Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Foundations: A Skills-Based Approach
A prerequisite to our other CBT courses, CBT Foundations begins by teaching the therapeutic model that CBT is based on, then dives right into simple and effective strategies you can use to bolster your practice. Using a selection of learning tools, this course provides transferable skills that may improve the wellbeing of your client, including cognitive restructuring tools, behavioral action planning, emotional coping techniques, and ways to implement measurement-based care. With the support of subject matter experts, practical activities and resources, CBT Foundations will set you up for success as you seek to provide your best level of care.
Course Overview
ESTIMATED COURSE LENGTH: 3 hrs. 15 min.
CE CREDITS: 3.25 continuing education/contact hours for social workers and psychologists / 3.00 continuing education hours for counselors and marriage and family therapists
TARGET AUDIENCE:* Mental Health Practitioners
LEVEL OF INSTRUCTION: Intermediate
PREREQUISITE(S): None
INSTRUCTIONAL METHOD: Self-paced; interactive; hybrid of audio, text, video, and learning checks
ACCESSIBILITY ACCOMMODATIONS: Color contrast; transcripts of video components; closed captioning of audio
and video components. In order to request further accessibility accommodations, please email support@psychhub.com.
Learning Objectives
After completing this course, you will be able to describe and employ the following:
1. Describe the relation between cognition, emotion and behavior. The description must include: a clinical
understanding of how each element interacts to form a synopsis of how an individual perceives and reacts.
2. Relate cognitions to core beliefs and automatic thoughts, describing their modification through these five
techniques: thought change records, Socratic questioning, decatastrophizing, examining the evidence,
generating alternatives, and coping cards.
3. Assess behavior in the context of the CBT model and advise behavioral activation techniques for the following
three techniques: activity scheduling, problem solving, and graded task assignments.
4. Summarize the following seven CBT strategies: reciprocal inhibition, exposure, relaxation, thought stopping,
distraction, and breathing training in relation to coping with emotions.
5. Critically appraise CBT session structures that include addressing behavioral and coping modification, defining
healthy coping mechanisms and techniques for clients, and interpreting client homework assignments.
6. Evaluate client progress using measurement based care and assess client’s readiness for termination of therapy,
and/or potential for relapse using the techniques of maintenance, anticipating setbacks, and booster sessions.
Course Outline
Module 1: Introducing the Cognitive Behavioral Model
● The cognitive behavioral model and the process of cognitive appraisal
● Planning an agenda for the evaluation session with the client and outlining the goals of therapy, session
structure, assessment and expectations
● Utilizing assessment tools and gathering client data in preparation for conducting a case conceptualization
● Describing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as an evidence-based practice
● Differentiating between the concepts cognitive and behavioral and their respective definitions
● Identifying the relationships between the elements of the cognitive behavioral model
Module 2: What Happens in the First Phase of Treatment?
● Educating clients on the cognitive behavioral model and its application to their individual condition
● Structuring the first phase of therapy sessions with an agenda that focuses on CBT as time-based, goal focused,
and involves a collaborative relationship between clinician and client
● Employing techniques that emphasize skill building and provide the rationale for homework and possible
obstacles
● Assessing the client’s mood, symptoms, and condition for the creation of a case conceptualization
● Discussing the traditional CBT session structure and the importance of a session-based and goal-focused
therapeutic plan
● Emphasizing the collaborative relationship and its importance to CBT and the goals of treatment
Module 3: Restructuring the Cognitive
● Collaborating with the client to set session agenda and establish goals for the future
● Educating the client on techniques for identifying and modifying automatic thoughts
● Discussing with the client on the role of homework in CBT and how practicing skills outside of therapy sessions
contributes to better outcomes
● Explaining the importance of setting structure and planning each therapy session
● Defining automatic thoughts and identifying the appropriate techniques to modify them
● Assessing techniques for identifying and modifying automatic thoughts that can be effectively used as
homework assignments
Module 4: Identifying Emotions and Altering Core Beliefs
● Reviewing homework and discussing session agenda involving techniques for identifying and modifying core
beliefs
● Teaching the client how to identify their emotions and core beliefs, showing how they relate to the cognitive
behavioral model
● Utilizing the appropriate techniques for identifying and modifying core beliefs, as well as developing
corresponding homework for the client
● Identifying agenda items that correlate with emotions and modifying core beliefs
● Defining the principles of core beliefs, distinguishing between those that are healthy and those that are
maladaptive
● Determining the appropriate techniques for modifying core beliefs to recommend to the client in their homework
assignment
Module 5: Applying Behavioral Intervention
● Reviewing homework and discussing session agenda involving techniques for behavioral intervention
● Applying the behavioral intervention techniques appropriate for each situation
● Assigning homework that will help the client review and apply learned techniques
● Defining behavior, events, and behavioral activation as they fit within the framework of the cognitive behavioral
model
● Listing various behavioral techniques, as well as their processes and requirements
● Determining effective tools and resources to be used by the client as homework assignments
