Cognitive Remediation for Serious Mental Health Conditions Workshop 2024

This 3-Day experiential workshop focuses on developing clinical skills for providing cognitive remediation to individuals with serious mental health conditions. This recovery-focused approach focuses on understanding the role that neurocogntive abilities (such as attention, memory, and problem solving) play in serious mental health conditions. Neurocognitive abilities are the best predictor of an individual's ability to achieve functional recovery in domains of vocation, self-care, and independent living. Supported by neuroscience and clinical trials, cognitive remediation is the most effective approach to improve cognition and functioning in serious mental health conditions. This workshop emphasizes practical development of clinical skills through live clinical demonstrations, case examples, role-plays, and discussions of common challenges in cognitive remediation. Recordings of the workshop will be made available to all attendees. Ongoing consultation sessions are also available to workshop attendees who would like to enhance their learning following the workshop.

PRESENTER

Dr. Michael Best is a Clinical Psychologist and an Assistant Professor in the Graduate Department of Psychological Clinical Science at the University of Toronto where he is Director of both the Therapeutic Interventions for Psychosis Lab and the Clinical Research and Evaluation Center. He completed his graduate training at Queen’s University and his residency at the Aaron T. Beck Psychopathology Research Centre in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Best conducts clinical trials of cognitive remediation and has worked in a variety of settings including inpatient, outpatient, assertive community treatment, and early psychosis intervention. Dr. Best has trained graduate students, psychiatry residents, and conducted cognitive therapy trainings across North America. He is a Diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies and a Fellow of the Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies.