Ticketed Workshops

Presented by:

Jill Ehrenreich-May, Ph.D., Department of Psychology, University of Miami

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Child / Adolescent – Anxiety, Child / Adolescent – Depression, Transdiagnostic

Keywords: CBT, Children, Transdiagnostic

Basic to moderate level of familiarity with the material.

The Unified Protocols for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders for Children and Adolescents (UP-C/UP-A) present the compelling idea that there may be a more efficient method of presenting evidence-based psychotherapy strategies, such as those commonly included in CBT and other behavior therapies, to address an array of emotional disorder concerns. The Unified Protocols frame treatment strategies in terms of strong or intense emotions and promote change through a common lens that can be flexibly adapted across youth emotional disorders, including anxiety, depression, obsessive compulsive disorders and other problem areas. Specifically, the UP-C/A promote well-being by allowing youth and caregivers to focus on a straightforward goal across emotional concerns: managing intense emotion states more flexibly and adaptively through emotion-focused education, awareness techniques, cognitive strategies, problem-solving and a full-range of exposure and activation techniques. These protocols have been used in efficacy, effectiveness, and implementation projects, as well as via telehealth, and the UP-C/A are generally recognized as evidence-based psychotherapies through this research. Increasingly, the UP-C and UP-A are used globally, and large-scale prevention and effectiveness studies have demonstrated the clear benefits of these global adaptations. The protocols exist in over 10 languages, and independent research teams have adapted and modified the UP-C and UP-A in specific ways to increase both their cultural and pragmatic relevance on an international scale. This presentation will first feature a brief review of the rationale for the UP-C and UP-A, global research on the UP-C and UP-A, and the clinical content of these protocols. More in depth review of the individual UP-C and UP-A modules will feature specific examples of global adaptations and modifications to various UP-C and UP-A materials. Implementation of these strategies will be supported via video, didactic, and interactive practice strategies, with an emphasis on how this content may be utilized to support emotional well-being in youth and families.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Explain rationale for taking a transdiagnostic approach to cognitive behavior therapy using the Unified Protocols for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders for Children (UP-C) and Adolescents (UP-A).

2. Describe global research demonstrating the efficacy and effectiveness, as well as key cultural adaptations, of the UP-C and UP-A.

3. Identify examples of UP-C and UP-A techniques that may be flexibly applied across emotion-focused examples for fear, anxiety, anger, and sadness.

Long-term Goals:

1. Learn clinically useful information about the core techniques used in the Unified Protocols for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children and Adolescents (UP-C and UP-A).

2. Understand examples of global adaptations and modifications to the UP-C and UP-A that may extend the reach and cultural relevance of these materials in practice.

Recommended Readings:

Brígida Caiado, Raquel Guiomar, Bárbara Gomes-Pereira, Ana Carolina Góis, Bruno de Sousa, Maria Cristina Canavarro, Jill Ehrenreich-May, Helena Moreira, Is the Unified Protocol for Children Effective for the Transdiagnostic Treatment of Children’s Emotional Disorders? A Randomized Controlled Trial, Behavior Therapy, Volume 56, Issue 4, 2025, Pages 689-707, ISSN 0005-7894, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2024.09.002.

Vivas-Fernandez, M., Garcia-Lopez, LJ., Piqueras, J.A. et al. A 12-Month Follow-Up of PROCARE+, a Transdiagnostic, Selective, Preventive Intervention for Adolescents At-Risk for Emotional Disorders. Child Psychiatry Hum Dev (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10578-023-01638-2.

Mei-Rong Pan, Xue-Ying Liu, Xue Gao, Zhong-Fang Fu, Lu Liu, Hai-Mei Li, Yu-Feng Wang, Qiu-Jin Qian, Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Efficacy of the Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents in China: A Pilot Study, Behavior Therapy, Volume 56, Issue 1, 2025, Pages 145-161, ISSN 0005-7894, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.beth.2024.05.003.

Presented by:

Ross G. Menzies, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney (UTS)

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Schizophrenia / Psychotic Disorders, Suicide and Self-Injury, Violence / Aggression

Keywords: Psychosis / Psychotic Disorders, Substance Abuse, Suicide

Basic to moderate level of familiarity with the material.

Clients enter therapy with a range of problems of living. They don’t speak in diagnostic terms, but instead focus on the everyday difficulties that confront them. These difficulties may include isolation, loneliness, anxiety and sadness, guilt and regret, and problems making decisions (i.e. indecisiveness) in a world that offers seemingly endless choice. In contrast, the cognitive-behaviour therapist is trained in the language of conditioning and extinction, avoidance and safety behaviours, behavioural activation and attentional biases. This workshop explores the ideas of the existentialist philosophers as a bridge between the suffering client and technically trained clinician. The workshop seeks to place CBT in the broader context of the most popular philosophic tradition of the 19th and 20th centuries. The existentialists argued that each of us must confront the ‘Big 5’ issues of death, isolation, identity, freedom and meaning and find solutions to these problems. The workshop explores these themes and their relevance to a range of conditions including (but not limited to) OCD, panic disorder, illness anxiety disorder, phobic disorders, major depression and substance use problems. The workshop highlights the limitations of some current CBT interventions in failing to address underlying existential concerns.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Describe the five core existential concerns as conceptualized by existential philosophers.

2. Assess for the presence of these existential concerns using reliable, contemporary scales.

3. Adapt CBT interventions for disorders such as OCD, panic disorder, illness anxiety, and depression to incorporate existential dimensions of suffering.

Long-term Goals:

1. Develop a broader therapeutic stance that bridges philosophical enquiry with CBT technique, fostering deeper therapeutic engagement and meaning-oriented change.

Recommended Readings:

Menzies, R. G., Menzies, R. E., & Dingle, G. (Eds.) (2022). Existential concerns and cognitive-behavioral procedures: An integrative approach to mental health. Switzerland: Springer Nature.

Menzies, R. G., & Menzies, R. E. (2024). Existential therapies and the extended evolutionary meta-model: Turning existential philosophy into process-based therapy. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science. Advance online publication 14 September https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212144724001200

Menzies, R. E., & Menzies, R. G. (2023). Death anxiety and mental health: Requiem for a dreamer. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 78, Article 101807. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2022.101807

Presented by:

Gillian Haddock, University of Manchester

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Schizophrenia / Psychotic Disorders, Suicide and Self-Injury, Violence / Aggression

Keywords: Psychosis / Psychotic Disorders, Substance Abuse, Suicide

Basic to moderate level of familiarity with the material.

Although cognitive behaviour therapy has been widely evaluated in people with psychosis, there is much less evidence about its effectiveness when delivered for people experiencing additional complexities, such as suicidal ideas, problems of substance misuse and problems with anger and aggression. These complexities are common, can be severe in psychosis and lead to significantly poor outcomes and huge impacts and costs for the individual, services and society. This workshop will provide a detailed overview of CBT psychosis approaches and discuss, and demonstrate, how they been adapted to work with people experiencing such complex problems. The workshop will present some of the evidence and describe the interventions which have been developed, researched and implemented. The workshop will include workshop leader presentation, with recordings and case examples.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Gain an research evidence surrounding psychosis, its underpinning mechanisms and the evidence with regard to cognitive-behavioural interventions

2. Understand the key therapeutic approaches needed for working with people with psychosis and how this can be adapted to work with complexities such as suicidality and other clinical issues

3. Gain skills in assessment and formulation of psychosis and its complexities

Long-term Goals:

1. The workshop will be suitable for people who have some experience of working with psychosis and will provide an opportunity to refresh and develop those skills for working with complex cases.

