All Webinars

This course will satisfy your ethics requirement.

All mental health professions have their own code of ethics; for the most part, they are very similar, but  there are some important differences which impact in different ways on practitioners; these are sometimes difficult to reconcile with one another, and with various state licensing board regulations.  This webinar will present  an in depth look at the major areas covered by all codes, such as competence, multiple relations, advertising, avoidance of harm, assessment, therapy, and involvement in forensic activities.  It will look at major areas that need to be carefully considered and thought through, such as what constitutes a multiple relationship, what are limits on advertising, what kinds of testing should be used and what kinds should be avoided, and what kinds of relationships outside the therapy session are allowed and which are prohibited.

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.

“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.

Motivational interviewing (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. Because of this MI in increasing in popularity. Many practitioners from diverse backgrounds are integrating MI into their clinical repertoire.

This webinar will build on the “Fundamentals of Motivational Interviewing” by introducing participants to the specific application of MI to clinical challenges encountered when clients lose momentum when trying to implement change. These challenges include making slow progress, lapses and relapses, overly ambitious change expectations. After a brief review of the foundational concepts of MI, participants will be introduced to MI consistent strategies to address these common clinical challenges. Each challenge will be briefly discussed followed by proposed MI consistent strategies. The webinar will conclude with a brief overview of the evidence base for MI. Participants will gain the most benefit by having completed the Fundamentals of Motivational Interviewing webinar prior to this one.