceptualization and personal "story." 

Beck Institute hosts a number of workshops on a wide variety of topics throughout the year. For more information visit www.beckinstitute.org/cbt-training.

The Human Element in CBT

In this audio clip from a recent CBT workshop at the Beck Institute, Dr. Aaron Beck discusses  the process by which therapists develop confidence and achieve mastery in CBT. Dr. Beck explains that with training and experience, therapists begin to approach sessions confidently, with the skills they require to adapt CBT methods according to the client's individual case conceptualization.  Dr. Beck also discusses the Cognitive Therapy Rating Scale (CTRS), which is designed to measure competency in CBT.

For more information on CBT workshops and training, visit www.beckinstitute.org/cbt-training. 

For CBT resources including the CTRS and CTRS Manual, visit: www.beckinstitute.org/cognitive-behavioural-therapy-courses.

How to Achieve Mastery in CBT

In this audio clip from a recent CBT workshop at the Beck Institute, Dr. Aaron Beck describes ways to identify a person at risk for suicide. He discusses immediate risk factors (such as those shown through the use of predictive scales), peripheral risk factors, and demographic risk factors. Dr. Beck also discusses his previous research involving the post-attempt suicide ideation scale and important findings from that research.

For more information on Beck Institute's CBT for Depression and Suicidality Workshop, visit: www.beckinstitute.org/cbt-for-depression-and-suicidality.

Identifying Suicide Risk

In this audio clip from a recent CBT workshop at the Beck Institute, Dr. Aaron Beck discusses the importance of diagnosis in effective cognitive behavior therapy. Dr. Beck explains that the patient's diagnosis can be used, in part, as a guide for sessions, even when the focus of sessions shifts across treatment. 

To attend a workshop at the Beck Institute, visit: http://www.beckinstitute.org/cbt-workshops.

For CBT resources, visit Beck Institute's CBT Store: http://www.beckinstitute.org/cbtstore.

The Importance of Diagnosis in CBT

Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy is a non-profit organization founded in 1994 as an outgrowth of Dr. Aaron T. Beck’s original Center for Cognitive Therapy at the University of Pennsylvania. Today Beck Institute is an international training and resource center for health and mental health professionals, educators, and students worldwide. In addition to offering training programs at our Philadelphia location, we help create or improve cognitive behavior therapy programs at universities, hospitals, community mental health centers, health systems, and other institutions.

Beck Institute also provides clinical mental health services and consultations and promotes research in the field.
Beck Institute serves:

    Healthcare professionals and students
    Patients/consumers
    Active-duty and veteran military members
    Other organizations
     

History of Beck Institute

Dr. Beck developed Cognitive Therapy (CT), also known as Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) in the 1960s. The original Center for Cognitive Therapy at Penn served as an important training ground for cognitive behavior therapists. Still, Dr. Beck and his daughter, Dr. Judith Beck, had long wished to establish a new clinical setting that would provide state-of-the-art psychotherapy and training opportunities for professionals worldwide and at all levels.  In 1994, they established the Beck Institute at its present site in Bala Cynwyd, in suburban Philadelphia.
Beck Institute’s Influence

In recognition of Dr. Beck’s scholarship and therapeutic model, the international psychotherapeutic community has acknowledged his expertise in the field of mental health. In fact, Centers for Cognitive Therapy have been established all over the world by clinicians, researchers, and academics who trained at the original center in Philadelphia or at Beck Institute.

For more information, please visit www.beckinstitute.org

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