30 August 2006

Dundee to host Cognitive Behavioural Therapy conference

The University of Dundee will host a special conference on Thursday and Friday to celebrate a postgraduate degree that has helped train more than 250 mental health professionals in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

This is a form of psychological treatment that is recommended in clinical guidelines as the best alternative to medication for people with depression and anxiety disorders of mild to moderate severity. Dr Rob Durham and Mr John Swan, the joint directors of the course, are part of a clinical research team at Ninewells Hospital that specialises in the treatment of people with depression and anxiety that have not benefited from standard treatments.

The conference, held at the West Park Conference Centre on Thursday 31st and Friday 1st September will discuss issues such as ‘Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: The evidence and lessons learnt’ and ‘CBT with Children and Adolescents: developments and differences.’

One fascinating talk, given by Dr Chris Williams will look at CBT self-help treatments delivered by the internet. Internet and computerised treatment delivery of CBT provide new options for delivering both public health information and therapy. Dr Williams will briefly review the evidence base for such applications, and describe outcome data from several online CBT packages.

There will also be several workshops, including motivational interviewing and Cognitive Therapy for Social Phobia.

The course has been based in the Department of Psychiatry in the University of Dundee since its inception in 1994 and trains an average of 20 people a year mainly nurses but also occupational therapists.

The Course is a partnership between the University of Dundee and NHS Tayside.

For media enquiries contact:

Anna Day
Press Office
University of Dundee
Nethergate Dundee, DD1 4HN
TEL: 01382 384768
E-MAIL: a.c.day@dundee.ac.uk