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• Providing Psychotherapy to First Responders

  • When
    Sunday, August 24, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (EDT)
  • Location
    Online ZOOM
  • Spaces left
    24

  Register

  Presenter Ed Geraty, LCSW-C (MD), LICSW (WV), LCSW (VA), LICSW (DC) 

  CEUs: Category 1 | 3.0 
  

  This presentation will provide an in-depth understanding of the unique mental health needs of first responders. It will explore therapeutic strategies and evidence-based practices tailored to this population, emphasizing culturally competent approaches that respect the distinct experiences and backgrounds of first responders. Additionally, it will highlight key resources available to clinicians to support effective and informed care.

  Workshop Objectives:

  At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  1. Understand the mental health needs of first responders 
  2. Explore therapeutic strategies and evidence-based practices 
  3. Enhance cultural competency 
  4. Identify resources for clinicians

  Agenda:

  10-10:30 understanding 1st responder culture

  10:30-11common psychological challenges

  11 - 11:30 Trauma Exposure in First Responders

  11:30-11:45 break

  11:45 to 12: assessment strategies

  12: to 12:30 interventions

  12:30 to 12:45 common therapist pitfalls

  12:45 to 1:05 discussion

  1:05 to 1:15 wrap up
  

  Recommended Reading:

  • Hope Out of Darkness: A Guide to First Responder Mental Wellness by Dena Ali 
  • First Responders:: Compassion Fatigue; Burnout; PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) by George L. Lindenfeld Ph.D 
  •  Caring for the Caregivers: A Guide to Mental Health for First Responders by Kimberly Winnemore

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• Early Career Social Work Meet-up

  • When
    Saturday, August 30, 2025
  •  
    4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (EDT)
  • Location
    Mission Dupont | 1606 20th St NW, Washington, DC 20009

  Register

  You're Invited!
  Early Career Clinician Meetup

  Join us for a casual social gathering designed to help newer clinicians in the area connect, share experiences, and build community. Whether you're still in school or in your first few years of practice, this is a great opportunity to meet peers, ask questions, and feel supported.

  The Society will be covering appetizers and a round or two of drinks, and that there’s no cost to attend.

  We’d love to see you there!

  
  

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• Peripartum Mental Health Basics: Supporting Parents from Pregnancy through the Postpartum Period

  • When
    Monday, September 15, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 11:30 AM (EDT)
  • Location
    Online ZOOM
  • Spaces left
    21

  Register

  Presenter: Allison Zweig, MSW

  CEUs: Category 1 | 1.5 
  

  This 60–90 minute workshop introduces attendees to the emotional and psychological changes commonly experienced during the peripartum period (conception through the first year postpartum). The session is designed for both professionals (healthcare, educators, doulas, therapists) and individuals seeking a foundational understanding of peripartum mental health.

  Workshop Objectives:

  At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  1. Understand key mental health challenges in the peripartum period (e.g., postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, and birth trauma). 
  2.  Recognize signs, symptoms, and risk factors for peripartum mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). 
  3. Learn evidence-based support strategies and screening tools. Explore inclusive and trauma-informed approaches for supporting diverse families. 
  4.  Identify when and how to refer individuals for professional mental health care.

  Agenda:

  • 0:00–0:10 Welcome & Introductions — Set the tone, participant check-in, goals
  • 0:10–0:25 What Is the Peripartum Period? — Defining pregnancy through 12 months postpartum
  • 0:25–0:40 Understanding PMADs — Signs, symptoms, and types of disorders 
  • 0:40–0:55 Risk Factors & Protective Supports — Hormonal, psychological, social, and systemic influences 
  • 0:55–1:10 Trauma-Informed & Inclusive Care — Serving diverse families and birthing people with sensitivity 
  • 1:10–1:20 Support Tools & Referral Pathways — Screening tools, therapy options, and self-help strategies 
  • 1:20–1:30 Q&A + Closing Reflections — Open dialogue, grounding exercise, resource list distribution

  Recommended Reading:

