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• Creative Hopelessness and Psychological Flexibility: Helping Clients Let Go of What Doesn’t Work

  • When
    04/30/2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 2:30 PM
  • Location
    VIRTUAL

  Register

  Clients often continue to engage in patterns of thinking and behavior that create obstacles to their ability to move forward. The process of Creative Hopelessness from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps clients let go of what is not working, and to become more more psychologically flexible. There are six processes of change that lead to increased psychological flexibility, which correlates with good mental health.

  In this 2.5 hour workshop, Dr. Richard Sears will describe how to do the Creative Hopelessness process with clients, complete with metaphors to help clients grasp the concepts. He will also describe, with case examples, the six processes that lead to psychological inflexibility, and how to transform them into the six change processes that lead to psychological flexibility.

  CE Learning Objectives

  Following this presentation, participants will be able to:

  •  Utilize the ACT techniques of creative hopelessness to help clients let go of patterns of thinking and behavior that contribute to them feeling stuck.
  • Define psychological flexibility and describe its role in mental health.

  • Describe and implement the six processes of change that lead to increased psychological flexibility.

  Suggested Reading: Will be shared with registrants

  Target Audience

  This presentation is intended for licensed mental health professionals and advanced graduate student trainees seeking licensure. The instructional level of this presentation is INTERMEDIATE.

  Presenter

  Richard W. Sears, PsyD, PhD, MBA is a licensed psychologist and is board certified in clinical psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). He is an adjunct full professor for University of Cincinnati Psychology, and full professor (volunteer) of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.

  He runs an online private psychology and consulting practice near Cincinnati, with Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Psychology (APIT). He is a past president of the board of the Cincinnati Academy of Professional Psychology. He was full-time core faculty in Union Institute & University’s Doctor of Clinical Psychology program for nine years. He is also a psychologist contractor with the Cincinnati VA Medical Center, where he conducted research on Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for PTSD with Dr. Kate Chard. He has been teaching MBCT courses for more than 20 years, and presents workshops on mindfulness, ACT, psychotherapy, Zen, martial arts, and other topics.

  Dr. Sears received PsyD and MBA degrees from Wright State University. He also received a PhD in Buddhist Studies from Buddha Dharma University, where he was a member of the board of regents. He is author of more than a dozen books, including ACT with Anxiety and Mindfulness: Living Through Challenges and Enriching Your Life in this Moment.

  More at https://psych-insights.com/

   Continuing Education

  • Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • This program provides TWO-AND-A-HALF  (2.5) CE credits
  • Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association is also approved by the NY State Education Department to offer psychology continuing education
    
  • PBTA is also an authorized provider of CE credits for Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Clinical Social Workers licensed in the state of Pennsylvania. Non-Psychologist Licensees outside of PA & practitioners outside of the USA please confirm eligibility with your specific licensing board.
  • Full attendance with video display is required to obtain CE credit for this program. APA guidelines do not permit PBTA to issue partial CE credits. No refunds are provided for CE programs. No exceptions allowed.
  • All events are Eastern Time Zone 
  • Contact PBTAcontinuingeducation@philabta.org if you need any learning accommodations no later than one week before event.

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• Practical Skills for Guiding Mindful Movement and Inquiry

  • When
    05/14/2025
  •  
    12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    VIRTUAL

  Register

  This experiential continuing education program is designed for psychologists and mental health professionals seeking to deepen their capacity to integrate mindful movement and inquiry into clinical or educational settings. Drawing from evidence-based contemplative practices, somatic psychology, and trauma-informed care, this training will offer practical tools for guiding clients in embodied awareness, emotional regulation, and insight-oriented exploration.

  Particular attention will be given to adapting practices to meet the needs of diverse clients, including those with trauma histories or physical limitations. Clinicians will come away with a grounded understanding of how to effectively bring body-based mindfulness into their work.

  CE Learning Objectives

  Following this training, participants will be able to:

  1. Identify and describe two core principles of mindful movement as they relate to psychological processes and therapeutic goals.

   2. Demonstrate three techniques for guiding mindful movement that support embodiment and presence.

   3. Describe two trauma-sensitive principles when introducing movement and inquiry to clients.

   4. Describe two elements of structured inquiry that has intention of supporting clients to reflect on their internal experiences during and after movement.

  5. Describe two ways to adapt mindful movement and inquiry practices to fit diverse clinical populations and settings.

  6. Describe two potential benefits of mindful movement and inquiry for emotional regulation, interoception, and psychological well-being.

