Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Youth Depression
Audience
Mental health clinicians treating children and adolescents: clinical social workers, counselors, psychologists, and therapists.
Description
Depression in youth is a growing crisis, with over 1 in 5 adolescents experiencing a major depressive episode each year. Yet, nearly 60% of children and teens with major depressive disorder (MDD) do not receive any treatment.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most well-supported psychotherapy for pediatric depression, backed by extensive research, including randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses. The CBT for Youth Depression course equips clinicians with practical, evidence-based strategies to identify, diagnose, and treat depression in children and adolescents.
Participants will gain a strong foundation in CBT principles and a structured approach to intervention, focusing on core techniques such as behavioral activation and cognitive restructuring. The course emphasizes real-world application, providing clinicians with tools that can be immediately integrated into their practice.
This training consists of two key components:
- Dynamic, One-Day Workshop – A live, interactive workshop where you’ll learn to use behavioral activation, cognitive restructuring, and other CBT techniques to treat depressed children and teens.
- Case-Based Learning Calls – A series of six calls over three months, where participants present real client cases, share their approach in applying course learnings, and receive coaching and feedback from their peers and REACH’s expert faculty.
Each component is led by REACH’s national faculty of renowned psychologists. Participants receive a structured treatment manual with session-by-session guidelines and reproducible client handouts. Those who complete both components will receive a certificate of completion.
Course Goals
By completing this course, you will learn to:
- Identify and understand the core components of youth depression.
- Diagnose and monitor depressive symptoms using standardized rating scales.
- Conceptualize patient cases using a cognitive-behavioral perspective.
- Apply key CBT techniques, including behavioral activation, cognitive restructuring, coping strategies, and problem-solving.
- Develop and implement effective treatment strategies for depressed youth.
Course Dates
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REACH also offers private trainings on CBT for Youth Anxiety, CBT for Youth Depression, and Treatment for Disruptive Behavior Disorders for groups of 10 or more — contact us to learn more.
The REACH Institute’s CATIE program (Child/Adolescent Training in Evidence-Based Psychotherapies) gives clinicians practical tools to implement evidence-based therapies for youth.