Advanced CBT Toolbox for Depressed, Anxious & Traumatized Youth: Over 150 Worksheets, Handouts & Therapist Tips to Promote Resilience, Positive Emotions & Personal Growth

Drawing on third-wave advances in cognitive behavioural therapy, Dr. David Pratt has created an invaluable set of innovative yet highly practical therapy tools that will create meaningful change for your young clients.

Based on Dr. Pratt's 40+ years of clinical experience, these actionable, youth-friendly worksheets and handouts will help your clients become more resilient, optimistic, and fully alive. Each activity is accompanied by a therapist rationale explaining the evidence base and clinical foundation underlying the intervention, as well as therapist tips for successful implementation. This advanced CBT toolbox is a natural companion for Dr. Pratt's first book, CBT Toolbox for Depressed, Anxious & Suicidal Children and Adolescents.

This new, advanced book contains more than 150 structured activities and therapist tips that are ready for in-session or homework use. These tools will help you teach a variety of skills that are essential for kids’ growth and happiness, including:

• Developing resilience
• Self-regulation
• Growth mindset
• Overcoming worry
• Problem solving
• Promoting positive emotions
• Goal development
• Practising gratitude
• Self-compassion
• Using personal strengths
• Mindfulness practices
• Building self-esteem
• Improving communication skills
• Conflict resolution
• Social skills
• And for caregivers: positive parenting skills

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

• Why This Book? The Backstory 1
• What's Inside? 2
• How This Book Will Benefit You 3

Chapter 1 Learning Self-Regulation 5

• Self-Awareness of Stressful Life Events 6
• Mindfulness & Deep Breathing 11
• Alternative Mindfulness Practices 15
• Distress Tolerance Skills 19
• The ABCDE Model & Healthy Thinking 22
• Using the ABCDE Model in My Life 27
• Overcoming Worry & Catastrophic Beliefs 29
• Disputing My Catastrophic Beliefs 34
• Problem Solving 37

Chapter 2 Promoting Positive Emotions & Optimism 41

• Self-Awareness of Positive Life Experiences 42
• What Went Well Today 46
• Do a Mood Improvement Experiment 49
• Practicing Gratitude 51
• Self-Compassion 54
• Throw Your Self-Critical Thoughts in the Garbage 58
• Optimism & Explanatory Styles 60
• Optimistic vs. Pessimistic Thinking 68
• Finding the Positive in the Negative 72
• My Positive Experiences Bank Account 76

Chapter 3 Pursuing Personal Growth 79

• Fixed Mindset vs. Growth Mindset 80
• My Fixed & Growth Mindsets 85
• Identify and Utilize Your Personal Character Strengths 88
• My Character Strengths: The VIA Youth Survey 90
• Identifying Client Strengths Through Clinical Interview 91
• My Personal Strengths 95
• Using Your Personal Strengths 99
• The Wheel of Life: Discovering My Goals 102
• Developing Grit: How to Keep Going When the Going Gets Tough 108
• Committed Action Toward Valued Goals: Discovering My Passions 115
• Overcoming My Doubts 121
• Building Self-Esteem by Doing Things Well 123
• Visualizing Personal Growth 128

Chapter 4 Building Positive Relationships & Social Support 133

• Nonverbal Communication Skills 134
• Having a Conversation 138
• Empathy & Perspective Taking 143
• Active-Constructive Communication 148
• Social Problem Solving 152
• Expressing Gratitude Toward Others 157
• Assertiveness 161
• Conflict Resolution 166

Chapter 5 Positive Parenting Skills 177

• Attending, Empathy & Validation, 178
• Teaching the ABCDE Model 185
• Modeling Positive Emotions, Gratitude & Optimism 191
• Positive Reinforcement: Catch Your Child Using Their ABCDE Skills 194
• Promoting Your Child's Self-Esteem 200
• Fostering Curiosity 202
• Family Behavioral Activation 204
• Promoting Extracurricular Activities 209
• The Family Grit Challenge 213

References 217

Resources 221