One of the biggest challenges in trauma recovery is managing both when clients get emotionally overwhelmed and when clients numb out and shut down. Learning how to pace therapy and navigate clients’ emotional window of tolerance are key foundations of successful trauma treatment. In this webinar, Dr. Fatter will review the impact of traumatic stress on the brain in tangible ways to help clinicians better conceptualize how trauma alters the body’s arousal system. Dr. Fatter will discuss in detail symptoms of hyperarousal, hypoarousal and calm states of our autonomic nervous system based on Polyvagal Theory. This will help clinicians know signs of what state clients are in and help clinicians be able to educate clients about their nervous system. We will address one of the most important aspects of the therapeutic relationship based on what we know about the traumatized brain. A phase-oriented treatment approach will be presented so clinicians learn an evidence-based structure for pacing the intensity of trauma treatment. In addition, we will explore four research-informed adjunctive therapies to help clients maintain stabilization and regulate arousal.

“Very good presenter.  Very well-organized.  Very personable in responding to questions from participants.  Adept at integrating Power Point slides with his verbal presentation. Clearly knowledgeable in this field - both theoretically and clinically.  Gracious with his time in being willing to stay online afterward to answer questions.”-Shirley R., Professional Counselor and Psychotherapist, Alabama

Non-prescribing therapists are crucial to the effective and safe use of psychiatric medications by their clients.  In contrast to clinicians who focus primarily on medications, therapists generally spend more time with their clients and are more familiar with their history and current situation. They also tend to develop a greater rapport. And  considering that most clients diagnosed with depression, anxiety, psychosis, posttraumatic stress disorder, and virtually every other psychiatric disorder receive pharmacological interventions, the non-prescribing therapist needs to understand how psychiatric medications work, their limitations and side effects, and how to help their clients maximize gains through increasing medication compliance.   This course is designed to present the non-prescribing mental health practitioner with a review of basic concepts in clinical psychopharmacology and the effective use of common psychiatric medications in the treatment of mental health conditions.  Effective medication strategies for treating depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, psychosis, sleep disorders, and other common psychiatric conditions are covered in detail. Basic general pharmacological concepts such as pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics are reviewed as are more specific concepts such as drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination.  You will also become aware of common medication treatment errors to avoid and learn tips for helping your clients become more educated about the medications they take as well as help them manage their side effects.

Sexual intimacy is considered by many to be a critical aspect of a healthy romantic relationship. Amid a social focus on sexuality that sometimes seems to border on the obsessive, sexual concerns and dysfunctions are common in both general and clinical populations. Indeed, love-making embodies the most intimate and vulnerable experiences of our client’s lives. However, discussing and treating these issues in the therapy room can be challenging for therapists. Most therapists have not had the benefit of training in the fascinating and complex nature of human sexuality to feel confident addressing these topics.

In this talk we will review the common sexual concerns and dysfunctions of heterosexual couples, and arm general
therapists with treatment options for men, women, and couples. This talk stands alone but is Part Two of a two-part series
on sex therapy for the general therapist. It is recommended that this lecture on treatment be completed as the second in that series, thus enabling the therapist to place treatment issues in a more general sexual context.

This course will satisfy your ethics requirement.

"I loved that self-care was partnered with ethics! Great topic and the presentation was interesting, well-paced, unhurried yet didn't belabor points. Clearly the instructor is very comfortable with the topic and presents well."-Barbara B., Professional Counselor, Washington

Working as a mental health professional can be challenging, demanding and stressful. With some clients, it can be traumatizing to the clinician. Self-care, the promotion of wellness, and the prevention of burnout are essential for every mental health professional in order to maintain our competence and clinical effectiveness. The ethical obligation to do so is addressed, ways to assess our own individual self-care needs and effectiveness, and specific strategies for the effective practice of self-care are presented. Important issues such as personal and professional challenges, vulnerabilities, and blind spots are addressed. The limitations of self-monitoring and self-assessment are reviewed and recommendations for proactively and effectively addressing these challenges are presented. A realistic approach to ongoing self-care and the promotion of wellness is presented that each mental health clinician can integrate into their daily lives, for their own benefit, and for the benefit of their clients.

This course will satisfy your cultural diversity requirement.

This presentation will provide a detailed overview of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and related conditions from a DSM-5 framework.  This will include a discussion of symptoms, etiologies, theoretical conceptualizations, and treatment approaches. It will also discuss the impact of race, ethnicity, and culture on attitudes towards depression, diagnosis and treatment, and barriers to care specific to African American populations. We emphasize the differential impact of racism on Black men and Black women as contributing factors. Finally, we discuss treatment considerations and outreach to the African American community.

High rates of adolescent depression and suicide present as a major international public health problem.  Suicidal adolescents are often a daunting population for clinicians to work with given their high-risk. Of the few effective treatments for this population, many are often multi-modal involving individual and group therapy, medication, etc.  An empirically supported family therapy for adolescents struggling with depression and suicide that requires only weekly sessions and which can be conducted on an outpatient, home-based, or inpatient basis is Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT).  ABFT emerges from interpersonal theories suggesting adolescent depression and suicide can be precipitated, exacerbated, or buffered against by the quality of interpersonal family relationships. It is a trust-based, emotion-focused psychotherapy model aiming to repair interpersonal ruptures and rebuild an emotionally protective, secure-based, parent-child relationship. The therapy is trauma-focused while also being brief and structured. Treatment is characterized by five treatment tasks: a) reframing the therapy to focus on interpersonal development, b) building alliance with the adolescent, c) building alliance with the parents, d) facilitation conversations to resolve attachment ruptures and e) promoting autonomy in the adolescent. 

In this workshop, Dr Levy will use lecture and case studies to provide an overview of the theoretical principles, research support, and clinical strategies forABFT. Dr. Levy will review how attachment theory,emotional regulation, and trauma resolution informthe delivery of this treatment approach.  She will review the goals and structureof the five treatment tasks that provide a roadmapfor delivering this interpersonally focused psychotherapy effectively and rapidly in community mental health.

The incidence of youth suicide requires that schools and communities collaborate and increase suicide prevention efforts and that they be prepared to respond if a suicide occurs in order to reduce suicide contagion.  This presentation will help school and community mental health personnel increase their understanding of the most common factors in youth suicide.  Participants will learn effective strategies to prevent youth suicide and lessons from the aftermath of numerous suicides.

“Really good, well organized, great pace, easy to follow with good examples - I learned a lot and feel energized and ready/equipped to put what I learned into practice.”-Vicki T., Social Worker, Maine

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness are two methods on the cutting-edge of evidence-based psychotherapy today. Together these techniques are highly-effective in the treatment of anxiety and depressive disorders. Even disorders found to be often resistant to treatment, such as substance abuse and personality disorders, are responding to this unique integration of therapeutic skills.

By attending this webinar you will learn not only to the basic techniques in CBT and Mindfulness, but also the application of more advanced methods. This approach is designed both to inform those who are new to this field as well as provide more advanced clinical options to those already familiar with the basics. The seminar will include PowerPoint slides, case examples and experiential learning.

This webinar will satisfy your ethics requirement.

“Wonderful and very well-organized presentation/webinar. Dr. Barnett was amazingly knowledgeable, professional, and nice.”-Maria F., Counselor, West Virginia

Mental health clinicians live and practice in challenging times, providing services in a wide range of settings with a wide range of clients. Numerous legal issues, ethics requirements, ethical dilemmas, stressors, and a litigious environment may make ethical practice seem to be a daunting proposition. This workshop focuses on positive ethics and risk management strategies for practicing mental health professionals, taking a positive approach to ethical practice that helps minimize risks to the clinician. Fundamental issues for ethical practice by mental health professionals will be addressed along a review of basic risk management strategies, and a process for ethical decision-making when faced with ethical dilemmas and challenges. Common dilemmas and challenges will be reviewed and specific recommendations for ethical and effective practice will be provided.

 

Over 75% of mental illnesses described in the DSM are related to emotion dysregulation – the inability to manage emotions effectively. Given that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was initially created to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), of which emotion dysregulation is a primary problem, it only makes sense that DBT would be effective in treating other disorders, and research in recent years is supporting this. 

This seminar will provide an overview of the DBT Distress Tolerance skills. Participants will learn about these skills, including the Reality Acceptance Skills and the Crisis Survival Skills, and how to help clients with a variety of diagnoses and problems use these skills appropriately and in healthy ways.

Over 75% of mental illnesses described in the DSM are related to emotion dysregulation – the inability to manage emotions effectively. Given that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was initially created to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), of which emotion dysregulation is a primary problem, it only makes sense that DBT would be effective in treating other disorders, and research in recent years is supporting this.

This seminar will provide an overview of the DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness skills. Participants will learn about these skills, looking at the three possible goals in interpersonal situations and how to pair these with assertiveness skills to increase the likelihood of reaching one’s goals; how to think dialectically to improve communication and balance in relationships; the role of mindfulness and behavior theory in improving healthy relationships; and ways to increase relationship satisfaction in clients’ lives.

“Dr. Z was personable, knowledgeable and very funny. She kept my attention, which can be a challenge over an entire day. I loved her use of humor and real-life examples, and her sharing of personal stories and anecdotes. As a fellow trainer, I give Dr. Z the highest rating possible for a wonderful training day!”-Jeffrey T. Social Worker, New York

Mental health and healthcare professionals are faced with the often misunderstood and misdiagnosed symptoms of uncomplicated and complicated grief. Formal education rarely, if ever, provides extensive enough training to accurately identify and treat those who are grieving. Often grieving clients present with other diagnoses because symptoms can mimic uncomplicated or complicated grief. The grieving process is often pathologized, or misdiagnosed, resulting in potential exacerbation of the presenting issues because inappropriate interventions are utilized. As a result, those who are grieving are often are inadvertently disenfranchised by providers, which can make the professional support they sought to reconstruct their previously shattered identities and worldviews ineffective. It is essential to be versed in identifying grief related constructs that may underlie, or even cause, mental health difficulties. 

This presentation aims to provide current information on the grieving process, clarify misconceptions of outdated theories, and differentiate between uncomplicated and complicated grief, and also examines the changes in conceptualization, differential diagnosing, treatment planning, and interventions used with grieving individuals. Attendees will leave with an improved clinical skill set they can immediately use to identify and treat their clients.

This course will satisfy your ethics requirement.

“I found it extremely insightful and helpful in my day to day professional life. I wasn't aware of the origins of informed consent and I learned a great deal about case law that formed it.”-Gina F., Social Worker, New York

Informed consent is an essential aspect of all professional services provided by mental health professionals and helps to set the tone for the relationship to follow. While it is a requirement, it also plays a very important role in the treatment relationship and process. Yet, many questions exist about how to appropriately provide informed consent, the details of what should or shouldn’t be included, who should provide informed consent, and how diversity factors may necessitate modifying how we provide informed consent. This webinar will address each of these issues and provide practical guidance on how to meet ethics and legal requirements, and client needs, and how to utilize informed consent to promote a good working relationship with clients, as well as how to utilize it to promote the goals of treatment for our clients. Common pitfalls and dilemmas, practical suggestions and recommendations, and relevant options to consider will each be addressed. Clinical examples will be provided to illustrate key issues to include informed consent with minors, with couples and families, third-party requests for services, and the use of informed consent for the wide range of professional relationships mental health professionals may have.

“This was an excellent presentation that I think had information important to generalists that we don't often receive."-Krista B., Psychologist, Maryland

Who we are as sexual beings carries profound personal and interpersonal meaning for each of us.  Like it or not, our sexual self-image significantly impacts our broader sense of identity, as well as how we give and receive love in our most cherished relationships.  Research consistently demonstrates that for most people, sexual satisfaction is a critical component of relationship and life satisfaction.  For many people, love-making is the most intimate aspect of their lives.  Yet without specific focus on sexuality, general therapy tends not to alleviate sexual concerns.  As therapists, we have little training in these issues, making it difficult to assist our clients with their intimacy struggles.  In this talk, we will address the changing face of heterosexual sex that we and our clients are all experiencing – and gain an understanding of the “new normal.” 

This talk stands alone but is Part One of a two-part series on sex therapy for the general therapist.  It is recommended that this lecture be completed first in that series, thus offering a context for the treatment approaches addressed in Part Two.  

“Instructor was knowledgeable, easy to relate to and made the content interesting and easy to follow along with. Great reflective exercises!”-LisaA., Social Worker, New York

We all know that professional burnout is a problem, but what do we do about it? In this interactive seminar, Dr. Hartman-Hall provides information from the research literature and her clinical experience about the causes and consequences of clinician burnout. Recognizing that wellness is not a “one size fits all” concept, we will explore a variety of approaches for considering clinicians’ risk factors for occupational stress, improving our own self-care, and adjusting our approach to our work. Brief exercises to practice relaxation, mindfulness, and self-awareness will be utilized throughout the talk to provide participants the opportunity to practice concepts being discussed.

