Our Courses
Our Course List
Law and Ethics Series
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Surviving a Licensing Board Action (1.5 hrs) This 1.5 hour course addresses complaints, investigations and adjudications made by licensing boards against licensed mental health professionals. Psychologist and attorney A. Steven Frankel, PhD, JD, ABPP, clarifies how administrative law (which governs licensing boards) differs from civil and criminal law, including burdens of proof, rights of the accused and the nature of penalties. He carefully examines the processes and procedures associated with licensing board actions, including how boards process/review/investigate complaints, steps along the way at which cases may be closed or progress to hearings, advantages and disadvantages of having hearings and the role of the administrative attorney in assisting the accused. Finally, Dr. Frankel reviews outcomes of actions against professionals, the impact of these outcomes on the lives and livelihoods of professionals and their clients, options to be considered, and ways to protect against licensing board actions with record-keeping, practice patterns and malpractice insurance. |
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Law, Ethics and Risk Management (6 hrs) This 6-hour course covers topics most frequently requested by hundreds of clinician participants who completed our previous versions. Nationally recognized psychologist and attorney A. Steven Frankel, PhD, JD, ABPP provides you with tools and resources to more effectively deal with critical legal and ethical issues, and to avoid pitfalls that frequently confront licensed therapists in the current regulatory climate. Topics include Coping With Threats by Patients, Testifying in Court, Suicide Assessment, Terminating Difficult Clients, Supervision, Malpractice Suits, "Side Businesses" and Innovative Ideas, Telehealth and E-Health, and Practicing Across State Lines. |
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Risk Management (6 hrs) This 6-hour course provides you with tools and resources to more effectively deal with legal/ethical issues and dilemmas that frequently confront licensed therapists. Instructor A. Steven Frankel, PhD, JD, ABPP first uses the doctrine of informed consent to define core issues between ethical, legal, and regulatory forces that create potential challenges and pitfalls for therapists. Next, he discusses legal and ethical standards for maintaining current records including privacy, content, retention and storage, patient access, dealing with subpoenas for records, and current HIPAA regulations. Finally, Dr. Frankel clarifies the concepts of confidentiality and privilege for adults and children, when/how to assert privilege in deposition and/or courtroom, and provides structured guidelines to minimize risk when working with custody-related issues and divorcing families. |
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Legal and Clinical Issues With Elders (2 hrs) This 2-hour course is designed to provide practitioners with an overview of some legal, ethical and clinical issues that are frequently encountered in work with older adults. Psychologist and attorney, Adam D. Alban, PhD, JD, first guides viewers through a segment on elder abuse. Subtopics within this segment include physical abuse, neglect, self-neglect, and financial abuse. Dr. Alban next reviews reporting mechanisms for mandatory reporters. He next provides an overview of substituted judgment, legal mechanisms whereby adults with diminishing cognitive capacities receive assistance from others. Subtopics in this segment include frequently mentioned, but often misunderstood instruments such as conservatorships, guardianships, powers of attorney, and advance medical directives. |
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Surviving a Malpractice Lawsuit (1.5 hrs) This 1.5-hour course is designed to acquaint mental health professionals with the world of malpractice litigation. Instructor and attorney, John L. Fleer, PhD, JD, offers important information to help prepare the clinician for the possibility of a lawsuit, acquaint the clinician with the language and procedures that occur in the context of lawsuits, and suggest ways to cope with the stresses and strains inherent in going through a lawsuit. Topics include ways that clinicians can know that a lawsuit will be filed, what steps to take in preparation for dealing with it, which reactions are to be avoided, what the plaintiff must prove in order to win the suit, the role of malpractice insurance in the process of dealing with the suit, and what the middle- and long-term consequences of being sued might be. |
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Law & Ethics Greatest Hits (6 hrs) This workshop reviews the areas of professional functions that have been most associated with legal and regulatory problems for mental health professionals, including sexual and non-sexual boundary violations, law/psych interfaces, competence, moral offenses, licensing board and malpractice actions. The workshop covers these problems and ways of avoiding and/or managing them. |
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Western States - Law Ethics and Risk Management (6 hrs) This is a 6-hour course designed to meet state licensure requirements for psychologists, licensed clinical social workers marriage & family counselors and licensed counselors. The material is also relevant for psych nurses & certified alcohol and drug abuse counselors. The intial 3-hours of the program begin with a review of the general issue of threats that come to the attention of clinicians, including threats by patients/clients against others, threats reported to clinicians about patients/clients by others, patient/client reports of threats by others, etc. We continue with issues concerning the interface between the work of clinicians and the legal system, including subpoenas, forms of testimony and locations of testimony. |