  SUGGESTED READINGS

  Baer, R., Crane, C., Miller, E., & Kuyken, W. (2019). Doing no harm in mindfulness-based programs: conceptual issues and empirical findings. Clinical psychology review, 71, 101-114.
  

  Target Audience

  This presentation is intended for licensed mental health professionals and advanced graduate student trainees seeking licensure who have completed at least one MBCT, MBSR, or similar 8-week Mindfulness Based Program that included training in formal mindfulness meditation practice while sitting, standing, lying down, and moving. The instructional level of this presentation is INTERMEDIATE.

  Presenter

  Éowyn Ahlstrom, M.Ed., LMT, RYT brings decades of experience as a skilled mindfulness teacher and practitioner in the healing arts. With a seamless integration of mindfulness, meditation, movement, contemplation, and engagement, she designs clear, personalized and engaging programs suitable for individuals and groups at all levels of experience. At the core of her own practice and work is the embodiment of awareness and compassion, with a dedication to imparting these qualities to others. She holds a master’s degree from the American College of Education, specializing in health and wellness, is a registered yoga teacher, a certified MBSR and CCT teacher and a licensed massage therapist. Additionally, she is the author of the compelling volume of poems titled "Mindscapes: Practice Poems.” Her contributions to the field include the development of the MBSR2 curriculum at the Mindfulness Center at Brown University; teaching and consulting for research studies at the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion at the Cambridge Health Alliance. For several years, she led the Mindful Center at Brown's community and online programs efforts, where she continues to lead MBSR teacher trainings.

  Continuing Education

  • Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists (except those licensed in the state of NY for this event because presenter does not have a doctorate *). Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • This program provides TWO  (2) CE credits
  • PBTA is also an authorized provider of CE credits for Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Clinical Social Workers licensed in the state of Pennsylvania. Non-Psychologist Licensees outside of PA & practitioners outside of the USA please confirm eligibility with your specific licensing board.
  • Full attendance with video display is required to obtain CE credit for this program. APA guidelines do not permit PBTA to issue partial CE credits. No refunds are provided for CE programs. No exceptions allowed.
  • All events are Eastern Time Zone 
  • Contact PBTAcontinuingeducation@philabta.org if you need any learning accommodations no later than one week before event.
  • *NY CE standards require the presenter to be licensed in clinical psychology for CE to be awarded to NY psychologists and this presenter does not meet those criteria. Thus, PBTA cannot offer psychologists LICENSED IN THE STATE OF NEW YORK CE FOR THIS TRAINING  because it is not taught by a licensed psychologist .

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• The “Gift of Love”: Mechanism of Psychopathology and Change in Interpersonal Reconstructive Therapy for Patients with High-Acuity Clinical Needs

  • When
    06/11/2025
  •  
    11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual

  Register

  Maladaptive relationship patterns that are learned in early attachment relationships can be replicated with others in adulthood in predictable patterns referred to as “copy process” in Interpersonal Reconstructive Therapy (IRT, Benjamin, 2003/2006; 2018). The underlying attachment-based motivations to repeat old patterns can provide barriers to response to standard treatments. These same patterns also hold the keys to change with challenging clients ranging from difficult to  “stuck”. Briefly, in IRT, views of self and others are understood to reflect rules, values, and experiences internalized in close attachment relationships. A case formulation (CF) guides intervention choices by clarifying links between presenting symptoms and learning that occurred in significant relationships. The “gift of love” (GOL) hypothesis is that wishes to receive love and acceptance from specific internalized attachment figures, or learned ways to obtain reinforcement, shape problem patterns and associated symptoms. Ultimately, IRT seeks to help patients become aware of copied interpersonal and intrapsychic patterns, and the role they play in maintaining connection with internalized attachment figures. From there, the goal is to help a patient differentiate from the “family in the head” and pursue healthy behaviors and self-concepts (Benjamin: 2003/2006; 2018). This presentation will provide (a) an overview of a recent paper contributing to the evidence base supporting validity of the IRT case formulation as well as the GOL as a mechanism of psychopathology and change, and (b) a forum for discussion of the paper’s implications for practice. 
  

  CE Learning Objectives
  

  Following this presentation, participants will be able to:

  • Identify how patterns learned with attachment figures can shape and motivate problem behaviors in the present
  • Describe how to enhance therapeutic responsiveness by addressing “family in the head”, especially with stuck or nonresponsive patients
  • Practice applying SASB and IRT elements to a specific case example.

