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Mar

17

Art Therapy for the non-Art Therapist: Benefits, Utilization, and Ethical Considerations for Clinical Application

• Tuesday, March 17, 2026
• 11:00 AM 12:30 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

The use of creative arts for therapeutic benefit has been noted throughout history with the first documented use of art therapy occurring in the 1940s. Since then, the field of Art Therapy has developed specialized educational training programs and licensure processes to better regulate the application and title. While Art Therapy is a primary form of therapy, it has also shown benefit as an adjunct to traditional talk therapies to improve cognitive, behavioral, and affective domains of well-being. Different from traditional talk therapies, Art Therapy can serve as a mode of expression and communication within the therapeutic process when words aren’t enough. This presentation will focus on the benefits, utilization, and accessibility of Art Therapy in a clinical setting. Discussion will include basic history, theory, and research underpinnings of Art Therapy, as well as examples, ethical considerations, and recommendations in clinical application for non-Art Therapists.

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Mar

13

Working Clinically with Overwhelm: The Cost and Growth-Inducing Possibilities of Undoing the Self

• Friday, March 13, 2026
• 5:30 PM 7:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

This presentation begins with a summary of the theory of overwhelm, a way of conceptualizing working with intensity and excitation that is not about guarding the self (not about emotional regulation, not about protecting the ego from the drives) but which explores what becomes possible when one reaches the limit of what is bearable in oneself, when one follows the exigency of the unconscious. For the clinician, working with overwhelm is both a challenge and an art form: it requires us, as therapists, to make ourselves permeable to our patients in ways that make us exquisitely vulnerable and to take true risks the results of which cannot be guaranteed ahead of time.

To illustrate the difficulty, but also the extraordinary possibilities of such work, work that rends the self to allow something new to emerge, Avgi Saketopoulou, PsyD, will discuss the analysis of a Jewish patient whose encounter with the Palestinian genocide raised considerable anxieties and revived questions of identity, trauma, and intergenerational transmission. The clinical work–and the presentation–raise questions of ethics, of rethinking questions of intergenerational transmission and the debts it incurs, and the relation of the political to the psychic.

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Mar

13

Supervising for Sustainability: Supervision to Support Emerging Clinicians

• Friday, March 13, 2026
• 12:00 PM 1:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

 This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services, particularly those who are supervisors or have an interest in supervision.

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Mar

13

The Power of Hope Amidst Adversity: Belonging, Bridging, and Action

• Friday, March 13, 2026
• 12:00 PM 1:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

Emily Dickenson’s poem, “Hope is the thing with feathers”, offers a hopeful metaphor representing the universal capacity for all creation to arise from the ashes of adversity, find hope in community connection, and be a force for personal and societal transformation. The impact of our current circumstances has compelled us to action for “liberty and justice for all”, and in so doing we have found ourselves treading on thin, dangerous, ICE. This workshop will define the inner and outer work of hope amidst the current political climate and seek to understand the role of bridging in generating hope. We will explore how hope grounds us collectively in a vision for a better future for everyone, consider strategies for eliciting and supporting a hopeful vision, and what motivates us to work for peace and justice

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Mar

12

to Mar 13

Understanding and Treating Harm Themed OCD.

• Thu, Mar 12, 2026 6:00 PM Fri, Mar 13, 2026 7:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

This course provides a comprehensive exploration of “harm OCD,” a lesser-known theme of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) characterized by fears of harming self or others and behaviors (physical/mental) done to try to bring about safety. Participants will gain a deep understanding of the core clinical features of harm-related OCD through a discussion of empirical definitions, real-life case examples, and an examination of the criteria used to diagnosed OCD.

Participants will learn how to design harm-related exposures and response prevention exercises, a key component of behavioral treatment for OCD. To further learning, the presenter will share various harm-themed OCD case studies that address treatment-related issues, such as troubleshooting, ethical considerations, developing rapport, and core fear identification.

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Mar

11

12-Step Facilitation and Self-help Groups for Addiction

• Wednesday, March 11, 2026
• 4:30 PM 6:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

Learning objectives:

• To understand the definition and nature of self-help groups for substance use disorder.

• To analyze the evidence on the effectiveness of 12-step based interventions.

• To increase ability of clinicians to interact with 12-step fellowships in a fashion that improves patient outcomes.

