Developing Expertise, Better Outcomes and the Narrative Approach in Psychotherapy
“As I celebrate my 80's and after 55 years of clinical research, practice seeing patients, consultation and supervision, I have decided to put together a LEGACY COURSE of all the clinical wisdom and experiences that I have acquired. Please enjoy!”
55 Years of Psychotherapy wisdom from Dr Donald Meichenbaum
In his own words…
“I would like to share my knowledge and expertise with others to ensure that the level of therapists is high and that all who complete my course are able to really understand why some therapists are more effective than others, how to spot hype in the field of psychotherapy as well as really understand what the transtheoretical behaviour change principles are to all forms of therapy and be able to bolster resilience across the entire life span. This, in turn, will lead to better results and outcomes.”
Donald Meichenbaum PhD
Professor Emeritus, University of Waterloo Canada,
Research Director of the Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention, Miami
The diploma is made up of three courses, as outlined below:
This course brings together 55 years of Dr Donald Meichenbaum's expertise in clinical research, practice, consultation and supervision. This psychotherapy course focuses on how to develop expertise, treating specific disorders and developing resilience across the life span.
Getting Better Results: Core Tasks and
Skills of Expert Psychotherapists
Course 1
In Essence of Psychotherapy
Treating Specific Disorders and the Secret of Strengths- Based Narrative Approaches
Course 2
In Essence of Psychotherapy
Ordinary Magic: Building Resilience and
Strengths Across the Life Span
Course 3
In Essence of Psychotherapy
You do not need to do every unit and you also do not need to do units in a consecutive order.
Getting Better Results: Core Tasks and Skills of Expert Psychotherapists
Course 1 In Essence of Psychotherapy
Dr Donald Meichenbaum PhD In his own words… 'Therapists get paid to listen to their patient’s stories in a compassionate and trust-engendering manner.The first thing every therapist should do is establish a warm and non-judgmental Therapeutic Alliance and use empathy to help a client to tell their story. Establishing, maintaining, and monitoring the quality of the Therapeutic Alliance is the single greatest predictor of treatment outcomes, and from which therapists enable the client to tell the ‘rest of their story’.”
About Dr Donald Meichenbaum PhD
Don Meichenbaum, Ph.D., is Distinguished Professor Emeritus from the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada from which he took early retirement 20 years ago. He is presently Research Director of the Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention in Miami. He is one of the founders of Cognitive Behavior Therapy. In a survey of clinicians reported in the American Psychologist he was voted “one of the ten most influential psychotherapists of the 20th century.” He has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Clinical Division of the American Psychological Association and was Honorary President of the Canadian Psychological Association.
-
- It begins this Diploma by discussing the nature of expertise and Core Tasks of psychotherapy.
-
- It is designed to help psychotherapists to understand the nature of expertise in psychotherapy and the Core Tasks of expert psychotherapists. This will enable them to implement these principles and to apply professional self-doubt and deliberate practice whilst eliciting feedback, to become part of the 25% of psychotherapists who get 50% of the positive outcomes with their patients and clients.
- The complete list of topics and Modules covered includes:
- The purpose is to increase the likelihood you will fall into the “expert" group of psychotherapists. This Module will begin to examine what it is that experts do and demonstrate, when compared to experienced and novice psychotherapists.
-
By the end you will be able to:
Module 1:
Tuesday 5th March 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 8th March 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 2:
Tuesday 12th March 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 15th March 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 3:
Tuesday 19th March 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 22nd March 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 4:
Tuesday 26th March 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 5th April 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 5:
Tuesday 9th April 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 12th April 2024 4.30-6pm: Review
Module 6:
Tuesday 16th April 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 19th April 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 7:
Tuesday 23th April 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 26th April 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 8:
Tuesday 30th April 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 3rd May 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 9:
Tuesday 7th May 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 10th May 2024 4.30 pm-6pm: Review
Module 10:
Tuesday 14th May 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 17th May 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
- Live Webcast Course Includes:
- Pre-recording videos and lectures
- Extensive Course Handbook
- 10 Modules and 10 Handouts
- Group attended lectures and discussion
- Self Led Diploma Includes:
- Pre-recording videos and lectures
- 10 Modules and 10 Handouts
- Extensive Course Handbook
Treating Specific Disorders and the Secret of Strengths-Based Narrative Approaches
Course 2 In Essence of Psychotherapy
Dr Donald Meichenbaum PhD In his own words… “As psychotherapists we are privileged to listen to other people’s stories. We are all Homo Narrans or storytellers. In order to be an expert psychotherapist, you need to be an exquisite listener, compassionate and empathic. But listening alone is insufficient; Language structures reality and the questions we ask and the feedback we provide to clients and patients alters the stories they tell themselves and others as well as the beliefs that they hold. It is our job to bring out the good, not just the bad.”