Module 6: Coping Techniques and Behavioral Intervention
● Planning sessions employing healthy coping mechanisms and behavioral intervention techniques
● Demonstrating proven coping techniques to modify harmful behaviors
● Assigning appropriate behavioral intervention and coping homework to clients
● Describing typical session structures for addressing behavioral and coping modification
● Defining healthy coping mechanisms and techniques for clients
● Interpreting client homework assignments and making necessary adjustments
Module 7: Maintaining the Alliance with Your Client
● Planning sessions using measurement-based care techniques
● Utilizing assessments to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of care
● Providing clients with self-assessment tools and resources to use in and out of sessions
● Explaining the process and benefits of measurement-based care
● Discussing the criteria clinicians can use to evaluate care quality and effectiveness
● Listing common self-assessment scales available for clinicians and clients
Module 8: Ending Treatment and Preventing Relapse
● Summarizing the key principles, skills, plans, and techniques that have been discussed in this course
● Implementing a strategy for terminating treatment while considering the client’s achieved goals and
commitment
● Assessing the client’s overall therapy progress, quality of treatment, and ability to retain the skills learned in
therapy
● Identifying the client’s progress and determine if they are ready to terminate therapy
● Explaining the importance of retaining learned skills to help in preventing relapse
● Discussing possible obstacles and concerns the client might face when it is time to terminate treatment
CE Information
American Psychological Association (APA)
Psych Hub is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Psych Hub maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Psychologists completing this course receive 3.25 continuing education credits.Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
Psych Hub, #1750, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/20/2024 – 08/20/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 3.25 clinical continuing education credits.California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
Psych Hub is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Psych Hub maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. CAMFT Approval #1000074. Course meets the qualifications for 3.00 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
Psych Hub has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7051. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Psych Hub is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. Counselors completing this course receive 3.00 continuing education hours.New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work (NYSED-SW)
Psych Hub, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0699. New York State social workers completing this course receive 3.25 contact hours.National Association of Social Workers - New Jersey (NASW-NJ)
This course is approved by the New Jersey Social Work Continuing Education Approval Collaborative, which is administered by NASW-NJ. CE Approval Collaborative Approval period through August 31, 2026. New Jersey social workers will receive 3.25 CE credits for participating in this course.Approval #: 9262024-232 CE Credits Approved: Clinical
New York State Education Department - Licensed Mental Health Counselors (NYSED-LMHC)
Psych Hub, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0257. New York State licensed mental health counselors completing this course receive 3.25 contact hours.New York State Education Department - Marriage & Family Therapists (NYSED-MFT)
Psych Hub, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0109. New York State marriage and family therapists completing this course receive 3.25 contact hours.New York State Education Department - Psychology (NYSED-PSY)
Psych Hub, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0208. New York State licensed psychologists completing this course receive 3.25 contact hours.Experts
Barbara H. Stanley, Ph.D.
Dr. Stanley is a clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of individuals with borderline personality disorder, depression, and self-harm. With her colleague, Dr. Gregory Brown, she developed the Safety Planning Intervention that is used in Emergency Departments, inpatient and outpatient facilities, throughout the VA and on crisis hotlines. She currently holds numerous leadership positions as Professor of Medical Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons, the Director of the Suicide Prevention Training, Implementation and Evaluation for the Center for Practice Innovation and Research Scientist in Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology at the New York State Psychiatric Institute and the Leader of the Conte Center for Suicide Prevention Project 5, “Stress, Inflammation, Aggression and Emotion Regulation in Suicidal Behavior”.
Gregory K. Brown, Ph.D.
Dr. Brown is an internationally renowned expert in suicide prevention whose work has led to transformational advances in the treatment of suicidal individuals. His research aims to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of innovative, targeted interventions designed to reduce vulnerability factors associated with suicidal behavior in high-risk populations and to examine and improve the implementation of evidence-based treatments into “real world” settings to prevent suicide. With colleagues, Dr. Brown developed two clinical interventions for individuals at risk for suicide: the Safety Planning Intervention and Cognitive Therapy for Suicide Prevention. The Safety Planning Intervention is an evidence-based, brief suicide prevention strategy that has been used in research and widely disseminated in health care settings, including the VA. Cognitive Therapy for Suicide Prevention, one of the few existing evidence-based psychotherapy interventions, has been shown to prevent suicide attempts among individuals at high risk for suicide. He also provides clinical training for clinicians in suicide assessment and risk management, cognitive behavior therapy for depression, and suicide prevention.