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Mar

11

The Family at Play: A Play Therapy Approach to Strengthening Family Connections

• Wednesday, March 11, 2026
• 12:00 PM 1:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

Learning Objectives: • compare three key play therapy modalities (child-centered, Gestalt, filial, and family-based) and identify appropriate applications for enhancing family communication and connection. • implement the core PRIDE skills (Praise, Reflection, Imitation, Description, Enthusiasm) used in filial therapy to coach parents in fostering a deeper, more secure emotional bond with their child(ren). • utilize an expressive arts-based narrative technique, such as a co-created "family poem" or narrative scrapbook, to help families externalize and document their strengths and evolving story

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Mar

11

Strengthening Helping Professionals: Ethics, Resilience, & Attachment-Informed Approaches

• Wednesday, March 11, 2026
• 11:00 AM 12:30 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

In 2022, 46% of helping professionals reported feeling burned out often or very often, an increase from 32% in 2018. These professionals enter the field with a deep desire to support others. Yet this very strength can become a vulnerability when professional boundaries blur, self-care is deprioritized, and emotional overwhelm sets in. This presentation invites participants to reflect on how their personal attachment patterns may influence their work with clients, their relationships with colleagues, and their ability to care for themselves. Professionals will explore how to set healthier boundaries, maintain emotional resilience, and develop a sustainable self-care plan. Participants will also learn how to recognize signs of professional burnout, maintain balance, engage in proactive supervision and peer support, create a plan to promote long-term well-being, and reconnect with their purpose. 

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Mar

10

More than Moody – Understanding the Symptoms and Course of Bipolar Disorder in Youth

• Tuesday, March 10, 2026
• 12:00 PM 1:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

Adolescents often experience mood swings, but when moodiness significantly impacts an individual and their family, it may be indicative of a mood disorder. This webinar will describe the symptoms of bipolar disorder and how to differentiate it from moodiness typical to adolescence. Additionally, we will review steps families can take to improve mood stability and decrease risk for mood episodes in their adolescent.

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Mar

10

Suicide Prevention Strategies for Older Adults

• Tuesday, March 10, 2026
• 11:00 AM 12:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

The purpose of this live, knowledge-based geriatric training is to address a critical gap in provider awareness regarding suicide among older adults, as identified in the recent needs assessment. Currently, many healthcare providers lack sufficient knowledge to recognize warning signs, understand the prevalence of suicide in individuals aged 50–85+, and apply effective prevention strategies, which falls short of the expected competency for managing suicide risk in this population. This gap is validated by documented data from national statistics and clinical audits indicating high suicide rates among older adults and inconsistent screening practices. The training will be delivered in a live virtual format, allowing interactive discussion and case-based learning. By the end of the session, participants will be able to identify behaviors, warning signs, and major life events that contribute to suicide risk; discuss current statistics and characteristics of high-risk groups; and implement prevention strategies such as screening, qualitative discussions, safety planning, and resource utilization (e.g., 988 hotline, goals-of-care conversations). These outcomes are expected to improve provider competence and confidence, enhance early intervention, and ultimately reduce suicide risk and improve mental health outcomes for older adults.

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Mar

6

Ethical and Responsible use of Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies in Mental Health Care

• Friday, March 6, 2026
• 11:50 AM 12:50 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

New tools using artificial intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies with applications for health care and specifically mental health care are increasingly being developed. While clinicians and treatment settings vary with respect to their adoption, the rapid and pervasive development of these technologies suggests a need for all mental health care providers to have a basic understanding to navigate potential ethical pitfalls. This presentation will describe some of the more common types of technology-based tools available to mental health providers and how they are developed with a focus on how to ethically incorporate their use in clinical practice.

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Mar

4

Exposure Therapy for Eating Disorders.

• Wednesday, March 4, 2026
• 11:00 AM 12:30 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

Course Description

This intermediate-level course will provide an overview of behavioral, exposure-based treatment for eating disorders. The presentation will begin with a brief review of eating disorders and exposure therapy principles. Presenters then describe the rationale for using exposure therapy for the treatment of eating disorders, followed by case examples that illustrate the behavioral model. The treatment section of the course includes a discussion on the risks and benefits of behavioral treatment for eating disorders, why functional assessment is important and how it can be used to inform treatment decisions, how to develop an exposure hierarchy, as well as how to apply exposure strategies (e.g., in-vivo and imaginal exposures) in treatment.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Prepare an eating-disorders specific exposure hierarchy that has been informed by functional assessment

2. Apply exposure-based treatment strategies to symptoms of eating disorders

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Mar

3

to Mar 4

Online Cognitive Processing Therapy

• Tue, Mar 3, 2026 8:00 AM Wed, Mar 4, 2026 4:30 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

This intensive two-day module provides training in CPT, an evidence-based treatment for PTSD. It presents theory underlying CPT, a brief overview of CPT’s empirical support, and step-by-step instructions in CPT protocol techniques. Throughout the workshop strategies for conceptualizing and dealing with co-morbidity, managing avoidance, and keeping patients optimally engaged are provided. Video clips of expert therapists demonstrate CPT skills, and participants are asked to do role-plays and other assignments to learn concepts and practice skills.