About Dr Donald Meichenbaum PhD
He has presented in all 50 U.S. states and internationally. He has published extensively and most recently published Roadmap to Resilience: A Guide for Military Trauma Victims and Their Families (visit www.roadmaptoresilience.com). His other books include Treatment of Individuals with Anger Control Problems and Aggressive Behavior; Stress Inoculation Training; Facilitating Treatment Adherence; and The Unconscious Reconsidered.Learning Overview:
It is designed to help psychotherapists to understand the nature of specific disorders, and to apply evidence-based interventions for those disorders using a person-centered and strengths-based, Constructive Narrative approach. It draws on, and continues to emphasize, the principles, skills and Core Tasks of psychotherapy that were introduced in Course 1 (although these courses do not need to be taken in that order). It will therefore focus on engendering strengths and signs of resilience, collaboration, and establishing, monitoring and maintaining the Therapeutic Alliance as key factors in successful treatment outcomes throughout this course.
- The complete list of topics and Modules covered includes:
- Module 11: How to develop chronic PTSD and co-occuring disorders; Treatment implications
- Module 12: Treatment of individuals with anxiety and depression
- Module 13: Treatment of individuals with PTSD
- Module 14: Treatment of individuals with prolonged and complicated grief and traumatic bereavement
- Module 15: Treatment of individuals with substance abuse disorders
- Module 16: Treatment of suicidal patients
- Module 17: Treating patients with co-occuring disorders
- Module 18: Treating patients with anger-control problems and aggressive behaviours
- Module 19: Integration of spirituality and psychotherapy in clinical practice
- Module 20: Putting it all together: Assessing your level of "expertise"
Module 1:
Tuesday 11th June 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Tuesday 18th June 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 2:
Tuesday 25th June 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Tuesday 2nd July 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 3:
Tuesday 9th July 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Tuesday 16th July 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 4:
Tuesday 23th July 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Tuesday 23th July 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 5:
Tuesday 30th July 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Tuesday 6th August 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 6:
Tuesday 13th August 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Tuesday 20th August 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 7:
Tuesday 27th August 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Tuesday 3rd September 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 8:
Tuesday 10th September 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Tuesday 17th September 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 9:
Tuesday 24th September 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Tuesday 1st October 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 10:
Tuesday 8th October 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Tuesday 15th October 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
- Live Webcast Course includes:
- Pre-Recording Videos and Lectures
- Extensive Course Handbook
- 10 Modules and 10 Handouts
- Group attended lectures and discussion
- Self-Led Diploma Includes:
- Pre-Recording Videos and Lectures
- 10 Modules and 10 Handouts
- Extensive Course Handbook
Ordinary Magic: Building Resilience and Strengths Across the Life Span
Course 3 In Essence of Psychotherapy
Dr Donald Meichenbaum PhD In his own words… As we start the journey into Course 3 of this series, we are going to look at resilience across the entire lifespan. We'll start off with the nature of resilience itself, and my observation that while trauma is everywhere, so is resilience. And in fact, as you'll come to see, the good stuff is more critical than the bad stuff, in predicting how people will respond to difficult and challenging events. It's our task in these Modules to see how these kinds of foundational building blocks and resilience engendering behaviours that we will explore, can be applied across the entire lifespan, and across different populations and groups, including, importantly, for yourselves as psychotherapists.
About Dr Donald Meichenbaum PhD
He has consulted for various populations including veterans’ hospitals, the National Guard, psychiatric treatment centers for children, adolescents and adults, treatment center for individuals with traumatic brain injuries, torture victims, Native populations, deaf populations and school boards. See papers by Dr. Meichenbaum on www.melissainstitute.org (go to home page and click on Author’s Index and scroll to Meichenbaum).
Learning Overview
- It is designed to help you continue on your journey towards expertise by focussing ways in which to bolster resilience across different groups and populations, or to put this another way, to assist others (and ourselves) in the ability to bounce back from adversities.
As we have discussed in the other courses, whilst trauma is everywhere, so is resilience, and the good news is that the ‘good stuff’ is more important than the ‘bad’ in predicting how our patients will respond.
-
The evidence suggests that most of us will be impacted by challenges, stress, anxiety, trauma and other difficulties over the course of our lifetimes, although ~25% of us will get stuck there. Our mission then is to help our patients become part of that 75% group who are able to go on and lead a full life despite those difficulties.
The complete list of topics and Modules covered includes:
Module 1:
Watch & Discuss Session: Tuesday 31st October 10am – 12pm
Review Session: Friday 3rd November 4:30pm – 6pm
Module 2:
Watch & Discuss Session: Tuesday 7th November 10am – 12pm
Review Session: Friday 10th November 4:30pm – 6pm
Module 3:
Watch & Discuss Session: Tuesday 14th November 10am – 12pm
Review Session: Friday 17th November 4:30pm – 6pm
Module 4:
Watch & Discuss Session: Tuesday 21st November 10am – 12pm
Review Session: Friday 24th November 4:30pm – 6pm
Module 5:
Watch & Discuss Session: Tuesday 28th November 10am – 12pm
Review Session: Friday 1st December 4:30pm – 6pm
Module 6:
Watch & Discuss Session: Tuesday 5th December 10am – 12pm
Review Session: Friday 8th December 4:30pm – 6pm
Module 7:
Watch & Discuss Session: Tuesday 12th December 10am – 12pm
Review Session: Friday 15th December 4:30pm – 6pm
Module 8:
Watch & Discuss Session: Tuesday 16th January 2024 10am – 12pm
Review Session: Friday 19th January 2024 4:30pm – 6pm
Module 9:
Watch & Discuss Session: Tuesday 23rd January 2024 10am – 12pm
Review Session: Friday 26th January 2024 4:30pm – 6pm
Module 10:
Watch & Discuss Session: Tuesday 30th January 2024 10am – 12pm
Review Session: Friday 2nd February 2024 4:30pm – 6pm
Module 1
Tuesday 12th November 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 15th November 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 2
Tuesday 19th November 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 22nd November 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 3
Tuesday 26th November 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 29th November 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 4
Tuesday 3rd December 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 6th December 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 5
Tuesday 10th December 2024 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 13th December 2024 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 6
Tuesday 7th January 2025 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 10th January 2025 4.30pm-6p: Review
Module 7
Tuesday 14th January 2025 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 17th January 2025 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 8
Tuesday 21st January 2025 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 24th January 2025 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 9
Tuesday 28th January 2025 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 31st January 2025 4.30pm-6pm: Review
Module 10
Tuesday 5th February 2025 10am-12pm: Watch and Discuss
Friday 7th February 2025 4.30pm-6pm: Review
-
Live Webcast Course Includes:
FREE Sample of Course Materials
Dr Meichenbaum's handouts for his lectures and seminars are legendary. Each is a condensed handbook, typically between 30 to 60 pages long, filled with tips, guidance, key points extensively and fully referenced. Download a free sample handout from the course here!
What people have to say about Donald's courses
COURSE FACILITATORS
Theresa Brockway
Theresa is HCPC accredited Drama Psychotherapist and Cognitive Behavioural Hypnotherapist. Theresa offers Hypnotherapy, Creative Psychotherapy and Public Speaking Coaching to her clients and has a background in performance, touring theatre, Shakespeare and G&C.
Alongside her private practice, Theresa works as a Mental Health Specialist for the NHS and has facilitated group sessions, training and workshops for over 20 years in diverse settings.
Slee Parish
Slee is a CBH therapist and a consultant nurse within the NHS. With the onset on Covid-19 her practice has changed to concentrate on frontline staff and the very particular anxieties, fear, and stressors they face during the pandemic. She is one half of the partnership that created www.nhsinmind.co.uk – a collection of free resources put together for frontline workers during Covid-19.
Chris People
Chris launched his practice in 2017 alongside a sister initiative, The Resilience Project Brighton, with the intention of improving access to evidence-based therapy and resilience coaching in Sussex and beyond. His main therapeutic interests are in addressing those mood and motivation sticking points that can sometimes prevent us from our most valued living.
Chris has a background in environmental science and martial arts.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an assessment for this course?
Yes – this will be a mix of practical to-do tasks and a written assignment (tbc).
What happens if I miss a day of the training?
In order to receive the certificate, you will need to show you have made up the face-to-face learning hours.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes – you will receive a certificate of completion and the overall certificate is to be confirmed.
Do I need to be a practicing therapist to attend?
No – we welcome all attendees however an understanding and interest in therapy will stand you in good stead for taking the course.