module specification

The module focuses on fostering core therapeutic and reflective skills that will support students’ clinical work in work-based learning and provide a firm foundation for subsequent personal and professional development. It complements the theoretical and intellectual competences of the CBT Theory and practice module through its focus on developing the practical skills and capacities needed to work effectively with individual clients from a cognitive behavioural psychology perspective. As part of the module students will develop expertise and experiential learning over a range of core CBT skills.

Module aims:
To provide students with a good understanding of research relevant to Cognitive behavioural therapy techniques.
To provide an introduction to the core skills on assessment, formulation and treating planning used in cognitive behavioural therapy.
To provide students with knowledge around common psychological problems requiring cognitive behavioural therapy in practice. 
To provide students with the skills to conceptualise their practice within cognitive behavioural therapy theory and present this to an audience

• Core values in cognitive behavioural therapy practice
• Interpersonal/micro skills
• Engagement and rapport building
• Assessment and formulation skills
• Intervention phase skills
• Addressing difficulties and roadblocks
• Progress monitoring, review and client feedback
• Ending phase and evaluation skills
• Therapist personal development and self-reflective skills

Learning Outcomes LO 1 - 5

The module’s learning and teaching strategy focuses on providing students with practical opportunities to develop the skills and capacities outlined in the learning outcomes. Lecture input (22%), supplementary reading (20%) and Weblearn resources develop understanding of key concepts and techniques, while facilitated skills and role play exercises enable students to discuss and develop clinical technique, and learn to reflect on the therapeutic process. Experiential work helps students deepen their self-awareness and understanding of the use of self in professional practice and development. Reflection on individual and further learning needs is a component of the module’s assessment.

On successful completion of this module students will be able:

1. Demonstrate an ability to engage, develop a collaborative alliance and communicate effectively with clients

2. Have a critical understanding of a range of skills and techniques relevant to the practice of cognitive behavioural therapy, and an ability to employ these in a purposeful way in their clinical work.

3. Demonstrate an ability to formulate, and practice safely and effectively, within a CBT model of therapy at a level appropriate to their stage of training.

4. Be able to describe, explain, reflect on and evaluate their practice at a detailed level, and the factors influencing it, with reference to CBT theory, evidence, interpersonal processes and use of self

5. Show a critical awareness of the limitations of their competence and an ability to use supervision to support reflective practice and learning.

Process report incl case study 3000 words with audio-recording
The assessment strategy focuses on students’ ability to demonstrate the module’s learning outcomes through presentation and discussion of their own clinical work. Students are asked to submit an audio recording of a session from their own practice and an accompanying report examining the processes taking place in a transcribed section of the session. This audio will be assessed by the course team using the CTS-R measure to assess CBT skills in practice. Students are expected to score a minimum of 36/72 overall to demonstrate skills. Note appropriate consent must be sought in advance from clients and audio-recording anonymised.  Students will be assessed on the level of competence demonstrated in their practice and their ability to reflect on, explain and evaluate their practice and learning, with reference to theory and evidence. (Learning outcomes 1 – 5)

The teaching and learning strategy of the module incorporates continual formative feedback from both staff and peers to promote students’ learning and confidence in an experiential and workshop format. Monitoring of the relevant competencies is also provided via regular case discussion, practice evaluation and review processes. Summative feedback is provided via the marking of students’ performance in the module’s written assignment, which also includes the provision of formative comments that are intended to inform subsequent practice and development.

The process report requires trainees to provide a detailed description and analysis of their therapeutic work within the context of an audio-recorded excerpt from their clinical work focusing on one case study. It is designed to enable trainees to demonstrate their ability to apply theory within a specified CBT framework to practice by providing a thorough rationale underlying the clinical decisions demonstrated within an audio recorded excerpt from a clinical session. Within the Process Report, trainees are required to focus on the process of therapy and analyse the interactions between themselves and their client within both the process and content interventions.

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