Recommended Readings:

Haddock, G., Eisner, E., Davies, G., Coupe, N., & Barrowclough, C. (2013). Psychotic Symptoms, self-harm and violence with schizophrenia and substance misuse problems, Schizophrenia Research 151(1-3), 215-20.

Haddock, G., Pratt, D., Gooding, P.A., Peter, S., Emsley, R., Evans, E., Kelly, J., Huggett, C., Murno, A., Harris, K., Davies., L. and Awenat, Y. (2019) Randomised controlled trial of feasibility and acceptability of suicide prevention therapy in acute psychiatric wards. BJPsychOpen 16;18(1):334 doi.10.1186/s12888-018-1921-6.

Gooding, P., Pratt, D., Edwards, D., Awenat, Y., Drake, R.J., Emsley,R., Jones, S., Kapur, N., Lobban, F., Peters, S., Boardman, B., Harris, K., Huggett, C. & Haddock, G. (2025) Underlying mechanisms and efficacy of a suicide-focused psychological intervention for psychosis: The Cognitive AppRoaches to coMbatting Suicidality (CARMS), multicentre, single-masked, randomised controlled trial conducted in the UK. Lancet Psychiatry.

Presented by:

Lata McGinn, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology, Yeshiva University, Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology | Co-Founder and Co-Director, Cognitive & Behavioral Consultants (CBC) | President, World Confederation of Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies (WCCBT)

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders, Treatment – CBT

Keywords: Behavior Experiments, ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention), OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)

All levels of familiarity with the material.

Based on multiple randomized trials, CBT for OCD, with exposure and response prevention (ERP) as the key ingredient, is a first-line treatment for OCD with a very strong evidence base in the treatment of children, adolescents, and adults. This workshop will offer clinicians with the knowledge and skills to effectively treat obsessive-compulsive disorder across the lifespan using a comprehensive approach to enhance gains. The workshop will cover how to functionally assess symptoms to set goals and use and refine different strategies, including psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, cognitive defusion, exposure, and response prevention. Emphasis will be placed on (1) cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies to maximize gains, reduce suffering, and increase client willingness to engage in ERP; (2) creation of overall and operational exposure hierarchies; (3) selection of type of exposure based on symptom presentation (4) design, implementation, and motivation and commitment for response prevention to block rituals (5) Use of different treatment formats to enhance and maintain gains (6) Incorporation of families to reduce accommodation and enhance gains. A case vignette will be used to illustrate techniques. Clinicians are encouraged to ask questions and bring in treatment cases to ensure maximal learning.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Participants will learn how to use cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies specific to OCD and learn to conduct effective behavioral experiments.

2. Participants will learn how to effectively incorporate cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies to help reduce obsessional anxiety, decrease rituals, reduce suffering and increase willingness for EXRP.

3. Participants will learn when how to use different types of exposure and learn how to effectively implement exposure and response prevention.

4. Clients will learn how to maximize gains in exposure and response prevention by incorporating principles of inhibitory learning. 

Long-term Goals:

1. Understand core symptoms and processes that maintain OCD and how to target effectively to maximize benefit.

Recommended Readings:

Abramowitz, J. S., & Arch, J. J. (2013). Strategies for improving long-term outcomes in cognitive behavioral therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder: Insights from learning theory. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice.

Craske, M. G., et al. (2022). Optimizing exposure therapy from an inhibitory retrieval approach: clinical guidance and updates (OptEx Nexus). Behaviour Research and Therapy. Foa, E. B. (2010). Cognitive behavioral therapy of obsessive-compulsive disorder. (In Anxiety and related disorders: theory, research and clinical perspectives)

Leahy, R.L., Holland, S, & McGinn, L.K. (2011). Treatment Plans and Interventions for Depression and Anxiety Disorders. NY: Guilford Press.

McGinn, L.K. (2015). Understanding and Treating Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. The Independent Practitioner. 35, 50-57

McGinn, L.K. & Sanderson, W. C. (1999). Treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. New Jersey: Jason Aronson, Inc.

Salkovskis, P. M. (1985). Obsessional-compulsive problems: A cognitive-behavioural analysis. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 23(5), 571-583.

Spencer et al., (2023). CBT for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Psychiatr Clin N Am 46 167-180

Presented by:

Daniel W. McNeil, Ph.D., Professor & Chair, Department of Community Dentistry & Behavioral Science, University of Florida

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Adult – Health Psychology / Behavioral Medicine, Physical Health, Treatment – CBT

Keywords: CBT, Health Psychology, Motivational Interviewing

Moderate level of familiarity with the material.

This seminar involves development of intermediate skills in Motivational Interviewing (MI) and applying MI in diverse healthcare contexts (e.g., primary care settings, substance use clinics, dental clinics, dialysis treatment facilities, hospitals). This training is designed for helping professionals who are interested in deepening their knowledge of MI and further developing MI skills to increase patients’ motivation to make changes in cognitive, emotional, and behavioral functioning, and to engage in healthy behaviors. Participants will learn and practice methods to assist patients regarding the promotion of healthy lifestyle behaviors (e.g., diet and exercise, medication and treatment adherence, tobacco cessation, oral health promotion). The training will include demonstrations and experiential components in which participants work in dyads and small groups, and with the trainer, to practice skills in a comfortable, interactive, safe, and supportive learning environment. Integrating MI in a diversity of healthcare settings will be addressed, emphasizing brief interventions (i.e., Motivational Interactions, MInts). Focusing on MI “spirit” (including empowerment) as a way to evoke patient strengths, the seminar will review the conceptual model for understanding MI, identify the key principles and tasks of MI, and describe the evidence base for the use of MI for promoting health behaviors. Using demonstrations and role-play, the application of specific methods to increase patient motivation (and to respond to discord) will be covered. Eliciting, identifying, and responding to health-related “change talk” (in contrast to “sustain talk” and avoidance) will be demonstrated and practiced, along with coverage of the “clarifying” process leading to change plans. The seminar will include discussion of the role of MI as an affirming, equitable, and sustainable approach to patient change and growth in healthcare settings.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Describe the MI model as an affirming, equitable, and sustainable approach to patient change and growth in healthcare settings.

2. Explain MI “spirit” and the role of empowerment, along with the 4 key MI tasks.

3. Apply at least 2 specific MI methods to increase patient motivation for healthy behavior change, including brief interventions.

Long-term Goals:

1. Participants will articulate a deeper understanding of MI and its application in diverse healthcare settings.

2. Participants will evidence greater confidence in using MI with a diverse clientele and various healthcare settings. 

Recommended Readings:

Miller, W. R., & Rollnick, S. (2023). Motivational Interviewing: Helping people change and grow (4th ed.). Guilford Press.

McNeil, D. W., Addicks, S. H., & Randall, C. L. (2017). Motivational Interviewing and Motivational Interactions for health behavior change and maintenance. Oxford Handbooks Online. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199935291.013.21

Rollnick, S., Miller, W. R., & Butler, C. C. (2022). Motivational Interviewing in health care: Helping patients change behavior (2nd ed.). Guilford Press.

