🔭Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) Course

Free Course by Everything IFS Academy | Therapeutic Modalities Series

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Welcome to the Metacognitive Therapy (MCT) Course for Everyday People

Metacognitive Therapy was developed by British clinical psychologist Adrian Wells, growing out of research he began in the 1990s and maturing into a full therapy over the two decades that followed. It arrived with a genuinely startling idea at its center: anxiety and depression are not kept alive by negative thoughts, but by how much time and attention a mind gives them, and by what that mind believes about its own thinking. Tested in clinical trials for over twenty years, MCT has earned a reputation as one of the most effective approaches ever developed for chronic worry and rumination, the mental loops that so many people know from the inside.

This course teaches pure MCT, with no other modalities blended in. It's written in plain, emotionally relatable language anyone can follow, whether you work in the field or have never set foot in a therapy room. It isn't clinical training for therapists; it's MCT you can put to use in your own life. Each module offers clear teaching, real-life examples, and the practical tools, techniques, and strategies MCT is known for, and every lesson ends with a simple practice so you can begin using the skill right away.

This course is self-paced, with no tests, exams, or homework. Feel free to go through it in order, or jump around to whatever interests you most.

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Course outline

Click any lesson below to begin.

Orientation

Module 1 What Is Metacognitive Therapy

Module 2 Who Is Adrian Wells

Module 3 The Cognitive Attentional Syndrome (CAS)

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Core Teachings

Module 4 Metacognitive Beliefs and Meta-Worry

Module 5 Detached Mindfulness

Module 6 The Attention Training Technique (ATT)

Module 7 Worry and Rumination Postponement

Module 8 Challenging Beliefs That Worry Is Dangerous

Module 9 Challenging Positive Beliefs About Worry

Module 10 Letting Go of Threat Monitoring and Unhelpful Coping

Module 11 Situational Attentional Refocusing (SAR)

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Closing

Module 12 Using MCT in Everyday Life

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Disclaimer:

Everything IFS Academy is an independent educational platform and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the IFS Institute. While we strive for accuracy, errors can occur, and users are encouraged to cross-reference critical information. These courses, lessons, skills, and practices are offered for educational and self-reflection purposes only. They do not constitute therapy, mental health treatment, clinical training, or crisis support, and they should not be used as a substitute for professional mental health care.

Crisis Support: 🚨

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, feel unsafe, feel at risk of harming yourself or someone else, or feel too overwhelmed to safely use self-directed practices, please pause this material and reach out for immediate support. Contact a licensed mental health professional, call or text 988 in the U.S. or Canada, or use your local emergency or crisis resources.