All Webinars

Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a serious mental health problem that typically creates chaos in an individual’s life, often leading to risky and impulsive behaviors, damaged relation­ship and careers, substance use problems, hospitalization, and even suicide. Based on Sheri Van Dijk’s ground-breaking work on using DBT with Bipolar Disorder, this webinar will briefly review the different types of bipolar disorder and what to look for to help someone get a proper diagnosis and treatment. You’ll also learn about the existing psy­cho-therapies being used to treat bipolar disorder, before looking at the efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy in treating this illness, and a delving more into how to teach some of the DBT skills most pertinent to clients with BD.

Bipolar Disorder (BD) is a serious mental health problem that typi­cally creates chaos in an individual’s life, often leading to risky and impulsive behaviors, damaged relationship and careers, substance use problems, hospitalization, and even suicide. Because of the complexi­ty of this disorder – the different episodes, variability of symptoms from person to person as well as from episode to episode within the same individual - Bipolar Disorder can be difficult for clinicians to recognize; improper diagnosis leads to improper treatment, which can cause worsening of symptoms for individuals. Once an accurate diagnosis has been made, however, it’s often equally as difficult to help our clients to accept and understand this diagnosis, which con­tributes to difficulties following prescribed treatment recommenda­tions.

In this webinar you will learn about bipolar disorder, including the different diagnostic categories of BD and its causes. Participants will learn about the disorders that often co-occur with bipolar disor­der and the difficulties people experience in living with this and the co-morbid disorders. In gaining a greater understanding yourself as a clinician of bipolar disorder, you will be in a more effective position to help your clients to understand and accept their mental health problems, which will typically lead to improved outcomes for clients.

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 Interpersonal Effectiveness skills. Participants will learn about these skills, looking at the three possible goals in interpersonal situations and how to pair these with assertiveness skills to increase the likelihood of reaching one’s goals; how to think dialectically to improve communication and balance in relationships; the role of mindfulness and behavior theory in improving healthy relationships; and ways to increase relationship satisfaction in clients’ lives.

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.

Premature termination is a significant problem in psychotherapy, with deleterious impacts on both clients and therapists. For example, research shows that clients who prematurely terminate show poorer treatment outcomes, are less likely to make lasting changes in their symptoms, and are more likely to over-utilize the health care system. Research also shows that when clients end treatment prematurely, their therapists often experience a sense of failure with the loss. Additionally, repeated dropout by clients can lead to experiences of demoralization and burnout in their providers. Current estimates indicate that approximately 1 in 5 clients will drop out of psychotherapy and/or counseling prematurely. Although these numbers may differ depending on the setting and client type, almost all therapists will experience premature termination at some point in their practice. 

The purpose of this workshop is provide strategies and approaches that therapists can use to reduce premature termination in their practice. This workshop will begin with a discussion of what premature termination is and why some clients choose to end treatment prematurely. It will then cover the latest research on the frequency of premature termination and client, therapist, treatment, and setting risk factors associated with its occurrence. In the second half of this workshop, eight evidence-based strategies for reducing premature termination will be presented. These strategies include: providing role induction, incorporating preferences into the treatment decision-making process, planning for appropriate termination, providing education about patterns of change in psychotherapy, strengthening hope, enhancing motivation for treatment, fostering the therapeutic alliance, and assessing and discussing treatment progress.

Premature termination is a significant problem in psychotherapy, with deleterious impacts on both clients and therapists. For example, research shows that clients who prematurely terminate show poorer treatment outcomes, are less likely to make lasting changes in their symptoms, and are more likely to over-utilize the health care system. Research also shows that when clients end treatment prematurely, their therapists often experience a sense of failure with the loss. Additionally, repeated dropout by clients can lead to experiences of demoralization and burnout in their providers. Current estimates indicate that approximately 1 in 5 clients will drop out of psychotherapy and/or counseling prematurely. Although these numbers may differ depending on the setting and client type, almost all therapists will experience premature termination at some point in their practice. 

The purpose of this workshop is provide strategies and approaches that therapists can use to reduce premature termination in their practice. This workshop will begin with a discussion of what premature termination is and why some clients choose to end treatment prematurely. It will then cover the latest research on the frequency of premature termination and client, therapist, treatment, and setting risk factors associated with its occurrence. In the second half of this workshop, eight evidence-based strategies for reducing premature termination will be presented. These strategies include: providing role induction, incorporating preferences into the treatment decision-making process, planning for appropriate termination, providing education about patterns of change in psychotherapy, strengthening hope, enhancing motivation for treatment, fostering the therapeutic alliance, and assessing and discussing treatment progress.