  • Peripartum Mental Health Basics American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). (2018). Screening for Perinatal Depression. ACOG Committee Opinion No. 757. Retrieved from: https://www.acog.org 
  •  Postpartum Support International (PSI). (n.d.). Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders Overview. Retrieved from: https://www.postpartum.net 
  •  Wisner, K. L., Sit, D. K., McShea, M. C., et al. (2013). Onset timing, thoughts of self-harm, and diagnoses in postpartum women with screen-positive depression findings. JAMA Psychiatry, 70(5), 490–498. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.87 
  •  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2020). Depression Among Women. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/depression/index.htm 
  •  Shorey, S., Chee, C. Y. I., Ng, E. D., Chan, Y. H., Tam, W. W. S., & Chong, Y. S. (2018). Prevalence and incidence of postpartum depression among healthy mothers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 104, 235–248. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2018.08.001 
  • Brockington, I. (2004). Postpartum psychiatric disorders. The Lancet, 363(9405), 303–310. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(03)15390-1 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (2021). Perinatal Depression. Retrieved from: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/perinatal-depression 
  • Earls, M. F., & Committee on Psychosocial Aspects of Child and Family Health. (2010). Incorporating recognition and management of perinatal and postpartum depression into pediatric practice. Pediatrics, 126(5), 1032–1039. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-2348 
  • Goodman, J. H., Watson, G. R., & Stubbs, B. (2016). Anxiety disorders in postpartum women: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 190, 494–505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2015.10.040 
  • Cheng, C. Y., & Pickler, R. H. (2009). Perinatal stress, fatigue, depressive symptoms, and immune modulation in late pregnancy and one month postpartum. Scientific World Journal, 9, 145–154. https://doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2009.22

  About the Presenter:

  Allison Zweig, MSW, PMH-C Certified Peripartum Therapist | Mental Health Educator | Creator of Therapy-Informed Journals & Workshops Allison is a licensed social worker and certified perinatal mental health specialist (PMH-C) with a deep commitment to supporting individuals through the emotional journey of pregnancy, postpartum, and parenting. With years of experience in reproductive and maternal mental health, She blends clinical insight with creative tools to offer accessible support through guided journals, therapy printables, and educational workshops. She founded Peripartum Support to make trauma-informed, inclusive, and gentle resources available to families and professionals navigating the peripartum period. Her work centers on compassion, evidence-based care, and the belief that no one should have to struggle alone through life's most tender transitions. Whether you're a new parent, a helping professional, or someone healing from loss or change, Allison's offerings are designed to hold space for your story—one page, one practice, one step at a time.

  https://www.allisonzweig.com

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• Depressed, Borderline, or Bipolar?

  • Start
    Thursday, September 18, 2025
  •  
  • End
    Friday, September 19, 2025
  •  
  • Schedule
    2 sessions
  • Location
    Online ZOOM
  • Spaces left
    45

  Register

  Presenter: Brian Quinn, Ph.D., LCSW

  CEUs: Category 1 | 6.0

  Thursday, September 18, 2025 & Friday, September 19, 2025, 11:00 AM  - 2:00 PM - MUST ATTEND BOTH DAYS
  

  Clinicians are seeing an increasing number of patients who, in spite of treatment with multiple antidepressants and a variety of other medications, remain mired in depression, often accompanied by irritability, anxiety, and distractibility. These individuals often lament that they “have tried every drug there is” without substantial or sustained benefit. 
  One reason for their predicament is that many of them are not simply depressed. At least 40 percent of them actually have unrecognized bipolar illness. 

  Antidepressants have been shown to be only marginally better than placebo in acute bipolar depression and have been proven ineffective in preventing future depressive episodes in those with bipolar illness. In a subset of bipolar patients, antidepressants and stimulants can cause or worsen irritable, agitated depression, increase the risk of suicide, and, paradoxically, lead to more frequent depressive episodes. Effective psychotherapy often proves to be difficult, if not impossible, when bipolar patients are misdiagnosed and inappropriately treated with antidepressants. 

  
  This seminar will provide clinicians with a four-part, clinical diagnostic method to distinguish patients with borderline personality and major depressive disorder from those with bipolar illness. Drawing on research from empirically tested individual and family therapies for bipolar disorder, Dr. Quinn will discuss the many ways psychotherapists can help patients and families struggling with bipolar disorder. Clinicians will learn to recognize bipolar patients at the greatest risk of suicide and ways to intervene to reduce this risk including information on the only medication that has been shown to dramatically reduce completed suicide. Participants will learn about potent, non-drug treatments for depression, mania, and rapid-cycling. Finally, they will learn about how mood stabilizing drugs and the newer atypical antipsychotics, when used in the absence of antidepressant medication, can both relieve acute symptoms and provide long-term stability.
  Dr. Quinn weaves together the latest research findings, clinical examples, video clips, anecdotes and much more into a dynamic presentation. Lively, entertaining, and chock full of information, this seminar will help clinicians immediately become better diagnosticians and therapists.