  Focus article:

  Critchfield, K. L., Gornish, A., Epstein, L., Mackaronis, J. E., & Benjamin, L. S. (2025). The “gift of love” as a candidate mechanism of psychopathology and change in interpersonal reconstructive therapy for patients with high-acuity clinical needs. Psychotherapy. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000556

  Recommended Readings

  Critchfield, K. L., & Benjamin, L. S. (2024). Structural analysis of social behavior (SASB): A primer for clinical use. American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000403-000

  Critchfield, K. L., Mackaronis, J. E., Thapa, P., & Cechak, P. (2022). A brief overview of safety planning in interpersonal reconstructive therapy. Psychotherapy, 59(2), 168-173. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000415

  Critchfield, K. L., Thapa, P., Panizo, M. T., & Conceição, N. (2022). Using interpersonal reconstructive therapy to address comorbid problems organized by attachment-based learning: The case of Don. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 78, 396– 408. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.23292

  Critchfield, K. L., Benjamin, L. S., & Levenick, K. (2015). Reliability, sensitivity, and specificity of case formulations for comorbid profiles in Interpersonal Reconstructive Therapy: addressing mechanisms of psychopathology. Journal of Personality Disorders, 29(4), 547-573. http://dx.doi.org/10.1521/pedi.2015.29.4.547

  About Presenter

  Ken Critchfield, Ph.D. is a tenured Associate Professor and Program Director of the Clinical Psychology Program of the Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology of Yeshiva University. He is the author, with Lorna Smith Benjamin, of the 2024 APA publication, Structural Analysis of Social Behavior: A Primer for Clinical Use. Dr. Critchfield’s research, teaching and clinical work all emphasize interpersonal and attachment-based principles of change implemented in Interpersonal Reconstructive Therapy (IRT: Benjamin, 2003; 2018). IRT is an integrative, psychosocial treatment that uses an attachment-based case formulation to tailor treatment for patients having severe and chronic problems characterized comorbid depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, and/or chronic suicidality, often accompanied by personality disorder. Dr. Critchfield earned his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Utah in 2002, with an internship at the San Francisco VA Medical Center, and post-doctoral training at Weill-Cornell Medical College. He was formerly the co-director of the IRT clinic at the University of Utah Neuropsychiatric Institute. Dr. Critchfield is a Fellow of APA’s Society for Advancement of Psychotherapy (Div. 29), has held leadership roles with the Society for Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration (SEPI), and has long been a member of the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR). He maintains an independent psychotherapy practice.

  Target Audience

  This presentation is intended for licensed mental health professionals and advanced graduate student trainees seeking licensure and with some clinical experience. The instructional level of this presentation is BEGINNER.

  Continuing Education

  • Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists*. Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • This program provides TWO (2) hours of CE credits.
    
  • PBTA is also an authorized provider of CE credits for Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Clinical Social Workers licensed in the state of Pennsylvania.
  • Non-Psychologists outside of PA and be sure to confirm with your licensing board regarding if this meets criteria for your CE requirements.
    
  • ZOOM VIDEO LINK WILL BE SENT TO REGISTRANTS 24 and 48 HOURS BEFORE, & MORNING OF, EVENT
  • Full attendance with video display is required to obtain CE credit for this program. APA guidelines do not permit PBTA to issue partial CE credits. No refunds are provided for CE programs. No exceptions allowed.
  • All events are Eastern Time Zone 
  • Contact PBTAcontinuingeducation@philabta.org if you need any learning accommodations no later than one week before event.

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• Managing sexual dysfunction using on-line mindfulness for cancer survivors

  • When
    06/16/2025
  •  
    1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Virtual

  Register

  Sexual difficulties and vaginal pain are common following treatment for breast cancer. Results of a study designed to investigate how an online mindfulness-based group sex therapy compared to an online supportive sex education group therapy to address these sexual difficulties are described. Implications of findings for mindfulness-based sex therapy (MBST) and supportive sex education delivered in clinical practice in a group format online are highlighted.
  

  About Presenter

  Lori Brotto, Ph.D. is a Professor in the UBC Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and a Registered Psychologist in Vancouver, Canada. She has been the Executive Director of the Women’s Health Research Institute of BC located at BC Women’s Hospital since 2016. Dr. Brotto holds a Canada Research Chair in Women’s Sexual Health.  She is the author of Better Sex Through Mindfulness: How Women Can Cultivate Desire and The Better Sex Through Mindfulness Workbook (October 2022). From https://www.loribrotto.com/

  Target Audience
  

  This workshop is designed for licensed professionals & advanced graduate students with clinical experience who anticipate seeking licensure as mental health professionals. The instructional level of this presentation is BEGINNER and for requires participant to read journal article linked to below.
  