Presented by:

Richard Bryant, Ph.D., DSc, University of New South Wales

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: 

Keywords: 

Moderate level of familiarity with the material.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

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Long-term Goals:

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Recommended Readings:

Presented by:

Silvia Helena Koller, Ph.D., Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, FURG, Brazil | Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, UFRGS, Brazil | North West University, South Africa

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Child / Adolescent – Trauma / Maltreatment, Global Mental Health, Vulnerable Populations

Keywords: Community-Identified Problems, Education and Training, Evidence-Based Practice

Basic to moderate level of familiarity with the material.

Most evidence supporting Cognitive and Behavioral interventions has been generated in Global North contexts, often overlooking the realities of marginalized and at-risk populations in the Global South. These groups-such as street-connected youth, survivors of violence, displaced families, and individuals facing systemic poverty-require interventions that are responsive to cultural values, contextual constraints, and community strengths. This workshop will highlight the importance of contextualized and culturally sensitive adaptations of CBT. Drawing on case studies, empirical evidence, and practical experiences, it will explore how interventions can be tailored to foster resilience, engagement, and sustainability within vulnerable communities. 

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Understand the unique challenges of applying CBT with at-risk populations in resource-constrained settings. 

2. Identify culturally responsive strategies for adapting CBT interventions. Explore participatory, community-based approaches that strengthen impact and sustainability. 

3. Examine ethical and methodological considerations in Global South research and practice. 

4. Generate collaborative pathways for integrating Global South perspectives into global CBT dialogue. 

Long-term Goals:

1. Cognitive and Behavioral interventions can only achieve true global relevance when they are adapted to the cultural, social, and structural realities of at-risk populations. By centering Global South perspectives, practitioners and researchers can move beyond one-size-fits-all models to develop contextually responsive, ethically sound, and sustainable approaches that foster resilience and equity in mental health care. 

Recommended Readings:

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-11336-0

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-319-65033-3

https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-27905-9

Presented by:

Anita Jansen, Ph.D., Professor of Clinical Psychology, Dept of Clinical Psychological Science, Maastricht University, the Netherlands

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Eating Disorders, Treatment – CBT

Keywords: Anorexia, Binge Eating, Body Image, Bulimia, Eating, Exposure, Obesity

Basic level of familiarity with the material.

Exposure Therapy for Eating and Weight Disorders: Evidence, Practice, and Challenges Exposure therapy has a long tradition in the treatment of anxiety disorders, yet its application to eating and weight disorders is still emerging. This workshop will provide an in-depth overview of the empirical evidence supporting exposure-based interventions for concerns such as food avoidance, overeating, binge eating, body concerns, and weight-related fears. Participants will learn how to design and implement various forms of exposure and explore strategies to address common clinical challenges, including avoidance and safety concerns. Emphasis will be placed on translating research into practice and on integrating exposure interventions within established evidence-based treatment frameworks, such as CBT-E.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Evaluate the empirical evidence supporting exposure interventions in eating and weight disorders.

2. Identify core mechanisms of action (e.g., habituation, threat expectancies, inhibitory learning) relevant to exposure-based interventions.

3. Design and implement different types of exposure strategies tailored to clinical cases.

4. Anticipate common clinical challenges to exposure interventions and discuss strategies to address them.

5. Integrate exposure techniques into broader evidence-based treatment frameworks for eating and weight disorders.

Long-term Goals:

1. Exposure-based interventions for eating and weight disorders are effective techniques for changing eating behavior and body-related concerns.

2. It is recommended to integrate exposure interventions within established evidence-based treatment frameworks, such as CBT-E. 

Recommended Readings:

Becker, C., Farrell, N. R., & Waller, G. (2019). Exposure Therapy for Eating Disorders. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/med-psych/9780190069742.001.0001

Butler, R. M., & Heimberg, R. G. (2020). Exposure therapy for eating disorders: A systematic review. Clinical Psychology Review, 78, 101851. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101851

Melles, H., Spix, M., & Jansen, A. (2021). Avoidance in Anorexia Nervosa: Towards a research agenda. Physiology & Behavior, 238, 113478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2021.113478

Schaumberg, K., Reilly, E. E., Gorrell, S., Levinson, C. A., Farrell, N. R., Brown, T. A., Smith, K. M., Schaefer, L. M., Essayli, J. H., Haynos, A. F., & Anderson, L. M. (2021). Conceptualizing eating disorder psychopathology using an anxiety disorders framework: Evidence and implications for exposure-based clinical research. Clinical Psychology Review, 83, 101952. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2020.101952

Presented by:

Marta B. Rondon, M.D., M.Sc., IDFAPA, Universidad San Martin de Porres and Instituto Nacional Materno Perinatal

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders, Violence / Aggression, Women’s Health

Keywords: Trauma, Violence / Sexual Assault, Women’s Health

Basic level of familiarity with the material.

The course will deal with:

1. The types of violence against women,a adolescents and children, where intimate partner violence (IPV) is the most common form o f gender based violence

2. The epidemiology of IPV

3. The common myths about IPV

4. The essential characteristics of a service where IPV is identified

5. The identification of the girl/adolescent/woman affected by IPV

6. The initial approach: first line intervention or LIVES

7.Evidence based psychotherapeutic interventions

8. Research gaps

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Identify a woman who is suffering from intimate partner violence.

2. Provide first line management (LIVES).

3. Provide psychological interventions as needed to women affected by IPV.

Long-term Goals:

1. Feel confident to identify and initiate a multisectoral therapeutic approach of a woman affected by IPV.

2. Apply the LIVES paradigm in all his/her contacts with women affected by violence.

Recommended Readings:

García-Moreno C, Hegarty K, d’Oliveira AF, Koziol-McLain J, Colombini M, Feder G. The health-systems response to violence against women. Lancet. 2015 Apr 18;385(9977):1567-79. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)61837-7. Epub 2014 Nov 21. Erratum in: Lancet. 2015 Apr 18;385(9977):1510. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60754-1. PMID: 25467583.

Onsjö, M., Axberg, U., Hultmann, O., & Strand, J. (2025). A mixed-methods evaluation of long-term outcomes after trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy for children subjected to family violence. Psychotherapy Research, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/10503307.2025.2469256

Lakin DP, García-Moreno C, Roesch E. Psychological Interventions for Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence in Humanitarian Settings: An Overview of the Evidence and Implementation Considerations. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022 Mar 2;19(5):2916. doi: 10.3390/ijerph19052916. PMID: 35270610; PMCID: PMC8910593.

Presented by:

Kirsty A. Clark, Ph.D., Professor, Vanderbilt University

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Assessment, Technology/Digital Health

Keywords: Measurement, Research Methods, Technology / Mobile Health

Basic to moderate level of familiarity with the material.

