Certificate in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for children level 1: Core concepts and techniques

Certificate in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) for children level 1: Core concepts and techniques

Presented by SickKids CCMH Learning Institute

Date: June 4, 11, 18 and 25, 2026
Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET
Facilitators: Kathryn Walker, PhD, C.Psych, and Daniel Chorney, PhD

Description: This certificate program is a comprehensive four-day training that is perfect for mental health professionals beginning their CBT journey and looking to enhance their CBT skills and expertise when working with children and adolescents.

This program will equip you with the essential tools to apply CBT effectively in a child-focused therapeutic context. Over the course of four days, you will gain practical knowledge on building therapeutic alliance and rapport with children, understanding the role of emotions and physical sensations, mastering fundamental behavioural strategies, and addressing common cognitive distortions. Whether you are new to CBT or looking review the foundations of CBT, this program offers key takeaways that will empower you to make a meaningful impact on your young clients’ lives.

By the end of this training, participants will have a solid foundation in CBT principles and techniques and be prepared to implement them with children and adolescents in real-world settings. Expert instructors, Dr. Kathryn Walker and Dr. Daniel Chorney will guide you through a balanced approach combining theoretical insights with practical examples and applications.

“Master core behavioral strategies that work in real-world clinical settings with children and teens. This training gives you practical skills to address everyday challenges in a therapy setting and improve outcomes—tools you can use with confidence in any session.” - Dr. Daniel Chorney

"This training allows practice in key CBT strategies and skills, and highlights how to tailor these to the real clients and families you work with. You will help your clients early in their lives  to be self- empowered to manage their own symptoms and meet life’s unpredictabilities and stressors." - Dr. Kathryn Walker

Key topics covered: 

Day 1 - CBT introduction and fundamentals: Gain foundational knowledge of cognitive behavioural  therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents, including session components, goal setting, and case formulation.

Day 2 - Therapeutic alliance and cognitions: Learn how to build a strong therapeutic alliance and master the cognitive aspects of CBT for children and adolescents, including the thoughts-feelings-behaviours (TFB) cycle and cognitive restructuring techniques for effective treatment outcomes.

Day 3 - Emotions and physical sensations: Develop emotional literacy and learn effective emotion regulation strategies for children and teens, including relaxation techniques and body cue recognition to support emotional well-being in therapy.

Day 4 - Behavioural  strategies: Explore key behavioural  strategies in CBT, including exposure techniques and behavioural  activation, to treat anxiety and depression in children. Learn practical methods to modify behaviors and enhance coping skills.

Registration fee: General - $1,500  |  Student and group rates are available

For full program overview and registration details please visit: https://cvent.me/GaRX9a

Facilitator Bio:
Daniel Chorney, PhD. is a clinical psychologist who focuses on using evidence-based methods to assess and treat pediatric anxiety and related disorders. Originally from Vancouver, Dr. Chorney completed his undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia and later received his Ph.D. from West Virginia University. He later completed his clinical internship at Brown University in Rhode Island, focusing on treating OCD in children and helping adults with anxiety and sleep disorders. Prior to starting a private practice in 2012, Dr. Chorney worked at the IWK Hospital in Halifax as a Staff Psychologist and served as the Team Leader for the Anxiety Program (Treatment of Anxiety Group). He is the past Chair of the Nova Scotia Board of Examiners in Psychology and regularly volunteers as a consultant to Anxiety Canada’s Scientific Advisory Committee. He specializes in providing professional development workshops to clinicians and educators on evidence-based approaches to treating anxiety and related issues. 

Kathryn Walker, PhD, C.Psych., is a registered clinical and health psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario who works with adults, children, and adolescents. Dr. Walker completed her graduate training at the State University of New York at Buffalo.  She completed her residency and postdoctoral fellowships at The Hospital for Sick Children, and following that worked as a staff psychologist at SickKids and Toronto General Hospital. In 2019, she became a co-founder of the Downtown Psychology Clinic in Toronto.  She is also an instructor and is active in training new clinicians in evidence-based practice. Dr. Walker’s experience in school, community and hospital/medical settings inform her thinking about health promotion, and how to empower individuals to feel good about themselves, navigate stressors in their lives, experience happiness and personal success, and adopt healthy lifestyles via mind and body. 

Continuing Education (CE) information: 24 CE hours