“Knowledgeable presenter - current info, good examples. I liked the video that showed a real life example of treatment.”-Shannon T., Professional Counselor, Massachusetts

The fight or flight response is a normal biological process in which the body prepares itself to take on dangerous circumstances.  At times, however, the response is activated under situations that are not life threatening.  Individuals may experience these panic attacks in a variety of situations.  In the context of Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia, one’s fear of panic sensations and their consequences is a driving force for ongoing distress and life disruption.  Attendees will learn to distinguish panic attacks that occur in context of Panic Disorder with those that occur outside of Panic Disorder.  In addition, the webinar will address vulnerabilities and maintaining factors of Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia.  Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia will be conceptualized from the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) perspective.  Attendees will be educated about the appropriate treatment interventions, such as cognitive restructuring and exposure therapy.  Exposure therapy will be explained, incorporating visual examples and demonstrations by the presenter.

“I was very impressed. The presentation was clear, informative and definitely added to my knowledge base.”-Mary H., Psychologist, New Jersey

Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia are considered to be among the most debilitating and distressing mental health conditions. Despite impacting approximately 3% of the population, many clinicians lack the training and resources to recognize and best work with this vulnerable group of people, leaving many with psychosis isolated, stigmatized, and without help. Nonetheless, growing evidence suggests that, with tailored early intervention, many people with psychosis can recover from illness and lead a life of their choosing in the community. This seminar will familiarize you with psychosis, emphasizing the early phases of illness. It will then demonstrate strategies for reducing stigma, increasing empathy, and facilitating early identification. I will share screening tools and briefly touch on treatment strategies, as well as provide clinical resources for comprehensive specialty care.

Psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia are considered to be among the most debilitating and distressing mental health conditions. Despite impacting approximately 3% of the population, many clinicians lack the training and resources to recognize and best work with this vulnerable group of people, leaving many with psychosis isolated, stigmatized, and without help. Nonetheless, growing evidence suggests that, with tailored early intervention, many people with psychosis can recover from illness and lead a life of their choosing in the community. This seminar will familiarize you with psychosis, emphasizing the early phases of illness. It will then demonstrate strategies for reducing stigma, increasing empathy, and facilitating early identification. I will share screening tools and briefly touch on treatment strategies, as well as provide clinical resources for comprehensive specialty care.

“Excellent, the Professor is an expert in the field and answered my many questions. Could not be improved..”-Eric B., Licensed Professional Counselor, New York

It is estimated that roughly 80% of clients who enter treatment are ambivalent about changing their behavior. Motivational interviewing (MI) is an intentional, client centered approach for facilitating increases in motivation for behavior change by assisting clients in exploring and resolving ambivalence. MI, as a counseling style, has been shown to be effective with a wide variety of problem behaviors such as substance abuse, adopting healthy behaviors (eating, exercise), treatment adherence and compliance, and other psychological problems. Thus, mental health workers from various backgrounds practicing in a variety of settings are beginning to integrate MI into their clinical repertoire. 

This introduction to MI will acquaint the audience with basic concepts and methods of MI. As such participants will be exposed to the foundational concepts including the “spirit,” principles and processes of MI that can be integrated with one’s approach to counseling and psychotherapy. Building on this foundation the foundational philosophy and active principles will be discussed with emphasis on MI’s unique focus on increasing change talk and reducing talk maintaining the status quo. The webinar will conclude with a brief overview of the evidence base for MI. 

School refusal is a common problem and can be due to a number of factors. In this seminar, Dr. Hannan will identify some of the causes of school refusal and how to assess kids to get a better understanding of the behavior. He will talk about some of the instruments that can be helpful in the assessment process. He will go over how to do a functional assessment of the problem. He will provide you with treatment strategies for assisting kids that includes cognitive therapy, social skills training, exposure therapy, problem solving, and behavior management. He will use a number of case examples to illustate the assessment and treatment process. He will also highlight the treatment literature on this important topic.

“This is a solid and well presented program Good detail on how high achieving people acquire and maintain those skills and level of performance.” -Phillip B., Professional Counselor, Maryland

Although psychiatrists and other mental health clinicians interested in sports practice already have the necessary general skills to help competitive athletes deal with adversity and the multitude of emotions that sports can elicit, most typically they lack the sports-specific knowledge necessary to truly help these patients and clients. This seminar will provide mental health providers interested in sports practice with the necessary tools to improve life balance and achieve peak performance in athletes and other high achievers.  Using the expanding evidence-base from neuroscience and sports medicine and case studies from all competitive levels, eight core competencies as well as important dimensions of sports culture, team structure and function, and the shifting intensity and pressure of competition will be covered.

The ability to predict  future violent behavior has long been an issue for mental health professionals.  Initially it was merely assumed that we could make such predictions accurately based on our clinical skills alone.  Many decisions in the judicial system hinge on an accurate assessment of violence, such as  bond, probation, and parole decisions, committment to and release from psychiatric facilities, and even whether or not a defendant should be sentenced to death.

Recent research has demonstrated however that such predictions are not as accurate as once assumed and that the methodology used was sadly lacking in  validity.   A tremendous amount of research has gone into risk assessment for future  violence ; still,,  the accuracy remains in question even to this day; nevertheless, judicial decisions are continually made which ignore our limited ability to assess violent behavior.

This webinar will explore  the factors necessary to do competent work in this area and demonstrate the ways that risk assessment can become more precise.

“This may have been the best training overall I have seen in the 30 years of my professional life. If not the best, then clearly in the top five. Dr. Hannan maintained the pace and energy and held my attention for six hours, no mean feat whatsoever. Hats off to him!.”-James B. Counselor, Armed Forces

In this webinar, Keith Hannan, Ph.D will talk about the diagnosis and treatment of disruptive behavior disorder.  He will help you distinguish between benign mischievousness and malignant antisocial behavior.  He will explore the literature on delinquency in girls.  There will be a review of risk assessment.  Information will also be presented on the cognitive style and deficits of delinquent youth.  He will present a model for effective psychotherapeutic intervention.

"I really enjoyed Dr. McDuff's presentation style and was impressed with the clarity of his explanations."-Larry D., Psychologist, New Mexico 

Substance abuse is one of the most common clinical problems of patients who present for treatment.  These patients struggle with a life threatening, clinically complex problem that is subject to a variety of physiological and psychological factors.  This webinar will focus on treating people plagued by complex additions issues.  You will learn about the risk and protective factors related to addiction.  There will also be useful suggestions for assessing and treating addicted patients.  Adolescent addiction will be discussed.  There will also be material on motivational interviewing and effective stress control.

 

According to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, approxi­mately 10% of US adults fill one or more antidepressant prescriptions each year, with many of these prescriptions coming from non-psychiatrists. They are some of the most widely prescribed medications of our generation. As more and more patients are prescribed antidepressants and other psychotropic medications, an increased need and responsibility is raised for non-prescribing therapists to be knowledgeable enough to work more effectively with patients and their prescribers in this arena. The follow­ing webinar is intended to be an introductory course that offers general, yet comprehensive information about psy­chopharmacology, including understanding neurobiological underpinnings of how medications work, commonly pre­scribed drug categories, how to work more effectively with patients, and how to work more effectively with prescrib­ers. Unique to this webinar will be the inclusion of how to maximize treatment outcomes and effectively use collab­orative care strategies.

This course satisfies your cultural diversity requirement.

Treating Arab/Middle Eastern populations in the United States has recently become of interest within the field of clinical psychology because of increased immigration of these groups over the last decade.  Many Arabs have immigrated to benefit from financial and occupational opportunities; however, others have left their countries of origin in the pursuit of greater freedom and to flee from persecution.  Arab sexual minorities are among these groups.  This seminar will provide a brief description of Arab populations with regard to ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds. It will also explore the experiences of Arabs with same-sex attractions and the impact of familial, cultural, and religious values on the expression of sexuality and identity. Finally,recommendations will be presented to assist clinicians who seek to increase cultural competence working with this unique population.

“Very well explained and organized. Easy to follow and understand. I will use his plans to help me with creating effective behavior plans.”-Deborah S., Professional Counselor, New York

Child and adolescent behavioral issues can cause significant disruption to family life.  In addition to the effects on family, it may impact academic and social life.  Although many parents understand the concepts of reward and punishment, they may not understand the most effective ways to implement behavior management techniques.In addition, many parents may be overly reliant on punitive consequences for negative behavior rather than focusing on ways increase positive,pro-social behaviors.  Dr. Hannan’s seminar Understanding and Implementing Parent Training in Clinical Practice will teach clinicians how to instruct parents in behavior management.  Parent training is essential to positive outcomes in treatment for both externalizing and internalizing disorders.  This webinar will include instruction on performing a functional behavioral assessment, case conceptualization, and devising an appropriate behavior plan.  Beyond positive reinforcement and punishment,this webinar will present a variety of behavioral techniques including shaping,extinction, and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior.  Clinicians will learn how to tailor treatment according to developmental level and co-occurring psychiatric conditions, as well as how to address problems within typical development.  Research into the factors associated with successful implementation of behavioral principles will be discussed as well.

"Very well done.  Great content and practicality in my practice.  New to treatment in this field.  Everything was rather new.  Great introduction to this line of work."-Matthew B., LMFT, Utah 

It has become increasingly common for children and adolescents who engage in sexually abusive or sexually troubled behavior to come to the attention of authorities, with a resulting increase in referrals to mental health practitioners for the evaluation or treatment of juvenile sexually abusive behavior. This seminar is designed to help clinicians understand current ideas about this specialized practice, and recent and evolving changes in the field, providing an overview of current thinking and models by which to understand, approach, and engage in treatment. The seminar does not focus upon treatment itself or treatment models. It instead highlights and discusses important and current ideas about sexually abusive youth and the nature of the treatment process, the importance of the collaborative treatment relationship,an approach to treatment that recognizes the individuality of each youth in treatment, and an understanding of the developmental pathways to sexually abusive behavior. The seminar will be useful for those experienced in the treatment of sexually abusive youth and those new to the field or just wishing to learn more about the work.  

This course satisfies your cultural diversity requirement.

The Arab/ Middle Eastern community constitutes a culturally rich and diverse ethnic group; however, in contrast to other ethnic groups in the United States,this group has received little attention in the literature.   This seminar will provide a brief description of Arab populations with regard to ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds.  It will also explore the impact of actual and perceived experiences of discrimination and prejudice on Arab client mental health.  Finally, this seminar will present recommendations for culturally sensitive treatment interventions for clinicians who wish to work with this population.

"Enjoyed the presentation.  Learned a lot.  Very organized, easy to apply to practice.  Understanding the difference between OCD and hoarding was very helpful"-Scott M. Psychologist, Washington 

Hoarding behavior has received significant attention in recent years. Due to the potential harmful effects of hoarding behavior (risk of fire, personal injury, financial hardships, etc.), it has become an important topic of research. It has also drawn the attention of the media and local governments, which have to address the impact hoarding has on citizens. In this seminar, Dr. Hannan will review the current status of hoarding as its own diagnostic entity in DSM-V. Dr. Hannan will discuss the latest research findings on the psychopathology of hoarding disorder. Participants will learn how to assess clients for hoarding disorder and will learn how to devise and implement an appropriate treatment plan. Given the complicated nature of hoarding, he will discuss potential obstacles to treatment and ways to address these issues.

“Strong and knowledgeable instructor. Highly responsive to questions. Explained each component clearly and was great at putting it all together especially tying in the theories with clinical implications. This webinar inspired me to learn more about DBT, and use it with my clients.”-Liat Z., Professional Counselor, New York

Over 75% of mental illnesses described in the DSM are related to emotion dysregulation – the inability to manage emotions effectively. Given that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was initially created to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), of which emotion dysregulation is a primary problem, it only makes sense that DBT would be effective in treating other disorders, and research in recent years is supporting this.

This seminar will provide an introduction to DBT, including the origins of the therapy, and the Biosocial Theory of how emotion dysregulation develops. You will learn about some of the research demonstrating that DBT is effective in treating disorders other than BPD. Finally, you will learn about Dialectics, and the importance of balancing validation with change with the dysregulated client; and how to effectively use validation to help clients re-regulate in session, as well as how to teach them to practice this skill on their own.

 “Enjoyed how this CEU went further than domestic violence education and actually educated us on how to apply that to mental health practice. Gave a nice range of materials to access and consider. She was also obviously knowledgeable about the topic and gave concise explanations on various items that was beneficial compared to just reading slides.”-Kelley K., Social Worker, Maryland

The field of domestic violence has been evolving over the past thirty plus years as the knowledge base has increased and new assessment and intervention techniques offer assistance to the families in which it occurs. This Webinar will begin by reviewing identification and assessment tools for victims, perpetrators, and children that can assist mental health professionals. We will then review the field of trauma and the psychological impact on victims. Finally, we will look at one specific treatment program that can be used with victims of domestic violence and other gender-based trauma.