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) methods offer unparalleled opportunities to capture real-time data on thoughts, emotions, and behaviors as they unfold in participants’ everyday lives. Yet, developing an effective EMA protocol requires a careful balance of scientific rigor, participant engagement, ethical safeguards, and practical feasibility. This interactive, half-day workshop is designed for researchers, clinicians, and students interested in integrating EMA into their work, whether in clinical or community settings. Participants will gain a foundational understanding of EMA research, including key considerations in study design, community member involvement, measurement selection, assessment frequency and duration, participant compensation, and retention strategies. We will explore practical topics including sample size and recruitment planning, software selection, research assistant training needs, and approaches to addressing safety and ethical concerns particularly in sensitive research areas. Emerging directions such as ecological momentary interventions (EMIs) and Just-In-Time Adaptive Interventions (JITAIs) will be introduced. The workshop will blend didactic content with applied examples, including a case study of EMA design in suicide risk research with LGBTQ+ youth, and hands-on small-group activities where participants will draft components of their own EMA protocol. By the end, attendees will leave with a toolkit of best practices for turning their research questions into well-designed EMA studies.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Identify key design considerations for developing an EMA protocol, including measurement selection, assessment frequency, participant recruitment and retention, and safety and risk management considerations.

2. Discuss strategies for involving community members and experts in study design to ensure the EMA protocol is responsive to participant needs.

3. Create a preliminary EMA study plan, including practical decisions about software, recruitment, retention, and data collection logistics.

Long-term Goals:

1. Strengthen researchers’ capacity to design and conduct high-quality EMA studies that are scientifically rigorous, ethically sound, and participant-centered. 

Recommended Readings:

Clark, K., Phillips, K., Park, E., Argiros, A., Nikolaidis-Konstas, A., Sexton, J., Cyperski, M., Kleiman, E., & Pachankis, J. (2025). Development, feasibility, and acceptability of a smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment of minority stress and suicidal ideation among sexual and gender minority youth. PLOS ONE, 20(8), e0330204. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0330204

Burke, L. E., Shiffman, S., Music, E., Styn, M. A., Kriska, A., Smailagic, A., Siewiorek, D., Ewing, L. J., Chasens, E., French, B., Mancino, J., Mendez, D., Strollo, P., & Rathbun, S. L. (2017). Ecological momentary assessment in behavioral research: Addressing technological and human participant challenges. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 19(3), e77. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.7138

Russell, M. A., & Gajos, J. M. (2020). Annual Research Review: Ecological momentary assessment studies in child psychology and psychiatry. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(3), 376-394. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13204

Smith, K. E., & Juarascio, A. (2019). From ecological momentary assessment (EMA) to ecological momentary intervention (EMI): past and future directions for ambulatory assessment and interventions in eating disorders. Current psychiatry reports, 21(7), 53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-019-1046-8

Presented by:

Louise Sharpe, Ph.D., Professor, The University of Sydney

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Adult – Anxiety, Physical Health

Keywords: Anxiety, Health Anxiety, Physical Health

Basic level of familiarity with the material.

In our ageing society, the presence of chronic physical conditions is becoming more common and anxiety is a common sequalae of living with chronic disease. However, while cognitive-behavioural treatments for anxiety are associated with large effects, in the context of chronic illness, treatments have been shown to produce small changes or be ineffective. The concerns of those living with chronic illness, differ from those of people without chronic illnesses. It has recently been proposed that fear of the illness recurring or progressing is a fundamental fear that underlies anxiety in a range of conditions and is a transdiagnostic construct that impedes quality of life for people with chronic disease. This workshop will describe models of fear of disease recurrence and progression, and examine the evidence that fear of progression is a transdiagnostic construct amongst those with chronic physical illness. This workshop will outline ways to help patients to be able to think about their future with uncertainty and live a life that has meaning and value to them, using a program called ‘Conquer Fear’. Conquer fear draws from acceptance commitment therapy, meta-cognitive therapy and behavioural strategies. Conquer Fear was shown in a large randomized controlled trial to be superior to relaxation training in reducing fear of cancer recurrence (FCR). The program includes values clarification and strategies from metacognitive therapy, that examine whether worry is helpful, harmful or controllable specifically in the context of FCR will be explored. Response prevention for checking behaviours and bodily monitoring will be described and demonstrated. Although this program was developed specifically for working with people living with or beyond cancer, the applicability for working with other illnesses in which fear of progression will be addressed.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Understand and describe the theories for why some individuals develop clinically significant concerns about their disease recurring and progressing.

2. Identify effective treatment components, including values clarification, attention retraining, meta-cognitive therapy and behavioural response prevention and apply them to people with cancer and other chronic diseases.

3. Provided with the ‘Conquer Fear’ treatment manual, an evidence-based intervention targeted to treating fear of cancer recurrence in the context of early stage cancer treated with curative intent.

4. Understand how to adapt the treatment and its manual to different chronic illnesses. 

Long-term Goals:

1. To be able to identify and treat fears of disease progression in individuals with a range of chronic illness.

Recommended Readings:

Sharpe, L., Michalowski, M., Richmond, B., Menzies, R., Shaw, J. (2023). Fear of progression in chronic illnesses other than cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of a transdiagnostic construct. Health Psychology Review, 17, 301-320. 182.

Butow, P.N., Turner, J., Gilchrist, J., Sharpe, L., Smith, A.B., Fardell, J.E., Stephanie Tesson, S., O’Connell, R., Girgis, A., Gebski, V.J., Asher, R., Mihalopoulos, C., Bell, M.L., Grunewald Zola, K., Beith, J., Thewes, B. (2017) Randomized Trial of ConquerFear: A Novel, Theoretically Based Psychosocial Intervention for Fear of Cancer Recurrence. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 35, 4066-4077. 112.

Tauber, N.M., O’Toole, M.S., Dinkel, A., Galica, J., Humphris, G., Lebel, S., Maheu, C., Ozakinci, G., Prins, J., Sharpe, L., Smith, A.B., Thewes, B., Simard, S. & Zachariae, R. (2020) The Effect of Psychological Intervention on Fear of Cancer Recurrence: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 37, 2899.

Presented by:

J.D. Smith, Ph.D., Professor & Vice Chair of Research, Department of Population Health Sciences, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Dissemination & Implementation Science, Health Care System / Public Policy

Keywords: Health Care System, Implementation, Methods, Research Methods, Translational Research

Basic level of familiarity with the material.

Implementing EBTs can be a daunting challenge given the need to consider contextual factors and resource availability. Effective strategies that are well supported logically (and empirically where data is available) are central. This workshop will introduce attendees to the Implementation Research Logic Model (IRLM)-a practical tool for planning and executing implementation and practice change efforts that is generalizable across EBTs and setting types. The presenter, who is the lead developer of the IRLM, will share an updated User Guide and worksheets to aid participants in using this useful tool in their organizations.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Understand the core elements and generalizable theory underlying the IRLM.

2. Begin to use the IRLM to select strategies and plan for an implementation/change effort.

3. Gain familiarity with the IRLM’s supporting materials (e.g., User Guide, worksheets, web interface).

Long-term Goals:

1. Effective use of the IRLM to improve the implementation process and evaluation of EBTs across diverse organizations and delivery systems.

Recommended Readings:

Smith JD, Li DH, & Rafferty MR (2020). The Implementation Research Logic Model: A method for planning, executing, reporting, and synthesizing implementation projects. Implement Sci, 15:84 doi:10.1186/s13012-020-01041-8

Knapp AA, Carroll AJ, Mohanty N, Fu E, Powell BJ, Hamilton A, Burton, ND, Coldren E, Hossain TL, Limaye DP, Mendoza D, Sethi M, Padilla R, Price HE, Villamar JA, Jordan N, Langman CB, & Smith JD (2022). A stakeholder-driven method for selecting implementation strategies: A case example of pediatric hypertension clinical practice guideline implementation. Implement Sci Commun, 3:25. doi: 10.1186/s43058-022-00276-4

Presented by:

John Pachankis, Yale University

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: LGBTQ+

Keywords: Case Conceptualization / Formulation

Basic to moderate level of familiarity with the material.

