Full Course Description

The Loneliness Epidemic

Loneliness is now recognized as a public health epidemic – and neuroscience reveals why. Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor shows how trauma, loss, and disrupted attachment rewire the brain’s capacity for connection – and how compassion-based, grief-informed interventions can help clients move from isolation to belonging.

You’ll learn how to:

Recognize loneliness as a neurobiological imprint of trauma – not just a state of mind
Use social neuroscience to help clients rebuild attachment and motivation for connection
Apply grief- and compassion-based practices to transform social pain into healing and resilience

Program Information

Objectives

Name the neurobiological and immune components of loneliness and how they affect behavior.
Compare the experience of lifelong chronic loneliness beginning in childhood with the experience of loneliness after midlife events like bereavement, even if one has family support.
Examine why social skills training and increasing opportunities for socializing are not sufficient to reduce loneliness, and instead it is necessary to target maladaptive beliefs.

Outline

The Loneliness Epidemic

Why loneliness is now considered a public health crisis
Links between loneliness, trauma, and attachment disruption
Risks, limitations and scope of practice

The Neuroscience of Isolation

How the brain and immune system encode social pain and connection
Loneliness as a neurobiological imprint of trauma

Cognition and Connection

Identifying maladaptive social beliefs that maintain isolation
Using social neuroscience to rebuild motivation for connection

Grief as Learning

Understanding bereavement as an adaptive neurocognitive process
Restoring safety and belonging after loss

Clinical Tools for Healing

Compassion and self-compassion practices for reconnection
Grief-informed interventions to transform isolation into resilience

Target Audience

Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Marriage and Family Therapists
Addiction Counselors
Other Mental Health Professionals

Copyright : 02/23/2026

Interoceptive Repair after Trauma: Neuroscience-Informed Strategies to Move Clients from Numbed Out and Overwhelmed to Emotionally Balanced

Trauma distorts the body’s internal voice. And when your traumatized clients can’t trust their body signals – whether they’re shut down and undetectable, or they’re amplified and overwhelming – therapy progress stalls and clients become vulnerable to comorbid conditions.

In this session, Dr. Marwa Azab – esteemed neuroscientist and author of the text An Update on Anxiety Disorders – will teach you strategies focused on interoceptive repair. You’ll get:

Practical clinical tools to assess your clients’ interoceptive accuracy and confidence levels
Strategies to support clients in describing their felt experience with precision
Neuroscience-backed interventions to improve your clients’ sense of emotional balance

Program Information

Objectives

Identify how trauma impacts interoceptive processing.
Analyze the relationship between interoceptive disruptions and emotion precision.
Apply at least two interventions based on modern neuroscience of interoception and emotions.

Outline

Interoception, Emotion, and Trauma

Interoception as body summary
Shaping of emotional experience and regulation
Impact of trauma on interoception
Consequences of diminished response to body cues
Dissociation and depersonalization
Amplification, anxiety, and hypervigilance
Bodily sensations as trauma reminders

Interoception-Focused Trauma Treatment

Tools to measure interoceptive ability
How and why to improve clients’ emotional granularity
CBT with interoceptive exposure
Limitations of the research and potential risks

Target Audience

Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Marriage and Family Therapists
Addiction Counselors
Other Mental Health Professionals

Copyright : 02/23/2026

The Neuroscience of Flourishing

When you bring neuroscience into therapy, clients don’t have to wait to feel better. Rather than focusing solely on symptom reduction, you can tap into the brain’s capacity to rewire itself toward resilience, connection, and vitality right away.

In this session, Dr. Diana Fosha, developer of AEDP®, will show you how to activate the brain’s inherent capacity for positive neuroplasticity, and thus transformation, connection, and flourishing in every session – even the first one. You’ll learn how to:

Shift clients’ capacity to tolerate painful emotions with dyadic affect regulation
Harness the brain’s capacity to reorganize toward well-being as it moves away from symptoms
Use the powerful tool of metatherapeutic processing to savor and expand the positive effects of change-for-the-better, setting flourishing in motion

Program Information

Objectives

Define the potential benefits of focusing on positive affect in trauma-focused psychotherapy.
Evaluate the neuroscience of positive neuroplasticity.
Utilize metatherapeutic processing.

Outline

Reorient Clients Toward Well-Being After Trauma

Bring flourishing to the process of healing trauma
AEDP®’s roots in attachment theory and affective neuroscience
Activation of positive neuroplasticity for transformational change
Rewire toward resilience within the therapeutic bond

Core Clinical tools Supporting Flourishing

The Moments of Flourishing Experience Scale (MFES)
Track clients’ somatic experiences in real-time
Activate approach versus avoidance with transformance detection
Use savoring to enhance positive affect of change
Metatherapeutic processing to explore positive affect of change
Research limitations and potential risks

Target Audience

Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Marriage and Family Therapists
Addiction Counselors
Other Mental Health Professionals

Copyright : 02/23/2026

When Trauma Hijacks the Brain

When trauma hits, the brain loses balance – clients swing between overwhelm and shutdown, stuck in loops of fear, disconnection, and shame.

