Fundamentals of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy: Core skills to improve your practice
Fundamentals of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) offers an introduction to the historical foundations and theory underlying cognitive behavioural therapy and in-depth learning of core CBT strategies.
Overview
Designed to aid you in flexibly applying CBT techniques in your clinical practice, the course content covers a variety of cognitive and behavioural strategies, including using case formulation, and when and how to apply them to maximize their benefit.
Equity, diversity and inclusion concepts will be interwoven throughout the lectures to aid clinicians in applying CBT to individuals from various populations, backgrounds and with intersecting identifies. Led by skilled and experienced faculty, the synchronous lectures include didactic learning, as well as the opportunity for in-class practice and role-play. Fundamentals will also pave the way for some of the advanced workshops, especially those focusing on depression and anxiety.
- Understand the predominant theories underlying CBT
- Develop skills in client conceptualization and case formulation from a CBT perspective
- Learn and apply core cognitive change strategies
- Learn and apply core behavioural change strategies
- Increase confidence in ability to apply strategies in a targeted way
- Identify and troubleshoot common challenges and barriers in CBT
- Refine skills in treatment termination
- Module 1: Historical foundations and an overview of common presentations
- Module 2: Assessment from a CBT perspective and case conceptualization formulation
- Module 3: Cognitive strategies I (thought records, socratic dialogue, cognitive distortions, modifying automatic thoughts)
- Module 4: Cognitive strategies II (evidence technique, eliciting assumptions and core beliefs, additional strategies)
- Module 5: Behavioural strategies I (behavioural activation and Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-Bound [SMART] goals)
- Module 6: Behavioural strategies II (intro to exposure, exposure hierarchies, troubleshooting exposure, behavioural experiments)
- Module 7: Putting it into practice and preventing relapse
Fundamentals will be offered nine times between October and June. Each course consists of seven weekly two hour sessions and is suitable for clinicians and clinical learners interested in learning practical and effective core CBT strategies applicable to a broad range of problems.
Dates | Time (ET) | Registration |
Every Monday, from October 28 – December 16, 2024
*There is no session November 11, 2024 (Remembrance Day) |
3 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Registration has now closed |
Every Tuesday, from October 29 – December 10, 2024 | 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Registration has now closed |
Every Monday, from January 6 – February 24, 2025
*There is no session February 17, 2025 (Family Day) |
3 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Learn more or register |
Every Wednesday, from January 8 – February 19, 2025 | 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Learn more or register |
Every Monday, from March 17 – May 5, 2025
*There is no session April 21, 2025 (Easter Monday) |
2 p.m. to 4 p.m. | Learn more or register |
Every Tuesday, from March 18 – April 29, 2025 | 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Learn more or register |
Every Wednesday, from March 19 – April 30, 2025 | 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Learn more or register |
Every Monday, from May 5 – June 16, 2025 | 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Learn more or register |
Every Wednesday, from May 7 – June 18, 2025 | 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. | Learn more or register |
- Regular price $399
- Learner price $199*
*Must provide proof of enrollment at an academic institution.
Please note: Costs are in Canadian dollars and do not include the tax (13 per cent) charged for Canadian applicants.
Refunds must be requested a minimum of five days prior to the first session of the course. A $25 administrative fee will be charged on any refund.
Advanced Workshops
We are offering 12 virtual CBT advanced workshops that will cover a very wide range of topics, beginning November 2024. You can register for as many as you wish and there are no prerequisites. Each workshop offers focused training in one specific area of practice, whether it be a clinical problem or treatment approach, or working with a specific population or community, and will be led by McMaster faculty members with extensive clinical and teaching experience.
Overview
Each advanced workshop will last for eight hours (either one full day or two half days) and will focus on a specific problem (i.e., depression or insomnia) a treatment approach (i.e., behavioural activation) or ways to work with specific populations or communities (e.g., 2SLGBTQIA+ individuals).
Date | Time (ET) | Topic | Registration |
---|---|---|---|
January 24, 2025 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Depression | Learn more or register |
February 5 and 6, 2025 | 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Harm Reduction (Substance Use) | Learn more or register |
February 7 and 10, 2025 | 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) | Learn more or register |
February 14, 2025 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | CBT for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) | Learn more or register |
March 4, 2025 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Chronic Pain | Learn more or register |
March 14 and 21, 2025 | 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Psychosis | Learn more or register |
April 5 and 6, 2025 | 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m | Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) | Learn more or register |
April 7, 2025 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Serious Medical Illness | Learn more or register |
April 25, 2025 and May 2, 2025 | 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. | Supporting the Transgender and Gender Diverse (TGD) Community through CBT | Learn more or register |
May 5 and 12, 2025 | 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Enhancing Parent Engagement in CBT for Childhood Anxiety | Learn more or register |
May 28, 2025 | 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Insomnia | Learn more or register |
June 20, 2025 | 9 a.m. – 5 pm. | CBT for Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) [Repeat] | Learn more or register |
Each workshop is $249
Please note: Costs are in Canadian dollars and do not include the tax (13 per cent) charged for Canadian applicants.