Whether and what distinct treatment approaches are needed for LGBTQ clients rests on how distinct we think LGBTQ people are from heterosexual cisgender people. This workshop will argue that LGBTQ today experience distinct psychologies across life — starting with an early sense of felt differece from others, proceeding through an adulthood formed in communities with other LGBTQ people, and pursuing distinct sources of meaning and purpose throughout adulthood. Although these differences might not rise to the level of requiring a unique treatment approach, they certainly require a therapist who is knowledgeable about LGBTQ experiences and how these experiences shape LGBTQ people’s cognitive styles, affective reactions, and behavioral patterns. For example, these differences require a therapist who can detect how internal working models of self, other, and relationships are shaped by early experiences of felt difference and how the LGBTQ community itself shapes LGBTQ people’s characteristic behavioral and emotional adaptations to those experiences. LGBTQ people are also substantial consumers of mental health services — even more than their disproportionate burden of mental health problems would predict — so much so that there’s arguably a culture of therapy among this population — perhaps to fill relational voids not filled through valid mirroring of oneself-as-good that typically derives from family, parents, and community across development. Therapists must be prepared to fill that void. Of course, because LGBTQ people are made distinct by society, any unique therapy approach should probably home in on how society shapes the self and how to fix that problem imposed on LGBTQ people without losing a self, through accurate mirroring of oneself as good.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. List three ways that society shapes LGBTQ people’s cognitions, affective responses to stress, and behavioral patterns.

2. Apply minority stress theory using a cognitive-behavior framework.

3. Demonstrate application of LGBTQ-affirmative cognitive-behavioral therapy principles.

Long-term Goals:

1. Apply minority stress theory using a cognitive-behavior framework.

2. Demonstrate application of LGBTQ-affirmative cognitive-behavioral therapy principles. 

Recommended Readings:

Pachankis, J. E., Soulliard, Z. A., Morris, F., & van Dyk, I. S. (2023). A model for adapting evidence-based interventions to be LGBQ-affirmative: Putting minority stress principles and case conceptualization into clinical research and practice. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 30(1), 1-17.

Pachankis, J. E., & Clark, K. A. (2024). The mental health of sexual minority individuals: Five explanatory theories and their implications for intervention and future research. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 21.

Pachankis, J. E. & Jackson, S. D. (2023). A developmental model of the sexual minority closet: Structural sensitization, psychological adaptations, and post-closet growth. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 52, 1869-1895.

Presented by:

Michelle G. Craske, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor, Department of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Adult – Anxiety, Adult – Depression

Keywords: Anxiety, Depression, Psychotherapy Outcome, Psychotherapy Process

Moderate level of familiarity with the material.

Threat and reward sensitivity are fundamental processes that become dysregulated in the context of vulnerability to, or expression of, anxiety and depression. Treatments have traditionally targeted reductions in threat sensitivity with limited effects upon reward mechanisms. Investigation of reward sensitivity is essential for our understanding of psychopathology and for targeted treatment approaches. These findings led us to develop a treatment that specifically targets reward hyposensitivity, termed Positive Affect Treatment, which we have shown to be more effective than conventional cognitive behavioral therapy for anxious and depressed individuals. I will present the evidence from randomized controlled trials. Then I will present the step by step details of Positive Affect Treatment, accompanied by video demonstrations. The content will include treatment rationale, positive emotion labelling, behavioural activation with imaginal recounting, cognitive strategies for attending to rewarding stimuli and generosity, loving kindness, gratitude and appreciative joy exercises.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Understand the role of reward hyposensitivity in anhedonia, depression and anxiety.

2. Understand the evidence for the efficacy of Positive Affect Treatment for anhedonia.

3. Gain familiarity with the principles and procedures of Positive Affect Treatment.

Long-term Goals:

1. Become familiar with how to conduct positive affect treatment.

Recommended Readings:

Craske, M.G., Meuret, A., Echiverri-Cohen, E., Rosenfield, D., & Ritz, T. (2023). Positive affect treatment targets reward sensitivity: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 2023 Mar 9. doi: 10.1037/ccp0000805. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 36892884.

Sandman, C. F., & Craske, M. G. (2022). Psychological Treatments for Anhedonia. Current topics in Behavioral Neurosciences, 58, 491-513.

Craske, M.G., Dunn, B.D., Meuret, A.E. et al. Positive affect and reward processing in the treatment of depression, anxiety and trauma. Nat Rev Psychol 3, 665-685 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-024-00355-4

Presented by:

John F. Kelly, Ph.D., ABBP, Professor & Chair, Recovery Research Institute, Mass General Brigham AMC, Harvard Medical School

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Addictive Behaviors, Alcohol / Substance Use, Treatment / Program Design

Keywords: Addictive Behaviors, Alcohol Use, Drug Use, DSM-5, Mediation / Mediators, Medication, Recovery, Relapse, Substance Abuse

Basic level of familiarity with the material.

Substance use disorders and behavioral addictions (e.g., gambling) are among the most prevalent and debilitating psychiatric disorders worldwide conferring a massive annual burden of disease and economic drain. Much has been learned during the past 50 years regarding the etiology, pharmacology, neurobiology, epidemiology, typology, and phenomenology of addiction that has given rise to numerous advances in behavioral and medication treatments. Despite vast knowledge gains, translation, dissemination, and comprehension of that knowledge has remained limited. Common questions such as: What is “addiction” and why do some and not others people become addicted? Is addiction a “disease”? Should all drugs be legal? Can alcohol/drug use be prevented during adolescence or is use a “right of passage”? Does AA work? Should everyone go to “rehab” or is it a waste of money? Do harm minimization strategies assist remission or “enable” continued use? Are methadone/buprenorphine just “liquid handcuffs”? What treatments work best? Is abstinence necessary? Is abstinence the best outcome?”, are some of the most common questions asked that will be addressed during this workshop. Issues of classification/taxonomy and terminology will also be discussed. Participants will obtain a foundational comprehensive knowledge of the field of addiction psychology.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Delineate the substantive differences between substance use, harmful/hazardous use, misuse, disorder, and addiction.

2. Describe the historical context and scientific architecture that is responsible for the present state of addiction science.

3. Name three major theories that help to explain the process of addiction onset, course, and remission and recovery.

Long-term Goals:

1. Gain expert knowledge on the important nuances in the addiction field.

2. Understand the ways treatment effects can be amplified and prolonged. 

Recommended Readings:

Kelly JF, Volkow ND, Koh HK. The changing approach to addiction – from incarceration to treatment and recovery support. N Engl J Med 2025;392:833-836.

Kelly JF, Westerhoff C. Does it matter how we refer to individuals with substance-related problems? A randomized study with two commonly used terms. Int J Drug Policy. 2010 May;21(3):202-207. Epub 2009 Dec 14.

Kelly JF, Greene MC, Bergman BG. Beyond abstinence: Changes in indices of quality of life with time in recovery in a nationally representative sample of US adults. Alcohol Clin Exp Res.2018;42(4):770-780. Epub 2018 Feb 23.