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Dancing with the Risks - CAPP (6 hrs) This six-hour workshop in law, ethics and regulation focuses on three of the four most frequent causes for actions against mental health professionals, nationwide. Since the 2010-2011 law/ethics/regulation workshop focused primarily on boundary violations (including sexual contact between professional and patient/client), this 2012-2013 workshop focuses on incompetence, criminal convictions and cases involving high conflict custody problems. There are two versions of the workshop for California mental health professionals – one for private practitioners and one for full-time agency employees, along with the same two versions for non-California mental health professionals. The workshop emphasizes awareness and management of risk factors in the major areas of high risk practice. |
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Dancing with the Risks - For Agencies (6 hrs) This six-hour workshop in law, ethics and regulation focuses on three of the four most frequent causes for actions against mental health professionals, nationwide. Since the 2010-2011 law/ethics/regulation workshop focused primarily on boundary violations (including sexual contact between professional and patient/client), this 2012-2013 workshop focuses on incompetence, criminal convictions and cases involving high conflict custody problems. There are two versions of the workshop for California mental health professionals – one for private practitioners and one for full-time agency employees, along with the same two versions for non-California mental health professionals. The workshop emphasizes awareness and management of risk factors in the major areas of high risk practice. |
Child Custody Evaluator Training Series
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Forensic Assessment of Children (3 hrs) This is a 3-hour intermediate-level presentation designed to help experienced child clinicians learn concepts and principles associated with conducting, presenting and defending forensic assessments of minors in the context of special education and dependency court venues. The program covers the interface between clinical work vs. forensic work, the role of the forensic evaluator in each of the two venues, statutory and regulatory issues including who holds the minor’s “privilege,” who is the “client” of the forensic evaluator and the standards of practice for forensic evaluators as applied to formal and interview forms of assessment and collateral evidence. Problems associated with report writing and the provision of deposition, hearing and trial testimony will be addressed, as will particular and unique problems associated with each of the two venues. |
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High Conflict and Alienation (3.5 hrs) This 3.5-hour course, taught by internationally recognized expert, Philip M. Stahl, PhD, ABPP. For many child custody evaluators and attorneys, the task of dealing with high conflict families can be very difficult. The parents in these cases often have personality traits that further and reinforce the conflicts and make resolution very difficult. Additionally, other factors, including litigation and lengthy court processes may contribute to the conflict between parents. When families are in high conflict, a potential effect is the alienation of children. Children are at risk of becoming alienated when exposed to the conflict and when parents behave and stimulate emotions which lead to loyalty conflicts. This workshop will guide the evaluator through an understanding of the dynamics of high conflict families, the ways that conflict manifest, and strategies to help courts and families reduce the conflict. In addition, the workshop focuses on the dynamics of alienation, and how some children become estranged and alienated from a parent with whom they previously had a healthy relationship. Alienation cases will be differentiated from abuse cases or others in which children have historically had a poor relationship with one of their parents. Finally, strategies for dealing with alienation will be explored.. |
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Relocation Issues in Divorce (2 hrs) This new 2-hour course, taught by internationally recognized expert, Philip M. Stahl, PhD, ABPP, focuses on the issue of relocation for children of divorce, one of the most difficult with which child custody evaluators and judges must deal. There is limited research to help guide the evaluator in formulating considerations when one parent wants to move with his/her children, and the other parent wants the children to remain in the current location. Consideration of children's best interests in a relocation case requires a complex understanding of various factors identified in the psychological literature as well as various state statutes and case law. Throughout the course, Dr. Stahl guides the evaluator through an understanding of the research, the typical factors which need to be understood, and will identify the risk-benefit analysis which is encouraged in each of these cases. |
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2009 Domestic Violence Update for Child Custody Evaluators (4 hrs) This new 4-hour course is designed to satisfy California Rules of Court 5.225 and 5.230 requirements for 2009 or 2010 to become eligible or continue to perform child custody evaluations. Throughout the course, internationally recognized expert,Philip M. Stahl, PhD. ABPP, focuses on the most recent research associated with Domestic Violence in family law cases. Dr. Stahl identifies the concept of differentiation of different types of domestic violence, the forms it takes, and the most recent and comprehensive research associated with this violence which reveal that "One Size Does Not Fit All". By focusing on the differentiated forms of violence, he also identifies important differences between Coercive Controlling Violence (CCV), Situational Couples Violence (SCV), and Separation Instigated Violence (SIV). |
