Lawrence Raifman, J.D., Ph.D.

Lawrence J. Raifman, Ph.D., J.D. earned his Ph.D and J.D. in clinical psychology and J.D. in law from the University of Arizona in 1981. He spent the early years of his career working as a legal associate at Piper and Marbury before becoming Director, Department of Psychology at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center, the Maryland state hospital for the criminally insane. There, as Director and Co-Director of the Pre-trial forensic evaluation program, Dr. Raifman co-led aprogram that evaluated hundreds of defendants on issues of competence to stand trial, criminal responsibility, etc. He later became Director of Forensic Services at the Springfield State Hospital Center, a regional state hospital in Maryland. Dr.Raifman has maintained a private practice in clinical and forensic psychology throughout his career. For more than twenty years, Dr. Raifman has been an adjunct clinical assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at Johns Hopkins University. There, he has taught courses in forensics psychology. Over the years, Dr. Raifman has provided clinical supervision and training for many psychologists, and designed forensic evaluation programs. In his private practice,he has worked with families, children, teenagers, and adults, and forensic matters. He has testified in court many times as a forensic expert.

Contact Dr. Raifman directly at [email protected] if you would like to consult with him.

View Curriculum Vitae
Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 9:15 PM UTC
Lawrence Raifman, J.D., Ph.D.
$69
Gaslighting is everywhere, featured in movies, in TV shows, in the media and social media, in our political, social, and even personal discourse. Its visceral nature has made it a cultural phenomenon. The time has come for mental health professionals to put gaslighting in, and under, the spotlight.  Gaslighters are a special type of abuser, manipulating their victims using insidious, subtle, coercive, and deceptive techniques. What distinguishes gaslighting from other forms of abuse is that gaslighters seek to cause their victims to question their perception of reality.   In this webinar we will rely on video excerpts from the originating film Gaslight, as well as movies (Girl on the Train), series (The Lucy Show, Gaslit, Bad Sisters, and 48 Hours), and documentaries of high-profile trials (Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein).   We will delve into various types of malevolent behavior via case studies to distinguish what is…and what is not… gaslighting. We will explore its origins, identify practices, and investigate who among us is prone to gaslighting and who falls prey to gaslighters. Attendees will also learn to characterize the interpersonal dynamics that operate in these abusive relationships, and the elements to an overall treatment approach. Now that gaslighting has taken center stage, its performance should get a critical review.
session: 11685
Saturday, January 18, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 9:15 PM UTC
Lawrence Raifman, J.D., Ph.D.
$69.00

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.

session: 11687
Saturday, February 1, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 9:15 PM UTC
Lawrence Raifman, J.D., Ph.D.
$69.00

“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.

session: 11689
Saturday, February 15, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 9:15 PM UTC
Lawrence Raifman, J.D., Ph.D.
$69.00

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.

session: 11691
Saturday, March 8, 2025 at 6:00 PM - 9:15 PM UTC
Lawrence Raifman, J.D., Ph.D.
$69
Gaslighting is everywhere, featured in movies, in TV shows, in the media and social media, in our political, social, and even personal discourse. Its visceral nature has made it a cultural phenomenon. The time has come for mental health professionals to put gaslighting in, and under, the spotlight.  Gaslighters are a special type of abuser, manipulating their victims using insidious, subtle, coercive, and deceptive techniques. What distinguishes gaslighting from other forms of abuse is that gaslighters seek to cause their victims to question their perception of reality.   In this webinar we will rely on video excerpts from the originating film Gaslight, as well as movies (Girl on the Train), series (The Lucy Show, Gaslit, Bad Sisters, and 48 Hours), and documentaries of high-profile trials (Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein).   We will delve into various types of malevolent behavior via case studies to distinguish what is…and what is not… gaslighting. We will explore its origins, identify practices, and investigate who among us is prone to gaslighting and who falls prey to gaslighters. Attendees will also learn to characterize the interpersonal dynamics that operate in these abusive relationships, and the elements to an overall treatment approach. Now that gaslighting has taken center stage, its performance should get a critical review.
session: 11686
Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 5:00 PM - 8:15 PM UTC
Lawrence Raifman, J.D., Ph.D.
$69.00

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.

session: 11688
Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 5:00 PM - 8:15 PM UTC
Lawrence Raifman, J.D., Ph.D.
$69.00

“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.

session: 11690
Saturday, April 12, 2025 at 5:00 PM - 8:15 PM UTC
Lawrence Raifman, J.D., Ph.D.
$69.00

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.

session: 11692
Gaslighting is everywhere, featured in movies, in TV shows, in the media and social media, in our political, social, and even personal discourse. Its visceral nature has made it a cultural phenomenon. The time has come for mental health professionals to put gaslighting in, and under, the spotlight.  Gaslighters are a special type of abuser, manipulating their victims using insidious, subtle, coercive, and deceptive techniques. What distinguishes gaslighting from other forms of abuse is that gaslighters seek to cause their victims to question their perception of reality.   In this webinar we will rely on video excerpts from the originating film Gaslight, as well as movies (Girl on the Train), series (The Lucy Show, Gaslit, Bad Sisters, and 48 Hours), and documentaries of high-profile trials (Bill Cosby and Harvey Weinstein).   We will delve into various types of malevolent behavior via case studies to distinguish what is…and what is not… gaslighting. We will explore its origins, identify practices, and investigate who among us is prone to gaslighting and who falls prey to gaslighters. Attendees will also learn to characterize the interpersonal dynamics that operate in these abusive relationships, and the elements to an overall treatment approach. Now that gaslighting has taken center stage, its performance should get a critical review.
session: 10807
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.
session: 8627

“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.

session: 8188

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.

session: 9257