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Feb

27

Can Intakes Be fun? Building Solid Counseling Relationships

• Friday, February 27, 2026
• 1:00 PM 3:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

Many people who are interested in engaging in counseling services may not have a full understanding about the process of treatment. People may expect their first session to reflect something which is more in alignment with what is seen on television as opposed to what happens in real life. Usually, the first treatment session consists of an intake assessment which requires the clinician to engage in multiple activities which prevent the client from working on what initially brought them to treatment. As such, many clients do not return to treatment after their intake and far less actually complete treatment. This presentation will identify effective tools to greatly increase the likelihood that a client will resume treatment after the first session. This presentation will identify basic counseling skills which will create therapeutic relationships to engage in difficult counseling work. Finally, this presentation will review potential pitfalls that clinicians may endure which will damage the counseling relationship.

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Feb

27

Where the Mind Suffers: Understanding Psychic Pain and Suicidal Crisis

• Friday, February 27, 2026
• 11:50 AM 12:50 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

Psychic pain – often described as unbearable, overwhelming emotional suffering – has been increasingly recognized as a core contributor to suicide risk, yet its clinical contours and empirical significance have only recently begun to be clarified. This talk will review the concept of psychic pain within the broader landscape of suicidology, psychoanalysis, and clinical science and highlight emerging findings that illuminate its structure, correlates, and role in the unfolding of suicidal crises. Across both clinical and nonclinical populations, recent work has demonstrated that psychic pain is not a diffuse or monolithic experience but reflects distinct dimensions of affective overwhelm and perceived loss of emotional control. These facets of psychic pain show robust links with well-established suicide-related vulnerabilities, including trauma exposure, greater severity of psychopathology, diminished psychological resilience, and pathological personality traits. Together, these associations underscore psychic pain as a meaningful marker of heightened vulnerability rather than a nonspecific emotional state. In this presentation, the presenter will review findings from recent studies which show that psychic pain is not only associated with chronic risk but also exerts a powerful moment-to-moment influence on both affective and interpersonal experiences. Taken together, these converging findings position psychic pain as a dynamic, clinically actionable construct that may help identify both who is at risk and when risk is likely to emerge. Implications for assessment and intervention will be discussed, with attention to how recognizing and targeting psychic pain may support more precise and timely suicide prevention efforts.

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Feb

27

Hard to Swallow: Key Nutrition Concepts in Eating Disorder Care

• Friday, February 27, 2026
• 11:00 AM 12:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

Nutrition is a frequent topic of public interest and opinion. The necessity of nutrition to sustain life and the ability to make choices related to nutrition are shared human commonalities. Yet, the nutrition messages we receive from the community and media can have us drinking from a fire hose, leaving us confused and ashamed. Join me in this 1-hr training to learn nutrition concepts to help you, your loved one, or your client stay firmly grounded on the recovery path.

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Feb

26

The Lewy Body Dementias

• Thursday, February 26, 2026
• 2:00 PM 3:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

The purpose of the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) Webinar Series is to improve the care of older Veterans by presenting the latest advances and findings on topics related to aging and geriatrics, based on innovative research, education, and clinical activities of VA GRECCs. This curriculum is informed by staff responses to recent Learner Needs Assessments and evaluation feedback to address the specific educational needs of healthcare providers across the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Current assessments indicate that many healthcare providers lack adequate knowledge and skills to appropriately manage common geriatric conditions and syndromes. The top educational needs identified include mental health, Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, legal issues such as guardianship and advance directives, chronic pain, depression, and management of chronic conditions.