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Risk Management and Ethical Issues for Custody Evaluators (6 hrs) This 6-hour course is designed to satisfy California Rule of Court 5.225 to become eligible or continue to perform child custody evaluations. Instructor Philip M. Stahl, PhD. ABPP and psychologist-attorney A. Steven Frankel, PhD, JD, ABPP examine the revised AFCC Child Custody Model Standards, and discuss a variety of important ethical and legal issues in family law including record-keeping, confidentiality and privilege, limits on immunity, and responding to licensing Board investigations. |
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Psychological and Legal Issues for Custody Evaluators (2 hrs) This 2-hour course is designed to satisfy California Rule of Court 5.225 to become eligible or continue to perform child custody evaluations. Instructor Philip M. Stahl, PhD. ABPP examines important research, trends, and California case laws affecting families and the courts. |
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2011 Domestic Violence Update (4 hrs) This 4-hour course will highlight relevant and new research associated with domestic violence and divorcing families and integrate an understanding of new and relevant case and statutory laws in California. This workshop is designed to meet the requirements of California Rule of Court 5.225 (E) 3, 9, & 21 and Rule of Court 5.230. |
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2011 Custody Evaluator Update (8 hrs) This 8-hour course will again focus on critical and emerging issues in the evaluation and understanding of families in high conflict divorce. With a special focus on attachment and evaluation of families under age 3, Drs. Stahl, Rhodes, and Frankel will walk participants through a thorough understanding of the latest research, relevant case law, ethical and risk management issues, and relocation matters for divorcing families. |
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2012 Domestic Violence Update (4 hrs) California courts require custody evaluators to have an annual update on legal and psychological issues related to Domestic Violence. The course will address new research an new laws as required by Rule of Court 5.230. Additionally, Ms. Emberly Cross will focus on the latest California laws and proposed statutes. In addition, along with Dr. Simon, participants will brainstorm various case scenarios to helpin the consideration of evaluation strategies and assessment practices. |
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2012 Child Custody Evaluator Update (8 hrs) Child Custody work and mental health work in family law continues to be risky and ethically challenging. In addition, many therapists do not understand pertinent issues related to family law. In this 8-hour custody evaluation update, Drs. Stahl, Simon, and Jennifer Kresge , MA, LMFT will present the latest research and relevant case law, ethical and risk management issues, and relocation matters for divorcing families. |
Clinical Supervision Series
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Foundations of Clinical Supervision - CA Version (6 hrs) This 6-hour course includes supervision topics, laws and regulations specific for California supervisors. Throughout the course, Instructor Steven M. Sultanoff, PhD differentiates roles and responsibilities of mental health supervisors. Dr. Sultanoff introduces the concept of clinical supervision and how it differs from other types of mental health relationships. He next explores the nature of learning and the supervision process, and reviews skill learning and specific behavioral responses that facilitate or inhibit the clinical process. Dr. Sultanoff then explains models of supervision such as case consultation, and analyzes actual supervision videos and vignettes that illustrate the concepts presented. He next examines transcription supervision, supervisee reactions to clients and supervisors, and strategies to deal with difficult supervisees. Finally, Dr. Sultanoff reviews and discusses current California rules and regulations affecting mental health supervision. |
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Foundations of Clinical Supervision - US Version (6 hrs) This 6-hour course includes supervision topics and risk management issues for supervisors outside of California. Throughout the course, Instructor Steven M. Sultanoff, PhD differentiates roles and responsibilities of mental health supervisors. Dr. Sultanoff introduces the concept of clinical supervision and how it differs from other types of mental health relationships. He next explores the nature of learning and the supervision process, and reviews skill learning and specific behavioral responses that facilitate or inhibit the clinical process. Dr. Sultanoff then explains models of supervision such as case consultation, and analyzes actual supervision videos and vignettes that illustrate the concepts presented. He next examines transcription supervision, supervisee reactions to clients and supervisors, and strategies to deal with difficult supervisees. Finally, Dr. Sultanoff offers important tips and details risk management issues including supervisee/client boundary issues, documentation and record keeping, and danger signs of at risk supervisees. |
