APT

Debut of 'CBT with Psychosis: Module 3'

I reckon that the best thing that has happened this last week is the debut running of CBT with Psychosis Module 3.  This is the “What do you do after you know it all?” module, the one that assumes you know all about everyday CBT interactions, and CBT interventions for delusions and hallucinations, but asks whether you can really put that all together to properly help people with very severe disturbances.  It’s been a very long while in the making, and went off for its first showing under the tutelage of Joseph Calleja who, as ever, clearly did an astounding job.   Ali Modaresi and I wrote the course, so it’s great to see Joseph run it so well.  My favourite feedback from delegates was "An extremely enjoyable and helpful 3 days. It has helped consolidate on previous 2 modules. The use of detailed case studies and exploring our own live case studies has been very helpful. Thank you for presenting a first class learning experience.”

 

Best joke of the week:  Man goes into a pet shop after looking in the window for a long while.  "I'll have a wasp please," he says.  "I'm sorry, we don't sell wasps," replies the assistant.  "Well why do you have them in your window then?" asks the man.

Snow Problem!

Well, we all hit it lucky this last week or two.  Last week, in the snow, we had just one course running.  Lots running the week before and lots running this week, but last week just the one.   So that meant that our sturdy tutor had to make his way from Liverpool to East Anglia, which he did in a splendid fashion and delivered the goods as normal.  So our record remains just one course cancelled in 28 years. ( And I’m still hurt about that!) Still, I guess it works out at about 1 in 5000. 

 

Management-RAID

I had a great experience last week, returning to where I worked 20 years ago to run a Management-RAID course there.  For years people attending the RAID course have told us that we should provide a parallel course for management, and now we have.  This was the third time it has run, and I was delighted with the reception it received.  Not only 'straight 7s' on both the scales (Presentation and Relevance) but a nice card and an even nicer bottle of vintage Port to go home with. 

Interestingly, the session that produced the biggest reaction was the one on annual appraisals. In the build up to it, we covered how 'positive feedback' can be delivered anytime, but negative feedback needs to be delivered immediately (otherwise people become 'paranoid' about what information you are storing up on them).  We then went on to look at the implications this has for annual appraisals, and how, if you follow this to its logical conclusion, you can't give any negative feedback at that point.  They produced some fantastic work on how to follow that through in a good way, in 'real-life' after the course.

So, all in all, it was a great three days.  Over 11,000 people have been through the standard RAID course now and, who knows, maybe the same will eventually be the case for Management-RAID.