This knowledge-based live webinar will provide an overview of Lewy Body Dementias, explain why these dementias are diagnostically challenging, and discuss why older Veterans may be at higher risk. The session is designed for multidisciplinary healthcare teams caring for older adults, and will specifically address a critical knowledge gap regarding the diagnosis and management of Lewy Body Dementia (LBD). The needs assessment revealed limited familiarity among healthcare professionals with the clinical diagnostic criteria, distinguishing features, and emerging research directions for LBD. This falls short of the expected competency level, which requires accurate recognition of LBD symptoms, application of standardized diagnostic guidelines, and awareness of ongoing research to inform evidence-based practice. Evidence of this gap is supported by documented findings from the Lewy Body Dementia Association and the Fourth Consensus Report of the DLB Consortium (McKeith et al., 2017), which highlight frequent misdiagnosis and delayed treatment due to insufficient clinician education. By completing this activity, healthcare professionals will improve their competence in identifying and differentiating LBD from other dementias, enhance performance in applying current diagnostic criteria, and ultimately contribute to better patient outcomes through timely and accurate diagnosis, appropriate management strategies, and informed participation in research initiatives.

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Feb

26

What We See, What We Hear, What We Wonder: The Art of Relational Assessment

• Thursday, February 26, 2026
• 12:00 PM 1:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

Early relationships shape the foundation of lifelong well-being. This engaging training introduces participants to the core elements of relational observation and assessment, emphasizing the interplay between caregiver characteristics, child characteristics, and dyadic interactions. Through real‑world examples, videos, reflective activities, and easy‑to‑use frameworks, attendees will learn how to “see” beneath the surface—understanding context, behavior, and meaning in early caregiving relationships.

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Feb

26

What is it Really Like? What to Expect from and during Eating Disorder Treatment

• Thursday, February 26, 2026
• 11:00 AM 12:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

Making the decision to move forward with eating disorder treatment is no small feat, likely there have been many conversations and countless considerations both personal and practical on whether this is the right time for you as an individual/parent contemplating care or for providers referring a client to take this step. Our clients tell us that eating disorder treatment is daunting for those considering it and also potentially daunting for those recommending it to clients due to the many aspects of treatment, details of admission and realities of the eating disorder experience. This presentation's aim is to provide insights into "what treatment is really like" and also offer helpful overviews & key details into the day-to-day schedule, differences in levels of care, influences on length of care and what to expect from your eating disorder treatment experience

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Feb

26

The Intersection of Recovery Capital and Family Involvement in Residential Treatment

• Thursday, February 26, 2026
• 9:00 AM 11:00 AM
• Google Calendar ICS

This training is designed to support mental health professionals in understanding recovery capital as a strengths-based framework for treating substance use and mental health disorders. Participants will learn about the key dimensions of recovery capital and examine factors that may support or hinder an individual’s recovery process. The training will also explore the critical role of family involvement in cultivating recovery capital and supporting sustained, long-term recovery.

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Feb

25

Racial Trauma in Real Time: Clinical Strategies, Cultural Truths, and Ethical Care for Black Therapists

• Wednesday, February 25, 2026
• 12:00 PM 1:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

Join Deran Young, LCSW, MSW, MPA, and Kenneth V. Hardy, PhD, for an educational conversation that examines racial trauma as a chronic, cumulative, and systemic stressor rooted in historical and contemporary racism.

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Feb

25

Process Addictions: Maladaptive Coping Across the Ages

• Wednesday, February 25, 2026
• 11:00 AM 1:30 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

The number of people experiencing process addictions such as gambling, gaming, and social media has been growing for years. The criteria, symptoms, and even neurobiology of these disorders are incredibly similar to those of substance use disorders. In this webinar, we will discuss those stark comparisons and the concern that, from young children to the elderly, the population who are addicted is diverse and vast. 

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Feb

25

ED: Assessment: Levels of Care - What they are and who needs what?

• Wednesday, February 25, 2026
• 11:00 AM 12:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

In this presentation we will discuss the levels of care in eating disorder treatment and related criteria for each level. We will discuss considerations for recommending a particular level of care as well as strategies for communicating this recommendation to a client and their family.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the 5 levels of care in eating disorder treatment and the related criteria for each

• Describe 3 ways to recognie when a client needs a higher level of care than they are currently receiving

• Demonstrate 2 approaches to sharing a recomendation with a client and their family

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Feb

25

Introduction to Eating Disorders.

• Wednesday, February 25, 2026
• 11:00 AM 12:30 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

This introductory-level course will prepare clinicians to recognize and assess eating disorders in general practice. Clinicians will be presented with a review of DSM-5 criteria for eating disorders and relevant epidemiological information. The presenters will focus on discussing the transdiagnostic features of eating disorders, as well as common comorbidities associated with eating disorders. Assessment tools specific to eating disorders will be presented, along with common warning signs for eating disorders. The course concludes with a brief introduction to evidence-based treatment options for eating disorders.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Discuss key transdiagnostic features and common comorbidities of eating disorders.

