PESHAWAR: The first-ever cognitive behavioural therapy course began at the Khyber Medical College on Friday since the college’s affiliation with the Khyber Medical University.

Psychiatrists and psychologists from far-flung areas of Pakistan, including Balochistan’s, have enrolled themselves in the course, whose convener is Assistant Professor Bashir Ahmad, a UK-certified CBT trainer.

The certificate course was inaugurated on Friday with Khyber Teaching Hospital medical director Prof Roohul Muqeem being the chief guest on the occasion.

The event was attended by former KMC principal Dr Khalid Mufti, KMC principal and head of KMC pathology department Dr Ijaz Hassan Khan, head of psychiatry department Prof Syed Mohammad Sultan, and psychiatrists and psychologists.

According to a statement issued here, the CBT is a short-term, goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a hands-on, practical approach to problem-solving. Its goal is to change patterns of thinking or behavior that are behind people’s difficulties, and so change the way they feel.

The course is designed in a way that it will facilitate working psychiatrists and psychologists. After every three months, there will be three classes in which students will be taught the CBT skills and assigned patients for practical implementation.

The students will be under the weekly supervision of local and overseas supervisors.

The course will help students promote CBT SOPs in their own respective healthcare institutions with each of them having basic knowledge of CBT.

KTH medical director Prof Roohul Muqeem lauded the MTI-KTH psychiatry department for regularly arranging academic activities.

Former KMC principal Dr Khalid Mufti said the CBT would help out individuals emotionally and thus, bringing positive change in their thinking and behaviour.

Head of the psychiatry department Prof Syed Mohammad Sultan said CBT revolutionised psychotherapy.

He said the people thought that if someone was depressed, they would stay in depression forever but that was not the case, especially after the introduction of CBT.

KMC principal and KMC pathology department head Dr Ijaz Hassan Khan said the certificate course would be turned into a master’s programme in future.

He said one and a half years ago, Prof Sultan along with Dr Bashir Ahmad came up with the idea of starting the CBT course.

“Now with all the hard work, it has been launched, which is a great success. We’ll turn this certificate course into a master’s degree course later on,” he said.

Published in Dawn, January 7th, 2017