“Dr. Hannan was extremely informative, knowledgeable, and easy to listen to. His clinical examples enhanced the learning experience. Great presentation. I learned techniques on how to effectively engage in a therapeutic relationship with a BPD patient.-Shayna S., Professional Counselor, Illinois

This seminar will talk about the All-or-None Phenomenon in Borderline Personality (BPD), looking at it from both a psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral perspective.  The talk will define the All-or-None Phenomenon, as well as providing clinical examples.  It will also look at the reactions this elicits in treating professionals.  You will leave this webinar will techniques that are useful in helping patients who suffer from BPD.

“This was a very clear and coherent presentation. I really like how the presenter kept the audience engaged and how quickly but coherently he went through the information, while answering questions routinely.”-Michelle P., Psychologist, New York

Increasing numbers of adults are seeking out assessment and treatment for ADHD.  However, ADHD is considered to be one of the most misdiagnosed conditions, being prone to both over- and under-diagnosis.  This presentation provides a model for a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of ADHD in adults that can be tailored and used by clinicians in practice to increase diagnostic accuracy.  Issues related to DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for ADHD, presenting symptoms and problems characteristic of ADHD that are not included in the official criteria, the prevalence and persistence of ADHD into adulthood, testing for ADHD, the issue of malingering, as well as telling clients when their difficulties are not consistent with a diagnosis of ADHD will be discussed.

Attachment theory can inform work with sexually abusive youth. This webinar will describe and discuss the use of attachment theory as a model and methodology by which to better understand the development of juvenile sexually abusive behavior and to better understand individual clients from an attachment-informed perspective. The webinar is not intended as a primer or introduction to attachment theory, but does ill provide a descriptive overview of relevant theoretical models, and includes case studies that highlight the use of attachment theory as a framework by which to understand and explore work with sexually troubled young people and their families. The webinar is designed for those wishing to learn more about attachment theory and its application in treatment with sexually abusive youth.

This webinar will identify the roots of CBT from philosophy and psychology. It will help you conceptualize cases from the perspective of CBT. You will learn all of the components of CBT and how to use them to develop a treatment plan. Finally, Dr. Hannan will talk about the use of CBT with anxiety disorder, OCD spectrum, Mood disorders, Eating disorders, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, Personality Disorders, and pain/health psych.

This webinar will satisfy your ethics requirement.

Mental health professionals are affected by the fact that we live in an age of litigation; if  clients are dissatisfied with the outcome of an evaluation or treatment , they may file an ethics complaint or a law suit with increased frequency compared to  the past. Malpractice insurance premiums have increased by more than a factor of 10 over the past few decades.  As a result, many practitioners are “running scared”, fearful of complaints.  In point of fact, very few of these legal actions are successful; while going through them is unpleasant, if a mental health practitioner adheres to a few basic principles of risk management, the likelihood of a successful suit is vastly diminished.  This webinar will present these basic principles within a framework of the fundamental legal concepts involved,and how these concepts may be easily incorporated into practice guidelines.  Special attention will be paid to confidentiality and privilege, the nature of malpractice claims,informed consent, documentation, consultation,the most frequent areas of litigation, and concrete steps to take to minimize the risk of litigation.

Within the past several years there has been an increased emphasis on how complex systems may contribute to diagnostic and treatment failures. When some tragedy occurs such as suicide or violent behavior, the tendency is to pick someone out as a scapegoat. Root Cause analysis seeks to avoid this scapegoating by analyzing the system failures that lead to these unfortunate outcomes. Participants will learn the elements of how to perform a root cause analysis.

“This was my favorite webinar. I learned the most about myself as a therapist and a great deal about the borderline elicitation of counter transference. This webinar was a revival of things I learned in graduate school and that I needed a refresher course in.”-Jane K., Social Worker, New York

Recent research suggests that the therapeutic alliance and the ability to heal ruptures in the therapeutic relationship are key elements of successful treatment for individuals with personality disorders.  Yet, these patients tend to stimulate strong countertransference reactions that can derail the treatment.  This seminar elucidates common countertransference reactions to each of the personality disorders.  There is also discussion about how to manage these reactions and to use them to better understand the patient and thus, provide better care.

This course will satisfy your cultural diversity requirement.

In this webinar, Dr. Williams will distinguish between color blind and multicultural approaches.  She will talk about racial identity in blacks and whites and talk about the impact of cultural stereotypes.  She will identify the impact of discrimination and racism on mental health.  This webinar will also focus on practical skills in working with African American clients, looking at cultural mistrust, diagnostic issues, and Afrocentric values.  Finally, Dr. Williams will highlight the literature on race and IQ and psychopathology assessment.  She will help participants in defining culturally sensitive therapy.

“Excellent presentation. Presenter was very knowledgeable and thorough. No improvements needed.”-Bruce G., Counselor, Illinois

The biology of reward has been well-studied and is linked to numerous mental health diagnoses. Researchers identified an anomaly in this reward cascade called Reward Deficiency Syndrome or RDS. This anomaly and its impact on psychotherapy are less evident in psychological literature, yet it provides useful knowledge in one of the most prevalent and challenging of all mental health disorders…addiction. This seminar will help you understand the cascade theory of reward and provide you with working knowledge of RDS. You will be able to talk about how RDS affects the brain, what research has found regarding the impact of RDS, as well as discuss a model of therapy that considers highly this biological aspect of mental illness. The focus of this seminar is biopsychological and psychopharmaocological in nature.

“This was an excellent course. I was captivated for the entire 3 hours. Material was very up to date and use of media and PowerPoint was very effective.” -Mary Kate H., :icensed Professional Counselor, Florida

Profiling Mentally Ill Mass Murderers is an introductory seminar to the problem of spree killers. The spree killer, whether or not impacted by mentally illness, is a considerable scourge upon society. Factors like easy access to guns by dangerous mentally ill, inadequate commitment laws,the inability to predict dangerous behavior, and media frenzy, contribute to an increasing death toll. This seminar uses case studies to highlight the role played by diagnostic assessment (suicide by cop, psychopathic behavior, PTSD, major mental disorders), inadequate prevention civil and gun policy strategies, and stigmatization of the mentally ill as dangerous.

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability in the U.S.  As mental health providers, we will likely treat patients who have either experienced a stroke or are impacted by the effects of stroke on a member of their family, which are often sudden and debilitating.  Though stroke is prevalent, little education is provided to mental health providers concerning the events, treatment, and psychological needs of patients during physical rehabilitation and after treatment.  This webinar is intended to provide a thorough overview of the stroke patient’s experience and review important clinical considerations for treating patient who have been affected by stroke. 

This webinar is divided into three sections.  The first section is an overview of the patient’s experience throughout their course of hospitalization as well as biological and historical information about stroke and stroke treatment.  The second section focuses on important topics related to the mental health of stroke patients (i.e., Post-Stroke Depression).  The third section addresses adjustment difficulties and treatment considerations for patient who have had strokes.

“Excellent; exceeded my expectations. The instructor (Scott Hannan) was very impressive. He clearly had a very deep knowledge of the topic and also knew how to answer broad questions very succinctly but thoroughly. I'm amazed he was able to talk for 6 hrs straight in an engaging way, while being very responsive to different questions throughout the seminar, while also sticking exactly to the expected time. Bravo!.”-Teresa A. Psychologist, Maryland

Obsessive compulsive disorder can be associated with extreme levels of distress and severe impairment in one’s life. Proper diagnosis and treatment formulation is essential in assisting those with this disabling condition. Although most people are familiar with typical symptoms including washing and checking, many may not have an understanding of other presentations of OCD, such as scrupulosity, harm obsessions, and sexual obsessions. Fortunately, the gold standard treatment exposure and response prevention can be utilized to treat the various presentations of OCD. In this seminar, Dr. Hannan will review the various presentations of OCD and train attendees in making an accurate diagnosis of OCD. In addition to learning about the various presentations of OCD, attendees will learn to assess the severity of OCD. Dr. Hannan will explain the rationale of using exposure and ritual prevention and discuss how to conceptualize cases of OCD, along with creating an exposure hierarchy. Exposure therapy will be introduced through both didactics and video demonstration. Special cases of OCD, including comorbid conditions and adaptations needed to treat children, will be addressed.

“The material was clearly presented and case vignettes were plentiful and helpful. I learned about the expanded information on the role the unconscious plays in symptomatology.”-Stephen K., Professional Counselor, Massachusetts

Psychodynamic therapy (PDT) is a widely practiced form of psychotherapy for a variety of different problems and disorders.  Nevertheless, the concepts and techniques used in PDT are often taught in a way that obscures rather than clarifies their nature.  In addition, a gap remains between the theoretical, clinical, and empirical literature of PDT.  This seminar presents a series of evidence-based psychodynamic techniques and processes, grounded in coherent theoretical formulations, systematic research, and applied clinical examples.  You will also learn about meta-analytic research on the overall efficacy and effectiveness of PDT.

“Very much enjoyed the seminar and look forward to using ACT it in my practice. I am relatively new to ACT so the entire seminar was useful.”-Kristen W., Professional Counselor, Texas

Incorporating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy into your treatment approach will have a significant impact on your clinical effectiveness and the well-being of your clients.  ACT is a rich, integrative approach, and has been shown to be effective for many clinically-relevant concerns. Because ACT takes a different perspective on psychotherapy, some clinicians wonder how to blend the applications into their own therapy approach. Other clinicians who have embraced the ACT concepts still have questions about certain aspects of the therapy. This webinar will explain ACT in a very clear, concise, user-friendly manner.

“The instructor was clearly knowledgeable and well-organized. I liked that she disclosed some of her weaker content/expertise (e.g. not good with metaphors). This was good modeling of the concepts she was teaching. I loved the developmental cube. I will look more into this model and will likely implement it.”-Phillip L., Licensed Professional Counselor, Texas

In this seminar, Dr. Saffer examines the purpose of clinical supervision, including the components and processes that are important for effective supervision. Participants are encouraged to consider different models and methods as they develop an approach to clinical supervision.  In addition,strategies are discussed regarding effectively dealing with some of the challenges that are inherent in the supervisory process.  This seminar is designed to provide participants with a thoughtful approach to the supervision process and to encourage the development of competence in this area of training.

“This was the best seminar I've seen on TZK so far. The presenter was engaging, spoke at a nice cadence (not to fast or slow). Extremely knowledgeable with clear strategies to use with clients.”-Justine M., Psychologist, Idaho

Over 28% of adults will have a panic attack in their lifetime. Many will experience repeated attacks, which can lead to struggles to hold down a job, maintain friendships, or even carry out basic chores, like shopping for groceries. When we think of panic, we often think of panic disorder. However, individuals with PTSD, depression, social anxiety, substance use disorder, generalized anxiety, and specific phobias frequently grapple with both episodic and chronic panic attacks.

This training will delve into the problems of panic. What is it and why is it so important to treat? Then we’ll explore anxiety sensitivity theory, a compelling explanation for why some people develop panic attacks. Next, using the ironic process theory (Wegner, 1997), we’ll learn how attempts to suppress panic symptoms actually cause the very thing panic sufferers are desperately trying to avoid. We will then turn to understanding how mindfulness can break panic’s vicious cycle. After we study the fundamental elements of mindfulness and their connection to panic, we will delve into helping patients use mindfulness to ameliorate panic and start living life again.

“Very helpful and incredibly insightful. Brought ideas and suggestions to the topic I had not thought about.” -Gina F., Social Worker, New York

Bullying has become a high priority problem for many schools. Across the country, most states have passed laws that prohibit bullying and harassment because of the hostile and discriminatory environment that they create. Students who are targeted by bullying suffer educational discrimination as well as a host of internalizing and externalizing problems. Likewise, the effects on bullies and bystanders are not to be dismissed. This webinar will take participants through basic and mid-level information on bullying that will provoke critical thinking about how we have traditionally sought to prevent and respond to this problem. It will consider how context shapes behaviors and how we as adults in the school environment can influence context. Finally, this webinar will look at ways to respond to bullying that avoid the traditional “investigate, interrogate, blame, and punish” approach to solving the problem of bullying.

“The instructor was excellent! She was compassionate, listened well and was attentive to questions. I got so much more out of this webinar than I have from the in person seminars I've attended! I will watch for her other seminars! I learned how to more effectively work with trauma. I used one of the techniques taught in the session I had immediately after the seminar.”-Eve S., Professional Counselor, Alabama

After clients are stable enough to begin delving into traumatic memories, many clinicians struggle with determining which method to use for trauma processing. This webinar will specifically focus on the second phase of trauma recovery, processing and integrating traumatic memories in trauma treatment. Dr. Fatter will review the nature of traumatic memory and how it differs from non-traumatic memory. The two “gold standards” evidence-based models for trauma exposure therapy will be presented: prolonged exposure therapy and cognitive processing therapy. In addition, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and internal family systems, two research-supported models, will also be discussed. This webinar will describe how each model differs in its conceptualization of trauma and specific treatment approach in integrating traumatic memories. Clinical considerations including strategies to know your client is or is not ready for trauma processing will be presented in addition to ways to determine your client is “done” with the trauma processing stage of treatment. Cultural considerations and culturally adapted models will be reviewed. Common transference and counter-transference issues that arise in trauma treatment will be described. Vicarious trauma, clinician burn out and what clinicians need to watch out for in absorbing traumatic stress from their clients will be addressed.

