Trauma can change the way clients think about themselves and their world. They may believe they are to blame for what happened or that the world is a dangerous place. These kinds of thoughts keep them stuck in their PTSD and cause them to miss out on things they used to enjoy. CPT teaches clients a new way to handle these upsetting thoughts. By using CPT in working with Trauma clients, they will learn skills that can help them decide whether there are more helpful ways to think about their trauma. This is an evidence-based trauma-focused psychotherapy method of working with PTSD.
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
- Assess for PTSD using various assessment tools
- Define Core Concepts of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) & Goals
- Identify Session Activities & Curriculum
- Practice Skills through Case Study Example
Syllabus:
Objective #1: Understanding PTSD and Trauma Assessment
- Define trauma and its neurobiological and emotional impact
- Identify key PTSD symptoms including hyperarousal, intrusion, and avoidance
- Discuss the concept of PTSD as a disorder of non-recovery
- Review endorsed assessment tools: CAPS-5, PCL-5, and PHQ-9
- Explore the five trauma-disrupted dimensions: safety, trust, power/control, esteem, and intimacy
Objective #2: Core Concepts and Theory Behind CPT
- Introduce CPT as a short-term, manualized, cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Review the Social Cognitive Theory and its application to trauma
- Explain the concepts of assimilation, over-accommodation, and accommodation
- Define stuck points as distorted beliefs arising from trauma
- Clarify natural versus manufactured emotions and their therapeutic implications
Objective #3: Structure and Goals of CPT Treatment
- Describe the pretreatment phase and session expectations
- Outline the 12-session CPT structure with or without a written trauma account (CPT vs CPT+A)
- Assignments include impact statement, ABC worksheets, stuck point logs, and cognitive restructuring tasks
- Focus each session on a cognitive theme including safety, trust, esteem, intimacy, and power/control
- Emphasize Socratic questioning as a central tool for belief change and emotional regulation
Objective #4: Techniques and Interventions Used in CPT
- Use Socratic Dialogue to clarify beliefs, examine assumptions, seek evidence, and uncover deeper meanings
- Help clients differentiate natural from manufactured emotions
- Identify and challenge self-blame, hindsight bias, and distorted cognitions
- Utilize written trauma narratives in CPT+A to facilitate reprocessing
- Apply tools like the stuck point log and challenging beliefs worksheet
Objective #5: Client Case Study Application
- Review real-world examples including a first responder, an adolescent post-school shooting, and a mother with birth trauma
- Practice identifying and categorizing stuck points
- Apply Socratic questions to shift faulty beliefs
- Discuss homework assignments to reinforce skills and encourage cognitive flexibility
Social workers completing this course receive 1.5 Clinical asynchronous continuing education credits.
For other board approvals, this course qualifies for 1.5 Clinical continuing education training.
Instructor: Stacy Blankenship, LCSW
Recording Date: 8/18/2024
CEUS On-Demand, LLC, provider #2274, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 08/7/2026 - 08/6/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1.5hrs Clinical continuing education credits.
CEUs On-Demand, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7091. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CEUs On-Demand, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
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Request for Special Accommodations: Learners can request special accommodations by contacting the administrative team at admin@ceus-ondemand.com