Avoidance in Psychotherapy

Training by Christophe Herbert, psychologist (AI-enhanced course).

Behind a great many of the complaints that reach our consulting rooms stands avoidance. It runs through anxiety disorders, depression, trauma, relational struggles and performance anxiety — and it is far more than mere “escape behaviour”. This 2-hour course for psychologists offers a thorough clinical treatment of avoidance as a transdiagnostic process, paying special attention to its visible, invisible and socially rewarded forms.

You will come to read avoidance as a protective strategy — adaptive at first, costly once it hardens. The course supplies a clear model of the clinical avoidance cycle (trigger, discomfort, avoidance, relief, maintenance), precise markers for assessing it in session without inadvertently reinforcing it, and tools for building psychoeducation and a shared formulation. The principles of intervention are unpacked step by step: gradual progression, choosing targets, dismantling safety behaviours, graded exposure, behavioural activation and ACT-based work.

Specific attention goes to relational avoidance and therapeutic collusion, and to adapting the work across clinical presentations. Vignettes show the model in action, and a realistic monitoring frame supports its lasting integration into private practice.

4 learning objectives. By the end of the course you will be able to:

• Read avoidance as a transdiagnostic process and recognize its behavioural, emotional, cognitive and relational faces.
• Assess avoidance in session with clinical tact — neither confronting prematurely nor reinforcing the maintenance cycle.
• Construct psychoeducation and a shared formulation that turn avoidance into a lever for therapy.
• Deliver progressive, individualized interventions: graded exposure, reduction of safety behaviours, behavioural activation and ACT tools.

Keywords. Clinical avoidance · Anxiety and avoidance · Cognitive behavioural therapy · ACT psychotherapy · Transdiagnostic process

Assessment and certificate. The course includes illustrated video presentations and a training certificate.

Trainer: Christophe Herbert, Psychologist. Specialist in the psychotherapeutic support of victims and the bereaved. Director of H4 Publishing.

Bibliography

Barlow, D. H., Allen, L. B., & Choate, M. L. (2004). Toward a unified treatment for emotional disorders. Behavior Therapy, 35(2), 205–230.

Craske, M. G., Treanor, M., Conway, C. C., Zbozinek, T., & Vervliet, B. (2014). Maximising exposure therapy: An inhibitory learning approach. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 58, 10–23.

Hayes, S. C., Strosahl, K. D., & Wilson, K. G. (2012). Acceptance and commitment therapy: The process and practice of mindful change (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Kashdan, T. B., & Rottenberg, J. (2010). Psychological flexibility as a fundamental aspect of health. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(7), 865–878.

Martell, C. R., Dimidjian, S., & Herman-Dunn, R. (2010). Behavioral activation for depression: A clinician's guide.Guilford Press.

Mowrer, O. H. (1960). Learning theory and behavior. Wiley.

Powers, M. B., Smits, J. A. J., & Telch, M. J. (2004). Disentangling the effects of safety behaviours during exposure therapy. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 42(3), 307–320.

Shafran, R., Cooper, Z., & Fairburn, C. G. (2002). Clinical perfectionism: A cognitive-behavioural analysis. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 40(7), 773–791.

Tull, M. T., & Roemer, L. (2007). Emotion regulation difficulties associated with the experience of uncued panic attacks. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 21(3), 349–364.

Wells, A. (2009). Metacognitive therapy for anxiety and depression. Guilford Press.

Who is this training for?

This training is reserved for professionals (e.g. psychologists, psychotherapists, psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, sexologists, mental health nurses, etc.) and students in psychology, psychiatry, or related disciplines. Others may apply by contacting: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

How to register and access the course

1. Register for your personal training account and pay the registration fee (invoice available).
2. You will gain access to the course (video lectures and downloadable documents) in your personal training area. You may complete the course in several sessions. Once registered, you may begin whenever you wish, with no time limit to complete the training. You may also contact the trainer with questions.
3. Complete the knowledge validation test (a minimum of 70% correct answers is required to obtain a named certificate of completion; unlimited attempts. The aim is for you to succeed through the knowledge you have gained).
4. Download your named certificate, issued under the Psy-Training letterhead, confirming that you have completed and passed the training.