Cognitive Therapy in Groups Session 1 Group Basics

Group Basics 1 The group is concerned with: explaining the idea that our feelings are caused by our thoughts; teaching people to analyse their thoughts; teaching people to find out about their problem ways of thinking; teaching people to change those problem ways of thinking; helping people change their counterproductive behavior

Group Basics 2 Not an ‘encounter group’. Extensive discussion of your own emotional experiences with the whole group is not encouraged nor expected. Individual work is essential. The responsibility is yours!

Modules in the Group Cognitive Therapy Program Module 1: Surface Beliefs and Processes Module 2: Beneath the Surface: Exploring your negative belief system Module 3: Testing your Beliefs Module 4: Changing your Thinking and Feeling Module 5: Changing your Counterproductive Behaviour

Module One: Surface Beliefs and Processes Explaining the model Identifying surface beliefs Identifying habitual logical errors Modifying surface thinking

Structure of Sessions Collection of questionnaires (when session is the first for a particular day). Review and discussion of Individual Work set from the previous session. A lecture on new work. An exercise based on the new material. Setting of Individual Work for outside the session. This might be done in a break, or at home.

Reasons for Questionnaires To monitor your emotional functioning To see how much the course is affecting your emotions and your ways of thinking To see how effective the course is in general To get information for future exercises

Ground Rules Avoid negative talk Be supportive Provide equal time Confidentiality

Getting to Know You Exercise Share three things about yourself!

Individual Work from Session 1 Two examples from the last few days in which you have experienced emotional or behavioural difficulties.