Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders

Transdiagnostic treatments are clinical interventions that can be applied across diagnostic categories to address underlying emotional disorder. In this course, David Barlow's Unified Protocol: Transdiagnostic Treatment for Emotional Disorders (UP) will be the foundational transdiagnostic approach taught. The UP incorporates elements of behaviorism from all three waves, including mindfulness, cognitive restructuring, and emotional exposure. The UP can be applied to a range of different disorders and problems that share a common underlying emotional dysfunction (e.g., panic attacks, social anxiety, obsessive thought/compulsions, depressed mood, impulsive behaviors, eating disorders). The overarching goal of the UP is to help clients learn new ways of responding to uncomfortable emotions in order to reduce targeted symptoms. The UP can be adapted to many different populations, needs, and settings, and students will be encouraged to apply the UP to populations meaningful to them. The course will be highly experiential, including asking students to participate in activities designed to evoke uncomfortable emotions.