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1. Analyze the core principles of popular modern theories, methods, and approaches in group psychotherapy, such as Modern Psychoanalytic, Systems-Centered Therapy, Expressive, and Cognitive-based models.
2. Apply neuroscience understanding of human attunement, Polyvagal Theory, interpersonal neurobiology, and the whole-person approach to the practice of group therapy.
3. Evaluate the benefits and challenges of the group therapy modality to increase effectiveness and encourage institutional understanding and support.
4. Critique various types of groups and their aims and functions in order to select appropriate group structure, topic choice, and membership to enhance client engagement and reduce adverse outcomes.
5. Consider various stages of group development, including the creation of subgroups, “leveling out”, synergizing, and identification of termination needs and practices, to promote participation and growth at each phase.
6. Test traditional paradigms regarding the value of silence, resistance, and degrees of empathy in group interactions.
7. Explore the ethics involved in group therapy, including HIPAA/confidentiality, facilitator role, dual-relationship issues and more.
8. Assess your leadership style, orientation, approach, and methods of self-care to boost leader engagement, and reduce burn-out.
9. Practice transference, countertransference, immediacy, bridging, reciprocity, and other group-related experiences to increase group connections and build intimacy.
10. Utilize new skills in addressing microaggression, resistance, and other threats to vertical and horizontal group cohesion.
11. Connect group modalities and their issues as they apply to children, adolescents, adults, and special populations.
12. Create a plan for effective evaluation of group progress and responsive modification.

Group Therapy Today: Advances in Research and Efficacy of Treatment Approaches

• The evolution of group therapy practices
• Current trends in research and evidence-based treatment
• Benefits and barriers of a healthy group experience

Neuroscience-Informed Group Therapy: How Brain-Based Group Interventions Improve Outcomes

• Therapeutic application of the Polyvagal Theory
• The role of interpersonal neurobiology
• Attachment and attunement
  • Comorbidity between attachment and DSM-5® diagnoses
• What the research tells us about the benefits of group therapy
  • Building new neuropathways
  • Platform for modeling secure attachment-based interpersonal behavior
  • Reduce shame and increase sense of acceptance, connection and self-worth
  • Real-time practice and feedback for skill building
• Current research, potential risks & limitations

Evidence-Based Models of Group Therapy: Find the Right Fit for You and Your Setting

• Modern psychoanalytic
• Systems-centered
• Expressive
• Cognitive-based

PRINCIPLES & GOALS FOR EFFECTIVE GROUP PRACTICE
Pre-group Development: Setting the Stage for Success

• Group types and functions: psychoeducational, process, cognitive, expressive and more!
• Group structure considerations: logistics, duration/frequency, open/closed
• Topic, approach, rationale for group
• Member selection
• Consideration of unique client needs
• Who is not appropriate for group therapy?
• Engaging the skeptical/resistant client
• What to do when the members are chosen for you

Group Therapy in Action: Strategies for Building Cohesion, Trust and Therapeutic Progress

• Yalom’s 11 therapeutic factors
• Going beyond “forming, norming, storming and performing”
• Agreements and goal setting
• Stages of group development
  • Sub-grouping
  • ”Leveling out”
  • Synergizing
• Strategies to build immediacy, reciprocity, bridging
• How to navigate transference/countertransference
• Managing threats to cohesion:
  • Micro-aggressions
  • Affective dysregulation
  • Resistance
  • Aggression/passive aggression
  • Absenteeism/tardiness
  • Other therapy-interfering behaviors
• Vertical v. horizontal group cohesion
• The therapeutic value of silence
• Degrees of empathy
• Ongoing evaluation and responsive modification

Termination: Techniques for Facilitating a Healthy Transition and Continued Therapeutic Progress

• When, how, and why group therapy ends
• Common client reactions to termination (and how to handle them)
  • Grief
  • Ambivalence
  • Denial
  • Regression
  • And more!
• Rituals and celebrations
• How to facilitate a healthy goodbye process

Post-Group Evaluation: Essential Steps for Improving Efficacy of the Group Model

• Evaluation methods & tools
• Debriefing and self-evaluation
• Troubleshooting common issues and pitfalls

Ethical and Legal Issues Specific to Group Therapy: Protect Yourself, Manage Liability and Provide Quality Care

• Comprehensive informed consent
• HIPAA/confidentiality considerations
• Dual relationships/conflicts of interest
• Boundary setting
• Therapist use of self-disclosure
• Maintaining professional standards
• Providing ethical evaluation and course correction
• Documentation considerations
• Crisis management

Clinical Considerations

• Setting-specific concerns
• Modifications for children and adolescents
• Special populations
• School-based groups
• Tips for getting institutional support of the group model
• Multicultural factors
• Crisis management procedures