Presented by:

Christine A. Padesky, Ph.D., Center for Cognitive Therapy – Huntington Beach, Padesky.com

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Basic Processes, Treatment – CBT, Treatment – Other

Keywords: Methods, Therapeutic Relationship, Therapy Process

All levels of familiarity with the material.

Do you sometimes struggle with common clinical traps such as clients not doing between session activities, in session avoidance, or rigid beliefs? Christine Padesky demonstrates how her 4-stage Model of Socratic Dialogue can help you effectively navigate these types of issues in ways that maximize client learning and elicit curiosity and discovery. Research suggests clients may prefer Socratic therapy methods over didactic ones (Heiniger, Clark, & Egan, 2018). Skillful therapist use of Socratic questioning has been linked to better therapy outcomes for both depression and PTSD (Braun et al., 2015; Farmer et al., 2017). Unfortunately, therapists cite guided discovery therapy methods such as Socratic questioning as the most difficult therapy skills to master (Waltman, Hall, McFarr, Beck, & Creed, 2017). Padesky’s 4-Stage Model of Socratic Dialogue (Padesky & Kennerley, 2023) makes the processes of effective guided discovery much clearer and provides a structure to help therapists develop these skills more quickly and apply them artfully. Participants learn how to: (1) Ask relevant informational questions, (2) listen empathically, and (3) make written summaries so that clients can answer (4) analytical and synthesizing questions. This workshop includes interactive discussion and clinical demonstrations that marry structure with a client-centered, collaborative, strengths-based therapy approach. Don’t miss this training opportunity to learn best practices directly from Christine Padesky, the innovator the 4-Stage Model of Socratic Dialogue.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. LIST the four stages of Socratic dialogue.

2. DESCRIBE three common circumstances in which Socratic Dialogue is likely to be utilized in therapy sessions.

3. IDENTIFY two reasons that written summaries that use clients’ exact words can be one of the most powerful therapy interventions you can make.

Long-term Goals:

1. Participants learn to use the 4-stage Model of Socratic Dialogue.

2. Participants can identify three times to use Socratic Dialogue in each therapy session to boost client discovery. 

Recommended Readings:

Braun, J. D., Strunk, D. R., Sasso, K. E., & Cooper, A. A. (2015). Therapist use of Socratic questioning predicts session-to-session symptom change in cognitive therapy for depression. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 70, 32-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2015.05.004

Heiniger, L.E., Clark, G.I., & Egan, S.J. (2018). Perceptions of Socratic and non-Socratic presentation of information in cognitive behavior therapy. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 48, 106-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2017.09.004

Padesky, C.A. (2020). The Socratic Dialogue Rating Scale and Coding Manual. Manuscript available from: https://www.padesky.com/clinical-corner/clinical-tools/

Presented by:

Cheryl B. McNeil, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Florida

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Child / Adolescent – ADHD, Child / Adolescent – Externalizing, Parenting / Families 

Keywords: Early Intervention, Parent Training, PCIT (Parent-Child Interaction Therapy)

Basic level of familiarity with the material.

This workshop describes Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), an evidence-based behavioral treatment for families of young children with disruptive behavior disorders. PCIT is based on Baumrind’s developmental theory, which holds that authoritative parenting – a combination of nurturance, good communication, and firm limits – produces optimal child mental health outcomes. In PCIT, parents learn authoritative parenting skills through direct therapist coaching of parent child interactions, guided by observational data collected in each session. Parents receive immediate guidance and feedback on their use of techniques such as differential social attention and consistency as they practice new relationship enhancement and behavioral management skills. Videotape review, slides, handouts, and experiential exercises will be used to teach participants the basic interaction skills and therapist coding and coaching skills used during treatment sessions. Applications of PCIT within special populations (ASD, child maltreatment, ADHD) will be discussed.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Participants will become knowledgeable about theoretical framework and assessment procedures used in PCIT.

2. Participants will become familiar with the child-directed component of PCIT.

3. Participants will become familiar with the parent-directed interaction component of PCIT.

4. Participants will gain knowledge about skills for coaching parents as they interact with their child in treatment sessions.

Long-term Goals:

1. Understand the principles and practices of PCIT.

2. Identify children and families who can benefit from a PCIT referral.

Recommended Readings:

Eyberg, S., Nelson, M. M., Guzick, A. G., Druskin, L. R., McNeil, C. B., & Bussing, R. (2025). An Open Randomized Controlled Trial Comparing Group and Individual Parent-Child Interaction Therapy for Preschoolers with Attention-Deficit/hyperactivity Disorder. Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1080/23794925.2025.2457147

McNeil, C.B. & Hembree-Kigin, T. (2010). Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: Second Edition. New York: Springer.

Ulaş, S., Seçer, İ., Victory, E., & McNeil, C. B. (2023, May). Scientific collaborations and research trends in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy: A bibliometric analysis. Frontiers in Psychology (Sec: Psychology for Clinical Settings), 40. | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1167937

Presented by:

Jacqueline B. Persons, Ph.D., Oakland Cognitive Behavior Therapy Center and University of California, Berkeley

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Treatment – CBT

Keywords: Case Conceptualization / Formulation

All levels of familiarity with the material.

The case formulation approach to cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) calls for clinicians to develop a cognitive-behavioral formulation of each case they are treating, use the formulation to guide the process of setting treatment goals and intervening to help the client accomplish their goals, and monitor the client’s progress in every session. Dr. Persons will introduce clinicians to some of the basic skills required to use this approach to CBT and will provide strategies and tools to help clinicians implement it in their clinical practice. Attendees will have the opportunity to practice developing some formulation hypotheses for their clients.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Develop a comprehensive Problem List for their clients.

2. Identify at least two psychological factors that maintain symptoms and problems for some of their clients.

3. Identify and obtain at least two tools to monitor their clients’ progress in treatment.

Long-term Goals:

1. To develop at least a draft case formulation for all of the patients I treat and share it with my patient.

2. To monitor progress in every session for every patient I treat.

Recommended Readings:

Padesky, C. A. (2020). Collaborative case conceptualization: Client knows best. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 27(4), 392-404. 

Persons, J. B. (2008). The case formulation approach to cognitive-behavior therapy. New York: Guilford. 

Persons, J. B., Beckner, V. L., & Tompkins, M. A. (2013). Testing case formulation hypotheses in psychotherapy: Two case examples. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 20, 399-409.   

Presented by:

Ornella Corazza, Professor, University of Trento

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Addictive Behaviors, Alcohol / Substance Use

Keywords: Addictive Behaviors, Adolescents

Basic to moderate level of familiarity with the material.

This workshop explores the latest and constantly evolving social media trends that are shaping online behaviors and influencing mental health, focusing on challenges that are often underreported in the scientific literature. Psychologists and health professionals are increasingly confronted with rapidly changing digital phenomena-ranging from new content formats and viral challenges to algorithm-driven social interactions-that may pose subtle yet significant risks to psychological well-being. Through a clinical lens, the workshop will examine how these shifting dynamics contribute to anxiety, depression, body image disturbances, and addictive behaviors, while also highlighting evidence-based therapeutic strategies and innovative digital tools designed to promote resilience and mental health in an ever-changing online environment.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Identify and analyze emerging social media trends that influence mental health, with attention to underreported or subtle psychological risks.

2. Assess the impact of digital phenomena, such as viral challenges, new content formats, and algorithm-driven interactions on anxiety, depression, body image, and addictive behaviors.