  Workshop Objectives:

  At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  1. The four lines of clinical evidence that must be assessed to distinguish bipolar depression from unipolar depression and borderline personality 
  2. Key elements of empirically-tested psychotherapies for bipolar illness
  3. How drug-free chronobiologic interventions can effectively treat depression and mania
  4. The only drug repeatedly shown to dramatically reduce the risk of suicide
  5. The four medications (mood stabilizers) shown to prevent new mood episodes in depressed and bipolar patients
  6. Why the new atypical antipsychotics are not mood stabilizers and should not be used in place of drugs such as lithium

  Agenda:

  Morning: Recognition and Differential Diagnosis 
  

  • Depression: Unipolar or bipolar? (and why it matters)
  • Case study, with video: A TV reporter with undiagnosed bipolar illness
  • Why and how you should check for a history of hypomania
  • Common, but often overlooked: mixed depressive states
  • Beyond symptoms: Why an evaluation of family history, course of illness, and response to antidepressants is critical to diagnosis and treatment 
  • A presidential candidate’s family history and a teen on Zoloft who committed suicide: What their stories tell us about diagnosis
  • The link between a little craziness and a lot of success : A CEO and a US president’s temperament 

  • Differential Diagnosis: Bipolar Disorder, Adult ADHD, and Borderline Personality

  • Why problems with attention do not equal ADHD 
  • Adult ADHD: Does it exist?
  • Bipolar or borderline? Similarities and key differences
  • 
    Afternoon: Treatment Psychotherapy
    
  • Psychodynamics of euphoric and irritable hypomania
  • Evidence-based psychotherapies for bipolar illness: Integrating core concepts into daily practice
  • Surprising results of a comparison of psychotherapies for bipolar illness
  • Helping patients accept the bipolar diagnosis and the need for medication 
  • Fun Video Clips: Creativity, Comedy, and Madness
  • Your Worst Fear: Identifying and Managing Acute Suicide Risk

  • PAIN: Four risk factors that predict suicide completion 
  • How to protect your patient and yourself (risk manangement 101)
  • The only medication repeatedly shown to dramatically reduce suicide risk (not an antidepressant!)
  • Non-Drug Treatments for Bipolar Illness
    
  • Potent drug-free mood stabilizers: Good sleep hygiene and darkness
  • Blueblockers
  • Fish fat and other natural compounds

  • Medications

  • Antidepressants for bipolar depression
  • Lithium: Still important – and still the best for many patients
  • Depakote: It’s role in bipolar illness with comorbid panic and anxiety
  • Tegretol: Why it’s a great, but underutilized, drug for young women
  • Lamictal: Not all it’s cracked up to be
  • Why atypical antipsychotics are not mood stabilizers
  • Not just for MDs: Bipolar depression and suboptimal thyroid functioning

  Recommended Reading:

