CBT-BAR: A New Approach to Early Intervention for Bipolar Risk (Targeting Extreme Appraisals and Maladaptive Coping Strategies)

Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 9:00 AM - Thursday, March 12, 2026, 1:00 PM, A Live Webinar

March 11 & 12, 2026, from 9 am to 1 pm (PST) on Zoom.

This workshop is designed for clinicians, researchers, and service leads committed to advancing early intervention and improving outcomes for young people at risk of bipolar disorder. This session introduces delegates to CBT-BAR (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Bipolar At Risk), a pioneering, world-first psychological intervention developed specifically for young people meeting Bipolar At Risk (BAR) criteria.

Drawing on extensive clinical experience, including feasibility testing, therapist training, and supervision across multiple trials, Professor Parker will guide participants through the CBT-BAR model. This innovative approach introduces a unique conceptualization and intervention pathway, while building on established frameworks such as CBT for psychosis (ARMS) and the Integrative Cognitive Model for bipolar disorder. CBT-BAR targets mechanisms that maintain mood swings, specifically, extreme appraisals of internal states and maladaptive coping strategies (ascent and descent behaviours) while promoting adaptive responses and personalized understanding of mood patterns.

The intervention integrates cognitive and behavioral strategies with collaborative formulation, personalised mood continua, and behavioural experiments to help young people reduce distress, improve functioning, and achieve their goals. The workshop will also share findings from feasibility studies and the ongoing Bipolar At Risk Trial II (BART II), the first large-scale, multi-site RCT evaluating CBT-BAR within NHS services. These developments mark a paradigm shift in preventative mental health care, aligning with early intervention principles and offering significant potential for service transformation and cost-effectiveness.

For more information and to register, visit: https://med.stanford.edu/inspire-training/workshops/cbtbar

AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™ (8.00 hours), APA Continuing Education credits (8.00 hours), ASWB Continuing Education (ACE) credits (8.00 hours), Non-Physician Participation Credit (8.00 hours)

1. Recognise Bipolar At Risk (BAR) presentations in young people and identify those who may benefit from CBT-BAR.
2. Explain the theoretical foundations of CBT-BAR, including mechanisms such as extreme appraisals and maladaptive coping strategies.
3. Apply CBT-BAR principles to develop collaborative formulations and personalised mood continua.
4. Demonstrate strategies for appraisal change using behavioural experiments and cognitive techniques within the CBT-BAR framework.
5. Evaluate outcomes for young people receiving CBT-BAR, focusing on distress reduction and improved functioning.

In support of improving patient care, Stanford Medicine is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
 
Credit Designation 
American Medical Association (AMA) 
Stanford Medicine designates this Live Activity for a maximum of 8.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM.  Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

ASWB Approved Continuing Education Credit (ACE) – Social Work Credit 
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, Stanford Medicine is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this activity receive 8 continuing education credits.

American Psychological Association (APA) 
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.

Cancellation Policy
Visit https://med.stanford.edu/inspire-training/mcs.html for cancellation policy.

Stanford University School of Medicine reserves the right to cancel or postpone this program if necessary; in the event of cancellation, course fees will be fully refunded. We are not responsible for other costs, such as non-refundable airline tickets or hotel penalties.

Accessibility Statement
 Stanford University School of Medicine is committed to ensuring that its programs, services, goods and facilities are accessible to individuals with disabilities as specified under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008.  If you have needs that require visual, auditory, cognitive, or mobility accommodations, including dietary concerns, please contact the CME office.

Cultural and Linguistic Competency
The planners and speakers of this CME activity have been encouraged to address cultural issues relevant to their topic area for the purpose of complying with California Assembly Bill 1195. Moreover, the Stanford University School of Medicine Multicultural Health Portal contains many useful cultural and linguistic competency tools including culture guides, language access information and pertinent state and federal laws.  You are encouraged to visit the Multicultural Health Portal: https://laneguides.stanford.edu/multicultural-health

For activity related questions, please contact
     Name: Aline Rocha
     Title: Training Manager
     Email: [email protected]

For CME general questions, please contact 
     Email: [email protected]

Mitigation of Relevant Financial Relationships

Stanford Medicine adheres to the Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Education.

There are no relevant financial relationships with ACCME-defined ineligible companies for anyone who was in control of the content of this activity, except those listed in the table below. All of the relevant financial relationships listed for these individuals have been mitigated.