As people are living longer worldwide, clinicians will increasingly need the skills and knowledge to work with older adults. Professional guidelines indicate that specific competencies are needed to work effectively with older clients, yet many clinicians surveyed say they have not had sufficient training and experience to work with this client population.  This webinar is designed to familiarize participants with information and useful strategies from the scientific literature and clinical experience to allow you to work competently and successfully with older adults. The webinar will cover normal aging as well as health and cognitive concerns in older adults. Adjustments to assessment and intervention strategies to meet the needs of older adults
will be discussed. Awareness of ageism and cultural factors will also be covered.

Over 75% of mental illnesses described in the DSM are related to emotion dysregulation – the inability to manage emotions effectively. Given that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was initially created to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), of which emotion dysregulation is a primary problem, it only makes sense that DBT would be effective in treating other disorders, and research in recent years is supporting this. 

This seminar will provide an overview of the DBT Emotion Regulation skills. Participants will learn about these skills, including briefly reviewing the biosocial theory and how this contributes to problems managing emotions. Many of the emotion regulation skills will be introduced and participants, and there will be discussion regarding how to use these skills with clients with a variety of diagnoses.

“Brava, Dr. Ruth Ellington. The best Webinar I've experienced yet. Well done. I learned strategies to teach ASD clients and parents about handling bullying.”-William C., Psychologist, California

Deficits in social skills are considered one of the defining challenges among young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), yet few evidence-based social skills programs exist for higher functioning youth with ASD.  This seminar will provide an overview of the social skills needed for making and keeping friends and handling peer conflict and rejection.  You will be given tips on how to provide social coaching using concrete rules and steps of social behavior derived from the widely popular PEERS® program, the only known evidence-based social skills program for teens and young adults with ASD. Within the framework of solid research evidence about what works and what doesn’t work socially, attendees will be given easy-to-use strategies to assist young people with making and keeping friends. The seminar will include topics such as appropriate use of conversation skills; strategies for entering conversations; and advice for managing arguments and handling teasing, physical bullying, cyber bullying, rumors, and gossip. 

“The instructor was very likable, which increased my enjoyment. Obviously very experienced and used those experiences to bring the content alive.”-Susan B., Psychologist, Delaware

In recent decades, researchers have been learning that Mindfulness not only helps us live healthier lives, but reduces emotional problems such as depression, anxiety, and anger; helps with sleep difficulties; improves concentration, memory, and immune system function; and generates changes in our brain that helps to counteract the problems in thinking we start to experience as we age. 

This experiential seminar will provide an introduction to mindfulness. Participants will learn about the different ways mindfulness is helpful for both physical and mental health. They will be introduced to some different ways of practicing mindfulness, and will learn some tips to help them teach these skills to clients, as well as problems clients often encounter when first learning about mindfulness. 

This course will satisfy your ethics requirement.

“I thought the activity was very engaging, informative, and really organized. I learned a lot about what can and cannot be done and also how to go about doing online counseling ethically.”-Abbee T., Professional Counselor, Louisiana

A wide range of technologies to include the Internet, e-mail, text messaging, social media, Apps, and the like have altered how most individuals communicate with each other, stay connected, and form and maintain relationships, to include in mental health practice. This workshop will provide information about the ethical, legal, and clinical issues relevant to integrating various technologies into our practices. Additionally, common pitfalls and areas where the use of various technologies, to include social media, is contraindicated will be discussed. Research on how various technologies may be effectively integrated into clinical practice to treat a wide range of presenting problems and disorders is reviewed and their implications for our practices is discussed. Guidance on decision-making for when and how to do this is provided to include the provision of clinical services across distances and the use of various technologies to enhance or augment in-person services. Clinical examples are provided to illustrate some of the benefits and challenges of utilizing these technological innovations in clinical practice.

This course will satisfy your ethics requirement.

Religion and spirituality are important dimensions of most individuals’ lives. Yet, many mental health clinicians do not receive education and training focused on how to address these issues, when appropriate, with their clients. This webinar provides information on the roles of spirituality and religion in many clients’ lives, how to address our own biases about them and how our own beliefs may impact how we view and address them, how to appropriately assess each client’s treatment needs to include religious and spiritual issues and concerns, and how to tap into clients’ beliefs, practices, and faith communities as sources of strength that may enhance the professional services we provide. Ethics issues, challenges, and dilemmas are addressed, and an ethical decision-making model is shared and clinical examples are provided and discussed to illustrate its application. Recommendations for ethical and clinically effective practice are provided. 

“I really enjoyed the expertise of the presenter. He had so much useful knowledge to share. The case studies really went deeper into my personal knowledge and helped me to process and analyze situations differently.”-Kristie C., Social Worker, New York

It is essential that that schools and communities know the incidence of school violence and be up to date on the best safety and prevention practices. This presentation will review numerous state and national initiatives that have focused on school safety and the recommendations from a variety of foundations started by parents who lost their in tragic school shootings. Many school shooters died by suicide and this presentation will outline the major theory of murder suicide. The presenter has a wealth of practical experience responding to school crises and participants, whether they are parents, school personnel or community members will learn many lessons from school tragedies and practical strategies to prevent future school violence.

This course will satisfy your ethics requirement.

"Jeff Barnett gave the best Supervision course I have ever taken. It was so comprehensive and concise that a supervision plan could be developed from start to finish from his course. He was calm and organized and linear in his approach. I listened to every word."-Martha H., Social Worker, Arkansas

Clinical supervision is central to the training of every mental health clinician. Ensuring it is conducted in an ethical and effective manner is of great importance for our professions and for the public we serve. This webinar is designed for all health professionals engaged in clinical supervision of trainees in clinical settings. The focus of this webinar is on ethics, legal, and practical aspects of clinical supervision. Important issues to be addressed include the supervision contract between supervisor and supervisee; and the supervisor’s responsibilities to the supervisee, to the supervisee’s clients, to the public at large, and to the profession. A developmental perspective on supervision will be presented that focuses on the supervisory process in the face of the supervisee’s evolving training needs. How to balance the at times competing obligations of the role of supervisor (supportive teacher vs evaluator and gatekeeper for the profession) will be addressed. Specific ethical dilemmas and challenges that frequently arise in clinical supervision and legal issues relevant to all supervisors and their supervisees will be discussed. Clinical examples will be presented to stimulate discussion and to help illustrate options for addressing these situations. Strategies for effective clinical supervision will be discussed that can be utilized by all supervisors.

“This was a great webinar. The presenter shared content in an organized, yet interactive manner. The tools taught were very practical. Great presenter and would be awesome to teach future webinars.”-K.W., Social Worker, North Carolina

A high percentage of mental health clients have experienced some sort of trauma in their lives. That’s why it’s so important that we as clinicians use a treatment that is proven to work. This seminar will present an overview of child trauma and the evidence-based treatment, Trauma Focused- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Attendees will gain an overview of child trauma, review the definition of abuse and discuss the common affective, behavioral and cognitive reactions to trauma. Then an overview of Trauma- Focused CBT will be given, including the specific components, real life examples of activities used and the evidence for why this approach works. At the end attendees will be provided with the next step to get certified in TF-CBT.

This course qualifies as an ethics course.

“The information was well organized and presented in a clear, interesting manner. It gave me a good opportunity to think about how many different ways I inevitably disclose information about myself to clients; it's not possible to avoid this but I must ensure what I disclose is beneficial to the client.”-Cynthia L., Social Worker, Arkansas

Boundaries and multiple relationships are common occurrences for mental health clinicians. Yet, they may at times be challenging, confusing, and even overwhelming for those who may not know how to effectively manage boundaries and how to determine which multiple relationships are acceptable or appropriate. Taking a rigid and avoidant approach typically can be just as harmful as an overly loose approach. Participants in this webinar will learn a rational, practical, and reality-based approach for addressing and managing boundaries and multiple relationships in clinical practice. The role of a decision-making process and consideration of multiple relevant issues will be addressed and their use in clinical practice will be demonstrated. Clinical examples will be presented and discussed to illustrate the points being made. Participants will learn specific skills and strategies to integrate into their clinical practices on a daily basis.

This course qualifies as an ethics course.

“Very informative. Very engaging. I really enjoyed the presenter and his attention to questions throughout the presentation. Clarified existing knowledge about mandatory reporting laws.”-Jared B., Licensed Professional Counselor, Alabama

This course will help practitioners who are subject to reporting requirements associated with child abuse, elder abuse, spouse abuse, and duty to warn about violence. Increasingly these requirements ensnarl mental health professionals into difficult ethical dilemmas as they navigate the obligation to maintain confidentiality on the one hand, and meet the expectations of reporting laws on the other.  Several factors are considered, including the variable state laws governing the duty to report, the need to report in a timely fashion, the intricacies of the reporting process (e.g. to whom, containing what information, etc.), and the ongoing concern about adverse consequences to clients and others (including oneself). Given these complexities, this topic has become essential knowledge for practicing clinicians. This course uses legal case studies, and hypothetical situations to highlight the critical nuanced knowledge needed to manage mandatory reporting requirements.

“This was an excellent presentation. The instructor was casual, engaging, presented in an efficient and concise way. I would take another class again from this instructor and from this program in general.”-Paula R., Psychologist, California

Although medications are considered a first-line treatment for adult ADHD, most individuals will require additional psychosocial treatment in order to improve their functioning in various life roles. In fact, most adults with ADHD who are seeking treatment will say, “I know what I need to do, but I just don’t do it.” Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has emerged as the second evidence-supported treatment for adult ADHD. This presentation reviews a CBT model for understanding and treating adult ADHD. In particular, it focuses on how CBT has been adapted to address the problems faced by ADHD adults with a particular emphasis on promoting the implementation of effective coping strategies for a clinical population whose main difficulties are with poor follow through on intentions. In particular, the intervention domains of cognitive modification, behavior modification, acceptance/mindfulness, and implementation strategies will be reviewed. Dealing with procrastination is the clinical example used to illustrate these intervention domains for adult ADHD. Some of the most common coping strategies for managing adult ADHD also will be presented, along with specific tactics to promote engagement and follow through. Issues related to managing co-existing clinical issues will also be discussed. Case examples will be presented and participant questions answered throughout the webinar.

Most therapists recognize the power of the past as it is revealed in the way partners respond to each other. The therapist can be baffled by emotionally intense reactions that seem way out of proportion to the moment.  Repeated conflict themes also suggest that the ways partners interpret each other’s behavior can only be understood by exploring their individual lived experience. This seminar presents an overview of an object relations approach to working with couples, and describes dynamics that are unique to this clinical approach. You will understand how unfinished business from the past and each partner’s relational past can unfold in patterns and postures that work against intimacy. You will also be able to understand how extreme emotional reactions and black & white thinking create instability and specific relationship problems. The seminar will explain a range of techniques that can help couples acquire new ways of responding to each other and strengthening intimacy. You will also understand how the therapist’s intuition and reaction to partners is an important source of information that allows insight into the core themes and facilitates the partners ability to heal past wounds while forging deeper intimacy.

“Dr. Satir was excellent. She kept my interest and is obviously very knowledgeable and experienced. I learned a lot about how to deal with eating disorders.”-Richard H., Psychologist, Colorado

This training will offer the opportunity to learn about the diagnosis, assessment, theory, and treatment of eating, weight and shape disorders. While working with clients with eating disorders (EDs) can present unique challenges, we will explore the perception/stigma that these clients are notoriously difficult to treat. We will focus on the importance of integrative treatments, and the role of behavioral, symptom focused techniques in addition to psychodynamic approaches that explore underlying characterological and developmental issues. This training will also consider potential challenges clinicians may face when working with clients with eating disorders and how to cope with feelings that may arise when working with this population.

“Sheri did a great job of keeping my attention. Time flew all the while I felt I was learning something of use.  I've been teaching clients mindfulness for years but there are those clients that are still difficult and haven't been responsive. This seminar gave me brand new tools/approaches and hope for helping some of my existing clients.”-Laura D., Social Worker, Arkansas

Over 75% of mental illnesses described in the DSM are related to emotion dysregulation – the inability to manage emotions effectively. Given that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was initially created to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), of which emotion dysregulation is a primary problem, it only makes sense that DBT would be effective in treating other disorders, and research in recent years is supporting this.

This seminar will provide an overview of the DBT Core Mindfulness skills. Participants will learn about these skills, including an introduction to mindfulness, the States of Mind, and the “What” and “How” skills. Discussion will be around how to use these skills ourselves in both professional and personal lives, and how to teach these skills to clients struggling with mental illness.