  • Cipriani, A. (2018). Comparative efficacy and acceptability of 21 antidepressant drugs for the acute treatment of adults with major depressive disorder: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. Lancet, 391, 1357-1366.
  • Duffy, A. (2017). The clinical trajectory of emerging bipolar disorder among the high-risk offspring of bipolar parents: current understanding and future considerations. International Journal of Bipolar Disorders, 5 (37).
  • Etain,B., et al. (2012) Clinical expression of bipolar disorder type I as a function of age and polarity of onset: convergent findings in samples from France and the United States. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 73, e561–e566. 
  • Frankland, A., et al. (2015). Comparing the phenomenology of depressive episodes in bipolar I and II disorder and major depressive disorder within bipolar disorder pedigrees. Journal of Clinicial Psychiatry, 76(1), 32-38
  • Ghaemi, N. (2019) Clinical Psychopharmacology: Principles and Practice. New York: Oxford University Press
  • Ghaemi , S et al. (2021). Citalopram for Acute and Preventive Efficacy in Bipolar Depression (CAPE-BD): A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 82(1), 19m13136.
  • Ghaemi, N and Vohringer, P. (2017). Athanasios Koukopoulos’ psychiatry: The primacy of mania and the limits of antidepressants. Current Neuropharmacology, 15(3), 402-408.
  • Judd, L. et al. (2003). A prospective investigation of the natural history of the long-term weekly symptomatic status of bipolar II disorder. Archives of General Psychiatry, 60, 261-269.
  • Kelly, T. (2017). The Art and Science of Thyroid Supplementation for the Treatment of Bipolar Depression.
  • Koukopoulos A, and Sani G. (2014). DSM 5 criteria for depression with mixed features: a farewell to mixed depression. Acta Psychiatrica Scandanavia, 129(1), 4-16
  • Paris, J. and Black D. (2015). Borderline personality disorder and bipolar disorder: what is the difference and why does it matter? Journal of Nervous and Mental Disorders, 203(1), 3-7.
  • Perugi, G et al. (2015). Mixed features in patients with a major depressive episode: the BRIDGE-II-MIX study. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 76(3), e351-358.
  • Rhee T. et al. (2020) 20-Year Trends in the Pharmacologic Treatment of Bipolar Disorder by Psychiatrists in Outpatient Care Settings. Am J Psychiatry. 177(8):706-715.
  • Sani, G. et al. (2014). Mixed depression: clinical features and predictors of its onset associated with antidepressant use. Psychother Psychosom, 83(4), 213-221.
  • Woo Y. et al. (2015). A diagnosis of bipolar spectrum disorder predicts diagnostic conversion from unipolar depression to bipolar disorder: A 5-year retrospective study. Journal of Affective Disorders, 174, 83-88.
  • Zhang, Y. et al. (2013). Antidepressants for bipolar disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized, double-blind, controlled trials. Neural Regeneration Research , 8(31), 2962-2974.

  About the Presenter:

  Brian Quinn, LCSW, Ph.D. author of Wiley Concise Guides to Mental Health: Bipolar Disorder and The Depression Sourcebook, 2nd ed., is a clinical social worker in private practice in Melville, New York. He is also a senior Employee Assistance Program clinician for Northwell Health. He specializes in working with patients with mood illnesses and substance abuse.
  
  He earned his master's degree in social work at the University of Chicago in 1979 and his Ph.D. in clinical social work at New York University in 1994. He has a post-graduate certificate in psychoanalytic psychotherapy from Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City. He is an adjunct instructor in the Department of Psychiatry at Tufts Medical Center.
  
  Dr. Quinn has given seminars on depression and bipolar disorder at hospitals, graduate schools of social work, state societies for clinical social work, and to hundreds of clinicians in the United States through professional seminar companies such as PESI. 

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• Neuropsychology for Therapists

  • Start
    Monday, September 22, 2025
  •  
  • End
    Monday, September 29, 2025
  •  
  • Schedule
    2 sessions
  • Location
    ONLINE ZOOM

  Register

  Presenter: Marla Y. Johns, PhD, MS, MHP, LMHC
  www.ANewTomorrowTherapy.com
  

  CEUs:  Category 1 | 8 CEUs  

  This workshop consists of 2 four hour sessions:  Monday, September 22, 2025 | 1:00 - 5:00 PM EST & Monday, September 29, 2025 | 1:00 - 5:00 PM EST - registration is for both sessions

  Understanding the brain is essential for effective psychotherapy. Neuropsychology for Psychotherapists offers a clear, accessible guide to the neurological foundations of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors—helping therapists integrate brain-based insights into their practice.
  
  Based on the book, Neuropsychology for Psychotherapists, this workshop explores key neuropsychological principles, from brain structure and function to memory, trauma, and emotional regulation. With practical applications for therapy, case examples, and strategies for enhancing client outcomes, it empowers psychotherapists to work more effectively with a wide range of mental health concerns.
  
  Whether you're a seasoned clinician or a student in the field, this workshop provides an introduction to the knowledge and tools needed to harness the power of neuropsychology in your therapeutic work.