In this powerful keynote, world-renowned psychiatrist, Dr. Dan Siegel shows you how to help clients get unstuck by rebuilding the brain’s natural wiring for calm and connection.

You’ll discover how to:

Spot the brain-based signs of chaos and rigidity that keep clients trapped in trauma
Use simple mindfulness and relationship-based tools to cam stress and rewire safety
Apply Dr. Siegel’s proven Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) framework to help clients feel whole, present, and resilient again

Walk away with practical strategies you can use in your very next session – so your clients can move from fragmentation to healing, one connection at a time.

Program Information

Objectives

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

Describe how trauma disrupts neural integration and contributes to states of chaos and rigidity.
Examine the role of attachment and relational experiences in both the development of trauma and the process of recovery.
Apply principles of Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB) in clinical or educational settings to support healing and resilience in individuals impacted by trauma.

Outline

Introduction to Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB)

Integration as the foundation of well-being
Chaos and rigidity as markers of impaired integration

Neurobiology of Trauma

Impact of trauma on memory, emotion, and stress-response systems
Dysregulation in neural networks (corpus callosum, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex)

Attachment, Relationships, and Trauma

Early attachment and its influence on vulnerability or resilience
Interpersonal experiences that exacerbate or buffer traumatic effects

Pathways to Integration and Healing

Neuroplasticity and the brain’s capacity for change
Clinical and educational interventions: mindfulness, attunement, and relational repair

Applications and Implications

Translating IPNB principles into daily practice
Fostering resilience and growth in individuals and communities

Target Audience

Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Marriage and Family Therapists
Addiction Counselors
Other Mental Health Professionals

Copyright : 02/23/2026

The Neuroscience of Healing Trauma

Trauma leaves its mark not just on the mind – but on the brain and body. The latest neuroscience is giving us powerful insights into why clients get stuck in dysregulation, and how we can safely guide them toward healing.

In this training, Dr. Frank Anderson shows you how to turn complex brain science into clear, practical strategies for trauma therapy. You’ll discover how to:

Use neuroscience as a roadmap for clinical decision-making and pacing
Reduce dysregulation and help clients return to safety faster
Integrate a parts-informed lens with brain-based knowledge for deeper, lasting transformation

If you’ve ever wondered how to ground your trauma work in cutting-edge science – while making therapy feel safer, clearer, and more effective for your clients – this session will give you the tools and confidence you need.

This event is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify for IFS Institute credits or certification.

Program Information

Objectives

By the end of this program participants will be able to:

Identify key brain regions involved in trauma and regulation.
Utilize brain-based strategies to promote safety and emotional regulation.
Integrate IFS and neuroscience principles to guide clinical pacing and intervention.

Outline

Introduction: The Brain’s Role in Trauma Healing

Overview of trauma’s neurobiological impact
Core brain structures involved in dysregulation and healing

Neuroscience as a Clinical Roadmap

Applying brain-based understanding to guide treatment pacing
Recognizing when clients are outside their window of tolerance

Integrating IFS and Neuroscience

Mapping parts work onto neural processes
Using neuro-informed interventions to support internal communication and safety

Tools for Regulation and Repair

Techniques to calm the nervous system and foster integration
Practical methods to translate brain science into everyday clinical decision-making

Case Applications and Reflection

Applying IFS-informed neuroscience to complex trauma presentations
Clinical decision-making practice and summary of key takeaways

Target Audience

Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Marriage and Family Therapists
Addiction Counselors
Other Mental Health Professionals

Copyright : 02/23/2026

The Habenula Unveiled

When clients feel trapped in cycles of shame, relapse, or emotional shutdown, the key may lie in one of the brain’s smallest – but most powerful – structures: the habenula.

In this engaging 60-minute session, Dr. Kyra Bobinet, physician, behavioral neuroscientist, and award-winning author of Well-Designed Life, reveals how new discoveries about the habenula are transforming trauma and addiction treatment.

You’ll learn how to:

Decode the habenula’s role in mood, motivation, self-talk, and addiction
Understand how trauma rewires habenular pathways, fueling hopelessness and dysregulation
Apply practical, neuroscience-informed techniques to restore motivation and balance in clients
Recognize key limitations and ethical considerations in applying this emerging research

Walk away with science-backed tools to help clients move from defeat to drive – and insight into one of the most exciting frontiers in applied neuroscience.

