CBT for Youth Depression
Nearly 1 in 5 youth aged 12-17 have had at least one major depressive episode this past year. Most never get treatment. You can change that.
Join the Notification ListWHO IT’S FOR
Mental health clinicians treating children and adolescents: clinical social workers, counselors, psychologists, and therapists.
Depression in young people is serious, common, and undertreated — nearly 60% of children and teens with major depressive disorder (MDD) receive no treatment at all. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the most well-supported psychotherapy for pediatric depression, backed by randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses. This course gives you the practical skills to put that evidence to work.
You’ll build a strong foundation in CBT principles and structured intervention, with a focus on core techniques including behavioral activation and cognitive restructuring — tools you can integrate into your practice immediately
You’ll build a strong foundation in CBT principles and structured intervention, with a focus on core techniques including behavioral activation and cognitive restructuring — tools you can integrate into your practice immediately.
This training has two components:
- A full-day interactive workshop where you’ll learn to use behavioral activation, cognitive restructuring, and other evidence-based CBT techniques with depressed children and teens.
- Six case-based learning calls over three months — where you present real client cases, apply course learning, and receive coaching and feedback from peers and REACH’s national expert faculty.
All participants receive a structured treatment manual with session-by-session guidelines and reproducible client handouts. Participants who complete both components receive a certificate of completion.
COURSE GOALS
After this course, you’ll be able to:
Identify and understand the core components of youth depression.
Diagnose and monitor depressive symptoms using standardized rating scales.
Conceptualize patient cases using a cognitive-behavioral framework.
Apply key CBT techniques — including behavioral activation, cognitive restructuring, coping strategies, and problem-solving — with depressed young patients.
Develop and implement effective treatment plans for depressed youth.
Course dates
No courses at the moment.
Join the notification list to be alerted as
soon as new dates are available.
About CATIE
This program is part of CATIE — REACH’s Child/Adolescent Training in Evidence-Based Psychotherapies — which gives mental health clinicians practical tools to implement evidence-based therapies for youth.
Hear from articipants
“Learning ways to help support our students and their needs is always so valuable to me. I learned a lot about depression that I will be able to apply in my career.”
— 2026 CBT for Youth Depression Participant
“Having ongoing training and being able to talk to peers — with support from instructors — really helped with confidence building. When you see improvement working with families and children, it reaffirms that you’re on the right track.”
— Kristin Mason, LCMHC, MSW, ESMHL
Vermont
YOUR Questions Answered
Everything you need to know before you register.
This course is built for mental health clinicians treating children and adolescents — clinical social workers, counselors, psychologists, and therapists — who work with depressed young patients and want structured, evidence-based CBT approaches to assessment and treatment.
More than 1 in 5 adolescents experience a major depressive episode each year — yet nearly 60% of children and teens with major depressive disorder receive no treatment at all.
You’ll be able to diagnose and monitor depressive symptoms using standardized rating scales, conceptualize cases using a cognitive-behavioral framework, and apply key CBT techniques — including behavioral activation and cognitive restructuring — with depressed young patients.
The course covers evidence-based CBT techniques for youth depression, including behavioral activation, cognitive restructuring, activity scheduling, coping strategies, and problem-solving — practical methods grounded in extensive research, including randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses.
The course has two components: a full-day interactive workshop on CBT for youth depression, followed by six one-hour case-based group learning calls over three months where you present real client cases and receive expert coaching.
All participants receive a structured treatment manual with session-by-session guidelines and reproducible client handouts — a complete, ready-to-use resource you can integrate into your practice immediately after the workshop.
Yes. Clinicians who complete both the full-day workshop and all six case-based learning calls receive a certificate of completion from The REACH Institute.
Yes. REACH offers private DBD trainings for groups of 15 or more. Contact us at CATIE@thereachinstitute.org or complete the group training inquiry form on the course page to learn more.
All three CATIE courses — CBT for Youth Anxiety, CBT for Youth Depression, and Treatment for DBDs — address different clinical needs. This course focuses specifically on disruptive behavior disorders and parent coaching strategies, rather than anxiety or depression.
Still Have Questions?
Our team is happy to help you determine if CBT for Youth
Depression is the right fit for you or your institution.
Schedule a Group Training
REACH offers customized training for groups of 15 or more.
Visit our Group Training page to learn more.
Additional Resources
No results found.
Find the Right Training for You
Browse evidence-based training for primary care
clinicians, mental health clinicians, school support staff,
and healthcare organizations across the U.S.
Better Mental Health Care Starts Here.
Get the latest research, training updates, and practical tools
delivered to your inbox. Join thousands of clinicians working to
improve pediatric mental health outcomes.
Follow us on LinkedIn
July is BIPOC Mental Health Month, an opportunity to recognize the unique mental health challenges that many Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities face. BIPOC youth and adults have a right to culturally responsive, evidence-based…
🎉 Registration is now open for the REACH 2026 Alumni Conference & 20th Anniversary Celebration! This September, we're bringing the REACH community together in New York City for a weekend of learning, connection, and celebration. Designed…
🚨 Registration for our July 15 CBT-A course closes this Friday, July 3 “This course provided excellent education not just on the facts about anxiety and CBT but also on the ways to impart this information…
Juneteenth is a time to reflect on our history, celebrate Black freedom and resilience, and recognize that everyone deserves access to compassionate, culturally responsive mental health care. If you or someone you know is looking for…
GET IN TOUCH