Paranoia and Troublesome Beliefs: A CBT Approach

In an increasingly polarized world, more are noticing how difficult it can be to talk to someone whose beliefs are quite different from our own. It can be even more difficult when trust is broken, and paranoia is strong.

In this seminar, the focus will be on establishing helpful conversations with people whose paranoia and extremely different beliefs have led to a diagnosis of psychosis. Rather than a “one size fits all” approach, the emphasis will be on finding a method that works for an individual as that person exists in the current moment. While “reviewing the evidence” and helping...Read more the person challenge the belief may sometimes be effective, at other times it may work better to simply accept the belief and to find ways to live successfully while holding it. And at other times, the best approach might be understanding the belief as an indicator of underlying conflicts or vulnerabilities that need to be addressed before the belief can change. Less...

Learning Objectives

• Describe the possible functions of paranoia in the formation of troublesome beliefs or delusions.
• Identify 4 different but complementary approaches to reducing disturbances due to troublesome beliefs.
• Demonstrate how to collaboratively explore evidence for and against an apparently delusional belief.

Friday, June 10, 2022

08:30 AM PDT - 12:30 PM PDT