  CE Learning Objective(s)

  Following this presentation, participants will be able to:

  1. Describe 2 specific findings relevant to clinical practice from required journal article

  • Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists*. Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • This program provides one (1) hour of CE credits.
  • * PBTA now offers CE to licensed psychologists licensed in the state of New York. Attestation of full attendance and provision of license number post-event required to obtain certificate that meets NY criteria for CE.
    
  • PBTA is also an authorized provider of CE credits for Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Clinical Social Workers licensed in the state of Pennsylvania. Non-psychologist licensees in other states should confirm with their respective boards if this meets criteria for CE in their specific non-PA states.
    
  • Full attendance with video display is required to obtain CE credit for this program. APA guidelines do not permit PBTA to issue partial CE credits. No refunds are provided for CE programs. No exceptions allowed. Registrants can log in and cancel up to 48 hours before event when registration closes.
    

  Zoom video link will be sent to participants 48 & 24 hours before the event contingent upon membership being paid in full if membership rate was selected. NOTE: New membership period begins 2/1/24.
  

  Required journal article reading (clcik link to download article)

  Brotto, L. A., Walker, L., Sears, C., Woo, S., Millman, R., & Zdaniuk, B. (2024). A randomized comparison of online mindfulness-based group sex therapy vs supportive group sex education to address sexual dysfunction in breast cancer survivors. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 21(5), 452-463.

  Suggested Readings

  Brotto, L.A. (December, 2023). Using Mindfulness-Based Therapy to Address Low Sexual Desire in Women. PBTA's Evidence-Based Practitioner (EBP). https://philabta.org/EBP/13293520

  Brotto, L. A., & Basson, R. (2014). Group mindfulness-based therapy significantly improves sexual desire in women. Behaviour research and therapy, 57, 43-54.

  Brotto, L. A., Stephenson, K. R., & Zippan, N. (2022). Feasibility of an online mindfulness-based intervention for women with sexual interest/arousal disorder. Mindfulness, 13(3), 647-659.
  

  Suggested Resources

  Brotto, L. A. (2022). The Better Sex Through Mindfulness Workbook: A Guide to Cultivating Desire. Vancouver, Canada: Greystone Publishing.

  Brotto, L. A. (2018). Better Sex Through Mindfulness: How women can cultivate desire. Vancouver, Canada: Greystone Publishing.

   

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• Meta-Competencies in CBT: Enhancing Your Efficacy as a Therapist by Being Self-Reflective, Communicative, Creative, Tuned-In, Well-Timed, and Inspirational!

  • When
    09/25/2025
  •  
    4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
  • Location
    VIRTUAL

  Register

  This webinar will describe and illustrate the “meta-competencies” of conducting CBT. The presentation will build upon the evidence-based methods that are well-described in the CBT literature by highlighting therapist competencies that amplify the efficacy of CBT. Meta-competencies reflect the qualities and practices of individual therapists that show promise in helping their clients experience CBT with as much positive impact and staying power as possible. Some meta-competencies are closely related to some of the broad “foundational competencies,” including relational skills, cultural humility, and self-reflection. Other meta-competencies include an ability to communicate concepts and care very clearly to clients; having a good sense of timing and humor; being well-organized within sessions and across sessions for optimal continuity; possessing a good memory (e.g., for the facts of the client’s life, and for what has transpired in previous sessions) and similarly helping the client to remember the key lessons of therapy; using enlightening stories, images, metaphors, and analogies to make complex ideas accessible; bringing inter-disciplinary knowledge from a wide range of subjects and experiences into the therapeutic dialogue; and otherwise using words and gestures in creative ways to inspire clients to make important changes. Going beyond CBT competencies to develop our meta-competencies means that we are using the best of our personal strengths and styles in the service of sound, well-supported practices. It means that we are not just using techniques – we are also bringing our conceptual and relational skills to bear on each moment with our clients, speaking and listening effectively, being responsive to clients’ feedback, and making therapy inspirational and memorable.

  CE Learning Objectives

  Following this presentation, participants will be able to:

  • 1.      Maximize your interpersonal skills in the delivery of cognitive-behavioral therapy.
  • 2.      Utilize case conceptualization skills and cross-cultural sensitivity to assist in knowing what to say to clients, and what not to say to clients.
  • 3.      Practice self-reflection during therapy sessions and between sessions to adapt and improve your delivery of cognitive-behavioral therapy.
  • 4.      Bring your inter-disciplinary knowledge and creative thinking to therapy sessions to amplify your therapeutic messages, improve the client’s retention of the contents of therapy, and provide inspiration.

