Lisa Ferentz, LCSW-C, DAPA is a recognized expert in the strengths-based, de-pathologized treatment of trauma and has been in private practice for over 39 years. She presents workshops and keynote addresses nationally and internationally and is a clinical consultant to practitioners and mental health agencies in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, and Israel. She has been an Adjunct Faculty member at several Universities, and is the Founder of “The Ferentz Institute,” now in its seventeenth year of providing continuing education to mental health professionals and graduating several thousand clinicians from her two Certificate Programs in Advanced Trauma Treatment. In 2009 she was voted the “Social Worker of the Year” by the Maryland Society for Clinical Social Work. Lisa is the author of “Treating Self-Destructive Behaviors in Traumatized Clients: A Clinician’s Guide,” now in its second edition, “Letting Go of Self-Destructive Behaviors: A Workbook of Hope and Healing,” and “Finding Your Ruby Slippers: Transformative Life Lessons From the Therapist’s Couch.” Lisa also hosted a weekly radio talk show, writes blogs and articles for websites on trauma, attachment, self-destructive behaviors, and self-care, teaches on many webinars, and is a contributor to Psychologytoday.com. You can follow Lisa’s work on her website, theferentzinstitute.com, YouTube, LinkedIn and Twitter.

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Working with Self-Destructive Behaviors: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Self-Harm, Eating Disorders, Addiction & More
with Lisa Ferentz, MSW, LCSW-C, DAPA

Many adolescent and adult clients with histories of trauma, abuse, neglect, and other pain narratives have an increased vulnerability towards using self-mutilation, addictions, and eating-disordered behaviors to cope and self-soothe, numb, and dissociate from unresolved pain. In this training, clinicians will learn about the dynamics of early childhood trauma, the four attachment styles, and the impact that dysfunctional attachment has on clients’ abilities to effectively manage their emotional states. We will explore the challenges that children face when they are forced to attach to emotionally unavailable or abusive caretakers and the toll it takes on their cognitions, emotions, and psychological wellbeing.

Participants will learn about the optimal window of arousal and the hyper-arousal or hypo-arousal that manifests when they are unable to stay grounded and present “in the window of tolerance.” We will define trauma and process the impact that personal meaning-making has on either exacerbating or mitigating potentially traumatic experiences. We will also address the long-term sequelae of insecure attachment as it impacts clients’ subsequent relationships.

Understanding the challenges of adolescence and how the uniqueness of the adolescent brain navigates those developmental stressors will help to explain why teenagers are particularly vulnerable to acts of self-destructive behavior. We will then explore the advantages to a strengths-based, de-pathologized approach to working with self-harm. Part of this approach will include an exploration of both trauma re-enactment syndrome as well as the dynamic of de-coding the meta-communication of destructive behaviors. Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of the fundamental reasons why clients turn to self-destructive acts as well as the tipping points that make clients even more vulnerable to repeatedly using these behaviors.

We will examine a paradigm shift in treatment using the “whack a mole” metaphor, and then participants will learn about a specific “cycle of self-harm” that emphasizes the impact of triggering events, negative cognitions and negative affect, dissociation, and anxiety on self-harming behaviors. We will also process both the positive and negative outcomes of self-harm that land clients in a state of emotional vulnerability and add to the chronicity of the cycle. This cycle will also provide “intervention sites” that set the stage for working with and treating harmful behaviors. At each point in the cycle, therapists will learn how to introduce concrete and creative strategies that will give clients alternative ways to navigate their experiences of triggering, dysregulation, and dissociation.

A variety of right-brain and left-brain-based treatment strategies will be offered to help reduce and eventually extinguish these behaviors. An emphasis will be placed on interventions that are designed to increase insight, self-compassion, self-soothing, internal safety, grounding, connection, and containment. Clients will also be given safer, healthier ways to articulate and heal their pain narratives. Psychoeducation about the paradox of using dissociation, the impact of shame, and the cyclical nature of self-harm will also be processed. Journal prompts, cognitive re-framing, breath work, somatic resourcing, movement, visualization, art prompts, anchoring, and flashback halting protocols will also be discussed in detail.

As we explore the idea of “working with” self-destructive behaviors, we will also discuss how to avoid the power struggles and inadvertent increase in self-harm that often accompanies ineffective “safety contracts.” An alternative contract, called CARESS, will be explored. Participants will learn how to present the model to clients, creating a template that can be used in therapy sessions. We will also identify how and why CARESS is different and more effective than standard safety contracts. Since artwork is often incorporated into CARESS, we will explore the most effective ways to process clients’ artwork by identifying general guidelines and the best open-ended questions to use.

For intermediate mental health professionals including Social Workers, LPCs, and LMFTs.

Continuing Education Credits

To receive Distance Learning/Home Study continuing education credit, applicants must complete all course materials, purchase the CEs, submit an evaluation form, and pass a post-test with a score of 80% or greater. It is the responsibility of the attendee to determine if the CE credit offered by Academy of Therapy Wisdom meets the regulations of their state licensing/certification board.

Cost
There is a CE Processing Fee of $30 for the Distance Learning CEs, which will be available for purchase after the entire course has been completed.

CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS OFFERED:

Psychology: Not offered for this training.

Counseling:

Academy of Therapy Wisdom has been approved by NBCC as an Approved
Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7370. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Academy of Therapy Wisdom is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.  This program is approved for 6. CE Credit hours.

NY State Mental Health Counselors: Academy of Therapy Wisdom is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0285.

Social Work: This program has been approved for 6 Distance Learning Social Work Continuing Education hours for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR. NASW-MA Chapter CE Approving Program, Authorization Number D92427-3.

Marriage/Family Therapy: See below for CAMFT information.

California Professionals:
Academy of Therapy Wisdom, Provider #1032323, is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, and LPCCs. Academy of Therapy Wisdom maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. This course meets the qualifications for 6 hours of continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.

This course is $347. You can purchase it here.

Cancellation
If you for some reason are not satisfied with the course you have 7 days from the first live call or your purchase date, whichever is later, to request a cancellation and refund. Please reach out to support@therapywisdom.com for help with any cancellations.

Commercial Support Disclaimer

This program is provided solely by the Academy of Therapy Wisdom and its teachers. There is no conflict of interest for this program.

Disability Access

If you require ADA accommodations please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification.

Cancellation Policy

You may request a refund up to 7 days after your date of purchase. Please contact support@therapywisdom.com if you wish to cancel your purchase.

After 7 days from your date of purchase, you will no longer be eligible for a refund and will be responsible for the payment in full.

Grievance Policy

Grievances shall be submitted via the form found here and acknowledgement of receipt sent within 24 hours. The Program Administrator will review the grievance and respond back to the participant within 2 business days.  Please use this form if you would like to submit a grievance with Academy of Therapy Wisdom for any of the following reasons:

• Refund requests
• Complaints about course content
• Complaints about facilities
• Complaints about non-receipt of certificates
• Complaints about miscellaneous occurrences

If you have any questions about this, please contact support@therapywisdom.com.

For questions or concerns, please send an email to support@therapywisdom.com.