Essential Elements of CBT for Psychosis: Engagement Style, Normalizing, Developing a Formulation
with Ron Unger, LCSW
This seminar explores and offers practice in the fundamentals of CBT for psychosis. Questions will be discussed such as: How is it possible to engage collaboratively in exploring experiences with people whose view of reality is radically different from your own? How can providers realistically offer hope to people who may feel their mind is broken?
One CBT method that conveys hope and facilitates…
engagement is that of normalizing. Framing psychotic experiences as extreme versions of normal reactions “puts them on the map” of healthy human functioning and allows people to consider transitioning to less extreme approaches. Once experiences are understood in a normalized way, it is then possible to follow up by helping people map out or develop formulations about what is happening. These formulations then can be used to develop specific suggestions about what might be done to effect change.
Note that there are two ticket options for this seminar: you can either register for it individually, or register for it plus an additional 4 seminars at a discounted price. Those other 4 seminars are:
Date: 1/8/27 Paranoia and Troublesome Beliefs: A CBT Approach
Date: 2/12/27 Voices, Visions, and Other Altered Perceptions: Changing Outcomes with CBT
Date: 3/12/27 Trauma, Dissociation, and Psychosis: CBT and Other Approaches to Understanding and Recovery
Date: 4/9/27 Addressing Cultural and Spiritual Issues Within Treatment for Psychosis
If you need more info about those other seminars you can find it at https://ron-unger-lcsw.ce-go.com/courses/all
Target Audience
This educational activity is intended for behavioral health professionals, including Psychologists, Social Workers, Counselors, and MFT's. It may also be of interest to others, including family members and people with lived experience of psychosis.
Live interactive meeting
Online · join from anywhere
Meet the speaker
Ron Unger, LCSW
Ron Unger works as a therapist and therapy consultant, practicing in Eugene Oregon. For the past 23 years he has also worked as an educator, providing seminars on CBT for psychosis and related topics that have reached thousands of people across the United States and internationally. In cooperation with organizations like ISPS and Mad in America, he has organized and hosted webinars with leaders in the field of therapy for psychosis; recordings of many of these can be found on his youtube channel, youtube.com/c/RonUnger. His website is recoveryfrompsychosis.org.
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Biography
By the end of this session, you'll be able to
1
List four key elements of a collaborative engagement style consistent with CBT for psychosis, and demonstrate this style in practice.
2
Apply the practice of normalizing while discussing psychotic experiences.
3
Based on descriptions of psychotic experiences, create CBT formulations which map out what may be happening and what might be changed to “shrink” the problem.
4
Describe an approach to integrating collaborative decision making around medications with CBT.
Session agenda
8:30–10:30: Style of relating in CBT for psychosis
Establishing a collaborative relationship
Finding a balance with hope
Curious questioning from a position of uncertainty
Overcoming difficulties in relating due to psychosis
10:30 - 10:45: Break
10:45–11:00: CBT, psychosis, and antipsychotic medications
11:00–11:45: Normalizing: theoretical and practical approaches
11:45-12:45: Developing and using various types of formulations to guide therapy
CE Info
4
CE credit hours
Live interactive meeting · 4 hours 15 minutes
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CE process
Each professional is responsible for the individual requirements as stipulated by his/her licensing agency. Please contact your individual licensing board/regulatory agency to review continuing education requirements for licensure renewal. Please note: You must attend "live" (in real-time) to earn CE credits.
Before the event, you will receive an email from CE-Go with access to the virtual event. After the event, you will receive access to your evaluation and continuing education certificate via a personalized "attendee dashboard" link, hosted on the CE-Go website. This link and access to the virtual event will be sent to the email account you used to register for the event.
Upon accessing the CE-Go "attendee dashboard", you will be able to:
Complete evaluation forms for the event
Download your continuing education certificate in a PDF format
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Disclosure
DISCLOSURE OF RELEVANT FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS
CE Learning Systems adheres to the ACCME’s Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity ― including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others ― are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (formerly known as commercial interests).
The following relevant financial relationships have been disclosed by this activity’s planners, faculty, and the reviewer:
PLANNERS AND REVIEWER
The planners of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships.
FACULTY
The faculty of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships.
Policies & CE process
CELS Grievance
If a grievance arises pertaining to continuing education activities or processes, please contact Tyler Gibson via confidential email to tyler@celearningsystems.com as soon as possible, so that the nature of the concern may be addressed in a timely fashion.
Disability Accommodation
ADA accommodations will be made in accordance with the law; please indicate your special needs when you register by sending an email to support@ce-go.com or by calling us at 888 498 5578.
Technology *
1. This virtual event will be hosted via Zoom Meeting, and you may be prompted to download or upgrade your Zoom app if using a mobile device. A strong WiFi connection will be required for best quality.
2. We recommend clicking your "Join Webinar" button early and checking that your speakers are on, and camera and microphone are working, before the event begins.
3. CE's are provided for the "live" sessions only. CE's will not be available for the recordings.
Refund
Refunds can be requested and will be made in full up until 7 days prior to the seminar.
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$89 – $299 · 4 CE credit hours · Friday, Dec 4, 2026 · 8:30 AM – 12:45 PM PDT
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Essential Elements of CBT for Psychosis: Engagement Style, Normalizing, Developing a Formulation$89 – $299 · Friday, Dec 4, 2026 · 4 CE