Finding a Therapist

Cognitive and/or Behavioural Psychotherapists are usually health professionals such as psychologists, psychiatrists, general practitioners, specialists mental health nurses, social workers, counsellors or occupational therapists who have received additional cognitive and/or behavioural therapy training and supervision (see ADDENDUM below for an outline of the skills required by a CBT therapist).

Practitioners vary in skill, training and experience.  The British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies (BABCP) and the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) hold registers of 'accredited' practitioners.  You can contact the BABCP by telephone or search their website for a list of therapists in your area (www.babcp.com).

All the quailified CBT therapists at the Midlands CBT Centre are 'accredited' by the BABCP. We also have CBT therapists 'in training' at the Midlands CBT Centre who are supervised in their assessment and interventions with clients.  

In the event you are considering accessing treatment at the Midlands CBT Centre and want to make some preliminary enquiries as to suitability/costs for example then either ring direct or email us.  In the event you decide you do want therapy then either make a self referral by telephone/email or otherwise ask the health professional responsible for your care (eg: GP, Consultant, Occupational Health) to correspond with the Midlands CBT Centre direct. 

The Midlands CBT Centre, 258 Old Birmingham Rd, Lickey, Nr Bromsgrove B60 1NU

Tel: 0121 445 4064       Fax 0121 445 4384

E-mail    info@midlandscbt.co.uk

Referrals to the Midlands CBT Centre are dealt with promptlyto keep waiting time for the first assessment appointment to a minimum; usually within 2 weeks from accepting the referral.  The CBT Centre is open during the day and through the early evening until 8.00pm Monday-Friday and on alternate Saturday mornings 9.00am-1.00pm.  However the availability of consultants varies.

 

( ADDENDUM):

The process of therapy and the skills required by CBT psychotherapists:

Assessment - knowledge and understanding of a range of CBT assessments.

Formulation - to derive formulations of presenting problems or situations which integrate information from assessments within a coherent CBT framework drawing upon theory and evidence based practice.

Intervention - On the basis of the formulation the therapist will be able to implement therapy or intervention techniques appropriate to the presenting problem and to the psychological and social circumstances of the client.

Evaluation - to select and implement appropriate methods to evaluate the effectiveness, acceptability and broader impact of the interventions (both individual and organisational), and use this information to inform and shape practice.

Key skills of CBT Psychotherapists:

CBT is a research based approach to therapy:

  • CBT psychotherapists must have an effective understanding of the range of cognitive, cognitive-behavioural and/or behavioural models of Human Behaviour and/or the Person.
  • CBT psychotherapists must have an effective understanding of the theoretical and research-based models of individual development across the lifespan, and within the cultural and social contexts prevailing.
  • CBT psychotherapists must have a g ood knowledge of the philosophical and theoretical bases of CBT, their practical application to various client groups and their current empirical status.
  • CBT psychotherapist are able to identify and critically evaluate relevant research.
  • The CBT psychotherapist should be able to justify the interventions being used with clients on the basis of research evidence.
  • The process of therapy itself is based on a scientist-practitioner model. A hypothesis (formulation) is formed which leads to an intervention the results of which are then evaluated for their effectiveness. Conclusions are drawn and the hypothesis may change due to the outcome of the intervention and evaluation process. This in turn may lead to the intervention being changed.
Therapeutic skills:
  • An ability to engage clients and form a collaborative working relationship with them.

  • Ability to conduct a comprehensive assessment involving interview, observation, data collection and the use of relevant clinical measures.
  • An ability to formulate a model of therapeutic change using theory, principles and research derived from the cognitive, cognitive-behavioural and/or behavioural approaches to therapeutic change.
  • Use educational strategies and relationship skills to inform the client/patient and encourage their active participation in clinical decision-making and the development of a personalised therapeutic programme based on cognitive and/or behavioural theoretical principles and research.
  • Implement a therapeutic programme with the active participation of the client/patient, skilfully using a range of cognitive and/or behavioural methods to teach /coach them in the acquisition of improved skills in their use of more adaptive cognitive, behavioural and physiologically responsive strategies for the alleviation of distress and development of personal effectiveness.
  • Monitor the effects of treatment, reinforcing and shaping the client/patients participation; modifying the treatment procedures as dictated by progress, data feedback and collaborative problem-solving.
  • Skilfully utilise the clinical environment, community resources and the clients own home setting (as relevant), with the involvement of client/patient partner, family and significant others (where relevant and with the client/patients informed consent) to facilitate and generalize effective change and feedback.
  • Evaluate client/patient progress through the collaborative clinical relationship, preparing them for increased independence from therapeutic help and discharging them from active treatment into a planned follow-up process that audits clinical effectiveness through client/patient outcome measures.

Professional skills:

  • Skills, knowledge and ethical values to work effectively with clients from a diverse range backgrounds, understanding and respecting the impact of difference and diversity upon their lives including service and user-led systems and other elements of the wider community.
  • High level skills in managing a personal learning agenda and self-care, and in critical reflection and self-awareness that enable transfer of knowledge and skills to new settings and problems.
  • Ability to think critically, reflectively and evaluatively. To have an understanding of the supervision process and use supervision to reflect on practice.
  • Have an understanding of the applicability of CBT across a wide range of client groups.