Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Depression (Accredited)

This video gives a very warm welcome to the course, which is suitable for both professionals working with clients who may experience depression.  It is primarily of use to people who have or who are experiencing depression and want to learn CBT related techniques to help alleviate the depression.

Here is a slideshow of the PowerPoint slides for the course.  I recommend that you read through the slides for the course.  Each slides only lasts for several seconds so you may want to pause on each slide so that you have time to read.  The lectures on the course do follow the slides but not necessarily always in the same order.

In this video we look at the signs and symptoms of depression, the various types of depression and how a professional will likely assess and diagnose depression.  The top tip from this video (and the entire course actually) is that is is really important to reach out and ask for help if you are experiencing depression.  There is lots of help out there, a starting point would perhaps be your General Practitioner or Primary Care Doctor.

Here we look at what is CBT and how was it developed.  We move on to look at a few examples of where our thoughts dictate the way that we feel.  The primary example is my own from my early days of becoming a trainee teacher in the UK and I worried about the very first class I was about to deliver.

Also included in this section are lots of resources, sheets and exercises to practice in your skills development.

Here we look at the central ideas in CBT, firstly that depression is caused by unhelpful, negative thoughts about the self, the world around us and the future.  Secondly, we look at the way that CBT argues for the inter-relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviours and how, ultimately, if we change the way that we think (gradual process) this will help us to feel better.  Also, a central idea in CBT is that we can change the way we behave, which will also have a positive impact on the way we feel.

One of the central ideas in CBT, especially where depression is concerned, is the idea that when we are depressed, we are often thinking about the self, the world or the future in negative unhelpful ways.  This brief video explains that central idea.

The starting point for all CBT sessions for depression (and other problems) is the ABC sheet, where we learn how to keep a record of what happens, how we think about what happens and crucially, how we feel as a result.  The idea being that the golden rule being:  Its not what happens, but rather its how we think about what happens that makes us depressed (or anxious etc).

Following on from the ABC sheet is the ABCD sheet where the fun begins and we seek to find more helpful, constructive, realistic and compassionate ways to think about the stuff that happens, thereby we help to alleviate the depression.  Its really important that you start practising with these 2 worksheets (see blank copies in resources) and work towards better feeling thoughts.

In this brief video, we look at the strategy of seeking alternative views.  often times (when we are depressed) we will think that there is only one way of viewing the situation, whereas, actually, we can (with practice) begin to look at a situation from many different perspectives.  We can choose the most helpful for us!

Important advice on beginning to keep track of your thoughts.  Here we also introduce the concept of thinking errors, that are central to CBT.  In the next few videos I present the main thinking errors and give examples of them.  The we look at how we begin to challenge the unhelpful thinking that is attached to these thinking errors.

Here is where we begin exploring the thinking errors that play a part in making us feel depressed (or anxious etc), we look at examples of each thinking error and how we can challenge and replace the error with a more helpful, realistic, supportive and compassionate way of thinking about the specific situation.

Here we continue the important work of exploring more thinking errors and by looking at examples, we move on to challenge and replace these errors with helpful thinking.

We continue by looking at the final 5 or 6 thinking errors.  There is a task at the end of this video, which is for you to research more thinking errors |(that we have not covered) give examples of each one and think of more helpful ways to think in the given, fictitious situations.  Please do share your ideas with me - I will respond usually within 48 hours o so with my thoughts on what you have raised.

This video features a discussion between two mental health professionals exploring the important topic of how avoidance behaviours can gradually shrink a person’s world and impact emotional wellbeing over time.

Avoidance often feels helpful in the short term. We avoid situations, places, conversations, memories, or activities because they feel uncomfortable, overwhelming, or emotionally difficult. For a moment, avoidance can reduce anxiety and create relief. However, over time, avoidance can quietly begin to reduce confidence, independence, enjoyment, and quality of life.

Through a professional discussion format, this session explores how avoidance patterns develop, why they become so powerful, and how they can affect many aspects of mental health and wellbeing. The principles discussed are relevant across a wide range of difficulties, including anxiety, trauma, stress, depression, panic, health anxiety, low self-esteem, grief, adjustment difficulties, and emotional recovery following challenging life experiences.

The discussion also highlights an important balance: recognising genuine risks while learning to distinguish them from fear-driven avoidance. Rather than encouraging people to ignore danger, the focus is on developing awareness, building confidence gradually, and supporting healthy, informed choices.

This conversation is relevant not only for mental health professionals and students, but also for anyone interested in understanding human behaviour, emotional resilience, and psychological wellbeing. The concepts explored can help deepen understanding of how small avoidance patterns can grow over time — and how meaningful change can begin through gradual, manageable steps forward.

This video encourages you to keep ABC sheets initially (if you haven't already started) and after several weeks of keeping track of situations, your thoughts and feelings about those situations.  Then, when you feel confident in your abilities, start keeping the ABCD sheet, where you actively look for more helpful, compassionate, realistic and supportive ways of thinking in each situation - practice makes perfect.

The audio overview explores Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as a primary method for managing depression by addressing the interconnectedness of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It highlights Aaron Beck’s pioneering discovery that "thinking errors"—irrational patterns like catastrophizing, mindreading, and predicting the future negatively—often fuel emotional distress and make individuals susceptible to depression.

A central focus is the ABCD model for cognitive restructuring. This practical tool guides individuals to identify an Activating Event (A), recognize their underlying Thoughts and Beliefs (B), observe the resulting emotional Consequences (C), and finally develop Alternative Ways of Thinking (D). These replacements must be realistic, balanced, and compassionate to effectively improve mood.

Furthermore, the overview addresses behavioral aspects, noting that unhelpful actions like social isolation or self-medicating often worsen depression. To break this cycle, the material suggests creating positive action plans that include regular exercise, restarting hobbies, and seeking professional support. Consistent practice, such as keeping a daily ABCD diary for at least six weeks, is emphasized as vital for maintaining progress and overwriting unhelpful cognitive patterns.

Here we begin to look at behaviours (these too can be either helpful and supportive or NOT!).  You are encourage to start analysing your behaviour (especially at times when you feel depressed) and to think about whether the behaviour/s are helpful to you?  do they help you start to feel better? or do they worsen the depression? do the behaviours prevent you from seeking help and support|? Really important to get to understand your behaviours and (if needed) begin replacing them gradually with more helpful supportive and compassionate behaviours...better feeling behaviours.

This video is a brief promotion for one of my most popular courses on Udemy; Introduction to CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy)