All Webinars

Although many psychodynamic ideas were first suggested by Sigmund Freud a century ago, these concepts and how they are applied to psychotherapy have evolved and changed over the decades. This webinar will present a contemporary approach to practice and will explain how these dynamic ideas can be combined with other theories within a unified approach to psychotherapy. In order to promote a unified approach to treatment, this seminar will highlight how intrapsychic processes shape cognition, emotion, and behavior.
 

Psychological functioning is influenced by intrapsychic processes whether we attend to these effects or not. This webinar will introduce psychodynamic conceptualization based on three clinical hypotheses. First, it is important to attend to the integrity of the intrapsychic system and explore how conflicts are dealt with and whether there are maladaptive processes that are interfering with optimal functioning. Second, some clients are using defense mechanisms that were once adaptive but, as development has progressed, these defenses have lost their adaptive advantage. Third, some clients are experiencing intrapsychic conflicts between internal parts that may represent internalized objects that have been introjected from primary attachments.
 

Foundational psychodynamic skills will be described that address three general processes: (1) Exploration and functional analysis of defenses; (2) Guided discovery to uncover more adaptive intrapsychic functioning; and (3) Enacting adaptation outside of psychotherapy. These foundational psychodynamic skills will be demonstrated with role-play videos that will allow participants to see how they can explore defenses with their own clients.
 

The latter part of the webinar will introduce exploration of internal parts and intrapsychic conflicts. Internal parts have been described in different ways by theories including psychoanalysis, transactional analysis, emotion-focused therapy, and internal family systems. Participants will be encouraged to consider how these ideas can inform their own practice of psychotherapy with clients.
 

This seminar is part of Level Two of Training in Unified Psychotherapy (TUP), focusing on working contextually with external contexts and internal influences. An essential part of a unified approach to treatment is understanding the impact of intrapsychic defenses and conflicts on dysfunctional thoughts, feelings, and actions and fostering more adaptive responses.

Traditional abstinence-only models have long dominated Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) treatment, yet emerging research demonstrates that harm reduction strategies—including moderate drinking—offer effective alternatives for many individuals, particularly those with less severe or early-stage alcohol issues. For clients whose alcohol use is creating problems, learning to drink more moderately and safely can represent both a realistic goal and a sustainable outcome. For others, managed drinking serves as a crucial stepping-stone toward temporary or permanent abstinence.
 

This harm reduction framework transforms treatment by lowering barriers to care and creating more inclusive options for individuals intimidated by abstinence-only approaches. The result is more flexible, personalized care that meets clients where they are in their recovery journey. 

Since office-based therapists are typically the first professionals contacted by individuals seeking help with alcohol concerns, all mental health practitioners—regardless of specialty—must be equipped with the knowledge and skills to competently address these issues. This comprehensive webinar provides a diverse clinical toolkit featuring practical strategies, integrated behavioral and pharmacological interventions, real-world case studies, and essential clinical considerations. Participants will gain valuable insights into addressing alcohol-related challenges with greater flexibility, empathy, and effectiveness, significantly expanding treatment possibilities for clients seeking help with alcohol use concerns.

This dynamic 3-hour seminar provides mental health professionals with essential tools to support families in conflict—whether couples are married, divorcing, or never married. Drawing on decades of clinical, mediation, and non-adversarial divorce experience, Dr. Zimmerman blends real-world strategies with clinical insight to help attendees become more effective in high-conflict family situations. Participants will gain exposure to a range of alternative dispute resolution models, learn about the effects of conflict on children, and receive actionable guidance on managing professional stress in this demanding field.

For many bereaved individuals, faith, religion, and spirituality can prove to be a supportive and comforting resource following the loss of anyone or anything that leaves a sense of deprivation and yearning. However, for some who are grieving, the relationship to their higher power or spiritual community is painfully wounded, leading to the secondary loss of his/her/their spiritual resources, connections, and spiritual crisis.
 

The painful religious and spiritual losses are referred to as complicated spiritual grief (CSG). CSG has been shown to exacerbate the bereavement experience for some religious and spiritually inclined grievers. Clinicians are confronted with religious and spiritual topics in psychotherapy, especially when working with bereft clients. Therefore, knowing how to identify the impact of CSG in the grieving process is imperative. Clinicians will be able to recognize the impact of CSG on the bereaved’s grieving process, increasing skills in conducting a comprehensive clinical assessment and development of effective treatment plans. As a result, grief therapy will more effectively identify and treat all domains of the client’s functioning following or anticipating a loss.

Guilt, regret, and shame are common emotions experienced after a personal or collective loss or traumatic event. These unique and complicated components are often a challenge to work with as they are regularly integrated with the already complex grieving process. At times, guilt, regret, and shame are ways in which a client maintains a sense of connection to the lost loved one, hence making the relinquishment of those feelings even more difficult to navigate in treatment. This training will assist your work to aid clients managing the “should’s” and “if only’s” of regret, end self-blame and shame, and overcome the profound sense of survivor’s guilt they may feel because loved ones succumbed to collective losses.

This webinar provides a research and practice update on Alzheimer’s disease, with a focus on (1) new treatments, (2) diagnostic guidelines that rely heavily upon biomarkers and enable asymptomatic detection and diagnosis, and (3) growing prevention science. This workshop will use the 2021 APA Guidelines for the Assessment of Dementia and Age-Related Cognitive Decline as a framework to guide clinicians in navigating these developments and will provide attendees with a broad overview of Alzheimer’s disease and the psychologist’s role in assessment and intervention. The workshop describes an emerging practice opportunity for helping older adult and middle-aged clients to navigate a rapidly changing landscape.

The mere thoughts of sleep can cause many individuals to dread the idea of going to bed due to the fear of experiencing nightmares. Millions of Americans yearn for a good night’s sleep, but feel they have limited options to relieve the stress of nightmares, doom, gloom, and rumination. Distressed sleep is often seen across a variety of age groups, cultures, and demographic populations. The good thing is that there is hope for restful sleep.
 

Despite what many may think resolutions to insomnia and nightmare challenges are not found within the purchase of a new mattress, the sounds of waterfalls in the background, or aromatherapy. Imagery Rehearsal Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy have proven to be useful in helping individuals improve poor quality sleep…even in the absence of over-the-counter medications and/or prescribed medications.
 

Webinar participants will learn how to keenly listen to their clients’ sleep struggles related to PTSD symptomology to in-turn help them effectively modify their daily habits and develop more positive sleep experiences. Important topics such as trauma re-experiencing, imagery, re-scripting, biological factors, stimulus control and sleep restriction will be discussed in great detail to help clinicians develop treatment interventions that reduce the intensity and frequency of trauma-based nightmares.
 

The current webinar led by Dr. Lillian Gibson will provide mental health professionals best practices to assess and treat trauma-based nightmares. Participants will learn how to apply treatment specific takes that can be made when effective approaches to improve sleep are not utilized.

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.

“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.

“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.

“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 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.