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CBT for adult ADHD: Helping clients turn intentions into actions

Russell Ramsay

17 Jul 2024

Introduction

PLEASE NOTE:  This event is over multiple days and ALL days must be attended.


Throughout and since the COVID-19 pandemic, more adults are seeking evaluation and treatment for adult ADHD. Although medications offer symptom relief, most adults with ADHD will require concurrent psychosocial treatment modified to address their unique needs, especially the consistent use of the known, helpful coping strategies. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) adapted for adult ADHD is an evidence-supported treatment, though most clients report that they “know what to do, but have difficulties doing it,” which reflects the fact that ADHD is an implementation problem, not a knowledge problem. In this online seminar, Dr. Ramsay will review the contemporary understanding of the nature of ADHD and how this understanding informs the CBT model adapted for adult ADHD and its use in clinical practice with adults with ADHD. He will illustrate the components of an implementation-focused CBT approach adapted to adult ADHD, including the role of cognitions, behaviours, and emotions in helping adults with ADHD turn their intentions into action.


The event will be equivalent to 5.1/2hrs of CPD.

Content

This workshop will:
• Provide a contemporary framework for understanding ADHD as a developmental syndrome of impaired self-regulation. This model informs both assessment and treatment.
• Discuss the ramifications of this model of ADHD for the CBT conceptualization and different intervention domains within a CBT approach.
• Review specific coping tactics and strategies within the intervention domains in the CBT approach for adult ADHD, including the important and unique role of cognitions and beliefs. Specifically, Dr. Ramsay will review each of the following domains and the chief therapeutic target within each:
• Cognitive Modification Domain
• Behavioural Domain
• Emotional Management
• Implementation Strategy Domain
• Interpersonal Domain
• Include many clinical examples and a video of a CBT session with a young adult with ADHD.
• Review and provide relevant clinical worksheets used in CBT for adult ADHD.

Learning Objectives

At the end of the online seminar, attendees will be able to:
1) Summarize the contemporary understanding of ADHD beyond the diagnostic criteria.
2) Recognize the main intervention domains and corresponding main therapeutic target within each based on the CBT model presented for adult ADHD.
3) Name the most endorsed cognitive distortion based on a clinical sample of adults with ADHD.
4) Name the cognitive theme of the thoughts and beliefs of adults with ADHD proposed by Dr. Ramsay.
5) Identify at the three implementation-focused CBT strategies to use with adult ADHD clients in their practices.

Training Modalities

Didactic content, Q&A, session video, review of interventions and clinical worksheets used in CBT for adult ADHD.

Key References

Barkley, R. A. (Ed.) (2015). Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: A handbook for diagnosis and treatment (4th ed.). Guilford.

Knouse, L. E., Teller, J., & Brooks, M. A. (2017). Meta-analysis of cognitive–behavioral treatments for adult ADHD. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 85(7), 737–750. https://doi.org/10.1037/ccp0000216

Ramsay, J. R. (2020). Rethinking adult ADHD: Helping clients turn intentions into action. American Psychological Association.

Ramsay, J. R. (2021). Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. In A. Wenzel (Ed.), Handbook of cognitive behavioral therapy, Volume 2, applications. (pp. 389-421). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000219-012

Ramsay, J. R. (2024). Rethinking adult ADHD: Helping clients turn intentions into action. New Harbinger.

Safren, S. A., Sprich, S., Perlman, C. A., & Otto, M. W. (2017). Mastering your adult ADHD: A cognitive-behavioral treatment program – Therapist guide (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.

Solanto, M. V. (2011). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for adult ADHD: Targeting executive dysfunction. Guilford.

Young, S., & Bramham, J. (2012). Cognitive-behavioural therapy for ADHD in adolescents and adults: A psychological guide to practice (2nd edition). Wiley.

About the presenter

Before retiring from the University of Pennsylvania to launch a solo telepsychology practice, Russell Ramsay, Ph.D., ABPP was co-founder and clinical director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Adult ADHD Treatment and Research Program and professor of clinical psychology. Dr. Ramsay has authored numerous peer-reviewed scientific articles and other professional publications. He has written six books on the treatment of adult ADHD, most recently the CBT Workbook for Adult ADHD and Anxiety (anticipated in May 2024, New Harbinger.). His Adult ADHD Tool Kit book was translated into Spanish, French, Korean and will soon be available in German. The Tool Kit is a recommended self-help book of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.

Dr. Ramsay is an inductee in the CHADD Hall of Fame and received the Szuba Award for Excellence in Clinical Teaching & Research from Penn. He serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Attention Disorders and is sought out as an ad hoc reviewer for many other journals. He has served on the Professional Advisory Boards of many of the leading ADHD organizations. Dr. Ramsay is a board-certified cognitive-behavioral therapist. He has presented to audiences around the world on the assessment and psychosocial treatment of adult ADHD.

Who should attend

This event is most suitable for practitioners who work with individuals diagnosed with ADHD or who are exhibiting features of ADHD but not yet formally diagnosed. Most of the approaches are also relevant to the management of the common co-existing features of anxiety and depression seen in this population.

Low Intensity clinical contact hours survey - BABCP Low Intensity Special Interest Group

Please click below if you are interested in contributing to the survey.

 

The BACP Low Intensity SIG are interested in the impact of clinical contact hours on Low Intensity/Wellbeing Practitioner wellbeing. This questionnaire contains six multi-choice questions and a free text box for you to share your experiences. The answers to these questions will help the BABCP SIG plan how to meet CPD topics and other developments within the SIG.  The SIG hope to produce a write up of the answers to this questionnaire to be shared with SIG members and to be used in training.

View Survey

This FREE conference is for Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners working in Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression services and is brought to you by Bespoke Mental Health in collaboration with the NHS National PWP Leads Network.

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