(Revised 2013)
POST-GRADUATE TRAINING OBJECTIVES
IN COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY (CBT)
University of Toronto, Department of Psychiatry
Psychotherapy Stream, PHES Division
PREAMBLE
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy proven to be helpful for
treatment and relapse prevention for a wide range of psychiatric disorders. It is a highly structured, goal
and problem focused therapy. CBT is usually short-term and present-oriented therapy. The therapy
requires cognitive conceptualization according to the cognitive model for various disorders in order to
plan treatment within and across sessions.
The CBT therapist is an empathic and active clinician who educates the patient to be his/her own
therapist. Having a strong and active therapeutic alliance, the patient and therapist work together in the
spirit of collaborative empiricism to identify, evaluate and modify the patient’s maladaptive thoughts and
beliefs and facilitate behavioural change.
The patient suitable for CBT is the patient who is motivated for treatment, accepts the CBT model and
personal responsibility for change, is able to form a good collaborative therapeutic alliance, is able to
access/identify their feelings and automatic thoughts, and is willing to be an active participant both in and
out of sessions.
Patients with unfocused, multiple or very chronic problems and those with a severe personality disorder
are unlikely to benefit from short-term CBT.
Cognitive behavioural therapy training requirements are a minimum of four supervised CBT cases, one of
which must be a child case. Residents must do at least one case for treatment of an anxiety disorder and
another case for treatment of depression.
Teaching consists of the centralized CBT seminars in the PGYII year (approximately 16 seminars in a
combination of small and large groups). There is one senior seminar as part of the senior psychotherapy
series.
A number of elective opportunities in CBT exist; for details please contact Julie Wilson at JWilson@mtsinai.on.ca.
Post-residency Training in CBT:
The University of Toronto offers a CBT Certificate Program. For details please
access http://cbt.ca/faqs/university-of-toronto/ Mount Sinai Psychotherapy Institute periodically offers
CBT for Anxiety & Perfectionism workshop. For details please access http://www.mountsinai.on.ca/mspi
Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy offers training in CBT http://www.beckinstitute.org
Certification in CT/CBT for mental health professionals is available through the Academy of Cognitive
Therapy (ACT) and through the Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (CACBT).
Modality Head:
Diana Kljenak MD, FRCPC
Assistant Professor and Head,
Cognitive Behavioral Psychotherapy
Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto
Tel. 416-603-5459
diana.kljenak@uhn.ca