Hannah Smith, MA, LMHC, CGP, an author, business owner, and innovator, is a licensed mental health therapist and internationally board-certified group psychotherapist, consultant & clinical trainer with nearly 25 years of experience in her dual passions: helping others recover from multiple difficult life circumstances and improve their well-being and enhancing the knowledge of clinicians who work in the field of clinical care. With undergraduate degrees in hard sciences and master’s degrees in in special education and counseling psychology, she combines her knowledge in unique ways to analyze and synthesize difficult concept into "feet-to-the-pavement," practical applications for clinical practitioners at all levels. She has done extensive study and work in neuroscience-informed treatment of anxiety and trauma and is certified in interpersonal neurobiology through the Mindsight Institute. Her work experience, both in the US and abroad, has given her a unique perspective, cross-cultural awareness, sensitivity & respect, and a relatability that puts people at ease and makes her highly approachable. Her dynamic and thought-provoking, teaching style is invigorating, making learning fun, personal, and practical.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Hannah Smith maintains a private practice and receives a speaking honorarium from Cascadia Training. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Hannah Smith is a member of the American Group Psychotherapy Association, and the Washington Mental Health Counselors Association.

Save time and $10 off the price of other submission methods – purchase & take the CE test online for $19.99 USD per participant. Additional processing fees apply for other submission methods (i.e. mail, fax, etc.). Please contact our Customer Service at 1-800-844-8260 for more details.

Listed below are the continuing education credit(s) currently available for this non-interactive self-study package. Please note, your state licensing board dictates whether self study is an acceptable form of continuing education. Please refer to your state rules and regulations.

Certificates of Successful Completion are available for email, download and/or printing from your online account immediately following the successful completion of the post-test/evaluation.

**Materials that are included in this course may include interventions and modalities that are beyond the authorized practice of mental health professionals. As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your professions standards.

All members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners. For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.

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Addiction Counselors

This self-study course has been approved by PESI, Inc., as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for 12.5 CE in the Counseling Services skill group. NAADAC Provider #77553. PESI, Inc. is responsible for all aspects of their programming. Full attendance is required; no partial credit will be awarded for partial attendance.

California Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Counselors (CADTP): PESI, Inc. is an approved provider by the CADTP, Provider #: 201. This Category H activity meets the qualifications for 12.5 CEU's (continuing education hours).

Connecticut Addiction Counselors: Provider #120924. This course has been approved as a CCB approved training and has been awarded 12.5 hours by the Connecticut Certification Board.

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Counselors
This intermediate self-study activity consists of 12.5 clock hours of continuing education instruction. Credit requirements and approvals vary per state board regulations. Please save the course outline, the certificate of completion you receive from the activity and contact your state board or organization to determine specific filing requirements.

California Counselors: The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE programs that are approved by other approval agencies, including several that approve PESI and its programs. A full list of approval agencies accepted by the BBS can be found at www.bbs.ca.gov/licensees/cont_ed.html under “Where to find CE Courses.” This Intermediate level self-study activity consists of 12.0 clock hours of continuing education instruction.

Florida Social Mental Health Counselors: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider with the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling. Provider Number 50-399. This self-study course qualifies for 12.5 continuing education credits.

Missouri Counselors: CE credit is available. This self-study course consists of 12.5 continuing education clock hours for Missouri Counselors. The Missouri Committee for Professional Counselors accepts continuing education programs relevant to counseling that are provided by organizations recognized by national social worker associations. PESI, Inc. is recognized by a national social worker association. Please see social work approvals for this program.

Montana Counselors: The Montana Board of Behavioral Health no longer pre-approves any courses or sponsors. Each licensee is responsible for taking courses which contribute to their competence and directly relate to their scope of practice as defined in board statute (MAR 24-219-32). Licensees must keep CE documentation for three years in case of an audit. This intermediate level self-study activity consists of 12.5 clock hours of instruction.

New York Counselors: PESI, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department's (NYSED) State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. #MHC-0033. This self-study activity will qualify for 15.0 contact hours. Full attendance is required; no partial credits will be offered for partial attendance.

Pennsylvania Counselors: The Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors accepts many national association CE approvals, several of which PESI offers. For a full list, please see your State Board regulations at https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/. This intermediate self-study activity consists of 12.5 clock hours of continuing education instruction.

South Carolina Counselors: This self-study program has been approved for 12.5 continuing education hours by the South Carolina Board of Examiners for Licensure of Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Psycho-Educational Specialists. Provider #4540.

Texas Counselors: This self-study activity consists of 12.5 clock hours of continuing education instruction. Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors no longer approves programs or providers. PESI activities meet the continuing education requirements as listed in Title 22 Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 681, Subchapter J, Section 681.142 Acceptable Continuing Education. Please retain the certificate of completion that you receive and use as proof of completion when required.