  Participants will develop a basic understanding of:
  

  • The Neuroscience of Positivity and Compassionate Communication
  • The Evolution of Human Relationships
  • The Evolution of Social Behavior
  • Positive Brain Plasticity
  • Applied Neuroscience
  • Beyond the Surface: The Female Brain
  • Beyond the Surface: The Male Brain
  • Birth Order and Family Dynamics
  • Brain Structure, Function, and Their Implications for Mental Health and Psychotherapy
  • The Power of Expectations and the Unconscious Mind

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• Basic Sex Therapy Skills to Integrate Into Couples Therapy

  • When
    Friday, October 03, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (EDT)
  • Location
    Online ZOOM
  • Spaces left
    22

  Register

  Presenter: LuAnn C. Oliver, LCSW | liveheartswell.com

  CEUs: Category 1 | 2.0 
  

  Sexual concerns are a common yet often overlooked aspect of couples therapy. This practical, skills-based workshop is designed to equip trained couples therapists with foundational sex therapy tools that can be seamlessly integrated into couples work. Participants will learn how to create a safe and inclusive space for discussing sexual issues, explore the connection between emotional intimacy and sexual satisfaction, and gain strategies for assessing and addressing common sexual concerns within the context of relational dynamics. Through interactive discussions, case examples, and practical exercises, therapists will build confidence in initiating conversations about sex and supporting couples in fostering healthier, more connected sexual relationships.

  Workshop Objectives:

  At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  1. Understand the role of sexuality in relational well-being
  2. Learn how to initiate and normalize conversations about sex in therapy
  3. Identify common sexual concerns and how they intersect with relational issues
  4. Apply basic sex therapy skills and interventions in a couples therapy context

  Agenda:

  10:00 - 10:10 | Welcome and Introduction

  10:10 – 10:30 | The Role of Sexuality in Relational Well-Being (20 min)

  10:30 – 10:55 | Initiating and Normalizing Conversations About Sex (25 min)

  10:55 – 11:25 | Common Sexual Concerns in Couples Therapy (30 min)

  11:25 – 11:50 | Applying Basic Sex Therapy Interventions (25 min)

  11:50 – 12:00 | Integration and Closing (10 min)
  

  Recommended Reading:

  • Come As You Are, by Emily Nagoski 
  • Come Together, by Emily Nagoski 
  • Better Sex Through Mindfulness, by Lori Brotto 
  • Discovering Your Couple Sexual Style, by Barry McCarthy

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• Ethical Considerations Of Balancing Beneficence and Nonmaleficence In Treating Family Estrangement

  • When
    Wednesday, October 08, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (EDT)
  • Location
    Online ZOOM

  Register

  Presenter: Roberta Wasserman LCSW-C

  CEUs: Category 1 | 3.0
  

  This professional training addresses the growing phenomenon of family estrangement and the ethical complexities it presents in clinical practice. As more individuals seek therapeutic support for estrangement-related distress, clinicians must navigate the ethical principles of beneficence (promoting client well-being) and nonmaleficence (avoiding harm) with care and nuance. This intermediate level training explores how to ethically support clients while considering the multifaceted impact of family dynamics, potential harms, and relational outcomes. Participants will engage in a thoughtful exploration of the increasing prevalence of family estrangement and its connection to the rise in mental health services. Through a review of relevant definitions, ethical principles, and clinical case complexities, attendees will examine how to ethically balance individual and relational needs. Emphasis will be placed on applying ethical decision-making models to real-world scenarios and on evaluating risks and benefits in both individual and systemic contexts. Case examples and interactive discussion will support clinicians in identifying and addressing potential ethical dilemmas with cultural sensitivity and professional integrity.

  Workshop Objectives:

  At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  1. Develop an awareness and understanding of the increasing prevalence of family estrangement and its correlation with the rising utilization of therapy services. 
  2.  Understanding the Definitions of Family Estrangement and Ethical Principles in Treatment​ ​
  3. Identifying Complexities in Family Estrangement Cases and Treatment​ ​ 4. Balancing the Best Interests of the Individual and the Family while assessing potential risks and harms.

