Wednesday, 1 April 2026

📘 MODULE: CBT, EXPOSURE THERAPY & SUPPORTING LOW MOTIVATION

 



🌿 EASY READ VERSION (Full Module)

💭 What is CBT?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
is a talking therapy that helps people:

  • Understand their thoughts
  • Manage feelings
  • Change behaviors

👉 It breaks problems into:

  • Thoughts 💭
  • Feelings ❤️
  • Actions 🚶

🔁 How CBT Helps

CBT helps people:

  • Challenge negative thinking
  • Replace unhelpful behaviors
  • Learn coping skills

👉 Small changes can improve how someone feels


🧠 CBT for Different Problems

😟 Anxiety & Phobias

  • Reduces avoidance
  • Teaches calming skills
  • Challenges “worst case” thinking

😔 Depression

  • Encourages small activities
  • Builds motivation
  • Improves mood

🔁 OCD

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

  • Face fears without rituals
  • Builds control over thoughts

⚠️ PTSD

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Processes trauma safely
  • Changes unhelpful beliefs

🍽️ Eating Problems

  • Improves thoughts about food and body
  • Builds healthy habits

😴 Sleep Problems

  • Improves sleep routines
  • Reduces worry at night

🚫 Substance Misuse

  • Finds triggers
  • Builds coping strategies

🔍 Exposure Therapy (Part of CBT)

Exposure Therapy helps people:

  • Face fears safely
  • Reduce anxiety over time

👉 Avoiding fear makes it stronger
👉 Facing fear makes it smaller


🤝 Supporting Exposure Therapy

  • Start small (fear ladder)
  • Go step by step
  • Stay long enough
  • Be supportive, not forceful
  • Practice often

🌧️ Low Motivation & Depression Support

Some people may:

  • Feel very tired
  • Lose interest
  • Struggle with basic tasks

👉 This can be part of
Major Depressive Disorder


🪜 How to Help

  • Start very small
  • Break tasks into steps
  • Offer support
  • Be patient

✔ “Let’s do this together”
❌ “Just do it”


🌟 Key Message

  • Small steps matter
  • Support helps recovery
  • Change takes time

📊 POWERPOINT VERSION (Ready-to-Build Slides)

SLIDE 1 – Title

CBT, Exposure Therapy & Mental Health Support


SLIDE 2 – What is CBT?

  • Thoughts, feelings, behaviors
  • Practical therapy

SLIDE 3 – How CBT Works

  • Change thinking
  • Change behavior

SLIDE 4 – Anxiety & Phobias

  • Reduce avoidance
  • Learn calming skills

SLIDE 5 – Depression

  • Build motivation
  • Small activities

SLIDE 6 – OCD

  • Face fears
  • Reduce rituals

SLIDE 7 – PTSD

  • Process trauma
  • Safe support

SLIDE 8 – Other Uses

  • Eating disorders
  • Sleep problems
  • Substance misuse

SLIDE 9 – Exposure Therapy

  • Face fears gradually
  • Reduce anxiety

SLIDE 10 – Supporting Exposure

  • Small steps
  • Stay with it
  • Encourage

SLIDE 11 – Low Motivation

  • Low energy
  • Daily struggles

SLIDE 12 – How to Help

  • Be patient
  • Break tasks down
  • Support gently

SLIDE 13 – Key Message

Small steps = progress


📘 TRAINING / PROFESSIONAL VERSION

Overview

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
is a structured, time-limited intervention (typically 5–15 sessions) focusing on present difficulties.


Core Components

  • Cognitive restructuring
  • Behavioral activation
  • Exposure techniques
  • Skills practice (homework)

Condition-Specific Applications

Anxiety & Phobias

  • Cognitive restructuring
  • Graded exposure

Depression

  • Behavioral activation
  • Activity scheduling

OCD

  • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)

PTSD

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
  • Trauma-focused CBT

Insomnia

  • CBT-I (sleep restriction, hygiene)

Substance Misuse

  • Trigger identification
  • Relapse prevention

Supporting Low Motivation

Key Concept: Avolition

  • Reduced ability to initiate tasks
  • Common in depression

Intervention Strategies

  • Task breakdown
  • Prompting and cueing
  • Co-regulation
  • Reinforcement of effort

Risk Monitoring

  • Self-neglect
  • Isolation
  • Suicidal ideation

🧩 QUIZ (Assessment)

Questions

  1. What does CBT focus on?
    a) The past only
    b) Thoughts, feelings, behaviors
    c) Medication only

  1. What is exposure therapy?
    a) Avoiding fear
    b) Facing fear safely
    c) Ignoring fear

  1. What helps depression in CBT?
    a) Doing nothing
    b) Behavioral activation
    c) Isolation

  1. What is OCD treatment in CBT?
    a) Avoidance
    b) ERP
    c) Sleep therapy

  1. What is a good support strategy?
    a) Pressure
    b) Small steps
    c) Ignore

Answers

  1. b
  2. b
  3. b
  4. b
  5. b

🎭 OPTIONAL ROLE-PLAY ACTIVITY

Scenario:
A person has not showered for several days due to depression.

Task:

  • Practice supportive communication
  • Break task into steps
  • Offer help without pressure


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