Meeting Kids in the Moment: Responsive Group CBT in School Settings

This webinar invites school psychologists and school-based mental health professionals to explore how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be effectively adapted for group settings within diverse school environments.  The session highlights how CBT can be tailored to meet the unique needs of varied student populations.  Participants will be introduced to a brief-care model designed specifically for group interventions, where assessment data informs not just eligibility or diagnosis but deeper case conceptualization.  This process supports the development of more targeted and impactful group strategies.  The presenter will review a transdiagnostic framework—both unified and modular—that enables practitioners to address common mental health challenges collectively rather than in isolation.  Through engaging techniques using metaphors, pop culture references, sports themes, superheroes, and improv, attendees will learn how to make group CBT relatable and accessible for students.  This presentation will include many real-world case examples to equip attendees with practical tools to deliver CBT that is not only evidence-based but also engaging, inclusive, and responsive to the diverse needs of today’s schools.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Apply CBT strategies in group therapy settings with children and adolescents in school environments.  (NASP Domain 4: Mental and Behavioral Health Services)
2. Utilize relevant data to develop culturally responsive, evidence-based case conceptualizations and group intervention plans.  (NASP Domain 1: Data-Based Decision Making)
3. Implement group-based CBT techniques to address a range of common mental health concerns among diverse student populations.  (NASP Domain 4: Mental and Behavioral Health Services)
4. Incorporate creative engagement strategies—such as metaphors, pop culture themes, and improvisational techniques—into group CBT sessions to enhance student participation.  (NASP Domain 4: Mental and Behavioral Health Services)