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1. Establish how stories and metaphors can be used as psychoeducational tools to explain the physiology of anxiety, and how contemplative approaches impact the anxious brain and body.
2. Articulate distinctions in differentiating among anxiety disorders and assessing physical symptomatology.
3. Provide an explanation of how medication impacts neuroplasticity and determine when medication serves to enhance or derail anxiety treatment.
4. Specify how individualized, awareness-based interventions can be used by clinicians to enhance client efforts towards change and reduce avoidance.
5. Communicate how evidence-based contemplative approaches can address self-judgment, worry, and negative thinking that can exacerbate anxiety symptoms.
6. Characterize how visual meditations can increase clients’ ability to focus attention and reduce rumination.
7. Analyze the research on the impacts of meditative movement on anxiety symptomology.
8. Establish how breathing practices can interrupt obsessive thinking, ritualized behaviors, and reassurance seeking.
9. Specify how treatment plans that employ reframing techniques can interrupt anxiety-producing thoughts.
10. Assess whether attachment style impacts treatment outcomes amongst clients undergoing treatment for social anxiety disorder.
11. Communicate how script-based, brief deep relaxation exercises can be implemented to increase feelings of safety and enhance emotional regulation.
12. Explore how journaling can be used as a clinical tool to shift clients away from anxious thoughts and toward action-oriented change.

The Neurophysiology of Anxiety

• Cognitive & amygdala pathways to anxiety
• Autonomic nervous system responses
• Polyvagal Theory
• Serotonin, dopamine and neurotransmitters
• The role of brain derived neurotropic factors
• The impacts of sleep and nutrition on the anxious brain

Assessment and Differential Diagnosis

• DSM-5 classification of anxiety Disorder
• Assessment from the whole person perspective
• Clinical approaches for ambiguous anxiety presentations
  • Phobia vs. OCD
  • Trauma, Axis II, or both?
  • Distinguish anxiety from agitated depression

Biological Treatment of Anxiety: Impacts of Psychopharmacology & Nutraceuticals

• How medication impacts neuroplasticity
• Frequently prescribed medications
• Common side effects
• Evidence-based supplements

From Avoidance to Proactivity: Strategies to Engage and Sustain Client Motivation

• Illustrate neuroscience concepts with stories & metaphors
• Link contemplative practices to brain change
• Address impasses with awareness based interviewing
• Reframes – replacing old neural patterns
• Co-create meaningful, values based-goals

Motivational Interviewing for Anxiety Treatment: Mobilizing & Sustaining Change

• Elicit change talk
• Elaborate on change indicators
• Coalesce motivation for exposure treatment
• Renew motivation when fear arises

Techniques to Address the Cognitive Pathway to Anxiety

• Strategies to dismantle automatic thoughts, core beliefs
• How to unwind troublesome thinking patterns
• When life feels overwhelming – stemming the tide techniques
• Apply Chain Analysis – when and how

Relaxation Skills: Help Clients Develop an Anxiety Resistant Brain

• Wire in relaxed, alert mood with deep relaxation
• Letting go with moment to moment exercises
• Breath and movement strategies to deactivate panic

Antidotes to Shame, Guilt and Self-Judgement

• How shame and self-judgement exacerbate anxiety
• Tools to identify anxiety fuel
• Appropriate & inappropriate guilt
• Anxiety interventions for the shame prone client
• Ease shame intensity with body witnessing and observing skills
• Self-compassion inquiry – inviting in parts of the self
• Counteract anxiety with gratitude

Attachment Anxiety

• Untangle developmental roots
• Contemplative applications – the Polyvagal Theory
• Techniques to prime secure attachment

Movement and Visual Meditations for Anxiety Relief

• Visual meditations for specific clinical concerns
• Prepare with movement, imagery and sound
• Draw from inner resources
• Instill a new perspective with movement and writing
• Individualized follow-up assignments

Mindful Recovery Tools for GAD and Social Anxiety

• Three steps for moving from reactivity to responsiveness
• Interrupt the worry cycle: from the meditation cushion to daily life
• Mindful exploration – predictions vs. what happened
• Bring curiosity to perceptions
• Prime secure attachment for social anxiety

Meditation for OCD Management

• How clients can recognize excessiveness
• Titrate exposure with breathing practices
• Reduce repetition with mindful response prevention
• Overcome obsession with mantra & breath

Research and Limitations

Debra Premashakti Alvis, PhD, a licensed psychologist, developed the Mind/Body Program at the University of Georgia providing clinician training on the integration of mindfulness and contemplative practices into psychotherapy. Her work as a professor at the University of Georgia included the supervision of doctoral students and co-leading a research team investigating mindfulness.

In addition to teaching, Dr. Alvis maintains a private practice and has more than 25 years of clinical experience in treating clients with a variety of conditions by mindfulness principles, body-oriented principles and traditional psychotherapeutic approaches. She also has an over 30-year personal contemplative practice.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Debra Alvis maintains a private practice and receives a speaking honorarium from Asadis Training, Essential Therapy Training, Georgia Museum of Art, Bascom Museum of Art, and Mountain Area Health Education Center. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Debra Alvis is a member of the American Association of College Student Personnel, the Association for Contemplative Mind in Higher Education, the Association of Specialists in Group Work, the Athens Area Psychological Association, and the Georgia Psychological Association.

Save time and $10 off the price of other submission methods – purchase & take the CE test online for $29.99 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.

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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Psychologists & Physicians
PHYSICIANS: 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 11/21/2019. It was last reviewed on 09/08/2019 and is valid until 09/08/2022. 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 self-study activity consists of 12.5 clock hours of continuing education instruction. Certificates of attendance will be issued for you to submit to your state licensing board to recognize for continuing education credit. 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.

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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

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