This short course will help you develop valuable skills in adapting cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and other psychological therapies for people with cognitive impairments associated with conditions affecting the brain.

Designed for practising psychologists in areas such as clinical neuropsychology, clinical psychology and health psychology, the 5 weekly classes will introduce you to evidence-based approaches to psychological interventions for people with brain injury and illness.

You’ll be taught by La Trobe Associate Professor Dana Wong, who is nationally renowned in the field of neuropsychological interventions and the lead author on the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Anxiety and Depression: Adapted for Brain Injury (CBT-ABI) treatment manual.

The short 10-hour course will be delivered via Zoom over five 2-hour weekly sessions and is accessible to psychologists throughout Australia.

Course content

CBT and other psychological therapies can be challenging for clients with cognitive impairment because of the demands on learning, memory, mental flexibility and metacognitive awareness.

Yet evidence has found these therapies can be adapted for people with cognitive impairments. They’ve been shown to successfully treat anxiety and depression, and facilitate their adjustment to life with a brain injury or illness.

Through this short course, you’ll learn to:

• identify common presenting features of depression and anxiety in the context of brain conditions
• understand the current state of research evidence for CBT, ACT and other psychological therapies in people with brain injury and illness
• deliver the key components of the manualised Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Anxiety and Depression: Adapted for Brain Injury (CBT-ABI) program
• observe, learn and practise key adaptations to CBT and other psychological therapies for people with cognitive impairments
• outline challenges when working with cognitively impaired cohorts and explore potential ways to manage them
• explore how adapted psychological therapies may be applied in a range of clinical contexts.

About the teacher

Dr Dana Wong is a clinical neuropsychologist and Associate Professor in the School of Psychology and Public Health at La Trobe University.

She leads the eNACT (Neurorehabilitation And Clinical Translation) Research Group, which brings together researchers and clinicians who work with people with acquired brain injury (ABI), such as stroke and traumatic brain injury. The group develops innovative neuropsychological rehabilitation techniques to improve the lives of brain injury survivors, and implements them into clinical practice.

A/Prof Wong teaches on the postgraduate psychology training programs at La Trobe University and has won several awards for teaching excellence in recognition of her practical, engaging clinical training approaches.

Additional requirements

1. Broadband internet access and an active email address that can be accessed during the workshop.
2. A webcam, mic and headset/speaker is required.  All workshops are conducted in small groups and are interactive.