CV

Trudie Chalder is Professor of Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapy at King’s College London. She has worked as a clinician and a researcher in the area of long term conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome and irritable bowel syndrome for about 25 years. She develops specific cognitive behavioural models for understanding and treating these conditions and evaluates the approaches within the context of randomised controlled trials in primary and secondary care. Her recent research involves investigating not only whether treatment works but how it works using mediational analyses.
Trudie has published approximately 200 articles. She is currently the Past President of the British Association of Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy and is an Editor of the Journal of Mental Health.

CONFERENCE ABSTRACT
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: a cognitive behavioural approach
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) otherwise known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is characterised by severe physical and mental fatigue of at least six months duration and is associated with significant disability. It is a controversial condition which has been associated with polarised debates about whether the condition is physical or psychological in nature. In order to transcend this dualistic bio-medical approach a cognitive behavioural model is used to understand the condition, which makes a distinction between precipitating and perpetuating factors. During treatment, a range of techniques such as a graded approach to activity and cognitive restructuring are used with the aim of improving disability and reducing symptoms. If appropriate, once the client has broadened his/her view of health and illness, more sophisticated cognitive techniques are introduced to address perfectionism or beliefs about showing emotions publically. There are several randomised controlled trials providing evidence for cognitive behaviour therapy or graded exercise therapy including the large PACE trial. Recent studies suggest that fear avoidance beliefs mediate change in social adjustment and fatigue in the context of CBT and graded exercise therapy.

White, P. D., Goldsmith, K. A., Johnson, A. L., Potts, L., Walwyn, R., DeCesare, J. C., et al. (2011). Comparison of adaptive pacing therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, graded exercise therapy, and specialist medical care for chronic fatigue syndrome (PACE): a randomised trial. Lancet, 377(9768), 823-836.