Class 1
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM ET
Social Media, Living for Whom? The Impact of Insta-Living on Mental Wellness and Brain Development
Recent data shows a sharp rise in anxiety and depression among young adults and youth (GenZ). Haidt (2024) links increased suicidality in girls and "failure to launch" in boys to the prevalence of social media and video gaming. To address this crisis, we must first understand how emotional regulation develops, enabling confidence in risk-taking, decision-making, and self-identity. When these developmental processes are disrupted by an unhealthy environment, mental health declines. Therapy can support these missed developmental opportunities through neurobiological, cognitive-behavioral, and attachment-based interventions.
(Trainers: Rebecca Soffer, PhD, is the undergraduate deputy chair of psychology at the Lander College of Arts and Sciences in Brooklyn, NY. As a licensed clinical developmental psychologist, Dr. Soffer is the founder and Clinical Director of Developmental Partners LP, a private practice providing developmental assessments for children in the tri-state area.
Frimi Faye Walkenfeld, Ph.D., chairs the Department of Behavioral Science at the Touro University School of Health Sciences, where she is also an Associate Professor and serves as adjunct faculty in Touro University's PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology. A New York–licensed psychologist with a private practice, she earned her Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from the City University of New York. Her research explores how behavioral and cognitive processes shape development across the lifespan.
Meira L. Orentlicher, PhD, OT, FAOTA, CRA is an occupational therapist with specialization in developmental disabilities and pediatrics. Currently, she is the Associate Dean, Research and Faculty Scholarship in the School of Health Sciences of Touro University. Her research and clinical experience focus on preparing adolescents and young adults with developmental disabilities and their families for the transition from school to adult life. She presented numerous presentations and published articles and book chapters on transition, school-based occupational therapy, and the role of occupational therapy in addressing the needs of individuals with autism and their families.)
3 Hours
Class 2
1:45 PM - 4:45 PM ET
From Awareness to Action: The Ethics of Trauma-Informed Care
Trauma is ubiquitous, with far-reaching negative impacts on individuals and communities. Mental health providers need to be competent in bringing a trauma-informed ethical decision-making framework into their clinical practice, agencies, and systems, in order to actively counter the effects of trauma while promoting healing, resilience, and recovery. This foundational training offers clinicians a comprehensive introduction to the core tenets of trauma-informed care (TIC), while integrating the ethical principles guiding our profession, and highlighting cultural awareness and cultural humility as essential cornerstones of our work. Professional challenges like burnout, vicarious trauma, and boundaries will be examined through an ethical, trauma-informed lens, and strategies for how to mitigate such challenges will be addressed. In addition to didactic and reflective elements, the TIC principles and ethical codes of conduct will be brought to life through thought-provoking case scenarios - so participants can move from awareness to application to action.
(Trainer: Lindsay Murn, PhD, CCTP is a Licensed Psychologist in Minnesota with over 17 years of clinical, assessment, and consulting experience spanning multiple settings. Her clinical specialties include trauma-informed psychotherapy and assessments for adults looking to deepen their self-understanding and foster resilience. In addition, Dr. Murn is dedicated to training the next generation of professionals as a clinical supervisor, consultant, and professional development trainer.)
3 Hours