BRIEF ENCOUNTERS
Book ticketsOrganised by:
Counselling Service, Birkbeck University of London
Description
BRIEF ENCOUNTERS: WORKING AT DEPTH WITHIN THE LIMITS OF TIME BY CATE LYON
WEDNESDAY 27 JANUARY 2027, 1:00-5:00PM
ABOUT THE WORKSHOP
The need for clinical excellence in delivering brief therapies has never been more pressing. Brief psychotherapy and counselling are established, NICE-approved treatment options within NHS Talking Therapies, the national framework for delivering community-based mental health treatments. High demand and funding pressures across sectors mean that, in many organisational settings today, therapeutic work is very likely to be time-limited. As a profession, we need to develop expertise in adapting our core training, thinking and clinical practice to brief therapeutic models.
This workshop will consider the clinical challenges and the extraordinary rewards for both clinicians and patients that such brief therapeutic encounters can produce. It is widely recognised that the therapist’s faith in the model is one of the most important contributors to effective therapy, so we will begin by examining our own attitudes towards brevity. We will then discuss some of the key adaptations to technique that effective brief therapy demands of us, including considerations around assessment, formulation, transference interpretation, frame management and endings. There will be opportunities to reflect on aspects of your own clinical practice.
The intention is to ignite new thinking and ideas that can be developed within your own clinical practice and style of brief work. As with brief therapy, much of the working-through will lie in your own experimentation and reflection on attitudes and practices that develop beyond the training itself.
While the workshop is grounded in a psychodynamic approach, aspects will be applicable to all mainstream brief models. The session will include a brief introductory presentation, followed by focused informal talks and discussions, breakout rooms, and plenary reflection.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
CATE LYON is a Psychodynamic Psychotherapist, trained at WPF Therapy, London. She is part of the senior management team leading a large London NHS Talking Therapies Service (formerly IAPT). As Counselling Lead, she promotes standards of clinical excellence and performance within the Service. She manages and supervises the provision of brief counselling interventions across a broad demographic and a wide range of presenting issues, levels of complexity, and risk.
She has a private practice, teaches and trains in all aspects of open-ended and brief individual psychodynamic psychotherapy. She is a trainer and supervisor in Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT) and also practises as a Couples Therapist (CTfD). In addition, she offers a range of CPD courses and workshops.
Cate has a specialist interest in the theory and practice of working at pace and at depth. She is a strong advocate for the merits and potential of brief psychodynamic therapy as a highly effective treatment of choice. Her extensive clinical and supervisory experience confirm that short-term psychotherapy, provided well, can reach emotional depths, bring profound insight, and promote genuine psychic change. In short, brief can very often be ‘enough’.
For any queries about the training, information about discounted tickets or group bookings, please contact:
Aditi Dhar
Email: counselling-services@bbk.ac.uk