3. Apply evidence-based strategies and interventions to support resilience and well-being in clients navigating the challenges of a rapidly changing online environment.

Long-term Goals:

1. Enhanced Clinical Competence: Clinicians will develop sustained expertise in recognizing and addressing the psychological impacts of emerging and evolving social media trends.

2. Proactive Intervention Skills: Participants will be equipped to implement long-term, evidence-based strategies that mitigate risks and foster resilience in clients affected by digital phenomena.

3. Ongoing Digital Literacy: Clinicians will cultivate the ability to continuously monitor and adapt to new online behaviors and trends, maintaining up-to-date knowledge for informed assessment and intervention. 

Recommended Readings:

Keles, B., McCrae, N., & Grealish, A. (2020). A systematic review: The influence of social media on depression, anxiety, and psychological distress in adolescents. International Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 25(1), 79-93. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2019.1590851

Cataldo, I., De Luca, I., Giorgetti, V., et al. (2021). Fitspiration on social media: Body-image and other psychopathological risks among young adults. Emerging Trends in Drugs, Addiction, and Health, 1, 100010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etdah.2021.100010

Odgers, C. L., & Jensen, M. R. (2020). Annual Research Review: Adolescent mental health in the digital age: Facts, fears, and future directions. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 61(3), 336-348. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13190Tiggemann, M., & Zaccardo, M. (2018). “Exercise to be fit, not skinny”: The effect of fitspiration imagery on women’s body image. Body Image, 26, 90-97. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2018.06.003

Presented by:

Steven C. Hayes, University of Nevada, Reno and the Institute for Better Health

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Mechanisms, Technology/Digital Health, Treatment – CBT

Keywords: ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy), CBT, Therapy Process

All levels of familiarity with the material.

This workshop introduces process-based therapy (PBT) as a flexible, evidence-based framework for CBT practitioners, integrated with idionomics-a science prioritizing idiographic longitudinal data to personalize interventions. Drawing from evolutionary principles and the extended evolutionary meta-model (EEMM), participants will explore how PBT shifts from syndromal protocols to targeting dynamic processes of change (e.g., cognitive defusion, values clarification) tailored to individuals. We address the ergodic illusion in traditional statistics, demonstrating why aggregates fail personalization and how idionomic methods (e.g., ARIMAX, iBoruta) helps solve these problems. The psychological flexibility model will be used a framework for the workshop, and an expanded view of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy or Training (ACT in either case) will be used to explain key points of the general approach. Through didactic presentations, case examples, small-group exercises, and hands-on analysis of sample EMA datasets, attendees will practice building idiographic process networks, selecting therapeutic kernels, and see how AI-assisted tools can be applied for real-time adaptation. Historical context, statistical objections, and implementation challenges (e.g., scalability, ethics) will be discussed, empowering clinicians to foster equitable, context-sensitive care beyond WEIRD biases. Ideal for therapists seeking practical skills in precision behavioral health.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Describe the principles of process-based therapy and idionomics.

2. Discuss idionomic analytic tools and how they might be used to select process-based kernels.

3. Explore implementation strategies for PBT in clinical practice, including overcoming barriers like data collection and ethical considerations for diverse populations.

Long-term Goals:

1. Learning that traditional empirical approaches to evidence-based practice does not fit the clinical use case.

2. Becoming aware that there is a new type of science that will help us move from evidence-based practice to practice based evidence.

Recommended Readings:

Sahdra, B. K., Ciarrochi, J., Klimczak, K., Krafft, J., Hayes, S. C., & Levin, M. (2024). Testing the applicability of idionomic statistics in longitudinal studies: The example of ‘doing what matters.’  Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 32, 100728. DOI: 10.1016/j.jcbs.2024.100728

Hayes, S. C., Hofmann, S. G., & Ciarrochi, J. (2023). The idionomic future of cognitive behavioral therapy: What stands out from criticisms of ACT development. Behavior Therapy, 54(6), 1036-1063. DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2023.07.011

Hayes, S. C., Ciarrochi, J., Hofmann, S. G., Chin, F., & Sahdra, B. (2022). Evolving an idionomic approach to processes of change: Towards a unified personalized science of human improvement. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 156, 104155. DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2022.104155

Presented by:

Jessica L. Schleider, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Departments of Medical Social Sciences, Pediatrics, & Psychology, Northwestern University

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Care delivery models, treatment – other, transdiagnostic

Keywords: evidence based practice, transdiagnostic, treatment

All levels of familiarity with the material.

The demand for mental health services far exceeds the availability of providers, creating widespread waitlists for treatment and gaps in traditional care models. Scalable service delivery models are needed to provide interim care for facing long waitlists for care, as well as for those whose needs may not be met via dominant, once-weekly treatment approaches. Single-session interventions (SSIs), structured programs that involve just one clinic visit, provider meeting, or clinical encounter, can bridge gaps in the mental healthcare system given their concise format, relative ease of training, and low burden on systems of care. 

One form of SSIs, the Single-Session Consultation (SSC), is an evidence-based, flexible program that directly addresses the need to support people when they seek care, rather than weeks-to-months later, regardless of specific clinical needs. Grounded in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, the SSC is designed for delivery in a single 30-to-60-minute session, that can support people precisely when they reach out for mental health treatment—boosting their motivation for change and buffering against symptom declines while people wait for longer-term care. Within just one SSC meeting, clinicians can help the individual identify the tools and capabilities they already possess to solve a problem at hand and to take steps toward a future in which that problem is less influential. In multiple real-world trials, the SSC has prevented (and reduced) mental health problems in teens and adults waiting for longer-term treatment and seeking drop-in clinical services. The SSC is delivered as part of routine clinical care in outpatient-, school-, community-, and emergency room-based clinics within and beyond the United States (e.g., in Australia and Canada). The SSC can serve as: (1) an immediate offering for people placed on waitlists; (2) an adjunct to intakes, to provide clients with an action plan to address immediate needs; (3) a complement to ongoing services—to boost motivation, to address emergent problems, or as a booster session; (4) a strengths-based safety planning tool; (5) a drop-in service, for people who cannot commit to or do not desire ongoing therapy. This workshop will introduce overview to the SSC, along with guidelines for integrating it into a variety of practice settings.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Participants will be able to summarize the benefits and limitations of using the Single Session Consultation (SSC) with clients presenting with diverse clinical needs.

2. Participants will be prepared to begin delivering the SSC with clients with diverse clinical needs, with ongoing clinical supervision and support.

3. Participants will be able to evaluate the usefulness of the SSC in their own practice.

Long-term Goals:

1. Participants will be better prepared to integrate evidence-based, provider-delivered, single-session intervention approaches into their clinical practice.

Presented by:

Roz Shafran, Ph.D., Professor of Translational Psychology, University College London

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Comorbidity, Transdiagnostic, Treatment – CBT

Keywords: CBT, Clinical Decision Making, Transdiagnostic

All levels of familiarity with the material.

