Culturally Adapted CBT​

Culturally Adapted Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for English-speaking Caribbean and African populations in Canada

This course is held under the auspices of the Office of Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH).

Course description

Cognitive‐behavioural therapy (CBT) is a highly effective therapy for the treatment of common mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. While CBT works for clients from most cultural backgrounds, research has shown that adapting CBT to meet the needs of specific groups increases its effectiveness.

This two-day course discusses practical cultural adaptations to traditional CBT for depression and anxiety for improved treatment experiences and outcomes with English-speaking Caribbean and African populations in Canada. It is intended for clinicians with a range of CBT experiences. During day one, participants will be introduced to fundamental CBT theory and interventions for treating depressive symptoms. Day two's session will highlight practical cultural adaptations to traditional CBT for treating depression and anxiety in Caribbean and African populations in Canada.

Learning objectives

After successfully completing the course, participants will be able to:

• Identify the cognitive model of depression and anxiety disorders
• Explain the use of CBT in the treatment of depression and anxiety
• Describe community-based concerns with respect to mental health needs and access to mental health services
• Discuss considerations for adapting empirically-supported therapies to become more culturally aligned with Caribbean populations in Canada
• Apply practical cultural adaptations to traditional CBT specifically focused on working with ethno-racially diverse populations and individuals.

Audience

This course is appropriate for health care professionals including social workers, counsellors, physicians, psychologists, psychotherapists, nurses and occupational therapists.

Accreditation

This course has been approved for:

• The College of Family Physicians of Canada-11.5 Mainpro-M1 credits
• Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada-11.5 Section 1 hours.