COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY for EATING DISORDERS (CBT)

During this lecture you will be given a comprehensive overview of what CBT practice really is, the model that represents it for the better understanding, and the explanation of CBT in practice. You will learn what CBT has been used for, how it has been originated initially, and whether it is used widely today in practice. 

This is a thorough introduction into the world of CBT where you can begin to understand what your role as a CBT therapist will be during your career

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides guidance for national health services on how to treat certain health conditions and disorders.

In this lecture we will have a look at the NICE guidelines related to the treatment of various mental health disorders, for example depression and anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, and of course - eating disorders as well. 

In this lecture we will have a look at the core principles of any therapy, including CBT. The main principles include setting up a trustworthy professional relationship from the start, ethical agreement with the client, setting up positive expectations for the client and so much more. 

Additionally, you will be encouraged to think of any additional principles that you would establish in your own practice and how they would benefit your own clients and yourself 

During this lecture you will become familiarised with a set of moral principles that take place during any therapy, and they are called 'ethical standards' or 'ethics'. Even though they are considered to be as something that is 'suggested', in reality every therapist is obliged to follow them because of the respectful attitude and professional competence in their work. 

We will also discuss how these ethnics provide legal protection to the client and to the therapist, and what kind of principles they include

Eating disorders is a range of serious psychological and health-related conditions that should never be taken lightly. Almost half of the sufferers never seek or get professional treatment even though there is a percentage of them who suffers from various health complications and even at risk of death. The individuals suffering with eating disorders not only damage their own health and psychological perception of self, but also their relationships with their family members and other areas of life that are essential to the good quality living.

In this lecture we will have a look at the latest statistics related to eating disorders, and the different types of eating disorders that are used for the diagnosis 

What makes the person to engage into such sabotaging behaviour, restricting their eating to the extent that is making them ill to the point of being on the verge of death?

How does psychology explain the occurrence of this problem?

Here in this lecture we will have a look at various causes of eating disorders: psychological causes, genetic predispositions, psychodynamic theories and behavioural research

Research shows that individuals with eating disorders often suffer from other psychological or physical issues that run alongside their eating disorders (comorbidity). In this lecture we will discuss what other mental health conditions and disorders are often concurrent with the ED, how they impact the individual and their treatment of ED and what the research studies suggest on this matter

Researchers found that eating disorders mainly occur in those countries where social media portray slim models and celebrities as an ideal to strive for. Newspapers, magazines and tv focus on being thin as something attractive, making people to strive for slimmer look, diet and exercise more than ever before.

In this lecture we will have a look at these social factors that contribute to the prevalence of eating disorders in the western world. We will also have a look at any family factors that might influence young people to engage in the disordered eating  

So far we’ve talked about various causes of eating disorders including genetic inheritance, cultural norms and social pressure, family relationships and some psychological factors. 

We’ve also said that in many people with eating disorders there is a trait that can be described the need for control.

So what goes through the mind of an individual suffering with ED? What do they think when they make food choices? This is what we are discussing in this lecture!

So far we’ve discussed what drives a person with an eating disorder to get into such obsessive behaviour, what could be their motivational triggers, what consciously and subconsciously going on when we are talking about eating disorder. Now let’s talk about the emotional factors that are connected to this psychological disorder. 

In this lecture we will have a look at the research studies that show which emotions affect the individuals with ED and to what degree they make the problem better or worse

When a person with an eating disorder sees the therapist for the first time, that first session is not just important for familiarisation with one another, but has a few important functions. The first session (and sometimes the second one also) is called an assessment session, where there are many factors are assessed. 

In this lecture we will discuss what exactly you would need to note during the assessment, whether a single session would be enough for the comprehensive assessment, whether the person is at risk to themselves and how to understand the client's motivational levels from the start

An Eating disorder is a complex psychological condition that is related to both interpersonal factors and eating behaviour. A person with eating disorder whether it is an ‘anorexia’ or ‘bulimia’ have specific beliefs and behaviours related to food and nutrition. 

In this lecture we will discuss what beliefs that might held towards their own dietary requirements, what kind of diet they tend to chose, how many calories they tend to consume, and what role a nutritional advisor plays here

How would a therapist establish what it is needed for the client with eating disorders? What do they do after they complete the initial assessment with them? 

When the motivational factors are addressed and the client is ready to work with the therapist, the next step is to discuss the goals and any perceived obstacles that they might encounter whilst reaching their goals.