  Agenda:

  • 9:00 - 10:00 - Objective 1 and 2 
  • 10:00 - 11:00 - Objective 3 
  • 11:00 - 11:15 - Break 
  • 11:15-12:15 - Objective 4 and Q & A

  Recommended Reading:

  • Amanda. (2021). I thought I was the only one: Grandparent alienation: A global epidemic. iUniverse.​
  • Coleman, P. K. (2006). When parents hurt: Compassionate strategies when you’re facing difficult relationships with your grown children. Waterbrook Press.​ Coleman, P. K. (2020). Rules of estrangement: Why adult children cut ties and how to heal the conflict. BenBella Books.​
  • Coleman, J. (2025, April 26). Dear millennial parents: Your children may one day estrange you, too. Substack. https://joshuacoleman.substack.com/p/dear-millennial-parents-your-children.​
  • Davis, L. (2002). I thought we’d never speak again. Harper.​
  •  Davis, L. (n.d.). The burning light of two stars: A mother-daughter story.​
  • Gilbertson, T. (2020). Reconnecting with your estranged adult child. New World Library.​
  • Howard, S. (n.d.). A family therapist looks to historians for insight into estrangement. History News Network. https://www.hnn.us/article/a-family-therapist-looks-to-historians-for-insight​
  • McCoy, K. (2017). We don’t talk anymore: Healing after parents and their adult children become estranged. Sourcebooks.​
  • McGregor, S. (2017). Done with the crying: Help and healing for mothers of estranged adult children. Loving Healing Press.
  • ​ McGregor, S. (2020). Beyond done with the crying: More help and healing for mothers of estranged adult children. Loving Healing Press.​
  • Melvin, K. (2024). Navigating family estrangement: Helping adults understand and manage the challenges of family estrangement. Routledge.
  • ​ Patitis, L., Nguyen, A., Rivera, M., & Choudhury, S. (2025). Therapeutic memory reconstruction and familial perception: A longitudinal analysis. Journal of Contemporary Psychology, 41(2), 115–132.​
  • Pillemer, K. (2020). Fault lines: Fractured families and how to mend them. Avery.
  • Plagens, J. (n.d.). Estranged: Finding hope when your family falls apart.​
  • Shrier, A. (2024). Bad therapy. Sentinel.​
  • Texeira, S. (2023). The strange gift of estrangement.​
  • Wildey, S. A. (2014–2018). Abandoned parents: The Devil’s dilemma: The causes and consequences of adult children abandoning their parents.​
  • Wildey, S. A. (2017). Abandoned parents: Healing beyond understanding.​
  • Winfrey, O., & Perry, B. D. (2021). What happened to you?: Conversations on trauma, resilience, and healing.

  About the Presenter:

  Roberta Wasserman, LCSW-C is a trauma-informed therapist, coach, and consultant with over two decades of clinical experience. As the founder of Healthwaves Counseling, Coaching, and Consulting, she specializes in family estrangement, grief, trauma, and couples work. Roberta draws from both personal and professional insight in her work, offering a uniquely compassionate and informed perspective. She is a Certified Family Estrangement Coach, trained by Dr. Josh Coleman, a pioneer in the field, and a Certified Grief Educator through renowned expert David Kessler. Roberta is also fully trained in the Gottman Method, with specializations in couples counseling, addiction, trauma, and affair recovery. In her practice, Roberta advocates for the well-being of children within the family system and supports clients through complex relational dynamics. She facilitates virtual support groups for individuals navigating estrangement, separation, divorce, and widowhood. Prior to the Pandemic she facilitated support groups for Alienated Grandparents Anonymous.

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• Joining Forces: Engaging Families in Child and Adolescent Treatment

  • When
    Friday, October 17, 2025
  •  
    11:00 AM - 2:00 PM (EDT)
  • Location
    Online ZOOM

  Register

  Presenter: Jonah Green, LCSW-C

  CEUs: Category 1 | 3.0 
  

  Decades of clinical experience and research show that involving parents and families in the mental health treatment of children and adolescents improves outcomes. Family involvement is associated with reduced symptoms, improved functioning, stronger parenting skills, enhanced relationships, and better adherence to treatment. Despite these benefits, many barriers prevent clinicians from meaningfully involving families in treatment. This active, experiential workshop will offer concrete strategies for overcoming these barriers and engaging families more effectively in therapy. Through role-plays and clinical exercises, participants will enhance their skills in building therapeutic alliances with families and incorporating them meaningfully into the treatment of children and teens.