“Great presenter style, held my interest, provided a ton of interesting, useful information. Learned simple structures to organize treatment of complex trauma that will be so useful!”-Lisa G., Social Worker, Maryland

In this seminar, Dr. Hartman-Hall reviews empirically validated treatments for PTSD and trauma symptoms.  Practical strategies are presented for managing clinical challenges including self-injury, dissociation, and difficulties in interpersonal functioning. Ideas for addressing sleep disturbance and chronic pain will be discussed. Avoiding clinician burn-out and managing vicarious traumatization is also a focus. This seminar provides tools developed from clinical experience and the research literature that you can start using right away to help your clients who are struggling with trauma symptoms.

Therapy with adults or couples with children frequently presents opportunities to help parents understand and improve parent-child dynamics. Parenting reveals implicit and unconscious expectations about raising children that are often culturally determined, and based on each parent’s own childhood experiences. This seminar draws on theories from systems, object relations and the parenting literature to show how unconscious factors get played out in the parent-child relationship. Therapists can help parents identify ways that their own childhood experiences, and aspects of the marital
relationship, are played out in the parenting process. Through presentation of theory, and case examples, participants will be able to understand how to raise and explore parenting dynamics in the therapy session, and help parents find new ways of relating to their children and each other. This is particularly import in work with highly conflicted couples, even those who have divorced but have difficulty co-parenting.

“The explanation of the 12 STEP units was clear and interesting. Dr. Walker is a confident, relaxed speaker who was easy to listen to and ask questions if needed. Her PPT was helpful in following her ideas.”-Lynda B., Licensed Professional Counselor, Arizona

Survivors of domestic violence have many psychological effects similar to other trauma victim/survivors, particularly those who have experienced gender-based violence such as sexual assault, rape, sexual exploitation, trafficking, and child sexual abuse. Although many different types of psychotherapy and other interventions have been described in the literature, the consensus is that trauma-specific treatment has the best efficacy in helping victims become survivors with new resilience. Using an evidence-based, trauma-specific treatment program, the Survivor Therapy Empowerment Program (STEP-2) helps move victims to a survivor status with a tripartite program. The three areas are psychoeducation to assist in the understanding of the various trauma responses, a period of discussion where the impact of these trauma responses are understood from an individual perspective, and a skill-building period where new skills are learned and old skills reinforced. The transparent intervention program has 12 units that can be broken down into smaller sessions if necessary. Goals are negotiated with the clients as part of modeling the empowerment process necessary to heal from trauma. Rebuilding lost resilience is included as a part of healing from PTSD.

Topics include safety planning, relaxation training, cognitive restructuring faulty cognitions, boundaries and assertiveness, cycle of violence, trauma and PTSD, numbing behaviors and substance abuse, attachment and emotional re-regulation, impact of domestic violence on children, dealing with legal issues, grieving and letting go of old relationships, and building wellness and resilience. Each STEP can be used in a group or individually, in sequence or using each unit as its own stand alone section.

“Great presentation! Very useful information for practitioners in a variety of settings. Highly recommended. I learned the CBT is NOT just “change your thoughts and change your life.”-Kellie H., Social Worker, Iowa

Across behavioral health professions, there is a workforce shortage of clinicians trained to provide evidence-based mental health services to older adults.  Cognitive-behavioral conceptualizations have been effectively used to develop assessments and interventions for older adults and their involved family care partners.  This webinar will help you apply your existing knowledge and experience with CBT to the common physical and mental health concerns of middle aged and older adults.  You will develop an understanding of typical adjustments to assessment and intervention strategies while working with older adults.  CBT assessment and interventions for late life depression will be used as an example, along with empirically supported CBT interventions for family caregivers of older adults.  The presentation will also include resources for clinical practice with these populations.

"I would like to say that your presentation went way beyond my expectations and, for that matter, beyond my experience in many other courses I’ve taken in the past. The course often gets taught by psychologists and/or lawyers who represent Risk Mgmt with messages of fear that have more to do with helping clinicians avoid problems rather than being a more effective clinician. Instead of giving good guidance for dealing with sticky issues with cloudy guidelines while trying to do good psychotherapy, it’s a ‘watch your back’ approach. I found your presentation from a clinicians point of view far superior, helping me even now to better understand issues that I’ve faced. Indeed, you made me feel more optimistic and safer about practicing psychotherapy in a litigious age. I liked your clarity and your level headed, straight talk advice. I can’t remember a law and ethics course I’ve taken in which I received clinical examples and useful insight for handling situations like ones I’ve had to deal with."-Jane S., Psychologist, California 

This webinar will satisfy your ethics requirement. 

David Shapiro, Ph.D. has been called the father of clinical forensic psychology.  He is an expert on the interface between psychology and the law.  This webinar will help all clinicians with managing risk in their practice.

Premature termination is a significant problem in psychotherapy, with deleterious impacts on both clients and therapists. For example, research shows that clients who prematurely terminate show poorer treatment outcomes, are less likely to make lasting changes in their symptoms, and are more likely to over-utilize the health care system. Research also shows that when clients end treatment prematurely, their therapists often experience a sense of failure with the loss. Additionally, repeated dropout by clients can lead to experiences of demoralization and burnout in their providers. Current estimates indicate that approximately 1 in 5 clients will drop out of psychotherapy and/or counseling prematurely. Although these numbers may differ depending on the setting and client type, almost all therapists will experience premature termination at some point in their practice. 

The purpose of this workshop is provide strategies and approaches that therapists can use to reduce premature termination in their practice. This workshop will begin with a discussion of what premature termination is and why some clients choose to end treatment prematurely. It will then cover the latest research on the frequency of premature termination and client, therapist, treatment, and setting risk factors associated with its occurrence. In the second half of this workshop, eight evidence-based strategies for reducing premature termination will be presented. These strategies include: providing role induction, incorporating preferences into the treatment decision-making process, planning for appropriate termination, providing education about patterns of change in psychotherapy, strengthening hope, enhancing motivation for treatment, fostering the therapeutic alliance, and assessing and discussing treatment progress.

Executive function (EF) processes are essential for successfully navigating nearly all of our daily activities, allowing us to regulate and direct our behavior toward goals, break out of habits, make decisions and evaluate risks, plan for the future, prioritize and sequence our actions, and cope with novel situations. EF deficits are present in a wide range of mental health disorders, contributing to deficits in everyday activities, academic/occupational and social functioning. In this presentation, you will learn about EF processes and how they are important for daily life, how and why EF deficits are associated with mental health disorders, and best practices for assessing EF. We will then discuss the latest evidence on interventions for EF deficits, considering limitation of EF training approaches and promising approaches based on using compensatory strategies to improve functioning in individuals with impaired EF.

“I found this seminar fascinating. I have taken some of Dr Shapiro's other seminars and will seek him out for others, I enjoy his approach. His real world examples are invaluable.”-Dawn Z., Social Worker, New York

This webinar is designed for those clinicians moving into forensic assessment from more traditional clinical settings. It will consider the important similarities and differences between clinical and forensic work, including critical legal and ethical issues regarding the concept of informed consent in different kinds of evaluations. The focus will then shift to what are called functional legal capacities, and cover in depth the way different assessment instruments may be reconceptualized in order to use them in forensic settings. Special consideration will be given to the development of instruments for assessment of trauma and malingering.

This course qualifies as an ethics course.

“The information presented in this course will be very helpful with my documentation of psychotherapy and enlightened me about potential risk and legal issues. The presentation was clear and he gave real life examples to illustrate what he was saying. I learned the difference between a supoena and a court order, and specifically what goes into effective documentation of psychotherapy notes."-Claire H., Social Worker, Vermont

This webinar explains the goals and potential benefits of effective clinical documentation as well as the ethical and legal requirements for doing so. Documentation is addressed from a clinical and risk management perspective. Specific recommendations are made for how to document the clinical services provided in a competent and effective manner. Additionally, common pitfalls to avoid are addressed. How to store and maintain records is addressed for both paper and electronic records. Precautions to take to protect and preserve records are described in detail along with how and when to dispose of them. Guidance is provided for following HIPAA and other laws and regulations relevant to documentation and record keeping. Participants in this webinar will receive practical guidance that can be integrated into daily practice to document more effectively, to better achieve the goals of thoughtfully created treatment records, and to meet and exceed professional standards and practice guidelines relevant to documentation and record keeping.

“I was extremely impressed with the presentation from start to finish. I liked the inclusion of videos/visuals to enhance the presentation. Finally, I was extremely appreciative of the follow-up resources as well. I learned a great deal and all of the techniques would arguably enhance anyone's therapy practice in some way.”-Kristin K., Professional Counselor, Massachusetts

Although the field of clinical psychology has traditionally aimed to “fix what’s wrong,” the newer sub-field of positive psychology instead helps us to “build what’s strong.” In this seminar, attendees will learn about the nature of happiness, and discover research-backed methods from positive psychology to help lastingly increase happiness both in ourselves and in our clients. We’ll explore what it means to be happy, why happiness is so important, and why it can often feel so hard to come by. We’ll then discuss 7 research-based principles for lasting well-being, drawing from positive psychology, mindfulness-based approaches, and cutting-edge neuroscience. In addition, we will introduce and put into practice dozens of evidence-based tools and techniques that can easily be implemented into clinical practice. Through lecture, clinical vignettes, and hands-on practice, you’ll learn skills that can transform your clinical work.

Roughly one-third of combat veterans battle some form of mental health condition with the most notable being posttraumatic stress disorder. This course is designed to present practitioners with a review of effective treatments for PTSD and related conditions in combat veterans.  In addition to PTSD, related disorders such as nightmares, insomnia, and depression will be reviewed.  Although there are effective treatments available for these conditions, many clinicians are unaware of the theory and science related to these interventions.  Moreover, unless the clinician has served in the military or worked with military or veteran clients in the past, the importance of military culture on treatment outcomes for these conditions will not be fully appreciated.  This seminar will help you become a more effective clinician for your veteran clients.

“The presentation was exceptionally useful in the provision of practical suggestions grounded in dynamic conceptualization. The instructor seemed seasoned in real world experience and this enhanced the context in which she provided research and conceptual information. This presentation will allow me to enhance the specificity and utility of recommendations I make for managing self-harm in high risk and incarcerated children and adolescents.”-Lara H., Psychologist, Texas

Nonsuicidal self-injury is more common than we think. Almost every mental health clinician has come across some form of nonsuicidal self-injury in their careers, and the behavior is on the rise among adolescents and young adults. Yet, rarely do education programs cover anything about nonsuicidal self-injury within their programs, even though it is important for mental health clinicians to be aware of what this behavior is, how to assess it, how it is related yet different from suicidal behavior, and how to intervene and work with clients who engage in nonsuicidal self-injury. This seminar will help you understand what nonsuicidal self-injury is, factors to consider when assessing and working with clients, ethical considerations in treatment and breaching confidentiality, and methods of treatment that have been shown to be effective.

Traumatized adolescents and young adults struggle with self-regulation. They are dysregulated across systems--neurologically, cognitively, physically, emotionally, behaviorally, socially, and spiritually. Anxious and vigilant, and unable to trust themselves or caregivers, they may experience even loving relationships as confusing and frightening. But to learn self-soothing, they must first be able to rely upon others and discover the comfort of co-regulation. They benefit from relationships with adults that provide them with the psychological (and physical) sense of stability and containment they cannot supply themselves.

To work effectively with these youth it’s crucial for adults to first foster their own capacity for self-awareness and self-regulation. It’s not easy, especially when our young clients’ extreme reactions—ranging from angry arousal to frozen shutting down—can trigger our own sense of helplessness, failure, dissociation, and rejection. In this webinar, you will learn about Developmental-Relational Therapy (DRT), an attachment-based model of trauma treatment. You will learn and practice mindful, empathic strategies that help teens feel more secure, connected, present, and regulated. You’ll discover how to get unhooked from old enactments by exploring:

Specific adolescent attachment styles that interact with or trigger our own

The React, Reflect, and Respond approach to corrective relational experience

Four M’s—mirroring, mentalizing, mindfulness, and modulation—to increase connection and mood regulatio

How to use moment-to-moment attunement—including strategies of validation, unflinching empathy, strategic self-disclosure, and the compassionate sharing of adult feelings and opinions-—to bring traumatized youth back into relationships with themselves and with you.

During times of crisis we all need support! Through TZK Seminars, Sheri Van Dijk is offering a free, one-hour webinar to help clinicians manage their own stress and other difficult emotions, as well as an overview of some of the skills clinicians can use to help clients during this difficult time.

This webinar will satisfy your ethics requirement.

“Presenter was knowledgeable and engaging. Very informative and helpful webinar. I feel more confident in the decisions that I have been making in regard to self disclosure and I feel I can look at those areas that feel more challenging with less criticism.”-Gabrielle D., Psychologist, New York

“Therapist Self Disclosure” is an introductory ethics course for practitioners who seek to navigate how to utilize self-disclosure to achieve client engagement without boundary violations in treatment environments. With the mainstreaming of peer counseling, cognitive behavioral and humanistic treatments, therapist self-disclosure is encouraged as a means to improving patient rapport & communication. Therapists need to differentiate among the nuanced differences between self-disclosure, self-involving statements, deliberate & confrontative disclosures from disclosures amounting to harmful boundary violations to avoid becoming ensnarled in questionable ethical practices.