In this lecture we will be discussing the exact process of setting goals, using frame such as the SMART approach to goal setting, and what their goals should really involve  

As we were saying earlier, motivation is a highly important factor when we are considering CBT treatment for an individual with ED. Their personal motivation is what can make the treatment successful or it can fail it completely. We were also saying that motivation is not a constant factor but fluid or changeable, so we would have to reassess it frequently, discussing what motivates the person to stick to the treatment each time. 

Here in this lecture we will have a look at the Transtheoretical Model of Behaviour Change which can give you a guidance in evaluating their motivation ('stages') and the next strategy that you can offer them at each stage

Even though this course is all about eating disorders, research shows that there is a strong correlation between anxiety and eating disorders. 

In fact, anxiety is often one of the symptoms of eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge disorder. 

In this lecture we will also discuss how to address the anxiety issues and why they often manifest in individuals with eating disorders 

The Socrates Method is named after the classical Greek philosopher Socrates, one of the influential thinkers and founders of Western philosophy, and can help the client to open up and to understand their issues in a more rational way.

In this lecture we will discuss the 5 main principles of correct therapeutic questioning, the 6 main reasons for Socratic questioning, and the various examples of using this method in practice  

Psychoeducation is a one of the widely practiced treatments in CBT, and is often viewed as a part of a treatment plan. This can involve educating the client about their disorder: its manifestation, its affect on the client’s cognitive processes and behaviours, or how the client can manage the symptoms on their own. 

In this lecture we will discuss what 'psychoeducation' is and what tools it typically include during the session. Here you will start becoming more familiarised about psychoeducational tools that you can use in your own practice with your clients 

 The principle of ‘exposure’ means using a technique that is derived from the ‘exposure therapy’, and the ‘exposure therapy’ is a specific type of CBT that is often used in treating various kinds of phobias. Exposure therapy is a safe and a very effective method that can used successfully in the treatment of eating disorders.

In this lecture we will have a look at research that shows the effectiveness and usability of the 'exposure' technique in practice. You will know how and when to use it in your own practice. 

Cognitive restructuring as a core concept of CBT which involves identifying and questioning irrational and unhelpful thought patterns, illogical thinking and automatic negative thoughts, and reconstructing (or reframing) them in a more positive way.

Let's have a look at how this therapeutic method originated in the past, how it is used today, and how you can use it too in your own practice 

Throughout this course we’ve already talked about how to work with assumptions and beliefs through for example the first assessment, analysing motivational factors, offering psychoeducation, working with the exposure technique, socratic questioning and cognitive restructuring. So we’ve covered a lot of a material really! 

Here in this lecture we are continuing our discussion about the client’s beliefs and assumptions, and how else we can help them to change those unhelpful beliefs and negative thinking patterns.

A CBT treatment as we’ve discussed throughout the course involves many tools and techniques, and one of those techniques is called behavioural experiments. What are those I hear you ask? 

They are considered to be one of the most effective techniques in CBT, and we will discuss them in detail in this lecture. You will also learn how to create a behavioural experiment with your client, how to get the best outcome from it, what is the best way to discuss it and learn from it too. 

 Throughout this course you’ve been learning a great deal about eating disorders, they symptomatology and causes, and how you would approach them in your work. So in this lecture we gather all the information into a guide that can help you to structure your sessions with the clients. 

So let's have a look at 10 points that will remind you all the important information about how to design the action plan and set up goals with your client

Every therapy has a beginning and an end. It is healthier to let your client know that in advance when you think their therapy will be ending. However, some clients prefer to have an ongoing therapy for many months and even for years.

In this lecture we will discuss many important points such as why it is necessary that  the end of the therapy should be planned from the very beginning, why the therapist needs to be ready to disagree with the client, how to deal with emotions and so much more

Welcome to our last lecture of this course where we are talking about whether you should contact the client for  a follow up session, and how can you minimise the client’s relapse. 

Of course nobody can give 100% guarantee that relapse is avoidable and that the client will be cured after the CBT therapy. And this is a sad part, knowing that after engaging into such hard work and working through the client’s issues at each and every session, might be not enough to prevent their relapse at some point in the future. But we can review several points that can help us with such dilemma 

In this video, your tutor wants to congratulate you with the successful completion of this course and give you a bit of guidance for your future work in CBT and 'eating disorders'