Refunds must be requested a minimum of five days prior to the first session of the course. A $25 administrative fee will be charged on any refund.
Instructors
Information Box Group
Larry Baer
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Clinical Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Larry Baer
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Clinical Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Carrie Bullard
RN, PhD
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Carrie Bullard
RN, PhD
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Cata Fecior
MScOT
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Cata Fecior has been practicing as a occupational therapist/mental health counsellor in primary care for 13 years. He currently works for Hamilton Family Health Team, where he facilitates therapeutic change via individual and group therapy. After training and practicing with more traditional CBT models, he found himself attracted (and at times confused and perplexed) by the philosophy of functional contextualism and the practice of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). He has been infected with an indelible virus, the virus of the ACT Matrix, which has fundamentally changed the way he relates and practices with patients and himself.
Cata Fecior
MScOT
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Jennifer Hewitt
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Clinical Professor
Faculty
Jennifer Hewitt
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Clinical Professor
Faculty
Ryan Janssen
RP
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Ryan Janssen is a mental health counsellor and program coordinator with the Hamilton Family Health Team. Having worked previously in such diverse settings as a mental health crisis team and emergency room addictions, and now in team-based primary healthcare, Ryan found a therapeutic home in flexible, transdiagnostic process-based approaches like acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP). Outside of psychotherapy, Janssen leads programs and projects pertaining to health equity and the social determinants of health. In line with his values, Janssen’s consistent pursuit of cycling, triathlon and Hamilton-related activities reflects reinforced behavioral patterns.
Ryan Janssen
RP
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Stephanie Kolaski
RP, PMH-C
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Stephanie Kolaski is a registered psychotherapist (RP) with 10 years of experience supporting individuals with mental health and addiction. She has worked in a variety of settings such as community and residential programming, hospital and emergency departments, and is currently in private practice. Kolaski’s practice focuses on supporting individuals with anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), with a specific passion for the perinatal population. She holds a Perinatal Mental Health certification through Postpartum Support International. Additionally, Kolaski provides supervision to Qualifying RPs and is an instructor within Mohawk College’s Continuing Education program.
Stephanie Kolaski
RP, PMH-C
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Irena Milosevic
HonBSc, MA, PhD
Assistant Professor
Faculty
Irena Milosevic
HonBSc, MA, PhD
Assistant Professor
Faculty
Matilda Nowakowski
PhD
Assistant Clinical Professor
Faculty
Matilda Nowakowski
PhD
Assistant Clinical Professor
Faculty
Jennifer Robinson
MSW, RSW
Assistant Clinical Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Jennifer Robinson
MSW, RSW
Assistant Clinical Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Elisha Schafer
MSc, RP
Assistant Clinical Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Elisha Schafer
MSc, RP
Assistant Clinical Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Victoria Stead
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Victoria Stead
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Lindsay Szota
MSc, CPsych. Assoc
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Lindsay Szota received her master’s degree in clinical psychology in 2017 from the University of Western Ontario. Her graduate research focused on predictors of negative thinking styles in depression. Throughout her training she held clinical positions at the Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic, the WSIB Mental Health Specialty Program and the Women’s Health Concerns Clinic at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, as well as Western University’s Student Development Centre. She continues to work as a psychological associate in supervised practice at the Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic, the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program and in private practice, with a special interest in anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, post-traumatic stress and related issues, including life stress, low self-esteem and relationship difficulties.
Lindsay Szota
MSc, CPsych. Assoc
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Tyler Tulloch
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Tyler Tulloch
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Karen Zhang
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Karen Zhang
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Larry Baer
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Clinical Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Larry Baer
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Clinical Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Carrie Bullard
RN, PhD
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Carrie Bullard
RN, PhD
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Cata Fecior
MScOT
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Cata Fecior has been practicing as a occupational therapist/mental health counsellor in primary care for 13 years. He currently works for Hamilton Family Health Team, where he facilitates therapeutic change via individual and group therapy. After training and practicing with more traditional CBT models, he found himself attracted (and at times confused and perplexed) by the philosophy of functional contextualism and the practice of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). He has been infected with an indelible virus, the virus of the ACT Matrix, which has fundamentally changed the way he relates and practices with patients and himself.