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Clinical Supervision: Topical Issues (6 hrs) This 6-hour course focuses on advanced topics and issues for mental health supervisors to help enhance and expand your process as a clinical supervisor. Throughout the course, Instructor Steven M. Sultanoff, PhD guides you through an array of advanced supervision topics including various models of supervision, working with difficult supervisees, and selecting, assessing, and terminating supervisees. Dr. Sultanoff carefully examines and discusses important issues such as group supervision, understanding bias, and various case evaluation techniques, utilizing videos and vignettes that illustrate the concepts presented. Finally, he offers his gems of supervision, methods of record keeping, and how “blink” moments may impact both supervision and psychotherapy. |
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SFG's Trauma Series
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Pyschology of Trauma & PTSD (4 hrs) This course addresses the broad range of phenomena that fall under the rubric of “trauma,” exposing attendees both to the major controversies that have developed around definitions of trauma and to the practical controversies that have emerged around proper treatment of trauma and its sequelae. We will consider types of trauma that range from childhood abuse through here-and-now traumatic experiences such as auto accidents, rape, muggings, terrorist attacks, war veterans, etc. The morning section of the course considers the emerging data on “resilience” (a construct that seeks to account for individual variations in response to traumatic events – do some people function “better” than others after trauma?) and on attachment theory (an area of research that speaks quite directly to issues of resilience). We will also cover the topics of “chronic complex trauma” and the trauma associated with “tonic immobility.” Assessment will also be covered in the morning session. The afternoon session focuses on treatment approaches, ranging from exposure techniques (with a videotaped presentation of one approach to exposure treatment) to cognitive-behavioral and depth psychotherapies, to the “power therapies” like “EMDR,” with information about the relative efficacy of these approaches. |
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Borderline Personality Disorder (4 hrs)The primary goal of this 4-hour course is to provide a frame of reference for clinicians to understand and appreciate the borderline patient/client from a perspective that includes and integrates the etiologic pathways to the disorder, symptoms and their meanings, the roles of resilience (including the sub-category of attachment), helpful/unhelpful treatment assumptions which emerge in the context of clinician countertransference and treatment targets and strategies. The course uses clinical examples and vignettes as a primary teaching tools, along with practical examples of handouts for both patients/clients and clinicians, some of which were developed by the presenter and others of which were developed by Marcia Linehan, Ph.D., and are available through her publications. |
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Risk Management with Trauma Survivors (6 hrs) This is a 6-hour presentation designed to assist clinicians with the identification and management of the risks attendant to the diagnosis and treatment of the posttraumatic and dissociative disorders. The program begins with a review of the symptomatology of Acute Stress Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, the Dissociative Disorders and Borderline Personality Disorder. We then turn to a discussion of the role of shame in the formation, management and treatment of these disorders, followed by a discussion of the attendant risk categories, with recommendations for high quality and safe treatment approaches as well as vulnerability and care for treating clinicians. |
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Trauma and Dissociation: Assessment & Treatment (5 hrs) This 5-hour course is designed for professionals who are currently treating dissociative disorders, or those who would like an overview of the field. Internationally recognized expert, A. Steven Frankel, PhD, JD, ABPP, presents the latest information in the theory and research, assessment, treatment, and risk management issues of working with dissociative disorders. Dr. Frankel first examines the major theory and research contributing to our understanding of dissociative disorders, with particular focus on trauma, resilience and attachment research. He next focuses on assessment, with a review of screening and diagnostic instruments, and ways to understand and assess the frequently-appearing comorbid disorders of Borderline Personality Disorder (and other personality disorders), Somatoform Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and issues of Factitious Disorder and Malingering. He then focuses on the treatment of dissociative disorders, including issues of treatment frame and boundaries, communicating with “alters,” transference/countertransference problems, use of specialized techniques such as hypnosis. Special problem areas include memory, treatment trajectories and integration. |
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A Guided Tour Through the Halls of Shame (1 hr) This one-hour course was recorded live in the spring of 2010 at a conference of 500 line clinicians, affiliated with the County of San Mateo, California. It was a plenary presentation designed to define, describe and delimit the critical role of shame in the lives of survivors of child abuse trauma. The course begins with a definition of shame and the distinguishing of shame from other emotions, including embarrassment, humiliation, self-consciousness and guilt. We then turn to a discussion of resilience, how it may be assessed and its role in the response to shame. We follow with shame-based dysfunction, as manifest in emotional, cognitive, self- and behavioral dysregulation. Finally, we address the role of these impact of these dysregulations on interactions with clinicians, including traumatic transference and countertransference. |
Practice Development Series