2. List 2 eating disorder specific assessment tools.

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Feb

24

Collaborative Safety Planning with Dating Violence Survivors

• Tuesday, February 24, 2026
• 1:00 PM 2:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

Join the Victim Rights Law Center and the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence for an advocate-focused webinar on collaborative safety planning with survivors of dating violence. This interactive webinar will use mini case studies to walk advocates through safety planning with survivors. It will address common challenges and best practices to engage in effective as well as common issues and some best practices. By the end of the webinar, participants will be better equipped to assess survivors’ safety needs and engage in initial and ongoing safety planning.

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Feb

24

Quick and Easy Medical Screening for Eating Disorders

• Tuesday, February 24, 2026
• 11:00 AM 12:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

This presentation will review the evaluation of, diagnosis and medical management of eating disorders within the primary care setting.

Learning Objectives

• Identify the difference between disordered eating patterns and eating disorder diagnosis

• State the manifestation of malnutrition in patients with eating disorders

• Develop a screening and treatment strategy for a patient with an eating disorder

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Feb

20

In Love with "Love": Conceptualizing and Treating Love Addiction

• Friday, February 20, 2026
• 12:00 PM 1:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

Dalanna Burris is the Behavioral Addictions Specialist at The Menninger Clinic in Houston, Texas, where she specializes in the assessment and treatment of substance use disorders and problematic behaviors. Her clinical focus includes problematic sexual behavior, gambling disorder, excessive internet, gaming, and technology use, compulsive shopping and buying, hoarding disorder, and disordered eating.

In this webinar, Dalanna will: (1) Define "love addiction" and describe common criteria associated with the behavior. (2) Illustrate, through case examples, how problematic behaviors associated with "love addiction" can cultivate substance use and mental health issues and barriers to recovery. (3) Identify treatment strategies to enhance engagement, build self-efficacy, and motivate change.

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Feb

19

Signs and Symptoms of Typical Drug Impairment

• Thursday, February 19, 2026
• 12:00 PM 2:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

This two-hour training equips behavioral health professionals, addiction counselors, social workers, and allied practitioners with the skills needed to distinguish between residual impairment from chronic substance use and signs of active use that may indicate immediate risk or danger. Co-facilitated by experienced clinicians, the session explores how long-term substance use can affect cognition, mood, and functioning—often mimicking acute intoxication—and how to differentiate these lingering effects from behaviors that require urgent intervention.

Through real-world case examples, participants will learn how to make clinically sound observations, document both subjective reports and objective findings, and remain firmly within professional scope of practice. Emphasis is placed on accurate assessment, ethical decision-making, risk identification, clear and defensible documentation, and collaborative care strategies

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Feb

19

Multidisciplinary Evidence-Based Approaches to Problematic Sexual Behavior in Children

• Thursday, February 19, 2026
• 10:00 AM 11:30 AM
• Google Calendar ICS

This webinar is focused on increasing the knowledge base around problematic sexual behavior in children for all multidisciplinary team members. The National Center on Sexual Behavior of Youth (NCSBY) defines children with problematic sexual behavior (PSB) as youth who engage in behaviors involving sexual body parts that are developmentally inappropriate and/or potentially harmful to self and others (Carpentier, Silovsky, Chaffin, 2005). Consideration will be given to the role that technology plays in increasing youth exposure to sexualized material and the impact of exposure.

Focus is placed on details of the continuum of sexual behaviors, dispelling myths about children with problematic sexual behavior, and instilling hope in treating this population. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of appropriate language to use and feel more competent in encouraging appropriate next steps for treatment and safety planning with families. Evidence-based information regarding family engagement in treatment, through Mary McKay’s work, is incorporated throughout the webinar.

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Feb

18

Me, Myself, and AI: Children, Youth, and Online Risks in the Age of Generative AI

• Wednesday, February 18, 2026
• 12:00 PM 3:00 PM
• Google Calendar ICS

Description: Generative AI technologies have been rapidly adopted by many people, especially teenagers. This has brought forth a need for advocates working with children and youth who are experiencing dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking to understand how these technologies can create safety concerns. While tools like chatbots can empower teens with enhanced educational opportunities and creative expression, they also introduce significant risks. In this talk, we will explore the impact generative AI is already having on teenagers, and the intersections it has with dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. We will examine how platforms expose teens to various vulnerabilities. Additionally, we’ll offer practical tips for safeguarding youth against emerging threats, including the misuse of AI companions, nudification apps, deepfakes, social media echo chambers, and AI-enabled plagiarism.

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