Cata Fecior
MScOT
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Cata Fecior has been practicing as a occupational therapist/mental health counsellor in primary care for 13 years. He currently works for Hamilton Family Health Team, where he facilitates therapeutic change via individual and group therapy. After training and practicing with more traditional CBT models, he found himself attracted (and at times confused and perplexed) by the philosophy of functional contextualism and the practice of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). He has been infected with an indelible virus, the virus of the ACT Matrix, which has fundamentally changed the way he relates and practices with patients and himself.
Jennifer Hewitt
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Clinical Professor
Faculty
Jennifer Hewitt
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Clinical Professor
Faculty
Ryan Janssen
RP
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Ryan Janssen is a mental health counsellor and program coordinator with the Hamilton Family Health Team. Having worked previously in such diverse settings as a mental health crisis team and emergency room addictions, and now in team-based primary healthcare, Ryan found a therapeutic home in flexible, transdiagnostic process-based approaches like acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP). Outside of psychotherapy, Janssen leads programs and projects pertaining to health equity and the social determinants of health. In line with his values, Janssen’s consistent pursuit of cycling, triathlon and Hamilton-related activities reflects reinforced behavioral patterns.
Ryan Janssen
RP
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Ryan Janssen is a mental health counsellor and program coordinator with the Hamilton Family Health Team. Having worked previously in such diverse settings as a mental health crisis team and emergency room addictions, and now in team-based primary healthcare, Ryan found a therapeutic home in flexible, transdiagnostic process-based approaches like acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP). Outside of psychotherapy, Janssen leads programs and projects pertaining to health equity and the social determinants of health. In line with his values, Janssen’s consistent pursuit of cycling, triathlon and Hamilton-related activities reflects reinforced behavioral patterns.
Stephanie Kolaski
RP, PMH-C
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Stephanie Kolaski is a registered psychotherapist (RP) with 10 years of experience supporting individuals with mental health and addiction. She has worked in a variety of settings such as community and residential programming, hospital and emergency departments, and is currently in private practice. Kolaski’s practice focuses on supporting individuals with anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), with a specific passion for the perinatal population. She holds a Perinatal Mental Health certification through Postpartum Support International. Additionally, Kolaski provides supervision to Qualifying RPs and is an instructor within Mohawk College’s Continuing Education program.
Stephanie Kolaski
RP, PMH-C
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Stephanie Kolaski is a registered psychotherapist (RP) with 10 years of experience supporting individuals with mental health and addiction. She has worked in a variety of settings such as community and residential programming, hospital and emergency departments, and is currently in private practice. Kolaski’s practice focuses on supporting individuals with anxiety, depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), with a specific passion for the perinatal population. She holds a Perinatal Mental Health certification through Postpartum Support International. Additionally, Kolaski provides supervision to Qualifying RPs and is an instructor within Mohawk College’s Continuing Education program.
Irena Milosevic
HonBSc, MA, PhD
Assistant Professor
Faculty
Irena Milosevic
HonBSc, MA, PhD
Assistant Professor
Faculty
Matilda Nowakowski
PhD
Assistant Clinical Professor
Faculty
Matilda Nowakowski
PhD
Assistant Clinical Professor
Faculty
Jennifer Robinson
MSW, RSW
Assistant Clinical Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Jennifer Robinson
MSW, RSW
Assistant Clinical Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Elisha Schafer
MSc, RP
Assistant Clinical Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Elisha Schafer
MSc, RP
Assistant Clinical Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Victoria Stead
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Victoria Stead
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Lindsay Szota
MSc, CPsych. Assoc
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Lindsay Szota received her master’s degree in clinical psychology in 2017 from the University of Western Ontario. Her graduate research focused on predictors of negative thinking styles in depression. Throughout her training she held clinical positions at the Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic, the WSIB Mental Health Specialty Program and the Women’s Health Concerns Clinic at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, as well as Western University’s Student Development Centre. She continues to work as a psychological associate in supervised practice at the Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic, the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program and in private practice, with a special interest in anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, post-traumatic stress and related issues, including life stress, low self-esteem and relationship difficulties.
Lindsay Szota
MSc, CPsych. Assoc
Instructor
McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training
Lindsay Szota received her master’s degree in clinical psychology in 2017 from the University of Western Ontario. Her graduate research focused on predictors of negative thinking styles in depression. Throughout her training she held clinical positions at the Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic, the WSIB Mental Health Specialty Program and the Women’s Health Concerns Clinic at St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, as well as Western University’s Student Development Centre. She continues to work as a psychological associate in supervised practice at the Anxiety Treatment and Research Clinic, the Ontario Structured Psychotherapy Program and in private practice, with a special interest in anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depression, post-traumatic stress and related issues, including life stress, low self-esteem and relationship difficulties.