The incidence of youth suicide requires that schools and communities collaborate and increase suicide prevention efforts and that they be prepared to respond if a suicide occurs in order to reduce suicide contagion.  This presentation will help school and community mental health personnel increase their understanding of the most common factors in youth suicide.  Participants will learn effective strategies to prevent youth suicide and lessons from the aftermath of numerous suicides.

The incidence of youth suicide requires that schools and communities collaborate and increase suicide prevention efforts and that they be prepared to respond if a suicide occurs in order to reduce suicide contagion.  This presentation will help school and community mental health personnel increase their understanding of the most common factors in youth suicide.  Participants will learn effective strategies to prevent youth suicide and lessons from the aftermath of numerous suicides.

“I really enjoyed the expertise of the presenter. He had so much useful knowledge to share. The case studies really went deeper into my personal knowledge and helped me to process and analyze situations differently.”-Kristie C., Social Worker, New York

It is essential that that schools and communities know the incidence of school violence and be up to date on the best safety and prevention practices. This presentation will review numerous state and national initiatives that have focused on school safety and the recommendations from a variety of foundations started by parents who lost their in tragic school shootings. Many school shooters died by suicide and this presentation will outline the major theory of murder suicide. The presenter has a wealth of practical experience responding to school crises and participants, whether they are parents, school personnel or community members will learn many lessons from school tragedies and practical strategies to prevent future school violence.

“I really enjoyed the expertise of the presenter. He had so much useful knowledge to share. The case studies really went deeper into my personal knowledge and helped me to process and analyze situations differently.”-Kristie C., Social Worker, New York

It is essential that that schools and communities know the incidence of school violence and be up to date on the best safety and prevention practices. This presentation will review numerous state and national initiatives that have focused on school safety and the recommendations from a variety of foundations started by parents who lost their in tragic school shootings. Many school shooters died by suicide and this presentation will outline the major theory of murder suicide. The presenter has a wealth of practical experience responding to school crises and participants, whether they are parents, school personnel or community members will learn many lessons from school tragedies and practical strategies to prevent future school violence.

This course will satisfy your ethics requirement.

“I found it extremely insightful and helpful in my day to day professional life. I wasn't aware of the origins of informed consent and I learned a great deal about case law that formed it.”-Gina F., Social Worker, New York

Informed consent is an essential aspect of all professional services provided by mental health professionals and helps to set the tone for the relationship to follow. While it is a requirement, it also plays a very important role in the treatment relationship and process. Yet, many questions exist about how to appropriately provide informed consent, the details of what should or shouldn’t be included, who should provide informed consent, and how diversity factors may necessitate modifying how we provide informed consent. This webinar will address each of these issues and provide practical guidance on how to meet ethics and legal requirements, and client needs, and how to utilize informed consent to promote a good working relationship with clients, as well as how to utilize it to promote the goals of treatment for our clients. Common pitfalls and dilemmas, practical suggestions and recommendations, and relevant options to consider will each be addressed. Clinical examples will be provided to illustrate key issues to include informed consent with minors, with couples and families, third-party requests for services, and the use of informed consent for the wide range of professional relationships mental health professionals may have.

This course qualifies as an ethics course.

“The information presented in this course will be very helpful with my documentation of psychotherapy and enlightened me about potential risk and legal issues. The presentation was clear and he gave real life examples to illustrate what he was saying. I learned the difference between a supoena and a court order, and specifically what goes into effective documentation of psychotherapy notes."-Claire H., Social Worker, Vermont

This webinar explains the goals and potential benefits of effective clinical documentation as well as the ethical and legal requirements for doing so. Documentation is addressed from a clinical and risk management perspective. Specific recommendations are made for how to document the clinical services provided in a competent and effective manner. Additionally, common pitfalls to avoid are addressed. How to store and maintain records is addressed for both paper and electronic records. Precautions to take to protect and preserve records are described in detail along with how and when to dispose of them. Guidance is provided for following HIPAA and other laws and regulations relevant to documentation and record keeping. Participants in this webinar will receive practical guidance that can be integrated into daily practice to document more effectively, to better achieve the goals of thoughtfully created treatment records, and to meet and exceed professional standards and practice guidelines relevant to documentation and record keeping.