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How to Build a Full and Rewarding Practice (2 hrs) This 2-hour course is designed to help you ethically and effectively market your mental health services. Internationally recognized expert and consultant, Casey L. Truffo, MFT, explores why many therapists in private practice feel uncomfortable about marketing their practice because they they see it as "selling themselves". Casey skillfully explains how an effective and ethical marketing effort can help your community learn how you can help those in pain. Finally, she focuses on import practice related issues including, how your family of origin issues about money can impact your private practice success, the four marketing personality types, community marketing activities, online marketing activities, and five parts to an effective marketing plan. |
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Integrating the Internet Into Your Practice (2 hrs) 2-hour course is designed to help you learn how to use Internet technology to ethically expand your community outreach and practice development. Internationally recognized expert and consultant, Casey L. Truffo, MFT, explores how increased consumer use of the Internet gives therapists new ways to reach potential clients. Casey skillfully explains how to ethically bring an Internet component to your community outreach strategies. She focuses on a wide variety of useful Internet technologies including websites, blogs, online therapist locator services, pay-per-click advertising, credit card services, online assessments, and appointment schedulers. Finally in a bonus section, she discusses a growing trend of creating and selling specialty information products (e.g., workbooks, e-books, CDs, audio recordings) on the Internet, allowing clinicians to reach more people than in one-to-one sessions. |
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High Risk Professional Relationships
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Managing High Risk Professional Relationships (2 hrs) In this unique 2-hour course, master clinician, teacher, and author, Lawrence H. Hedges, PhD, ABPP examines psychodynamic factors that constitute risks for both clients and therapists in today's litigious atmosphere. After reviewing how intrapsychic modes of relating affect professional relationships, Dr. Hedges offers practical suggestions how to avoid and manage transference- or resistance-based accusations. |
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Humor in Psychotherapy
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Clinical Applications of Humor in Psychotherapy (6 hrs) This 6-hour course is designed to introduce you to the “serious” nature of humor in psychotherapy, as taught by internationally recognized expert and pioneer "mirthologist", Steven M. Sultanoff, PhD. Throughout the course, Dr. Sultanoff explores the nature of humor by using an entertaining variety of stories, props, cartoons, and video clips. He skillfully integrates multimedia information to help you discover the complex factors underlying humor, its potency as a clinical tool, and the theory and rationale for its application in psychotherapy. Finally, Dr. Sultanoff focuses on how humor may be used as a diagnostic and treatment tool, as well as a mechanism to enhance communication and deepen the therapeutic alliance. |
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Webinars/Private Conferences
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Law/Ethics Webinar - 1E (1 hrs) Steve Frankel conducted this 1-hr, live-recorded private conference on February 26th, 2011. Each topic was discussed with an eye toward managing risk while providing services at or above the standards of care for mental health professionals. Attendees posted questions. |
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Law/Ethics Webinar - 2E (1 hrs) Steve Frankel conducted this 1-hr, live-recorded private conference on March 18th, 2011 at 9:00 AM PST. This one-hour webinar addressed two issues of fundamental importance to practicing clinicians: coping with patient/client threats of lawsuits and/or licensing board actions, and understanding/implementing boundaries and boundary management. |
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Law/Ethics Webinar - 3E (1 hrs) This 1-hr, live-broadcast private conference was recorded on April 16th 2011 at 9:00 AM PST. This one-hour webinar addresses an issue of fundamental importance to practicing clinicians: sexual boundary violations. We begin with a discussion of ways that our professions became aware of sexual boundary violations, leading to ethical standards proscribing such behavior. |
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Webinar - NGPHP1 (1 hrs) This one-hour webinar is a private conference devoted to three topics:
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A. Steven Frankel, PhD, JD, ABPP |
Webinar - NGPHP2 (1 hrs) This one-hour webinar addresses two issues of fundamental importance to practicing clinicians: coping with patient/client threats of lawsuits and/or licensing board actions, and understanding/implementing boundaries and boundary management. |
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Webinar - NGPHP3 (1 hrs) This one-hour webinar addresses an issue of fundamental importance to practicing clinicians: sexual boundary violations. We begin with a discussion of ways that our professions became aware of sexual boundary violations, leading to ethical standards proscribing such behavior. We continue with a review of the research on harms to patients/client as well as to clinicians resulting from such violations, the roles of expert witnesses and mental health malpractice insurance in defending against such claims and a discussion of which patients/clients and clinicians are at risk. Finally, we discuss ways to identify and manage risk, including a self-administered assessment instrument that has been used to research risk factors. |
