Table 1 Weekly agenda of intervention sessions
Week 1 Focus: Establish therapeutic relationship • Establish rapport • Discuss caregiver expectations about therapy and socialize caregiver to therapy • Describe cognitive model and explain strategies, with emphasis on rationale for behavioral assignments and homework • Explain the nature and consequences of stress • Provide summary and elicit feedback from caregiver | |
Weeks 2–3 Focus: Behavioral activation, active problem-solving, and automatic thoughts • Brief update and bridge from previous session • Prepare agenda • Review homework assignments • Discuss problems and accomplishments since previous session • Instruct caregiver in identifying negative automatic thoughts • Elicit automatic thoughts, specifically in relation to homework assignments • Prepare homework assignments and elicit feedback regarding today’s session | |
Weeks 4–6 Focus: Automatic thoughts and self-therapy • Continue to identify negative automatic thoughts • Continue to work on rational responses to automatic thoughts • Give additional homework assignments and elicit feedback regarding today’s session | |
Weeks 7–8 Focus: Automatic thoughts, self-therapy, and relapse prevention • Prepare caregiver for termination of therapy • Emphasize continuation of practicing strategies after termination • Delineate anticipated problems and rehearse coping strategies • Introduce and practice self-therapy techniques • Provide closure and elicit feedback from caregiver |