This webinar focuses on several factors like: (1) role played by self-disclosure in relationships, (2) the history of therapist self-disclosure, (3) what is therapist self-disclosure?, (4) how theoretical treatments and the type of client in treatment impact therapist self-disclosure, (5) when are therapists most often willing to self-disclose, (6) ethics of self-disclosure and boundary violations, (7) conclusions and practical clinical checklist to prevent inappropriate therapist self-disclosure. Given these complexities, knowledge about therapist self-disclosure is crucial.

This course will utilize “clinical” situations from film and television to highlight protective measures relating to therapist self-disclosure. Excerpts from TV shows and movies, such as, “Mindhunter,” “In Treatment,” “Ordinary People,” “Good Will Hunting,” “The Sopranos,” “The Breakfast Club,” and others will be utilized.

“Presenter was extremely thorough and covered all angles of this subject matter. I liked the use of anecdotal situations to illustrate the principles.”-Michelle M., Professional Counselor, Massachusetts

Although the commercial sexual exploitation of youth has occurred in the United States, it has only recently begun to get attention. Given the newness of the topic, many providers struggle to engage youth involved in the commercial sex industry. The Stages of Change model has been identified as a best practice for working with the population. This training will equip you with a better understanding of the Stages of Change model and engagement skills you can utilize when working with youth who are commercially sexually exploited. Without a model to engage youth, providers may place undue pressure on them, unintentionally cause harm, and develop unrealistic expectations for themselves. The training will discuss the stages in a practical manner. Participants will see vignettes of what a youth and caregiver look like in each stage as well as strategies to engage them and help them move to the next stage.

“Outstanding. This was the best seminar I've taken (from any source, not just TZK) in the last several years. It was a great combination of teaching the content, including research on the topic, providing examples, and inviting and using participant feedback to enhance learning. Exact right amount of solid content and examples that reinforced learning - WONDERFUL!”-Nancy C., Psychologist, Kentucky

What do you feel when you gaze up at the Milky Way, see a beautiful rainbow, or stand before a mountain that seems impossibly high? This feeling – often complete with goosebumps and a shiver down our spine – is known as awe. And as it turns out, this underappreciated and often misunderstood emotion just might hold the key to a happy, meaningful, and healthy life.

Recent research has shown that awe can improve our physical health, strengthen our social bonds, and become lastingly happier. Experiences of awe strengthen our immune system, improve our psychological well-being, and even change our brain in unique ways. In this seminar, participants will explore the nature and benefits of awe, and how learning to become more awestruck can improve our psychological, physical, and social well-being. Through lecture, vignettes, and hands-on practice, you’ll learn to harness these breakthrough findings and transform your clinical practice.

Although the commercial sexual exploitation of youth has occurred in the United States, it has only recently begun to get attention. Given the newness of the topic, many providers struggle to engage youth involved in the com­mercial sex industry. The Stages of Change model has been identified as a best practice for working with the popula­tion. This 3-hour training will equip you with a better understanding of the Stages of Change model and en­gagement skills you can utilize when working with youth who are commercially sexually exploited. Without a model to engage youth, providers may place undue pressure on youth, unintentionally cause harm, and develop unrealis­tic expectations for themselves. The training will discuss the stages in a practical manner. Participants will follow a youth through each stage and learn strategies to engage them and help them move to the next stage.

This workshop will provide an overview of shame and in­volvement in the commercial sex industry and how it can present in treatment. The workshop will also focus on strategies to heal shame with youth and young adults who have been commercially sexually exploited. The presenter will share information on shame resilience and self-compas­sion. 

Why topic is important: Involvement in the commercial sex industry can carry a lot of stigma and shame. When individuals don’t heal their shame, it can linger and nega­tively impact their lives. So, it’s crucial for providers to understand the heaviness of shame with commercially sex­ually exploited youth and young adults and learn strategies to support their healing.

“I really enjoyed this training. The speaker’s knowledge and passion for the subject matter were apparent, and kept me interested and enthusiastic about what I was learning. This was a very thorough overview of IFS, delivered in an organized way, and at a pace that helped me understand and retain the information.”-Maria H. Social Worker, Minnesota

Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy has become an increasingly popular non-pathologizing approach to individual therapy. Developed by Richard Schwartz, Ph.D. over 30 years ago, IFS is now an evidenced-based practice for depression, phobia, panic and generalized anxiety disorder. IFS is considered a promising treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and complex trauma. In this webinar, Dr. Fatter will review the conceptual framework of IFS including basic assumptions of IFS, goals of the model, and research to date. Clinicians will learn a road map for steps in doing IFS therapy with specific interventions on how to get started applying IFS in clinical work. This webinar will include a guided experiential exercise for therapists to begin to identify their own parts to demonstrate the model experientially. Applications of IFS in clinical work and a case example using IFS for complex trauma will be discussed.

“Very informative. Presenter used real world examples to help explain concepts I learned that there are many more pathways that lead youth into being sexually exploited.”-Amy L., Social Worker, Arizona

The commercial sexual exploitation of youth and young adults is a national and international epidemic. It impacts youth regardless of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and age. It’s crucial for providers working with youth and young adults to learn about commercial sexual exploitation. “An Overview of Commercial Sexual Exploitation” will introduce you to the topic by talking about federal legislation, whether or not youth choose to be involved in the commercial sex industry, risk factors for being exploited, and the impact of involvement in the industry. Providers will also learn about the resiliency of survivors and an overview of ways to support survivors on their healing journey.

You can contribute to reducing suffering and improving quality of living during this Coronavirus world emergency.  COVID-19 has created a healthcare crisis, and mental health practitioners can assist with this worldwide public health concern by addressing people’s clinically-relevant responses.  General fear of contracting the coronavirus is being exacerbated by media reports (and hype) and the reactions (and over-reactions) of other people, and turning natural fear into debilitating anxiety.  Two additional issues are compounding these problems: 1) Mandates to self-quarantine are leading to people having problematic reactions that might have a deleterious influence on their mental health, and 2) social distancing obligations are creating significant obstacles for clients to see their counselors, social workers, and psychologists. 

Telehealth options are available for performing clinical interventions, but this is a fairly new field in the behavioral health profession.  This webinar, led by the experienced founder of a telementalhealth organization, will walk you through the options for choosing a telehealth platform, and describe the important considerations when actually doing therapy online. 

In addition, the webinar leader has been an Acceptance & Commitment Therapy practitioner for over 20 years, and will describe the ACT model, explain how it can be tailor-made for anxiety, and provide specific details for applying the approach to fear of the coronavirus.  ACT utilizes mindfulness interventions, while blending evidence-based psychotherapy concepts into the approach, and aims to increase the client’s psychological flexibility. The vision for this webinar is to prepare mental health practitioners with the technical tools for reducing the negative impact of this world crisis, and the clinical perspectives to help people with their psychological pain at this difficult time. 

Telehealth guidelines and informed consent paperwork will also be provided.

While the larger human trafficking narrative has focused on child sex trafficking, child labor trafficking has been left out of the discussion. This training will provide an overview of child labor trafficking in the United States, specifically focusing risk factors, and the intersection of homelessness and forced criminality. Participants will learn about signs a youth may be labor trafficked as well as needs a youth needs after being identified as a child labor trafficking survivor.

In recent weeks, people throughout the world have been impacted and shaken by the COVID-19 crisis. Seemingly overnight, our entire world has been turned upside down in both direct and indirect ways. Businesses have closed, mandates to self-quarantine have risen, and social distancing has become a way of life. Above all, the uncertainty, fear, and unknown course and duration of the virus have paralyzed much of society. 

For many of our clients, struggles like depression and anxiety have worsened, and have even been exacerbated by some of the very strategies we must now follow to ensure health and safety in our communities. As clinicians, we find ourselves in a unique position to provide assistance during this challenging time. By both understanding the psychological reactions our clients may be experiencing in this crisis, and exploring meaningful approaches to foster peace and well-being, participants in this webinar will be well-equipped to aid their clients in this unique and uncharted moment. 

This webinar, led by the author of three books focused on the science of well-being, will provide attendees with practical skills and approaches to help their clients navigate the turbulent waters of COVID-19. With a strengths-based approach aimed towards fostering well-being amidst the current crisis, participants will explore how concepts such as gratitude, self-compassion, acceptance, and resilience can be applied to clients struggling in the wake of COVID-19. 

This workshop will provide an overview of what life is like when one live in poverty or close to it. It will start with an opportunity to reflect on one’s socioeconomic upbringing and how this impacts one’s ability to work with lower socioeconomic individuals. The presenter will share information about the prevalence of poverty and populations most impacted by it. The presenter will also discuss the lasting impact of poverty on one’s educational, occupational, and physical health. Lastly, the presenter will discuss strategies to engage lower socioeconomic individuals in therapy.

It’s essential for clinicians to understand the impact of poverty, especially for those working with marginalized populations and those working in underserved areas. Many families are living below the poverty line or near it and it’s important to understand the accompanying stressors to better serve lower socioeconomic individuals. Without this knowledge, it can be challenging to effectively support individuals these individuals.

This webinar will provide hands-on tangible instruction of specific trauma-informed interventions you can use with your clients to help them cope with the COVID 19 pandemic. Relevant research findings from previous pandemics will be reviewed to help inform mental health interventions during the pandemic. Dr. Fatter will demonstrate specific interventions for hyper-arousal symptoms to help manage anxiety and emotional overwhelm and specific interventions for hypo-arousal symptoms to help manage shock, dissociation and emotional shut down. This webinar will be largely experiential so that participants can get a felt sense of how it feels to practice these interventions. Dr. Fatter will teach bilateral tapping (an interventions from EMDR), somatic interventions, and specific breathing techniques to help increase a sense of safety and connect to sense of resilience and relational support to mitigate the impact of social isolation. Dr. Fatter will offer ways to use sensory input from items in one’s home to help clients self-soothe. In addition, Dr. Fatter will describe two cognitive interventions to help client’s cope with rumination and nervous system activation. Mindfulness resources and use of ritual will also be discussed as a means to connect to one’s external environment and help with the regulation of collective grief.

This webinar will satisfy your ethics requirement.

Mental health professionals frequently make assertions about legal issues based on their psychological expertise and expect that the laws should merely follow the re­search and practice to which they testify. Frequently, mental health professionals will conflate such matters as psychosis, limited intellect or brain impairment with le­gal issues such as Competency to Stand Trial, Criminal Responsibility and Mitigation. There are, in fact, many reasons why a diagnosis cannot be generalized into a legal conclusion. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the United States Supreme Court deliberations and findings where behavioral science evidence is judged along side the laws which place constraints on how these matters can be considered in court. This webinar will explore these dif­ferences, looking at a wide array of cases in which mental health has been a central issue.

“Fantastic webinar. Dr. Paquette was very knowledgeable, very personable, and open with comments and questions. He maintained my interest, and had great examples for explanation.”-Marilyn H., Counselor, Mississippi

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most effective forms of psychotherapy, a gold standard treatment that can be applied to a wide range of psychological disorders. With hundreds of randomize controls trials to demonstrate its impact, cognitive behavioral therapy has been shown to be one of the most efficacious and well-validated forms of treatment within the mental health community. However, many clinicians struggle to effectively implement it a powerful way with their clients. Join clinical psychologist, author, and international speaker Jonah Paquette for an exciting hands-on workshop aimed to help bring your knowledge and skills related to CBT to the next level. Complete with over 50 techniques aimed towards changing thoughts and behaviors, this workshop can transform your practice.

This seminar will provide you with a deeper understanding of how CBT can be applied to a wide range of problems, and will help you master the core competencies of CBT treatment. In addition, attendees will be provided with powerful, practical, and easy-to-use tools that you can use in your clinical practice starting right away. Through didactic presentation, hands-on practice, and opportunities for reflection, you’ll learn how to expertly apply these approaches into your life and your clinical work. You’ll leave equipped to improve your clinical skills and achieve better therapeutic outcomes with even your most challenging clients.

Working with a diverse ethnic population requires clinicians who can appreciate unique differences in culture as well as psychopathology arising from experiences of stigma and oppression. Further, it is imperative that individuals from underrepresented groups be equitably represented in mental care settings and research studies. Equitable representation is needed to ensure that research findings are generalizable to all populations.  Cultural, economic, and logistic barriers can deter people from disadvantaged racial and ethnic groups from seeking treatment or participating in mental health research, and can also deter clinicians from including them. This presentation describes steps mental health clinicians can take to increase inclusion of people in minoritized groups. Important strategies include formal training in cultural differences, development of multi-cultural awareness, diversification of treatment teams, community outreach, professional networking, targeted advertising, a comfortable environment, and ongoing review of efforts. Also included is an overview of research abuses against vulnerable populations which has eroded trust between communities of color and the medical establishment.  Dr. Williams will speak to these issues based on the research literature, her work starting mental health clinics throughout the US, and her experience as a principal investigator in studies recruiting hard-to-reach racialized participants for mental health studies. This course is for anyone seeking to recruit more diverse individuals, implement inclusive research studies, attend to cultural considerations in the process of interventions, and/or incorporate critical ethical principles into clinical procedures.

Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a serious mental health problem that typi­cally creates chaos in an individual’s life, often leading to risky and impulsive behaviors, damaged relationship and careers, substance use problems, hospitalization, and even suicide. Because of the complexi­ty of this disorder – the different episodes, variability of symptoms from person to person as well as from episode to episode within the same individual - Bipolar Disorder can be difficult for clinicians to recognize; improper diagnosis leads to improper treatment, which can cause worsening of symptoms for individuals. Once an accurate diagnosis has been made, however, it’s often equally as difficult to help our clients to accept and understand this diagnosis, which con­tributes to difficulties following prescribed treatment recommenda­tions.

In this webinar you will learn about bipolar disorder, including the different diagnostic categories of BD and its causes. Participants will learn about the disorders that often co-occur with bipolar disor­der and the difficulties people experience in living with this and the co-morbid disorders. In gaining a greater understanding yourself as a clinician of bipolar disorder, you will be in a more effective position to help your clients to understand and accept their mental health problems, which will typically lead to improved outcomes for clients.

The integration of ecopsychotherapy and therapeutic bereavement rituals are explored in this presentation. While bereavement rituals are plentiful across cultures and spiritual orientations, nature-based interventions remain a secular, trans-theoretical, and cross-cultural available resource that can be effectively integrated into grief therapy. Participants will leave the presentation understanding ecopsychotherapy, rites of passage as they relate to the bereavement process, the interface between nature-based interventions and ritual, and a practical intervention aimed at transformation and meaning-making in the bereavement process.

“Presenter was extremely well-informed and was up to date with current apps. She was warm and engaging.”-D.C., Psychologist, California

The smartphone has changed the social world and, while social challenges have always created anxiety for some, today’s online social world has raised the bar, creating more anxiety for people of all ages, adolescents and young adults in particular. From FoMO (fear of missing out) to NoMophobia (no mobile phone phobia) and from perfectionism to procrastination, the impacts of social media have exacerbated anxiety. This seminar will offer pragmatic tips for therapists to broaden their ability to mitigate anxiety in clients who have become overly attached and overly affected by their social media world.

You will get a brief overview of the neuroscience that undergirds the compulsion for continuous connection and a look at the impact of stress responses that create the circular pattern of using social media raising anxiety – turning it off raising anxiety – turning it on. We will explore the comparison fallacy and social media’s impact on anxiety, shame and low self-esteem that interferes with healthy social and personal development. And the primary focus of this session will explore pragmatic ways to decrease our clients maladaptive use of social media (including texting) and increase their productive use of smartphones to manage anxiety.

The concept of posttraumatic growth (PTG), that is, how people report personal transformations in the aftermath of traumatic events is an emerging area of research and clinical focus. These growth experiences are relatively common, but often ignored in standard trauma practice due to relatively few clinicians fully understanding the concept. In order to enhance trauma-focused clinical services, professionals should learn to integrate the PTG model into their trauma treatment strategies and practice. PTG is based on an integrative cognitive-existential-narrative theoretical foundation. The theoretical foundation of PTG also informs a highly effective intervention strategy that has been labeled “Expert Companionship”. Using the Expert Companionship clinical approach in treating trauma survivors facilitates personal development beyond the reduction of symptoms of trauma. In fact, trauma survivors are able to both reduce symptoms of PTSD and related conditions and learn to use their difficult life experiences as a means to live a more rewarding and fulfilling life. This is important considering the field of mental health recognizes that standard practice for PTSD has important limitations. This posttraumatic growth based approach shows promise for addressing these limitations.

Adolescence is a time of social, cognitive, and emotional growth.  The rapid rise of technology presents a unique challenge to teenagers and those responsible for their care.  Electronics use (Online videos, texting, social media, video games, streaming TV shows/movies, etc.) creates an environment that can both enrich and hinder healthy development.  Participants in this webinar will be provided with a review of the current state of knowledge, as it relates to the impact of electronics use on adolescent wellness.  Topics addressed will include the relationship of electronics to academic performance, sleep, mental health, the developing brain, and safety.  Throughout the webinar, feedback will be provided on ways to keep adolescents connected in a way that promotes a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

When we joined the ranks of helping professionals, one of the last things that probably crossed our minds was what, if any, risk we would face in our careers. Would our forensic patient who had killed their parents ever corner us in a room and try to assault us? Would our inpatient teenager ever cyber-stalk us online? Would our outpatient client ever try to kill us in our office? Daunting questions to think about; however, these are the very questions that we should be addressing while also helping our client population in need. This course looks back over the past decades to review where mental health treatment has come and what about those shifts may contribute to our vulnerability in our professions; it helps identify the vulnerabilities we should be addressing; and it offers suggestions of actions we can take to protect our work, our clients, our livelihood, and our lives. In addition to receiving the training and education we need to make us the best helping professionals we can be, we also need training such as this to help protect ourselves from any harm that could come in the course of our work.

Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a serious mental health problem that typi¬cally creates chaos in an individual’s life, often leading to risky and impulsive behaviors, damaged relation­ship and careers, substance use problems, hospitalization, and even suicide. Based on Sheri Van Dijk’s ground-breaking work on using DBT with Bipolar Disorder, this webinar will briefly review the different types of bipolar disorder and what to look for to help someone get a proper diagnosis and treatment. You’ll also learn about the existing psy­cho-therapies being used to treat bipolar disorder, before looking at the efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy in treating this illness, and a delving more into how to teach some of the DBT skills most pertinent to clients with BD.

This webinar will satisfy your ethics requirement.

Ever since 1976 with the landmark case of Tarasoff versus Regents of the University of California, there has been a dizzying array of cases dealing with various approaches to this topic. In some states, there is a Duty to Warn, in others a Duty to Protect Third Parties. In some states, the duty is mandatory and in others discretionary. Some states are also distinguished in terms of permissive or non-permissive duties. Small wonder that with all these variations, mental health professionals are often confused in terms of their obligations. Sometimes, the case law is inconsistent with the statutes within the same state. Research done regarding the knowledge of licensed men¬tal health professionals in 1988 showed that 93% of the sample surveyed did not fully understand the laws in their own states. Twenty years later, with continued exposure to the topic through continuing education, the number dropped to 76% who did not understand the laws in their own states. This webinar will attempt to reconcile these differences and provide the mental health professional with concrete steps to take in order to crystalize and under¬stand the laws and the ways to manage practices so as to minimize the risk of legal action.

During a time of unprecedented crisis in the face of a global pandemic, many individuals across the globe are unfortunately impacted by another stressor detrimental to their health: racial trauma. Those who experience racial trauma have feelings of distress that lead them to seek counseling for symptom relief. Psychotherapists are charged with creating safe spaces to help clients heal from such dreadful life occurrences through the use of therapy services. 

The current webinar led by Dr. Lillian Gibson will provide mental health professionals with a practical framework to assess and treat racial trauma. The importance of recognizing both the likenesses and dissimilarities of clients’ and clinicians’ worldviews within the context of treatment will be explained. Participants will learn how to apply culturally-specific approaches when exploring trauma experiences and implement client-centered interventions. 

The on-line training will use a case vignette to guide the presentation and uncover mistakes that can be made when cultural considerations are not utilized. 

Participants will leave the webinar with a clear understanding of racial trauma, an awareness of racial trauma assessment options, the biopsychosocial impacts of trauma, symptom tracking measures, clinical pitfalls to avoid, steps to strengthen a therapeutic alliance, and a list of treatments that may be useful to decrease the effects of racial trauma (when appropriately applied).

Multicultural guidelines and ethical standards dictate that White therapists examine their own racial identity, privilege, and fragility to better serve clients of color. Dr. Fatter will review current trends in multicultural competency and discuss the clinical cost of the therapist being ‘colorblind’. This webinar will specifically focus on aspects of White culture, White privilege, White fragility, and Helms White racial identity model to help therapists self-assess their own White racial identity. In addition, Menakem’s H-I-P-P theory of how historical trauma is somatically held in the body will be presented to better understand the typical nervous system response in a White body and ways White therapists can work with their own somatic countertransference reactions when working with clients of color. Dr. Fatter will describe ways White privilege and White fragility can show up in a therapy session as well as provide examples of specific types of microaggressions that can damage the therapeutic relationship when working with clients of color. Dr. Fatter will also discuss practical ways to bring up racial identity with clients of color and how to do a therapeutic repair when a relational rupture has occurred. Ethical considerations when working with White clients who express racist views will be also addressed.

Grief is disenfranchised when a person is denied the right to grieve, does not have the social support essential to adapting to his or her loss, and is deprived of the social validation in order to heal. When the griever is disenfranchised, he or she may withdrawal from others or question his or her own grieving process, may not acknowledge the reality of the loss and its implications, or adapt to the loss in healthy ways. As a result, their grieving process remains private, intensifying the grieving process, which increases the risk of complicated grief. Disenfranchisement comes from several sources, including one’s cultural expectations, expectations of others, professionals who serve in “expert” roles, and even from the griever himself. Since every mental health professional will work with bereaved clients, it is essential that he or she know how to recognize disenfranchisement, understand the impact of disenfranchisement on the griever’s mourning process, learn how to reduce the chance of disenfranchising his or her clients, and provide guidance and interventions for disenfranchised grievers as they navigate through the social interactions that may include unhelpful expectations and judgments. Attendees will engage in didactic lecture, case studies, and videos to meet these goals. 

Trauma can impact one’s understanding and experience of intimacy and given the high rates of sexual abuse amongst youth and young adults, it’s important that clinicians are equipped with the skills and knowledge to talk about intimacy after sexual abuse. In this workshop participants will have an opportunity to reflect of their understanding of intimacy and how it impacts their work with sexual abuse survivors. You will learn about common sexual symptoms of sexual abuse and ways to support clients in developing healthier sexual beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors.  Despite how common this can be amongst sexual abuse survivors, it is often not addressed in therapy. In this training, the trainer will discuss how trauma impacts one’s relationship with sex and how to support foster youth and transitional age youth in developing a healthier understanding and experience of sex.

“The presentation was great.  The speaker gave great insights. I would have not changed anything about it. I learned different ways to view personality disorders to help better treat them. This will help me better serve individuals who make up this population.”-Nicolas F. Social Worker, Maryland

Personality disorders are a common co-occurring condition in about half of the patients seeking outpatient mental health treatment. While most clinicians regularly see patients with a personality dysfunction, it is not always identified and may complicate treatment. Left untreated, personality disorders place a great burden on health care systems, families and communities. When you are equipped with a basic knowledge of personality disorders and their treatment, you can incorporate strategies to increase effectiveness in reducing therapeutic ruptures and achieve better outcomes. Personality dysfunction complicates and reduces efficacy of first line treatment approaches to clinical syndromes such as anxiety, depression, and addiction, as well as increasing the challenge of working with couples and families. When patients with personality dysfunction are unidentified and untreated, therapist frustration may ensue and lead to unintended therapeutic ruptures and treatment dropouts. Early identification and appropriate treatment reduce susceptibility to addictions and other comorbid disorders. Clinicians who understand and identify personality disorders and possess a cohesive conceptual framework can effectively treat personality dysfunction, optimize treatment and Improve outcomes. This seminar provides you with the foundation necessary for identification, conceptualization, effective management, and treatment of personality dysfunction. 

“The instructor clearly has a high level of expertise, presented the material in a well organized, comprehensive, and detailed manner, and maintained my interest throughout.”-Jay F., Psychologist, New Jersey

One in seven people over the age of 70 experiences dementia and another 22% demonstrate symptoms of cognitive decline that falls short of dementia. Those who escape the symptoms of dementia may spend a substantial portion of retirement years caring for a friend or family member with cognitive impairment. The rise of the baby boomer generation is expected bring unprecedented rates of cognitive syndromes like Alzheimer’s disease, yet most mental health professionals have no formal training to work with this vulnerable population. This workshop provides a clinical approach to understanding and assessing these syndromes.

This webinar will satisfy your ethics requirement. 

 “I felt this was a very strong presentation and the clarity was extremely helpful. I liked the way the presenter listed components of ethical conduct - they are achievable and straightforward, easily applicable in practice with clients and in relationships with colleagues/supervisors.”-Bethanne S., Social Worker, Illinois

This concrete and lively seminar explores the origins of our personal ethics, along with ways to use our ethics in working with clients. Using a model for thinking about ethics in a practical, real-world action-focused manner, this lively seminar uses lecture, video and personal reflection activities as building blocks to renewed selfawareness of personal ethical behavior. 

