Published: February 08, 2011
IAPT Improves Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Across Cultures
Department of Health 2005 highlighted the need to improve access to culturally appropriate counselling and psychological therapies, for individuals from Black and minority ethnic communities.
The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) initiative has improved access to counselling and psychological therapies for people suffering from anxiety and depression from a range of diverse backgrounds including those from BME communities. The third wave new CBT treatments include Mindfulness Based CBT and Meditation. The latter is prevalent in many cultures across the world and practiced directly or indirectly by several world religions.
Having made progress, there is now a need to consider the extent to which counselling and psychological services are culturally appropriate and whether they need to be adapted.
In the case of CBT, there is robust evidence to show that CBT is an effective treatment for people suffering from anxiety and depression. The emphasis in CBT is on the client's social context and that CBT therapists work collaboratively with clients to agree treatment options. However, CBT is based on Western concepts and illness models. The focus is on the individual and on treating the individual. For some people, this will be a challenge especially if they view themselves in the context of their immediate and wider family and / or in the context of their community. Some critics of CBT argue that by focusing on the individual, the larger familial, community and societal issues and problems are ignored or left unspoken and unaddressed.
Key considerations when delivering CBT with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds include:
- The location of the service
- Language and the use of interpreters or therapist who can speak the client's mother tongue
- Health beliefs and explanatory models of distress/mental disorder
- The presenting problem/s or "idiom/s of distress"
- Expectations about CBT
Some of the key questions which will be discussed during the one day event include:
- Is it necessary to make adaptations when delivering CBT across cultures? If so, how?
- Are traditionally routed treatments such as Mindfulness CBT and Meditation more appropriate when working with individuals from BME communities?
- In instances where individuals have unique and "different" culture-led conceptions of health and ill health and the way this is managed, how is this reconciled?
- What evidence base exists which demonstrates that CBT is affective with clients from different cultural backgrounds?
This one day conference will bring together clinicians who have experience of delivering CBT across cultures. Learning points and good practice will be shared. The challenges experienced and possible limitations will also discussed via anonymised case vignettes.
Programme of the day
9.00 - 9.30 Registration, Tea & Coffee
9.30 - 10.40-Introduction & Chair
CBT: Gaining from Diversity, David Kingdom, Professor of Mental Health Care Delivery at the University of Southampton and Honorary Consultant Adult Psychiatrist for the Hampshire Partnership NHS Trust
10.40 - 11.30 CBT Across Cultures: Challenges and Possibilities, Rathod Shanaya,Clinical Service Director, West Hampshire - Adult Mental Health Hampshire, Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
11.30 - 11.45 Tea & Coffee 11.45 - 12.30 *Making CBT Culturally Responsive, Beena Rajkumar, Psychotherapy Specialist Registrar at Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
12.30 - 1.00 Morning session Q&A
1.00 - 1.45 Lunch
1.45 - 2.35 *Addressing Spirituality in CBT, Rob Waller, Consultant Psychiatrist in General Adult Psychiatry and Associate Director of Medical Education for NHS Lothian at St John's Hospital
2.35 - 3.25 CBT with South Asian Muslims, Farooq Naeem, Consultant Psychiatrist & Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, Southampton University
3.25 - 3.40 Tea & Coffee
3.40 - 4.30- Employing a Culturally Representative IAPT Workforce in London, Tom Dodd & Robert Hardy, London Regional Delivery Team for Improving Access to Psychological Therapies, Working for Wellness
4.30 - 4.45 Afternoon Q&A
4.45 - 5.00 Plenary, Closure & Evaluation sheets, Who Should attend?
This conference will be relevant to all professionals in the field of Mental Health and Social Care, including those from Local Authorities and NHS trusts across the UK, Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Counsellors, Early Intervention Teams, CPN's, OT's, Social Workers, Chaplains, Community Faith Leaders & Healers, Equality Leads, Community Development Workers, Service User Representatives, Charities, Third Sector, Educational Establishments, Academics and Policy makers.
Where: The Resource Centre 356 Holloway Road London N7 6PA
Tel: +44 (0)20 7700 0100
Search News