  Target Audience

  This presentation is intended for licensed mental health professionals and advanced graduate student trainees seeking licensure. The instructional level of this presentation is BEGINNER.

  NOTE: This presentation is suitable for mental health practitioners across disciplines. Therapists who practice standard-course Beckian CBT as well as Third-Wave models will benefit from this presentation, as will clinicians of all levels of experience.

  Presenter

  Cory F. Newman, Ph.D. is Director of the Center for Cognitive Therapy, Professor of Psychology, in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and Adjunct Faculty at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Prof. Newman did his postdoctoral training under the mentorship of Prof. Aaron T. Beck, and he is a Founding Fellow of the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. Prof. Newman has maintained a full clinical caseload and has extensive experience as a CBT supervisor, having supervised over 350 professionals-in-training, both at the University of Pennsylvania, and through the Beck Institute’s international training programs. Prof. Newman was recognized by the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy (ABCT) with the Outstanding Clinician Award for 2019. Prof. Newman is an international lecturer, having presented approximately 300 cognitive-behavioral therapy workshops and seminars at home in the U.S. as well as in twenty-three other countries. Prof. Newman is author of over 100 articles and chapters on cognitive-behavioral therapy for a wide range of disorders and clinical issues, and he has authored or co-authored six books, including two with Prof. Aaron T. Beck. On the side, Prof. Newman is an avid classical pianist.

  References

   Bennett-Levy, J., Thwaites, R., Haarhoff, B., & Perry, H. (2015). Experiencing CBT from theinside out: A self-practice, self-reflection workbook for therapists. Guilford Press.

  Campbell-Lee, D., Barton, S., & Armstrong, P. (2024). Higher-order CBT skills: Are there    differences in meta-competence between trainee and experienced therapists? The Cognitive Behaviour Therapist, 17, 1-13. doi:10.1017/S1754470X24000047

  Castonguay, L. G., & Hill, C. E. (Eds.) (2017). How and why are some therapists better than  others? American Psychological Association.

  Harvey, A. G., Lee, J., Smith. R. L., Gumport, N. B., Hollon, S. D., Rabe-Hesketh, S., et al. (2016). Improving outcomes for mental disorders by enhancing memory for treatment. Behaviour Therapy and Research, 81, 35-46.

  Stott, R., Mansell, W., Salkovskis, P., Lavender, A., & Cartwright-Hatton, S. (2010). Oxford  guide to metaphors in CBT. Oxford University Press.

  Whittington, A., & Grey, N. (Eds.) (2014). How to be a more effective CBT therapist: Mastering meta-competencies in clinical practice. Wiley Blackwell.

  Cory F. Newman, Ph.D. is Director of the Center for Cognitive Therapy, Professor of Psychology, in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, and Adjunct Faculty at the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy. Prof. Newman did his postdoctoral training under the mentorship of Prof. Aaron T. Beck, and he is a Founding Fellow of the Academy of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies. Prof. Newman has maintained a full clinical caseload and has extensive experience as a CBT supervisor, having supervised over 350 professionals-in-training, both at the University of Pennsylvania, and through the Beck Institute’s international training programs. Prof. Newman was recognized by the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy (ABCT) with the Outstanding Clinician Award for 2019. Prof. Newman is an international lecturer, having presented approximately 300 cognitive-behavioral therapy workshops and seminars at home in the U.S. as well as in twenty-three other countries. Prof. Newman is author of over 100 articles and chapters on cognitive-behavioral therapy for a wide range of disorders and clinical issues, and he has authored or co-authored six books, including two with Prof. Aaron T. Beck. On the side, Prof. Newman is an avid classical pianist.

   Continuing Education

  • Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
  • This program provides ONE AND-A-HALF  (1.5) CE credits
  • Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association is also approved by the NY State Education Department to offer psychology continuing education
    
  • PBTA is also an authorized provider of CE credits for Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Clinical Social Workers licensed in the state of Pennsylvania. Non-Psychologist Licensees outside of PA & practitioners outside of the USA please confirm eligibility with your specific licensing board.
  • Full attendance with video display is required to obtain CE credit for this program. APA guidelines do not permit PBTA to issue partial CE credits. No refunds are provided for CE programs. No exceptions allowed.
  • All events are Eastern Time Zone 
  • Contact PBTAcontinuingeducation@philabta.org if you need any learning accommodations no later than one week before event.

  Show details