Professional Development

Assessment and Formulation for Professional Development

For any of us that practice psychotherapy, regardless of our preferred modality, it is essential that we have an understanding of ourselves and our role in relational dyads.

I am very passionate about the role of the therapist within psychotherapy and the reality that unintentional relational patterns expressed by us as therapist can derail therapy and be projected on to the client.

I hold the position of the therapist being part of the treatment, within my therapeutic work, when I am practicing pure CBT, pure CBASP or integrated CBT/CBASP. I am constantly asking myself “is this them or is this me?” when considering relational experiences, transference and counter transference. I also use this way of thinking within my professional relationships as relational patterns are always evident when we are around others.

I’ve provided training for Trainee Cognitive Behavioural Therapists, Cognitive Behavioural Therapists, Senior Cognitive Behavioural Therapists, Counsellors, Interpersonal Therapists and Psychologists on the importance of interpersonal processes within evidence based CBT. My sessions highlight how the empirical evidence base is clear that the therapeutic relationship does influence outcomes within standard CBT which is notoriously misunderstood/misinterpreted and as a intrapersonal therapy that ignores relationship factors. This training series also explained how Cognitive Behavioural Therapists can start to integrate Interpersonal process work within evidenced based CBT.

Many psychotherapists do not want to access long term therapy for many reasons but do understand the value of having a deeper understanding of ourselves, the value of knowing what it is like to “sit in the other chair” and the value of working hard to develop personally for the value of their professional credibility.

CBASP lends its self very well to professional assessment and formulation (for psychotherapists and other professionals that work with people) that want to understand about their relational style and the parts of how they relate that promotes relationship building and the parts that hinder it.

No one grows up in a vacuum so even those of us fortunate enough to have great mental health would have learned helpful and unhelpful relational patterns from those around us.

The assessment and formulation for professionals process involves a three hour CBASP extended historical relational assessment split over two sessions and a one hour formulation session where I share with you a relational formulation letter developed from our assessment appointments that we discuss and amend together.

The relational formulation letter outlines the interpersonal patterns you appear to be drawn into. You can then use this information to reflect on and inform your clinical practice and improve your working relationships with colleagues.

This information is particularly helpful when considering your emotional responses to others, addressing therapeutic ruptures, managing stuck points and improving co-working relationships with colleagues.