All Webinars

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 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.

“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.

“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.

“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. 

Group therapy is a treatment modality in which unrelated people meet together with a therapist, in contrast to individual therapy or conjoint family therapy. Groups are not a second-rate approach to helping people change. In fact, groups are often the treatment of choice - especially when a client’s problem has an interpersonal component (which is usually the case). Groups offer a natural laboratory in which people can experiment with new ways of being and receive feedback from numerous others. There is great power in groups: members actually experience their interpersonal dynamics playing out in the group. A group therapist can implement techniques from other modalities in a group format. However, there are dynamics, processes, and stages of groups that are not shared with individual approaches and which offer distinctive benefits. Because so many of the problems that people seek mental
health services for involve dysfunctional interactions between people, having group members actually interact with others in the group affords an opportunity for deep, experiential learning and development that is not possible in individual therapy. This seminar will emphasize how to facilitate such “here and now” interactions and processes in group work.

Group therapy is a treatment modality in which unrelated people meet together with a therapist, in contrast to individual therapy or conjoint family therapy. Groups are not a second-rate approach to helping people change. In fact, groups are often the treatment of choice - especially when a client’s problem has an interpersonal component (which is usually the case). Groups offer a natural laboratory in which people can experiment with new ways of being and receive feedback from numerous others. There is great power in groups: members actually experience their interpersonal dynamics playing out in the group. A group therapist can implement techniques from other modalities in a group format. However, there are dynamics, processes, and stages of groups that are not shared with individual approaches and which offer distinctive benefits. Because so many of the problems that people seek mental
health services for involve dysfunctional interactions between people, having group members actually interact with others in the group affords an opportunity for deep, experiential learning and development that is not possible in individual therapy. This seminar will emphasize how to facilitate such “here and now” interactions and processes in group work.

In the field of counseling/psychotherapy, there are few topics that are more pervasively misunderstood than the nature of emotions and their significance to human health. Even the founders of many influential approaches (i.e., Aaron Beck, Albert Ellis) believed that emotions are best controlled - rather than deeply experienced, reflected upon (processed), and communicated; fields such as affective neuroscience have demonstrated that this is simply false. Just as thoughts can be accurate/adaptive or inaccurate/maladaptive, emotions can be “on target” or “off-base”; they can also be primary or secondary (the latter is often an emotional defense of the primary emotion). Moreover, all human beings—and especially therapy clients—use defenses to avoid experiencing and dealing with their emotions. Most therapists are not taught basic knowledge of emotions and defenses. Rather, they are often taught to simply “follow the client’s feelings.” However, many feelings are actually defenses against the underlying (primary, true) feeling (i.e., sadness covering anger). If a therapist does not recognize which emotions are primary and which are defensive/secondary emotions, then one may be encouraging a client to heighten their defenses, which is almost always anti-therapeutic. Clients who defend against their emotions lose the important information that emotions can provide. This webinar will teach you how to bypass your clients’ defenses and to work directly with their emotions, because emotions are fundamental sources of information and knowledge about one’s self and the world around them.

Our world is changing faster than at any moment in history, and technologies advancements are literally changing what it means to be human. “Future Technologies” explores the profound and inevitable impact emerging technologies will have on humanity. We will delve into how Artificial Intelligence, Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality, Brain-Computer Interface, Robotics, Gene Therapy, and Genetic Engineering, are set to advance in the next several decades – even sooner. Each tech technology’s potential benefits, such as AI’s improved healthcare diagnostics and AR/VR’s enhanced educational tools, are highlighted alongside associated risks, including job displacement and privacy concerns. A key theme is the transformative impact these technologies can, and likely will, have on human identity and social norms. Therapists can and should play a critical role in this technological evolution. They can help individuals adapt to changes, advocate for ethical standards, and support mental health through technological integration. This talk underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to ensure that technological advancements benefit the future of humanity while mitigating potential harms. Currently, it is the sex tech industry developing a vision of the future of intimacy. The time is now for mental health professionals to join this critical conversation.

Who we are as sexual beings carries profound personal and interpersonal meaning for each of us. Research consistently demonstrates that for most people, sexual satisfaction is a critical component of relationship and life satisfaction. Yet as important as sex can be, sexual concerns are strikingly common, even among non-clinical populations. Most therapists feel they’ve been inadequately trained to address sexual issues with their clients. This talk offers actionable advice for general therapists treating sexual dysfunction in men and women, with a focus on heterosexual relationship dynamics.

Who we are as sexual beings carries profound personal and interpersonal meaning for each of us. Research consistently demonstrates that for most people, sexual satisfaction is a critical component of relationship and life satisfaction. Yet as important as sex can be, sexual concerns are strikingly common, even among non-clinical populations. Most therapists feel they’ve been inadequately trained to address sexual issues with their clients. This talk offers actionable advice for general therapists treating sexual dysfunction in men and women, with a focus on heterosexual relationship dynamics.

We are a part of a massive social experiment. Sex, gender, and relationship dynamics are changing faster than at any time in recorded history, all within a backdrop of exploding artificial intelligence (AI). Younger generations are increasingly comfortable with technology interfacing all aspects of their lives. The potential risks inherent in human:human sex have been highlighted by COVID-19.  Enter virtual reality porn and yes, sex robots. Experts predict that within 20-50 years, robots that move and interact in humanoid ways will be affordable for many. It is highly conceivable that an infant born today can have their first sexual experience with a robot. Mental health professionals will better serve their clients if they understand the increasingly powerful impact new developments in sex tech and AI have on sex and intimacy. The time is now for us to being this critical discussion.