CBT for Addiction
LEVEL
Professional Development
AWARD
PCI College Certificate of Attendance
COURSE STATUS
Closed for Applications
DURATION
1
day(s)
Full-Time
DELIVERY
Online
COMMENCEMENT DATE
TBD
LOCATIONS
Online
Addiction is a multifaceted struggle that often leaves clients feeling trapped in destructive cycles. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) remains one of the most robust, evidence-based frameworks for navigating the complexities of substance and behavioural addictions.
This PCI College workshop provides a practical, high-impact clinical toolkit, empowering you to help clients dismantle the triggers, thought processes, and behaviours that sustain addictive patterns. By integrating these structured CBT techniques, you can foster the stability and self-efficacy required for your clients to build a life of lasting change.
Who is this course for?
This workshop is designed for counsellors, psychotherapists, and helping professionals seeking to sharpen their clinical effectiveness in the high-stakes field of addiction recovery.
- Counsellors & Psychotherapists: Gain a structured, goal-oriented approach to treat clients struggling with substance or behavioural addictions.
- Addiction Specialists: Update your clinical approach with the latest CBT techniques for relapse prevention and craving management.
- Helping Professionals: Social workers and care staff can learn practical, actionable strategies to support clients through the stages of recovery.
- Students in Training: Build a foundational, evidence-based competency in addiction work early in your professional journey.
What are the benefits of doing this course?
This course provides a clear, actionable pathway for working with addiction, moving away from “guesswork” and toward a proven, science-backed methodology.
- Structured Clinical Clarity: Replace uncertainty with a clear, step-by-step roadmap for assessing and treating addictive behaviours.
- Relapse Prevention: Master the specific CBT strategies that help clients anticipate risks and maintain long-term recovery.
- Enhanced Client Agency: Empower clients by teaching them to become their own “therapists,” identifying triggers and managing their own cognitive responses.
- Evidence-Based Success: Build confidence in your practice by utilizing one of the most widely validated therapeutic models for addiction.
What will you learn?
The curriculum balances theoretical knowledge with a strong focus on practical, “in-the-room” application to ensure you are ready to work with this complex client group.
- CBT Fundamentals: An introduction to the cognitive model as it specifically applies to the cycle of addiction and reward-seeking.
- Functional Analysis: Learning how to map the antecedents, behaviours, and consequences of addiction to identify unique triggers.
- Craving Management: Practical cognitive and behavioural strategies to help clients “urge surf” and manage powerful cravings.
- Relapse Prevention: Identifying high-risk situations and developing robust, personalised plans to prevent and recover from lapses.
- Practical Application: Experiential work, including role-play and case study analysis, to help you integrate these tools into your daily sessions.
Course Content
- The Variety of Addictions
- The Nature of Addiction
- The Cognitive Model of Addiction.
- CBT and Addiction – Case Formulation.
- CBT techniques: Psychoeducation; Challenging Cognitive Distortions and Negative Automatic Thoughts; Behavioural Experiments; Socratic Questioning.
Eligibility
This is a CPD workshop specifically designed for Counsellors & Psychotherapist or other helping professionals with therapeutic experience and students currently in professional training. BSc Counselling & Psychotherapy students in Years 1, 2, 3 and 4 of their studies are all invited to apply for this CPD workshop.
Language Requirements
All candidates are required to satisfy the English language requirement. Candidates whose first language is not English and who are presenting qualifications other than the Leaving Certificate may satisfy the requirement through the completion of the IELTS (International English Language Testing System), or equivalent, on the basis that they obtain a minimum band score of 6, which denotes a very good skill level of English. It should be noted that these are the minimum requirements in English and PCI College may set higher requirements in each case.
IT Skills
Students require sufficient IT skills to complete the course
Additional Entry Requirements
Students can expect to be provided with advice and support concerning any learning difficulties that they may encounter. Any diagnosed learning difficulty, e.g. dyslexia, must be noted on the application.
Fees
Standard Rate: Applies to all non-affiliated participants.
PCI College Graduate: Discounted rate available for graduates of BSc Degree and Postgraduate programmes.
Current BSc/MSc Students & Alumni Members: Preferential rate available. Join our Alumni Group on LinkedIn to access this discount
Course Fees – Northern Ireland
Course Total