Masterclass Series - On-demand

Although the four-stage model of MiCBT is backed by a strong rationale and neuroscientific research tends to support its structure, some situations require a degree of adaptation to either engage clients in the treatment or improve its outcome. However, one of the traps of over-adapting the model is the loss of efficacy and long-term ...

One of the core skills of CBT is the ability to use what is known as the Socratic dialogue, which is a way of communicating that increases the probability of cognitive reappraisal in the client. Although Aaron T. Beck used the term “Socratic questioning” in his Cognitive Therapy approach, this communication style is also known to have been used by the Buddha 25 centuries ago ...

Providing a sound rationale to clients is an essential feature of all CBT-related programmes because of the need to engage clients in active participation. However, discomfort, reactivity, drowsiness, doubts, misunderstandings, and practice avoidance are all typical and expected challenges new clients encounter in the early ...

Although MiCBT provides the strong advantage of being a transdiagnostic intervention, age-related adaptations are important to consider, given the significant differences in brain volume and functionality across the lifespan. These differences result in dissimilarities in the capacity for attention, memory, self-awareness and self-regulation, ...

Grief is a legitimate, non-pathological, emotional expression of loss in humans, but many clients come to therapy for bereavement issues. Others are referred for Adjustment Disorder, where various forms of bereavement are often part of the presentation. Besides the wide variety of grief presentations, causes and comorbidity issues, therapists can find ...

Dissociative and avoidant states are integral human survival strategies. However, these states are also found to be maladaptive responses to a perception of threat in chronic pain conditions and emotional disorders. Dissociation can range from common daily experiences of being on ...

The MiCBT approach includes using unique tools that enable the measurement of active mechanisms and theoretical constructs specific to MiCBT. For example, interoceptive awareness and equanimity are two active mechanisms associated with behaviour change. Accordingly, therapists use the Interoceptive Awareness Indicator and ...

While unpleasant experiences are common and expected in accurate mindfulness meditation training, adverse effects are uncommon but harmful experiences that tend to persist outside the meditation practice and impair one’s behaviour to varying degrees. These effects are usually tied to past painful emotions ...

Psychological conditions can be understood from different theoretical perspectives, psychodynamic, behavioural, narrative, etc., each of which operates through their respective skill sets. Case conceptualisation helps us understand a pattern of behaviour within the theoretical framework that underpins our chosen intervention. Without it, ...

The origins and meaning of our sense of self have fascinated us throughout history. The perception of self has often been implicated in mental health conditions and interpersonal and societal conflicts, from the most minor issue to the most devastating wars. Issues of poor “self-esteem” / low sense of self-worth ...

Dreams are integral parts of daily life that have long fascinated humanity, but they can also be sources of great suffering when associated with emotional disorders. Despite existing theories of dreams, therapists who attempt to offer interpretations tend to over-rely on theoretical assumptions, which seldom translate into tangible ...

Recent research shows multidisciplinary evidence that chronic pain is learned through emotional processes in 80% of cases and is more likely to occur in people with a history of trauma and psychosocial distress. This workshop will describe the neuro-phenomenological mechanisms underlying the use and efficacy of MiCBT for persistent pain. ...

As a universal condition of human life, distressing thoughts have been the subject of philosophies and ancient teachings of wisdom across cultures for thousands of years, and later the target of most therapy approaches. This is because distressing thoughts are integral to emotional and personality disorders and intrude on our dreams. Based ...

Psychodynamic (or psychoanalytic) theory proposes that events in childhood have a great influence on adult lives. Events that occur in childhood experiences shape adult personality and can remain subconscious while causing distress and maladaptive behaviour in adulthood until they are resolved. Schema therapy is also based on the view that ...

Cognitive reappraisal in CBT involves a disputation of “distorted thinking” to help people rectify their views to align with “reality”. Similarly, the Right Effort is a central skill set in the “Eightfold Noble Path” in Buddhist psychology, which teaches people to notice the kind of thoughts that inhabit their mind, choose carefully to think helpful ...

MiCBT begins with an important contractual agreement between the therapist and client. Although the use of a therapy contract is common in standard CBT, it is constructed and presented differently in MiCBT in a way that motivates and prepares clients for an ongoing commitment to daily meditation practice. The MiCBT therapy contract ...

Therapists who work with adults and older teens do their best to address the client’s symptoms, yet these symptoms may be triggered, reinforced and maintained through relationships. Having skills to address relationship issues is, therefore, very helpful. There are several methods for doing therapy with couples. One of the difficulties frequently encountered with ...

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, up to 75% of adults experience at least one traumatic event at some point in their life, and about 20% of people who experience a traumatic event develop PTSD. International studies estimate that 62 to 68% of young people will have been exposed to at least one traumatic event by age 17. ...

A client’s destructive behaviour towards themself or others precipitates crisis or prevents recovery. Therefore, encouraging clients to prevent harmful actions and perform helpful ones is an important aspect of good therapy. During Stage 4 of MiCBT, the relapse-prevention stage, clients are taught to prevent harmful behaviour through the “5 ethical challenges” in the context ...

The theoretical basis for constructing and applying MiCBT has been expressed in various forms, including spiritual, cognitive/behavioural and neurobiological, depending on the audience to whom it is described. MiCBT was developed with the integration of these three dimensions in mind. Whereas the cognitive-behavioural and neurobiological bases of MiCBT have been ...

Much has been said about the potential “adverse effects” of mindfulness and the importance of using a trauma-informed mindfulness approach. However, the reasons for unpleasant experiences are often poorly understood and the bulk of the literature does not address the mechanisms underlying these effects. Similarly, there is virtually no explanation of the mechanisms underlying the ...