Tyler Tulloch
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Tyler Tulloch
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Karen Zhang
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Karen Zhang
PhD, CPsych
Assistant Professor
Part-Time/Adjunct Faculty
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions about our program? Email us for more information.
Expandable List
Will a certificate be provided at the end of the course? If so, are the charges included in the fee?
Yes, you will receive a signed certificate of attendance via email from McMaster University. This is included in the cost of the course.
What will the certificate give me? Is it RCPSC/MOC accredited for continuing medical education (CME)?
The hours accumulated in this training will count toward the 50 hours needed for accreditation by the Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (CACBT).
Are the workshops eligible for continuing education credits?
We have not formally applied for the workshops to be accredited by any specific governing organization, but most organizations will recognize and give credit for courses at major universities, such as McMaster University. All workshops are formally approved by McMaster, which is why we can provide a certificate of completion.
When will I receive my certificate of completion?
Certificates will be sent electronically within 72 hours of completing the course or workshop.
Can it be applied towards McMaster’s clinical behavioural sciences (CBS) – graduate diploma?
Unfortunately, although the content of the course will prove to be very helpful for anyone taking the CBS diploma program, they are not connected and cannot be applied or provide any extra credit towards that program.
How can I learn more about future workshops? Is there a mailing list to stay updated?
To be kept up to date on all MOCT news, including future workshops, please email us or bookmark the McMaster Online Cognitive Behavioural Training Workshops webpage.
Will the workshops be delivered in-person or online?
All MOCT workshops are only offered virtually, via Zoom.
Will I need a camera and microphone to participate?
Yes, you will need a working camera and microphone.
Are any of the workshops offered in other languages?
Currently, all McMaster CBT workshops are only available in English.
Does McMaster have any pre-recorded CBT courses that I can take at my own pace for certification and/or credit hours?
At this time, we’re not offering it asynchronously, although we hope to be able to offer pre-recorded workshops down the road. When pre-recorded versions become available they will be listed on our website or you can be added to our mailing list to be kept up-to-date by emailing us.
What is the criteria for a learner price?
A learner is someone who is currently enrolled in an educational program at a recognized academic institution, and able to provide documentation/proof of status at time of registration.
What can I submit as my proof of enrolment to be considered for learner status?
Registrants can provide a PDF or photo of supporting documents, such as: tuition receipt, current timetable or equivalent (with a clearly displayed date). If you are unsure if you have the proper documentation, please email us.
How and when do I submit my proof of enrolment documents?
You can upload the relevant documents directly at the time of registration.
Can I request a refund?
Refunds will be available up to five days before the start of a course or workshop. There will be an administrative processing fee of $25 for any refund. You should expect to receive the refund within 10 days of contacting us. To obtain a refund, please email us.
I noticed there are learner prices available for the fundamentals course. Is there a learner price for the advanced workshops?
No. Currently, there is only one price for all advanced workshops.
I have limited experience and want to pursue a career in the area of mental health. I’m looking to understand the basics of CBT and its application in practice. Will this course be suitable?
Yes, you will find it extremely relevant and suitable.
I have no prior experience in practice and have not completed related schooling. Am I still able to take this course?
Yes, there are no prerequisites to take the CBT Fundamentals course.
What happens if I miss a session?
Missing a session can sometimes be unavoidable. In order to meet the mandatory attendance requirements and receive a certificate upon completion, a participant must attend a minimum of five out of seven sessions. Once someone has missed three sessions, they will no longer be able to attend further sessions.
If I miss a session, will I have access to a recording?
No, as sessions are not recorded. You can, however, contact the facilitator and request any documents or references that were provided.
If I am unable to attend all the sessions, am I able to complete those missing sessions at a future workshop series date?
No. That is not possible.
Is there an evaluation component?
There is no formal evaluation of participants as part of the program. But to help us continue to improve the workshops, we will be sending you an electronic feedback form at the end of your workshop or course to complete and return to us.
Is there homework to complete outside of the workshop?
No, there is no formal homework to be completed.
Will there be opportunities for practical demonstration or interactions with clients?
No. Currently, there is no component requiring participants to demonstrate skills or work with “live” clients.
Contact Us
Do you have general questions about our program? Our team is here to help.
Please email CBTinfo@mcmaster.ca for any questions.