Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Group for Managing Worry

What is Worry?

The main feature of worry is excessive, uncontrollable worry and anxiety about a number of events or activities. It is associated with physical symptoms of: restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge, being easily fatigued, difficulty concentrating or mind going blank, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbance. The symptoms lead to significant distress or impairment in important areas of functioning.

What is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)?

CBT, or Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, is a talking therapy. It has been proved to help treat a wide range of emotional and physical health conditions in adults, young people and children. CBT looks at how we think about a situation and how this affects the way we act. In turn our actions can affect how we think and feel. The therapist and client work together in changing the client’s behaviours, or their thinking patterns, or both of these.

NICE systematically reviewed the evidence for the effectiveness of a variety of interventions for depression and anxiety disorders. These reviews led to the publication of a series of clinical guidelines (NICE, 2004a, 2004b, 2005a, 2005b, 2006, 2009a, 2009b, 2011) that strongly support the use of certain psychological therapies. CBT is recommended for depression and all the anxiety disorders. (Clark, 2011).

What to expect from attending the group?

This is a structured group with a strong focus on the here and now. In the group we will be providing a supportive learning environment to equip you with the skills necessary to manage your anxiety and worry more effectively. The group will not focus on past, painful life events, and will not expect anyone to disclose personal information if they do not feel comfortable. Previous group members have really valued the opportunity to share and learn with and from each other. We hope that you will too.

Date and Times:

Session 1 Tuesday 13.06.17 1:30- Orientation and Psycho-education on the Nature of Anxiety 4.00 and Worry Session 2 Tuesday 20.06.17 1:30- Worry Awareness Training 4.00 Session 3 Tuesday 27.06.17 1:30- Intolerance of Uncertainty 4.00 Session 4 Tuesday 04.07.17 1:30- Uncertainty Recognition and Behavioural Experiments 4.00 Session 5 Tuesday 11.07.17 1:30- Re-evaluation of the Usefulness of Worry 4.00 Session 6 Tuesday 18.07.17 1:30- Problem Solving Training 4.00 Session 7 Tuesday 25.07.17 1:30- Imaginal Exposure 4.00 Session 8 Tuesday 01.08.17 1:30- Relapse Prevention and Review 4.00 Venue: Lisieux Way Methodist Church, Lisieux Way Taunton, TA1 2LB

Covering:

-To provide a way of reducing anxiety and overcoming excessive worry using cognitive behavioural therapy, including: • What is anxiety? What is worry? • Categorising worries into two types: current problems/real events and hypothetical worries. • The worry tree and worry time/postponement • Intolerance of uncertainty and its link to worry and anxiety & impact of intolerance of uncertainty in your lives • Problem solving training • Relapse prevention -To provide a safe environment to support and learn from each other -This group is adapted using Dugas’ Model of Worry

Session structure:

Each session is:-

 2 - 2 1/2hours in duration with a tea/coffee break of 15 minutes half way  The first 15 minutes will consist of a review of home practice of skills and what has been learned  Remaining time: Introduction of new ideas and techniques related to generalised anxiety and worry. Followed by homework setting, feedback of the skills training and preparation for practice at home  Each session is backed up by course hand-outs  The focus is on learning new skills, and just like learning any new skill it involves a willingness to try out new approaches and a readiness to practise them at home between the sessions  A group of up to 15 participants and two trained skills facilitators

Regular attendance is expected for the 8 week duration of the group program

Group Facilitators: Carey Smith and Katrina Thompson Contact numbers: 01823 346135/6 Location: Lisieux Way Methodist Church, Lisieux Way Taunton, TA1 2LB