Perfectionism is a transdiagnostic process linked to a range of mental health difficulties, including anxiety, depression, OCD, and eating disorders. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Perfectionism (CBT-P) is a brief, evidence-based intervention designed to target the processes that maintain perfectionism. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses demonstrate that CBT-P, delivered in diverse formats, not only reduces perfectionism but also improves anxiety, depression, and disordered eating. This workshop focuses on practical CBT-P skills that can be readily integrated into everyday clinical practice, including engaging clients who perceive perfectionism as beneficial. The workshop begins with an overview of the cognitive-behavioural model of perfectionism and the latest empirical evidence supporting CBT-P. Participants will learn how to assess perfectionism, collaboratively develop shared formulations, and implement core techniques, including perfectionism-specific psychoeducation, behavioural experiments, and interventions to address self-criticism and broaden self-evaluation. Special attention will be given to treating perfectionism in the context of comorbid mental health conditions, with guidance on when to prioritise perfectionism in treatment. The workshop concludes with strategies to minimize the impact of therapist perfectionism. Attendees will leave equipped with a practical framework and evidence-based tools to address perfectionism across clinical presentations.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Understand the cognitive-behavioural model of perfectionism and its evidence base.

2. Effectively engage, assess, formulate and treat perfectionism.

3. Enhance competence in managing perfectionism in the context of co-occurring disorders.

Long-term Goals:

1. To know how to accurately identify and assess when perfectionism is a clinically relevant concern in clients.

2. To be able to formulate and implement CBT for perfectionism, including when it presents alongside anxiety, depression, OCD, and eating disorders.

Recommended Readings:

Egan, S.J., Shafran, R., & Wade, T.D. (2022). A clinician’s quick guide to evidence-based approaches: perfectionism. Clinical Psychologist, 26(3), 351-353.

Wade, T. D., Shafran, R., & Cooper, Z. (2024). Developing a protocol to address co-occurring mental health conditions in the treatment of eating disorders. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 57(6), 1291-1299.

Shafran R, Egan SJ, Wade TD. (2023). Coming of age: A reflection on the first 21 years of cognitive behaviour therapy for perfectionism. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 161, 104258.

Presented by:

Eric Stice, Ph.D, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Eating Disorders

Keywords: Evidence-Based Practice, Prevention

Basic to moderate level of familiarity with the material.

The goal of this workshop is to train clinicians to deliver an empirically supported dissonance-based body acceptance/eating disorder prevention program (the Body Project). The Body Project, which is delivered in 4 1-hour group sessions, has been shown to reduce body dissatisfaction, eating disorder symptoms, and future onset of eating disorders compared to control conditions and alternative interventions in randomized trials from multiple teams. It has produced a 62% reduction in future onset of eating disorders over 2- to 4-year follow-ups on average. It is the only prevention program to reduce future onset of eating disorders in multiple trials and to affect objective biological outcomes (e.g., reducing brain reward region response to the thin ideal, positive implicit attitudes toward the thin ideal, and attentional bias for the thin ideal). In this intervention participants engage in verbal, written, and behavioral exercises in which they collectively explore costs of pursuing the thin appearance ideal. First, the evidence-base for the Body Project will be presented, including results from randomized prevention trials and meta-analytic reviews that identified implementation factors that maximize the prevention effects. Second, the theoretical rationale for using dissonance-induction for health promotion will be provided and the rationale behind each activity reviewed. Third, tips for implementing groups will be presented. Fourth, we will conduct a mock Body Project group with conference attendees in which 2 attendees will practice implementing this intervention to a cohort of 6 additional attendees. Dr. Stice will provide live supervision so that attendees can learn how to deliver the Body Project and how to train other individuals to implement the Body Project. Finally, logistic issues regarding recruiting individuals for Body Project groups and implementing this prevention program will be discussed.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Participants will be able to summarize key elements of the evidence-base for the Body Project.

2. Participants will be able to articulate the theoretical rational for the Body Project and the use of dissonance-induction for health promotion.

3. Participants will be able to facilitate Body Project groups on their own and train others to implement the Body Project in the future.

4. Participants will gain knowledge about how to best offer Body Project groups locally. 

Long-term Goals:

1. Learn how to implement the eating disorder prevention program with the strongest evidence-base to date.

Recommended Readings:

Stice, E., Onipede, Z.A., & Marti, C.N. (2021). A meta-analytic review of trials that tested whether eating disorder prevention programs prevent eating disorders. Clinical Psychology Review, 87, 102046.

Stice, E., Marti, N., Shaw, H., & Rohde, P. (2019). Meta-analytic review of dissonance-based eating disorder prevention programs: Intervention, participant, and facilitator features that predict larger effects. Clinical Psychology Review, 70, 91-107.

Presented by:

Jianping Wang, M.D.,Ph.D., Professor, Beijing Normal University

Participants earn 3 continuing education credits.

Categories: Assessment, Treatment – CBT, Vulnerable Populations

Keywords: CBT, Grief / Bereavement

Basic to moderate level of familiarity with the material.

Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) is a newly recognized mental disorder in ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR, marked by persistent and intense grief reactions that cause substantial functional impairment. Growing evidence has demonstrated the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in alleviating PGD symptoms and improving daily functioning. This half-day workshop will provide participants with a concise overview of PGD diagnostic criteria, a grief-focused CBT conceptual framework, and specific CBT strategies designed to target maladaptive cognitions and behaviors that perpetuate grief distress. Participants will learn how to assess maladaptive grief reactions using standardized measures (e.g., Prolonged Grief-13-Revised [PG-13-R], Traumatic Grief Inventory-Self Report Plus [TGI-SR+]), along with tools to evaluate grief-related thoughts and avoidance patterns. Building on assessment, the workshop will highlight practical CBT interventions, including cognitive restructuring to challenge unhelpful beliefs, exposure techniques to reduce avoidance, and behavioral activation to restore functioning. Grief-focused CBT will also emphasize grief work aimed at processing the loss experience, understanding the significance of the loss, and fostering a continuing bond with the deceased. In addition, the workshop will address common clinical challenges in grief-focused CBT and strategies for tailoring interventions to individual needs and cultural contexts. By the end of the session, participants will gain both conceptual clarity and hands-on skills for integrating CBT into therapeutic work with bereaved clients suffering from PGD.

At the end of this session, the learner will be able to:

1. Use assessment tools (e.g., PG-13-R) in evaluating PGD and identifying prolonged grief symptoms, maladaptive cognitions, and avoidance.

2. Understand the development of PGD according to the case conceptualization of the grief-focused CBT.

3. Applying CBT techniques (e.g., exposure, cognitive restructuring, behavioral activation) and grief-specific interventions (e.g., processing the loss experience) in treating individuals with PGD.

Long-term Goals:

1. Participants will be able to conduct assessments of grief reactions and formulate CBT-based case conceptualizations.

2. Participants will strengthen their clinical ability to design personalized, evidence-based interventions for clients with PGD. 

Recommended Readings:

Prigerson, H. G., et al. (2021). Prolonged Grief Disorder: Psychometric validation of criteria in the ICD-11 and DSM-5-TR. World Psychiatry, 20(1), 96-106.

Komischke-Konnerup, K. B., O’Connor, M., Hoijtink, H., & Boelen, P. A. (2025). Cognitive-behavioral therapy for complicated grief reactions: treatment protocol and preliminary findings from a naturalistic setting. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 32(1), 29-43.

Rosner, R., Rau, J., Kersting, A., Rief, W., Steil, R., Rummel, A. M., … & Comtesse, H. (2025). Grief-specific cognitive behavioral therapy vs present-centered therapy: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA psychiatry, 82(2), 109-117.