Knowing when – or how – to do the right thing has never been easy. Behaving ethically is even harder in today’s fast-paced world of fluid values and changing social climate. The increasingly present expectation to tweak personal ethics in service of compassion, workplace requirements, cultural issues or sheer mental/physical exhaustion further complicates the dilemma of knowing when – and how to do the right thing. 

Beginning with a new way to look at ethics-in-practice, participants will discover a fresh awareness of their own ethics and will gain practical tips for ethical behavior that promotes common ground. Concrete techniques for behaving ethically in an increasingly fragmented world, without compromising personal values., will be presented.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention approximately 50 million American adults, 20.4 % of the U.S. adult population has chronic pain. The opioid crisis has necessitated fining other ways of managing pain than through the use of medications alone. In this workshop we will explore the phenomenon of persistent pain and strategies for dealing with both the sensory and affective components of pain. A variety of interventions from different psychological models will be introduced. The course will be Experiential as well as Didactic to ensure that the attendees learn some of the strategies directly through experiencing rather than just talking about various techniques and strategies that will be shared

All mental health professionals are familiar with, and should rely on, the Codes of Ethics applicable to their professionals. Some have, in addition, specialty guidelines that apply to certain areas of practice. This webinar will consist of a detailed analysis of the Specialty Guidelines for Forensic Psychology, viewing the similarities to and differences from the generic ethics codes. More specifically, we will look at the definitions of forensic psychology practice, issues of impartiality, conflicts of interest, competence, Informed Consent, and conflicts with legal authorities.

“I enjoyed learning from this presenter. This helped me reevaluate what I have been doing in groups and helped me improve to create a better learning environment.”-Kaleena K., Counselor, Wisconsin 

Groups are a central part of virtually all treatment programs, whether in residential, intensive outpatient, hospital or forensic settings, and yet there is a dearth of useful and practical information on how to create and facilitate groups. This seminar is intended to provide pragmatic solutions to thorny group problems as well as coach the participant in ways to create exciting and compelling groups. Participants will learn new and effective ways of working with difficult group clients such as the Monopolizer, the Coach, and the Sleeper, specific techniques on providing structure, the importance of establishing and maintaining rules, and the elements needed to create a compelling group on any assigned subject or topic. 

Given the increasing diversity of clients seeking mental health care, there is a growing need to enhance the cultural sensitivity of therapeutic interventions with ethnoracial minority populations. One critical form of contemporary racism is the experience of microaggressions: brief, everyday exchanges, in the form of seemingly innocent and innocuous comments or behaviors that send denigrating messages to people of color. Microaggressions in mental health settings are a cause of poor therapeutic alliance and drop-out, representing a barrier to treatment. Repeated exposure to microaggressions can cause psychological unwellness and even trauma symptoms in victims. However, many clinicians are not aware of microaggressions, may commit them unknowingly against clients, and are unsure how to address them in treatment. Thus, increasing awareness of microaggressions is a critical target of clinical training and therapeutic intervention. Dr. Williams will also discuss how to recognize microaggressions, how to assess the impact of microaggressions in clients, and discuss how to address microaggressions when they occur in therapy or real-life. 

Do you know the possible effect in Court of expert testimony based on poorly validated procedures? People may be sentenced to death. In similar ways, mental health professionals may be found negligent for failure to see that someone fits the psychological profile of intended victims, despite the fact that there is no science behind psychological profiling. The use and similar misuses of expert testimony will be highlighted in the webinar, along with practical suggestions for avoiding these pitfalls and making sure one’s testimony is based on well-validated theories.

A review of the DSM across the decades reveals a complicated history of the inclusion and exclusion of grief-related emotional difficulties for bereft clients. Starting with the DSM-III, uncomplicated bereavement was introduced as a condition that may be the focus of clinical attention. As research on complicated grief progressed, changes in subsequent DSMs has led to controversy, extended research, and, eventually, the inclusion of prolonged grief disorder in the upcoming release of the DSM-5-TR in mid-2021. This 3 hour presentation explores the history of how bereavement has been addressed in previous and current DSMs and the ICD, an examination of the bereavement exclusion in major depressive disorder and adjustment disorder, the development and inclusion of persistent complex bereavement disorder in the DSM-5, and the diagnostic criteria for prolonged grief disorder in the DSM-5-TR and the ICD-11. Additionally, the presentation will explore differential diagnosing so the practitioner will be skilled in making sound clinical judgment in treatment planning. 

There are several types of digital platforms and devices that can optimize treatment and are easily added to our clinical toolbox. Many of these devices can be used as clinician extenders by expanding therapeutic reach and augmenting treatment outside the office. While some of these technologies have been available for decades, they are now easier to use and are also cost effective. The trend in health care is increasingly digitally based and data driven, being fed by advances in digital platforms and innovative devices. Video technology and internet capacity have reached the point where they are reliable and advanced enough to make tele-mental health quite accessible to utilize. While there are still many people who have only tenuous links with the digital world, even those in rural and underserved populations may have access to care not previously available using new tools. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health clinicians by necessity have begun using telehealth platforms to continue to provide much needed services. The use of teletherapy affords clinicians opportunities to effectively broaden their scope of practice and deliver high quality treatment while doing so. The provision of telehealth has both pros and cons that need to be considered when using this technology. Smartphone applications (Apps) that can track mood, anxiety, and sleep (and provide feedback to clinicians) are rapidly developing and are widely available. Devices that can directly address brain and emotional states such as Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback (HRV), Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES), and Neurofeedback (NFB) can be incorporated into one’s practice at a reasonable cost. Many of these devices can be used by patients between sessions to retrain their “brain states” by monitoring physiological arousal and increasing vagal tone to maximize treatment effect. This seminar provides you with an overview and introduction to technology-based aids to mental health practice. 

 “Dr. Ray presented a great deal of information in a very organized manner and was gracious in answering questions. I look forward to attending more seminars with her! I learned more about the prescriptions used to treat addictions, such as naltrexone.”-Linnea T., Colorado

In this program I will review the conceptualization of addiction, including the biological bases for how alcohol and drugs alter the brain. I will then discuss evidence-based treatments for addiction, including pharmacological and psychosocial treatment options. I will review their evidence-based as well as provide practice advice on their implementation. Then, I will discuss the latest developments in substance use disorders, including vaping, cannabis use legalization, and the opioid epidemic. I will conclude by reviewing a host of free resources for evidence-based practices in addiction, primarily those offered by the National Institutes of Health. I will conduct this seminar by combining lecturing, question & answer periods, videos, and polling tools to engage the audience.

“This was a great webinar. The presenter shared content in an organized, yet interactive manner. The tools taught were very practical. Great presenter and would be awesome to teach future webinars.”-K.W., Social Worker, North Carolina

A high percentage of mental health clients have experienced some sort of trauma in their childhoods. That’s why it’s so important that we as clinicians use a treatment that is proven to work. This seminar will present an overview of child trauma and the evidence-based child treatment, Trauma Focused- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Attendees will gain an overview of child trauma, review the definition of child abuse and discuss the common affective, behavioral and cognitive reactions that children have to trauma. Then an overview of Trauma- Focused CBT will be given, including the specific components, real life examples of activities used and the evidence for why this approach works. At the end attendees will be provided with the next step to get certified in TF-CBT. Please note, this is an introduction overview course of a child focused treatment.

Multicultural guidelines and ethical standards dictate that White therapists examine their own racial identity, privilege, and fragility to better serve clients of color. Dr. Fatter will review current trends in multicultural competency and discuss the clinical cost of the therapist being ‘colorblind’. This webinar will specifically focus on aspects of White culture, White privilege, White fragility, and Helms White racial identity model to help therapists self-assess their own White racial identity. In addition, Menakem’s H-I-P-P theory of how historical trauma is somatically held in the body will be presented to better understand the typical nervous system response in a White body and ways White therapists can work with their own somatic countertransference reactions when working with clients of color. Dr. Fatter will describe ways White privilege and White fragility can show up in a therapy session as well as provide examples of specific types of microaggressions that can damage the therapeutic relationship when working with clients of color. Dr. Fatter will also discuss practical ways to bring up racial identity with clients of color and how to do a therapeutic repair when a relational rupture has occurred. Ethical considerations when working with White clients who express racist views will be also addressed.

High rates of adolescent depression and suicide present as a major international public health problem.  Suicidal adolescents are often a daunting population for clinicians to work with given their high-risk. Of the few effective treatments for this population, many are often multi-modal involving individual and group therapy, medication, etc.  An empirically supported family therapy for adolescents struggling with depression and suicide that requires only weekly sessions and which can be conducted on an outpatient, home-based, or inpatient basis is Attachment-Based Family Therapy (ABFT).  ABFT emerges from interpersonal theories suggesting adolescent depression and suicide can be precipitated, exacerbated, or buffered against by the quality of interpersonal family relationships. It is a trust-based, emotion-focused psychotherapy model aiming to repair interpersonal ruptures and rebuild an emotionally protective, secure-based, parent-child relationship. The therapy is trauma-focused while also being brief and structured. Treatment is characterized by five treatment tasks: a) reframing the therapy to focus on interpersonal development, b) building alliance with the adolescent, c) building alliance with the parents, d) facilitation conversations to resolve attachment ruptures and e) promoting autonomy in the adolescent. 

In this workshop, Dr Levy will use lecture and case studies to provide an overview of the theoretical principles, research support, and clinical strategies forABFT. Dr. Levy will review how attachment theory,emotional regulation, and trauma resolution informthe delivery of this treatment approach.  She will review the goals and structureof the five treatment tasks that provide a roadmapfor delivering this interpersonally focused psychotherapy effectively and rapidly in community mental health.

“Very helpful and incredibly insightful. Brought ideas and suggestions to the topic I had not thought about.” -Gina F., Social Worker, New York

Bullying has become a high priority problem for many schools. Across the country, most states have passed laws that prohibit bullying and harassment because of the hostile and discriminatory environment that they create. Students who are targeted by bullying suffer educational discrimination as well as a host of internalizing and externalizing problems. Likewise, the effects on bullies and bystanders are not to be dismissed. This webinar will take participants through basic and mid-level information on bullying that will provoke critical thinking about how we have traditionally sought to prevent and respond to this problem. It will consider how context shapes behaviors and how we as adults in the school environment can influence context. Finally, this webinar will look at ways to respond to bullying that avoid the traditional “investigate, interrogate, blame, and punish” approach to solving the problem of bullying.

The incidence of youth suicide requires that schools and communities collaborate and increase suicide prevention efforts and that they be prepared to respond if a suicide occurs in order to reduce suicide contagion.  This presentation will help school and community mental health personnel increase their understanding of the most common factors in youth suicide.  Participants will learn effective strategies to prevent youth suicide and lessons from the aftermath of numerous suicides.

Over 75% of mental illnesses described in the DSM are related to emotion dysregulation – the inability to manage emotions effectively. Given that Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was initially created to treat Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), of which emotion dysregulation is a primary problem, it only makes sense that DBT would be effective in treating other disorders, and research in recent years is supporting this. 

This seminar will provide an overview of the DBT Distress Tolerance skills. Participants will learn about these skills, including the Reality Acceptance Skills and the Crisis Survival Skills, and how to help clients with a variety of diagnoses and problems use these skills appropriately and in healthy ways.

Pediatric phobias can have a significant impact on a child’s life. Given the wide variety of phobias with which a child may present, there are many areas of life that may be affected including, but not limited to, socialization, school, health, and family. Attendees will learn to conceptualize Specific Phobias utilizing a cognitive behavioral framework. The webinar will address the relation of thoughts and behaviors to the maintenance of pediatric phobias. This training will highlight the role of safety behaviors and family accommodation in the maintenance of pediatric phobias. As Specific Phobias can come in many different forms, this presentation will provide a description of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) as can be applied to the pediatric phobias in general. To assist in developing an understanding of the treatment of pediatric phobias, three specific phobias will be discussed in detail: Fear of the dark, fear of vomiting (emetophobia), and fear of needles. Exposure therapy will be explained, incorporating visual examples and demonstrations by the presenter. 

“I was extremely impressed with the presentation from start to finish. I liked the inclusion of videos/visuals to enhance the presentation. Finally, I was extremely appreciative of the follow-up resources as well. I learned a great deal and all of the techniques would arguably enhance anyone's therapy practice in some way.”-Kristin K., Professional Counselor, Massachusetts

Although the field of clinical psychology has traditionally aimed to “fix what’s wrong,” the newer sub-field of positive psychology instead helps us to “build what’s strong.” In this seminar, attendees will learn about the nature of happiness, and discover research-backed methods from positive psychology to help lastingly increase happiness both in ourselves and in our clients. We’ll explore what it means to be happy, why happiness is so important, and why it can often feel so hard to come by. We’ll then discuss 7 research-based principles for lasting well-being, drawing from positive psychology, mindfulness-based approaches, and cutting-edge neuroscience. In addition, we will introduce and put into practice dozens of evidence-based tools and techniques that can easily be implemented into clinical practice. Through lecture, clinical vignettes, and hands-on practice, you’ll learn skills that can transform your clinical work.