  Workshop Objectives:

  At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify common barriers to parent participation and two strategies for overcoming them

  2. Name three strategies for engaging families in child and adolescent treatment.

  3. Name three techniques for conducting parent sessions

  4. Name three strategies for enhancing family therapy sessions

  5. Name three strategies for collaborating with families in individual child and adolescent treatment

  Recommended Reading:

  • Gil, Eliana, 2016. Play in Family Therapy: Guilford
  • Lowenstein, 2011: Assessment and Treatment Activities for Children, Adolescents, and Families: Practitioners Share Their Most Effective Techniques: Champion Press
  • Myrick, Amie, 2017: Engaging Parents in Adolescent Therapy: Rowman and Littlefield
  • Nelson, Thorana, 2018: Solution-Focused Brief Therapy with Families, Routledge 
  • Patterson Et. Al., 2018. Essential Skills in Family Therapy: Guilford
  • Rivet Et. Al., 201.8 Family Therapy Skills and Techniques in Action    
  • Rivett and Street, 200. Family Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques: Routledge
  • Satir, Virginia 1984 Satir Step-by-Step: Science and Behavior Books
  • Weinblatt, 2019. Uri Shame Regulation with Families: Springer

  About the Presenter:

  www.jgatherapy.com

  Show details
• Teaching Clients About Neuroplasticity and Mental Health

  • When
    Sunday, October 19, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (EDT)
  • Location
    Online ZOOM
  • Spaces left
    40

  Register

  Presenter Ed Geraty, LCSW-C (MD), LICSW (WV), LCSW (VA), LICSW (DC) 

  CEUs: Category 1 | 3.0 
  

  This workshop assists clinicial Neuroplasticity, the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life, plays a crucial role in mental health. It allows the brain to adapt to experiences, learn new things, and recover from injury or illness, including mental health conditions. By understanding and harnessing neuroplasticity, interventions can be developed to promote positive changes in brain structure and function, leading to improved mental well-being clients in learning and teaching clients about neuroplasticity and the benefits for mental health.

  Workshop Objectives:

  At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:In this workshop, participants will:

  1. Learn about the concept of neuroplasticity, positive and negative
  2. Understand the ten principles of neuroplasticity
  3. Learn about the mechanisms of neuroplasticity
  4. Understand how neuroplasticity affects healing
  5. Review activities that help to rewire the brain 
  6. Learn about 7 practices that build cognitive reliance and reserve

  Agenda:

  • 9 to 9:30 The concept of neuroplasticity, positive and negative
  • 9:30 to 10:15 the ten principles of neuroplasticity
  • 10:15 to 10:45 how neuroplasticity affects healing
  • 10:45 to 11 break
  • 11 to 11:30 activities that help to rewire the brain
  • 11:30 to 12 Seven practices that build cognitive reliance and reserve
  • 12 to 12:15 wrap up

  Recommended Reading:

  • Ackerman, C. (28 April, 2020). What is Neuroplasticity? A Psychologist Explains. Retrieved from https://positivepsychology.com/neuroplasticity/
  • Berlucchi, G., & Buchtel, H. (2009). Neuronal plasticity: Historical roots and evolution of meaning. Experimental Brain Research, 192(3), 307-319. doi:10.1007/s00221-008-1611-6
  • Bengtsson, S., Nagy, Z., Skare, S., Forsman, L., Forssberg, H., & Ullén, F. (2005). Extensive piano practicing has regionally specific effects on white matter development. Nature neuroscience, 8(9), 1148–1150.  https://doi.org/10.1038/nn1516
  • Doidge, N. (2007). The brain that changes itself: Stories of personal triumph from the frontiers of brain science. New York: Viking
  • Doidge, N. (2015). The brain's way of healing: Remarkable discoveries and recoveries from the frontiers of neuroplasticity. New York, New York: Viking.
  • Fuchs, E., & Flügge, G. (2014). Adult neuroplasticity: More than 40 years of research. Neural Plasticity, 2014. doi:10.1155/2014/541870
  • Joo, E., Kim, H., Suh, S., & Hong, S. B. (2014). Hippocampal substructural vulnerability to sleep disturbance and cognitive impairment in patients with chronic primary insomnia: Magnetic resonance imaging morphometry. Sleep. 37, 1189-1198. doi:10.5665/sleep.3836
  • Krebe, L. Neuroplasticity. Centre for neuro skills. Retrieved from https://www.neuroskills.com/brain-injury/neuroplasticity/

