Biography
Biography: Willem Fonteijn
Abstract
In cognitive behavioral therapy, the body takes an undeserved, modest place. It is precisely the body that you can use you to test the beliefs of clients on functionality. Dysfunctional beliefs lead to dysfunctional emotions and corresponding response representations in the body. This is entirely in line with the therapeutic elaboration of Lang's emotion theory. That is, linking existing stimulus representations to incompatible response and meaning representations. This practical workshop introduces participants to body-oriented contra-conditioning techniques and practices applying the principles of contra-conditioning in various anxiety and mood disorders. The workshop starts with an explanation of Lang's theory and how you can use it therapeutically in contra-conditioning and COMET. A report is done from a short mindfulness group training for cardiology patients with anxiety and mood complaints. Subsequently, both plenary and in subgroups, we practice with body-oriented mindfulness techniques and combining incompatible body postures with common dysfunctional beliefs and emotions. Participants are invited to design body-oriented behavioral experiments for clients from their own practice and to discuss them in subgroups. The workshop ends with a demonstration of the method by the teacher.