Cognitive Approaches to Working with Offenders
"The course has probably been one of the most useful I have been on. I enjoyed all of the sessions and will undoubtedly be able to put all of what we covered into practice. Thank you for all your efforts, it is much appreciated."
YOT worker
In 3 days you will cover a great deal:
The definition and nature of a cognitive approach.The history of the approach and how this helps us today. What cognitive means, and why this is important. Dysfunctional thinking. The cognitive model, the importance of well developed clinical skills and how these apply.
The core of the cognitive model: the concepts of triggers for offending, and how one can teach people to see them differently. The idea of inhibitions and how they can be activated; the idea of 'mitigating the response' to at least reduce the offending. How to analyse your own clients in these terms.
How early experience can result in dysfunctional attitudes, beliefs and rules, leading to unhelpful perceptions of events. Possible courses of action and the likely outcomes. How to work with such attitudes, beliefs and rules to produce an equally all-persuasive beneficial effect.
The concept of mood and how it influences nearly every stage of the cognitive model. How, therefore, if we can alter the persons mood we can have far reaching effects on their thinking and behaviour. The major determinants of mood, and how to work with them. How producing a more stable mood can be very important when working with violent offenders.
’How to do‘ a cognitive approach, once you have understood the theory. Why the quality of relationship is so important in the cognitive approach, and how to use it for everyone's benefit. The major dangers of a poorly implemented cognitive approach and, especially, how it can make matters worse rather than better.
Socratic questioning and guided discovery. The AFEAD acronym. Logical errors and ’bald‘ statements. Why you never challenge a person, only their thinking. How to do that: short term appraisals and long term attitudes, belief and rules.
Positive self-talk and the ’Be your own best friend‘ technique. Strengths and drawbacks with these.
Specific techniques such as empathy induction: why developing victim empathy is so important. How to do it.
Structuring sessions with individuals. Why it is important to have a standard structure and how to use it.
How to capitalise on the course afterwards.
A cognitive self-test of your learning.
Up to 16 people may attend this 3-day course for a fixed fee. This price includes all tuition, handouts, tutors travel and accommodation.
All you need to provide is a good teaching room and refreshments.
See our Training Planner for more information.