Introduction
On December 6th & 7th, 2023, Dr. Mahesh Menon delivered a full-day workshop across two days on the application of metacognitive therapy for psychosis. This on-demand workshop is a recording of that presentation.
Workshop Outline
Metacognitive Training (MCT) for psychosis is a novel cognitive approach to the treatment of positive symptoms in psychosis. It is distinct from Meta-Cognitive Therapy and is designed to be delivered in groups. There is evidence from a number of meta-analyses that MCT improves positive symptoms, and there is also preliminary evidence suggesting that newer versions addressing self-esteem and (self-)stigma effectively improve other symptom domains.
Content
This workshop will cover a number a topics. These include understanding the cognitive biases associated with delusions, in particular the importance of ‘jumping to conclusions’. The development of Metacognitive Training will be presented, and its application. There are a number of studies, including meta-analyses, examining the efficacy of MCT which will be reviewed, and the broad evidence base for its applicability will be discussed. A common question is how CBT techniques are integrated into cognitive behaviour therapy, and this question will be addressed in the workshop. How MCT groups are run, along with the number of sessions and session content, will be the main focus of the workshop.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:
Better understand the cognitive biases associated with delusions
Apply metacognitive training to delusions
Understand how to run the metacognitive training groups
Better engage with clients in discussing delusions
About the Presenter
Dr Mahesh Menon is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, and a Clinical Psychologist based at the BC Psychosis Program at UBC Hospital. He runs the Cognitive Neuroscience of Schizophrenia (CNOS) Lab with Dr Todd Woodward (one of the co-developers of MCT). Dr Menon has been closely involved with the development of MCT with Dr. Woodward & Dr. Moritz over the last 15 years, and has been training clinicians on MCT in Canada and internationally. His clinical and research interests focus on understanding delusions, and in psychotherapy for psychosis and severe mental illness. He has published over 65 peer reviewed papers and book chapters, and his work has been supported by a number of research grants from agencies including the Brain and Behaviour Foundation, the Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR), the Ontario Mental Health Foundation, and the Schizophrenia Societies of Ontario & British Columbia.
Training Modalities
This workshop will include didactic content, reviews of the exercises presented in MCT, and Q&A.
Who should attend
This workshop is most suitable for clinicians with some prior experience of psychosis who are interested in groups and individual therapy for clients with psychosis – including psychologists, counsellors, occupational therapists and other related professions.
Continuing Education (CE) Credits
Bespoke Mental Health Canada is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Bespoke Mental Health Canada maintains responsibility for the program.
After viewing this workshop, participants have the option to complete an evaluation form and a workshop knowledge quiz in order to be eligible to receive a certificate confirming the number of credits awarded. This certificate will be sent via email.
Participants who complete this workshop, submit a completed evaluation form, and score a minimum of 8/10 on a content-related quiz are eligible to receive 5.5 CE credits.
Fees
Professionals: $175 CAD +tax
Students*: $140 CAD +tax
* Proof of student status may be required in order to qualify for a student rate.
Key References
Eichner C, Berna F. (2016) Acceptance and efficacy of Metacognitive Training (MCT) on positive symptoms and delusions in patients with schizophrenia: a meta-analysis taking into account important moderators. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 42, 952-62.
Lysaker PH, Gagen E, Moritz S, Schweitzer RD. (2018). Metacognitive approaches to the treatment of psychosis: a comparison of four approaches. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 11, 341-351.
Moritz S, Woodward TS, Metacognition Study Group. (2007). Metacognitive Training for Patients with Schizophrenia (MCT). VanHam Campus Verlag : Hamburg.
Moritz S, Woodward TS. (2007). Metacognitive training in schizophrenia : From basic research to knowledge translation and intervention. Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 20, 619–625.
Moritz S, Veckenstedt R, Andreou C, Bohn F et al. (2014). Sustained and “sleeper” effects of group Metacognitive Training for schizophrenia. JAMA Psychiatry, 71 (10), 1103-1111.
Moritz, S., Menon, M., Balzan, R., & Woodward, T. S. (2023). Metacognitive training for psychosis (MCT): past, present, and future. European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience, 273(4), 811-817.