NAMI Ask the Expert: Mind the Gap: Closing the Divide Between Psychosis and Psychotherapy in the U.S. Mental Health System OD002

An on-demand video and transcript of the presentation are available here [opens in new tab].

About The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. They are an alliance of more than 650 local Affiliates and 49 State organizations who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education to people with mental illness and their loved ones. Through awareness, advocacy and education, NAMI is committed to building stronger communities and a better future for everyone affected by mental illness.

Course Summary

Practice Level: Intermediate

This course, based on the Ask the Expert webinar series by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), provides a cursory review of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating psychotic symptoms.  The principles of CBT are discussed with special consideration of studies supporting its efficacy with psychosis.

The course, with an intended audience of social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and counselors, reviews current research and recent developments in the treatment of psychotic symptoms with nonpharmacological interventions. Application, training, and implementation developments are discussed to provide a practical understanding of the real world context surrounding this approach to addressing psychosis.

Course Format

This course contains a practice test and an on-demand video (with a slide deck of the presentation). When you’re ready, purchase the course by clicking the “Add To Cart” or “Enroll” button. This will let you take the test, complete the course evaluation and receive your certificate for CE credits.

Learning Objectives

1. Explain psychosis from the perspective of CBT.
2. Describe collaborative empiricism in the context of CBTp.
3. Identify systemic barriers to CBTp implementation in the United States.

Course Syllabus

• Overview of CBT for Psychosis
• Implementation Strategies Based on Collaborative Empiricism
• Systemic Challenges

Current References

Berendsen, S., Berendse, S., van der Torren, J., Vermeulen, J., & de Haan, L. (2024). Cognitive behavioural therapy for the treatment of schizophrenia spectrum disorders: An umbrella review of meta‑analyses of randomised controlled trials. EClinicalMedicine, 67, 102392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eclinm.2023.102392 [opens in new tab]

Freeman, D., Emsley, R., Diamond, R., Collett, N., Bold, E., Chadwick, E., Isham, S., Bird, J. C., Edwards, D., Kingdon, D., Fitzpatrick, R., Kabir, T., Waite, F., & Oxford Cognitive Approaches to Psychosis Trial Study Group. (2021). Comparison of a theoretically driven cognitive therapy (the Feeling Safe Programme) with befriending for the treatment of persistent persecutory delusions: A parallel, single‑blind, randomised controlled trial. The Lancet Psychiatry, 8(8), 696–707. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(21)00158-9 [opens in new tab]

 Hong, Y., Chen, Y., Bai, Y., & Tan, W. (2025). Cognitive‑behavioral therapy for the improvement of negative symptoms and functioning in schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta‑analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLOS ONE, 20(5), e0324685. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0324685 [opens in new tab]

Kopelovich, S. L., Straub, K., Vaswani-Bye, A., Brian, R. M., & Monroe-DeVita, M. (2025). Co-production of a state-funded centralized psychosis and psychosis risk screening, assessment, and referral service. Schizophrenia Research, 275, 196–207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2024.12.011 [opens in new tab]

McGlanaghy, E., Turner, D., Davis, G. A., Sharpe, H., Dougall, N., Morris, P., Prentice, W., & Hutton, P. (2021). A network meta‑analysis of psychological interventions for schizophrenia and psychosis: Impact on symptoms. Schizophrenia Research, 228, 447–459. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.schres.2020.12.036 [opens in new tab]

Salahuddin, N. H., Schütz, A., Pitschel‑Walz, G., Mayer, S. F., Chaimani, A., Siafis, S., Priller, J., Leucht, S., & Bighelli, I. (2024). Psychological and psychosocial interventions for treatment‑resistant schizophrenia: A systematic review and network meta‑analysis. The Lancet Psychiatry, 11(7), 545–553. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(24)00136-6 [opens in new tab]

Stiles, B. J., Kuczynski, A. M., Shepard, V., Blank, J., & Kopelovich, S. L. (2025). Evaluating Response to a Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Psychosis-Informed Family Intervention at Variable Duration of a Psychotic Illness. Early intervention in Psychiatry, 19(2), e70003. https://doi.org/10.1111/eip.70003 [opens in new tab]

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2021). Routine administration of cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis as the standard of care for individuals seeking treatment for psychosis: State of the science and implementation considerations for key stakeholders (SAMHSA Publication NO. PEP20-03-09-001). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/pep20-03-09-001.pdf [opens in new tab]

Wood, H. J., Eisen, K., Hardy, K. V., Reznik, S. J., Shapiro, D. I., Thompson, E. C., Gaither, M. L., & Kopelovich, S. (2025). Confronting the dialectic between quality and access in early psychosis care in the United States: Finding the synthesis by leveraging psychological expertise. Psychological Services, 22(1), 34–43. https://doi.org/10.1037/ser0000826 [opens in new tab]

Zheng, Y., Xu, T., Zhu, Y., Li, C., Wang, J., Livingstone, S., & Zhang, T. (2022). Cognitive behavioral therapy for prodromal stage of psychosis—Outcomes for transition, functioning, distress, and quality of life: A systematic review and meta‑analysis. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 48(1), 8–19. https://doi.org/10.1093/schbul/sbab044 [opens in new tab]

Instructors

Sarah Kopelovich, PhD, ABPP

Sarah Kopelovich, PhD, ABPP is a forensically trained clinical psychologist who is board certified in behavioral and cognitive psychology. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington and holds the first Professorship of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Psychosis (CBTp) internationally. She contributed to a recent systematic review of psychopharmacologic and psychosocial interventions for schizophrenia spectrum disorders through the Agency for Health and Research Quality, which served as the primary source document for the revised schizophrenia treatment guidelines published by the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Kopelovich is an executive member of the Washington State Center of Excellence in Early Psychosis and co-founder and current President of the North America CBT for Psychosis Network, the mission of which is to enhance access to high-quality CBT for psychosis across North America.

M. Lys Hunt, MSW, LICSW

M. Lys Hunt, MSW, LICSW is the Mental Health Program Director for CE4Less and has been practicing social work for over 25 years and is licensed in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. She earned her Master’s Degree from the Boston University School of Social Work and completed a post graduate fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital. Her clinical work specializes in the areas of mental health and child and family welfare. She has been a consultant and planner of continuing education for social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and counselors for over 18 years.

Accreditation Approval Statements

CE4Less.com is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CE4Less.com maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

CE4Less.com, provider #1115, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 8/8/24-8/8/27.

Social workers completing this course receive 1 clinical continuing education credit.

This course has been approved by CE4Less.com, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #91345, CE4Less.com is responsible for all aspects of the programing.

We are committed to providing our learners with unbiased information. CE4Less never accepts commercial support and our authors have no significant financial or other conflicts of interest pertaining to the material.