Available in: Arabic (spoken)/English (translation); Arabic (spoken)/Arabic (transcription)
Target Audience: Psychology students, Psychologists, Mental Health professionals, Medical professionals, The public
Instructor: Dr. Christina Riachi — Consultant Psychologist, Accredited CBT Trainer and Supervisor (University of Oxford)
Course Overview
Social anxiety is one of the most common and impairing anxiety disorders, characterized by intense fear and avoidance of social situations. This course explores how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) provides effective, evidence-based strategies for reducing these fears. It focuses on the role of distorted cognitions in maintaining social anxiety and demonstrates how interventions such as cognitive restructuring and gradual exposure can break the cycle of avoidance.
The course also highlights how social anxiety manifests within Lebanese and Middle Eastern cultural contexts, where family expectations, social reputation, and interpersonal sensitivity may amplify distress. Learners will gain insight into how CBT techniques can be adapted to address these cultural influences while maintaining their evidence-based foundation.
What You’ll Gain
-A comprehensive understanding of CBT’s cognitive model of social anxiety
-Skills to identify maladaptive thoughts and behaviors that maintain social fears
-Practical tools for applying exposure therapy and cognitive restructuring
-Knowledge of cultural considerations for social anxiety in Lebanon and the Middle East
-Increased confidence in applying CBT principles to promote resilience in social situations
Learning Objective
By the end of the course, learners will be able to:
- Recognize the cognitive and behavioral mechanisms that maintain social anxiety
- Apply CBT strategies, including exposure and thought challenging, to reduce avoidance and fear
- Adapt CBT interventions to social and cultural dynamics in Lebanon and the Middle East
- Support clients or themselves in developing confidence and improving daily functioning
References
Clark, D. M., & Wells, A. (1995). A cognitive model of social phobia. In R. Heimberg, M. Liebowitz, D. Hope, & F. Schneier (Eds.), Social Phobia: Diagnosis, Assessment, and Treatment (pp. 69–93). New York: Guilford Press.
Heimberg, R. G., Liebowitz, M. R., Hope, D. A., & Schneier, F. R. (1995). Social Phobia: Diagnosis, Assessment, and Treatment. New York: Guilford Press.
Rapee, R. M., & Heimberg, R. G. (1997). A cognitive-behavioral model of anxiety in social phobia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 35(8), 741–756.
Clark, D. M., Ehlers, A., McManus, F., Hackmann, A., Fennell, M., Campbell, H., … & Louis, B. (2003). Cognitive therapy vs fluoxetine in generalized social phobia: A randomized placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 71(6), 1058–1067.
متوفّر بـ:
العربية (منطوقة) / مترجمة إلى العربية كتابةً