Evidence-Based Psychotherapy

Millions of people get psychotherapy at some point in their lives, and even more are curious about what it might entail. In this course, we answer questions that many people wonder: What tools do clinicians use to diagnose mental illness? How do they decide how to treat it? What are the most evidence-based treatments out there? And how does the field figure out which ones are “evidence-based” in the first place? As more and more people seek psychotherapy around the globe, an understanding of it is increasingly important. This course enables the public to be good consumers of psychotherapy (e.g., to select evidence-based approaches that match their own difficulties), provides useful information for people considering a career in mental healthcare, and offers the chance to gain insight into one's own psychological distress. Students will learn the principles and theory behind several psychotherapeutic approaches, with a focus on evidence-based interventions including cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). Assignments include case videos and completion of evidence-based therapy-style worksheets. The course offers an introduction to the real-life practice of psychotherapy and a “behind the scenes” glimpse into how therapists develop their treatments.