Last week we attended the European Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies Conference. It was an exciting few days of workshops, keynotes and symposiums!
Here’s a quick roundup of some of our presentations:
Prof. Adrian Wells, University of Manchester, gave an excellent keynote presentation evaluating if Metacognitive Therapy is more effective than other evidence based therapies. Very exciting and promising results on the efficacy of MCT ! Prof. Wells also highlighted that we need to stop the eclecticism! We need to stop mixing therapeutic techniques together that haven’t been evaluated!
Dr. Costas Papageorgiou, Altrincham Priory Hospital, also gave a keynote speech. His keynote focused on MCT for depression, highlighting that MCT is proving to be a highly effective therapy for depression, but noted the importance of MCT being delivered by a trained MCT therapist.
Prof. Odin Hjemdal, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, presented an open-paper on the one year follow up on a randomized controlled trial of MCT for depression.
We had some very exciting symposiums as well!
Our first symposium discussed translating MCT to physical health condition!
Dr. Peter Fisher, University of Liverpool, and Prof. Adrian Wells presented data from the NIHR funded PATHWAY study. Dr Fisher presented on conceptualizing cardiac rehabilitation patients distress using cognitive behavioural therapy and metacognitive therapy and MCT and Prof. Adrian Wells presented on a recent study evaluating if metacognitive beliefs are transdiagnostic: a comparison of cancer and cardiac patients experiencing anxiety and depression. Dr. Bruce Fernie, Kings College London, also presented some very exciting research on the relationship between metacognitive beliefs and symptoms in Parkinsons disease.
Our next symposium looked at new evidence of MCT across anxiety disorders and transdiagnostic groups.
Dr. Lora Capobianco, University of Manchester, discussed a feasibility study comparing MCT versus mindfulness meditation therapy in a transdiagnostic sample, Henrik Nordahl, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, presented findings on a case study of MCT for social anxiety disorder, Dr. Robin Bailey, University of Central Lancashire, discussed a pilot randomized controlled trial of MCT for health anxiety, and Sverre Urnes Johnson, University of Oslo/Modum Bad, presented his recent findings on MCT versus CBT for comorbid anxiety disorders
Our final symposium looked at the effectiveness of MCT in Denmark. Dr. Pia Callesen and Tina Bihal presented findings of a case study of MCT for depression, and Dr Callesen presented findings on a recent study evaluating MCT in a transdiagnostic sample and MCT for work-related stress.