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• Rapid Recovery With TEAM-CBT

  • When
    Friday, October 24, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (EDT)
  • Location
    Online ZOOM
  • Spaces left
    40

  Register

  Presenter: Indrani Mookerjee, DSW, LCSW-C

  CEUs: Category 1 | 3.0 
  

  Introduction to an evidence based approach to help clients recover from anxiety, depression, poor self esteem, anger, trauma, relational problems, habits and addictions. This approach was founded by Dr David Burns who is also a founding father of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. He is presently Professor Emeritus at Stanford University School of Medicine. This approach uses deep empathy and compassion along with accountability and measurements. It’s replicatable and sustainable. This training is tailored for mental health professionals at all levels

  Workshop Objectives:

  Participates will learn all 4 sections of TEAM

  1) Learn about the measurement tools to Test (T) client’s mood, relationship satisfaction and cravings and urges

  2) Learn an accurate and reliable way to measure Empathy (E)

  3) Learn how to Assess (A) the different kinds of resistances that come up and how to melt them away and make therapy successful

  4) Learn about more than 100 Methods (M) available to us to help our clients rapidly recover

  Agenda:

  An approximate plan for a 3 hour workshop Introduction and Overview of TEAM Didactic of T=Testing and E= Empathy with case examples Break out groups Q&A Break - 10 minutes Didactic of A= Assessment of Resistance with case examples Break out groups Didactic of M= Methods with case examples Final Q&A
  

  Recommended Reading:

  • Feeling Great by David Burns 
  • Feeling Good Together by David Burns
  • When Panic Attacks by David Burns 10 days to Self Esteem by David Burns

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• Regulating Racial Reactivity and Defensiveness in Work with Youth and Families- Kenneth V. Hardy

  • When
    Saturday, October 25, 2025
  •  
    10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (EDT)
  • Location
    Catholic University

  Register

  Presenter: Kenneth V. Hardy, PhD

  2 Category 1 CEUs

  During racial interactions, especially those that are cross-racial, racial reactivity and defensiveness are often major deterrents to having meaningful conversations and constructive interactions. Emotional explosiveness, distancing, disengagement, and toxic interactions laced with rigid expressions of (self) righteousness are merely a few examples of the types of racially based reactivity and defensiveness that often undermine the helping process and overall effectiveness.

  This workshop will explore the anatomy of racial reactivity and defensiveness and its impact on effective racial engagement. Particular attention will be devoted to providing strategies that workers can use to address, overcome, and regulate racial reactivity and defensiveness as a conduit to facilitating more honest and productive racial conversations and interactions in work with youth and families, and beyond.

  Learning Objectives:
  

  1. Provide strategies for regulating racial reactivity and defensiveness.
  2. Provide strategies for effectively addressing racial microaggressions in work with youth and families, as well as with colleagues.
  3. Provide techniques for fostering meaningful and substantive race-related conversations with clients and colleagues.

  Dr. Kenneth V. Hardy is a Clinical and Organizational Consultant at the Eikenberg Institute for Relationships, where he also serves as Director. He provides Racially Focused Trauma Informed training, executive coaching, and consultation to a diverse network of individuals and organizations both nationally and internationally. He is a former Professor of Family Therapy at both Drexel University in Philadelphia, and Syracuse University in New York, and has also served as the Director of Children, Families, and Trauma at the Ackerman Institute for the Family in New York, NY. He is the author of several books, including:

  • On Becoming a Racially Sensitive Therapist
  • Racial Trauma: Clinical Strategies and Techniques for Healing Invisible Wounds
  • The Enduring, Invisible, and Ubiquitous Centrality of Whiteness
  • Culturally Sensitive Supervision: Diverse Perspectives and Practical Applications
  • Promoting Culturally Sensitive Supervision: A Manual for Practitioners
  • Revisioning Family Therapy: Addressing Diversity in Clinical Practice
  • Teens Who Hurt: Clinical Interventions to Break the Cycle of Adolescent Violence.

  In addition to his publications and consultation work, Dr. Hardy is a frequent conference speaker and has also appeared on ABC’s 20/20, Dateline NBC, PBS, and the Oprah Winfrey Show.

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