Certificate in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for children level 1: Core concepts and techniques

Description: This certificate program is a comprehensive four-day training that is perfect for mental health professionals beginning their CBT journey and looking to enhance their CBT skills and expertise when working with children and adolescents. 

This program will equip you with the essential tools to apply CBT effectively in a child-focused therapeutic context. Over the course of four days, you will gain practical knowledge on building therapeutic alliance and rapport with children, understanding the role of emotions and physical sensations, mastering fundamental behavioural strategies, and addressing common cognitive distortions. Whether you are new to CBT or looking review the foundations of CBT, this program offers key takeaways that will empower you to make a meaningful impact on your young clients’ lives.

By the end of this training, participants will have a solid foundation in CBT principles and techniques and be prepared to implement them with children and adolescents in real-world settings. Expert instructors, Dr. Kathryn Walker and Dr. Daniel Chorney will guide you through a balanced approach combining theoretical insights with practical examples and applications.

“Master core behavioral strategies that work in real-world clinical settings with children and teens. This training gives you practical skills to address everyday challenges in a therapy setting and improve outcomes—tools you can use with confidence in any session.” - Dr. Daniel Chorney

"This training allows practice in key CBT strategies and skills, and highlights how to tailor these to the real clients and families you work with. You will help your clients early in their lives  to be self- empowered to manage their own symptoms and meet life’s unpredictabilities and stressors." - Dr. Kathryn Walker

Key topics covered: Please see the Agenda for the full daily learning objectives and session descriptions.

Day 1 - CBT introduction and fundamentals: Gain foundational knowledge of cognitive behavioural  therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents, including session components, goal setting, and case formulation. 

Day 2 - Therapeutic alliance and cognitions: Learn how to build a strong therapeutic alliance and master the cognitive aspects of CBT for children and adolescents, including the thoughts-feelings-behaviours (TFB) cycle and cognitive restructuring techniques for effective treatment outcomes.

Day 3 - Emotions and physical sensations: Develop emotional literacy and learn effective emotion regulation strategies for children and teens, including relaxation techniques and body cue recognition to support emotional well-being in therapy.

Day 4 - Behavioural  strategies: Explore key behavioural  strategies in CBT, including exposure techniques and behavioural  activation, to treat anxiety and depression in children. Learn practical methods to modify behaviors and enhance coping skills.

SickKids Centre for Community Mental Health Learning Institute offers training and education for professionals to advance mental health care – our goal is to improve client outcomes and building capacity, together. Find training to support your professional development at www.sickkidscmhlearning.ca and reserve your spot today! Don't forget to use code OPA20 to save 20% off your registration fees.