Ohio Counselors: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider with the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage & Family Therapist Board. Provider approval #:RCST071001. Full attendance at this course meets the qualifications for 12.5 clock hours of continuing education credit. TBD

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Marriage & Family Therapists
This self-study activity consists of 12.5 clock hours of continuing education instruction. Credit requirements and approvals vary per state board regulations. Please save the course outline, the certificate of completion you receive from this self-study activity and contact your state board or organization to determine specific filing requirements.

California Marriage & Family Therapists: The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE programs that are approved by other approval agencies, including several that approve PESI and its programs. A full list of approval agencies accepted by the BBS can be found at www.bbs.ca.gov/licensees/cont_ed.html under “Where to find CE Courses.” This Intermediate level self-study activity consists of 12.0 clock hours of continuing education instruction.

Florida Marriage & Family Therapists: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider with the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling. Provider Number 50-399. This self-study course qualifies for 12.5 continuing education credits.

Illinois Marriage & Family Therapists: PESI, Inc. has been approved as a provider of continuing education by the State of Illinois, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation. Provider #: 168-000156. Full attendance at this self-study activity qualifies for 12.5 credits.

Montana Marriage & Family Therapists: The Montana Board of Behavioral Health no longer pre-approves any courses or sponsors. Each licensee is responsible for taking courses which contribute to their competence and directly relate to their scope of practice as defined in board statute (MAR 24-219-32). Licensees must keep CE documentation for three years in case of an audit. This intermediate level self-study activity consists of 12.5 clock hours of instruction.

New York Marriage & Family Therapists: PESI, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department's (NYSED) State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists. #MFT-0024. This self-study activity will qualify for 15.0 contact hours. Full attendance is required; no partial credits will be offered for partial attendance.

Pennsylvania Marriage & Family Therapists: The Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors accepts many national association CE approvals, several of which PESI offers. For a full list, please see your State Board regulations at https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/. This Intermediate self-study activity consists of 12.5 clock hours of continuing education instruction.

South Carolina Marriage & Family Therapists: This self-study program has been approved for 12.5 continuing education hours by the South Carolina Board of Examiners for Licensure of Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Psycho-Educational Specialists. Provider #4540.

Texas Marriage & Family Therapists: This self-study activity consists of 12.5 clock hours of continuing education instruction. Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists no longer approves programs or providers. PESI activities meet the continuing education requirements as listed in Title 22 of the Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 801, Subchapter K, Section 801.264 Types of Acceptable Continuing Education. Please retain the certificate of completion that you receive and use as proof of completion when required.

Ohio Marriage & Family Therapists: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider with the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage & Family Therapist Board. Provider approval #:RCST071001. Full attendance at this course meets the qualifications for 12.5 clock hours of continuing education credit. TBD

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Nurses/Nurse Practitioners/Clinical Nurse Specialists - Credit Expired: 8/12/2022
No CE available for this board.

California Nurses: PESI, Inc. is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider #:17118 for 12.5 self-study contact hours.

You will need to provide your license number to PESI. PESI must have this number on file in order for your hours to be valid.

Florida Nurses: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider by the Florida Board of Nursing. Provider #: FBN2858. These materials qualify for 12.5 self-study contact hours.

Iowa Nurses: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider by the Iowa Board of Nursing. Provider #: 346. Nurses successfully completing these self-study materials will earn 12.6 self-study contact hours.

Copies of the evaluation may be sent to the IBON. You will need to provide your license number to PESI. PESI must have this number on file in order for your hours to be valid.

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Psychologists & Psychiatrists

Psychiatrists
PESI, Inc. is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. PESI, Inc. designates this enduring material for a maximum of 12.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. This activity was originally recorded on 08/12/2019. It was last reviewed on 04/12/2019 and is valid until 04/12/2022.

Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Psychologists
The following state psychologist boards recognize activities sponsored by PESI, Inc. as an approved ACCME provider: Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Wisconsin. This activity consists of 12.5 clock hours of continuing education instruction. You are required to successfully complete and submit a post-test prior to receiving a certificate of completion.

Canadian Psychologists: PESI, Inc. is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. PESI, Inc. maintains responsibility for the program. This program is approved for 12.5 self-study continuing education hours. Full credit statement at: https://catalog.pesi.com/page/ceinformation#psychologists

Florida Psychologists: PESI, Inc., is an approved provider with the Florida Board of Psychology. Provider Number 50-399. This product qualifies for 12.6 self-study continuing education credits. Please make sure to bring your license number to the seminar so that we can report your attendance to CE Brokers.

Illinois Psychologists: PESI, Inc is an approved provider with the State of Illinois, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation. License #: 268.000102. Full attendance at this course qualifies for 12.5 self-study contact hours.

Kentucky Psychologists: PESI, Inc. is approved by the Kentucky Board of Examiners of Psychology to offer continuing education for psychologists, approved provider #202312H. PESI maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This self-study activity will qualify for 12.5 contact hours.

Indiana Psychologists: PESI, Inc is an approved provider with the Indiana Board of Psychology. Certificate #: 98000998A - Category I. PESI maintains full responsibility for this program and its contents. Full attendance at this self-study course qualifies for 12.5 contact hours.

Ohio Psychologist: PESI, Inc. is approved by the Ohio Psychological Association, Provider #263896894, to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. PESI, Inc. maintains responsibility for this program and its content. PESI is offering this self-study activity for 12.5 Standard hours of continuing education credit.

Pennsylvania Psychologists: PESI, Inc. is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Psychology to offer continuing education for psychologists. Provider #PSY000211. PESI maintains responsibility for the program(s). This self-study program qualifies for 12.5 continuing education hours.

South Carolina Psycho-Educational Specialists: This self-study program has been approved for 12.5 continuing education hours by the South Carolina Board of Examiners for Licensure of Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Psycho-Educational Specialists. Provider #4540.

Florida School Psychologists: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider with the Florida Office of School Psychology. Provider Number: 50-399. This self-study course qualifies for 12.5 continuing education credits.

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Social Workers
PESI, Inc., #1062, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. PESI, Inc. maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: January 27, 2020 - January 27, 2023. Social Workers completing this course receive 11.75 Clinical continuing education credits.

Course Level: Intermediate. Format: Asynchronous distance learning. Full attendance is required; no partial credits will be offered for partial attendance.

Canadian Social Workers: Canadian provinces may accept activities approved by the ASWB for ongoing professional development.

California Licensed Educational Psychologists: The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE programs that are approved by other approval agencies, including several that approve PESI and its programs. A full list of approval agencies accepted by the BBS can be found at www.bbs.ca.gov/licensees/cont_ed.html under “Where to find CE Courses.” This Intermediate level self-study activity consists of 12.0 clock hours of continuing education instruction.

California Social Workers: The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE programs that are approved by other approval agencies, including several that approve PESI and its programs. A full list of approval agencies accepted by the BBS can be found at www.bbs.ca.gov/licensees/cont_ed.html under “Where to find CE Courses.” This Intermediate level self-study activity consists of 12.0 clock hours of continuing education instruction.

Colorado Social Workers: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider with the Colorado Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Provider #1413. This course has been approved for 12.6 continuing education hours.

Florida Social Workers: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider with the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling. Provider Number 50-399. This self-study course qualifies for 12.5 continuing education credits.

Illinois Social Workers: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider with the State of Illinois, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation. License #: 159-000154. Successful completion of this self-study activity qualifies for 12.5 contact hours.

Kansas Social Workers: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider with the Kansas Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board. Provider #14-006. This self-study course has been approved for 12.5 continuing education hours.

Minnesota Social Workers: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider with the State of Minnesota, Board of Social Work. Provider #: CEP-140. This self-study course has been approved for 12.5 continuing education hours. A certificate will be issued upon successful completion of a post-test.

Montana Social Workers: The Montana Board of Behavioral Health no longer pre-approves any courses or sponsors. Each licensee is responsible for taking courses which contribute to their competence and directly relate to their scope of practice as defined in board statute (MAR 24-219-32). Licensees must keep CE documentation for three years in case of an audit. This intermediate level self-study activity consists of 12.5 clock hours of instruction.

New York Social Workers: PESI, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department's (NYSED) State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0008. This self-study activity will qualify for 15.0 contact hours. Full attendance is required; no partial credits will be offered for partial attendance.

Pennsylvania Social Workers: The Pennsylvania State Board of Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Professional Counselors accepts many national association CE approvals, several of which PESI offers. For a full list, please see your State Board regulations at https://www.dos.pa.gov/ProfessionalLicensing/BoardsCommissions/. This intermediate self-study activity consists of 12.5 clock hours of continuing education instruction.

Ohio Social Workers: PESI, Inc. is an approved provider with the State of Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage & Family Therapist Board. Provider approval #:RCST071001. Full attendance at this course meets the qualifications for 12.5 clock hours of continuing education credit. TBD

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Other Professions
This self-study activity qualifies for 12.5 clock hours of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.

Disclaimer: **Information obtained in this course should be used within your scope of practice.
**It is your ethical responsibility to report accurate hours to your licensing board.
**All self-study participants must complete and pass (80% or better) a post-test and evaluation prior to receiving a certificate of completion. If you require a copy of the test/evaluation for CE purposes, please print at the time you take the test. Or you may call our customer service department and a copy of your test/evaluation will be emailed to you. Please allow 30-45 days.

• Social Workers
• Psychologists
• Counselors
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Case Managers
• Addiction Counselors
• Therapists
• School Counselors
• School Psychologists
• School Social Workers
• Nurses
• Other Mental Health Professionals