Program Information

Objectives

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

Describe the habenula’s role in behavioral and emotional regulation, including its impact on motivation, mood, self-talk, addiction, sleep, and hedonic eating.
Explain how trauma alters habenular function and contributes to mood disorders and addiction vulnerability.
Apply at least two neuroscience-informed interventions that engage habenula-related pathways to support trauma and addiction recovery, while acknowledging current research limitations and potential risks.

Outline

Revealing the Habenula: The Brain’s Motivation and Mood Gatekeeper

Overview of habenular anatomy and neurobiology
Role in regulating motivation, mood, decision-making, and aversive learning
Influence on negative self-cognitions, sleep, hedonic eating, and addiction
Why the habenula matters for the future of mental health treatment

Trauma and the Habenula: Pathways to Dysregulation and Vulnerability

How chronic stress and trauma sensitize the habenula
Links between habenular dysfunction, mood disorders, hypervigilance, and self-blame
The intersection of trauma, addiction, and co-occurring mental health challenges

Clinical Application: Interventions to Modulate the Habenula

Translating neuroscience into clinical practice
Behavioral and somatic strategies (e.g., behavioral activation, cognitive restructuring, sleep hygiene, motivational interviewing for negative self-talk)
Emerging neuromodulation research and its early implications
Practical techniques and case-based examples for trauma and addiction recovery

Limitations and Clinical Considerations

Current gaps in habenular research and translational challenges
Clarifying where evidence supports (and does not yet support) intervention use
Risk factors, limitations, and ethical guidelines for responsible clinical application

Target Audience

Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Marriage and Family Therapists
Addiction Counselors
Other Mental Health Professionals

Copyright : 02/24/2026

The Brain on Stress

Ever wonder what’s happening inside your client’s brain and body during therapy?

Dr. Sherrie All takes you on an engaging – and often humorous – inside tour of the human nervous system. In just one hour, you’ll explore how the brain and body communicate under stress and walk away feeling more confident “speaking brain” with your clients.

You’ll learn how to:

Identify the brain structures that drive anxiety and trauma responses
Explain how emotions like fear move through the body via the nervous system
Integrate brain-based concepts like neuroception and interoception into your clinical work

If you’ve ever wanted to translate neuroscience into simple, effective tools for change, this one-hour session will leave you inspired, informed, and ready to apply what you learn.

Program Information

Objectives

Identify the brain structures that drive anxiety and trauma responses.
Explain how emotions like fear move through the body via the nervous system.
Integrate brain-based concepts like neuroception and interoception into your clinical work.

Outline

A Tour Through the Brain for Therapists

Start the tour at the top: the cortex (frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital) organizing thinking, sensing, memory, and vision
Move inward to the limbic system: amygdala for threat/emotion, hippocampus for memory and context
Continue down to the subcortical hubs: thalamus (sensory relay), hypothalamus (autonomic/endocrine control), basal ganglia (movement/action patterns)
Descent into the brainstem: basic survival functions, arousal, autonomic regulation
Note the cerebellum: coordination, balance, and contributions to learning
Pause for a quick review of communication: action potentials + neurotransmitters at synapses
Follow the stress pathway: HPA axis, sympathetic activation, and the bidirectional vagus nerve
End the tour with regulation systems: cortical (PFC), biological (autonomic/HPA), and interpersonal (co-regulation)
Close with risks, scope and limitations: this is a high-level overview; models simplify complex systems and should be applied with care

Target Audience

Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Marriage and Family Therapists
Addiction Counselors
Other Mental Health Professionals

Copyright : 02/24/2026

The 10 Best Brain-to-Body Interventions

When trauma takes hold, it’s not just in the mind – it’s embedded in the body and nervous system.

In this dynamic 60-minute session, best-selling trainer and seasoned clinician Chinwé Wiliams brings you the 10 most effective brain-to-body interventions that blend the best of Polyvagal Theory, EMDR, and somatic approaches.

You’ll discover simple, science-backed ways to:

Use safety cues and co-regulation to restore balance in the autonomic nervous system
Interrupt trauma loops through bilateral stimulation and adaptive information processing
Integrate body-based awareness, movement, and grounding to release stored trauma physiology

Walk away with concrete tools you can use immediately to help clients move from survival to safety – while protecting your own nervous system in the process.

Program Information

Objectives

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Describe how Polyvagal Theory, EMDR, and somatic frameworks each support trauma recovery.
Identify at least 10 practical interventions that rewire trauma responses through brain-body integration.
Apply strategies to match interventions with client presentations, increasing effectiveness while reducing therapist burnout and overwhelm.

Outline

Introduction

Why brain-body approaches matter for trauma recovery
Quick overview of Polyvagal Theory, EMDR, and somatic modalities
Scope of practice, risks and limitations

Polyvagal-Informed Tools

Using cues of safety and co-regulation
Top interventions to shift autonomic states

EMDR-Based Strategies

Bilateral stimulation and adaptive information processing
Practical “in-session hacks” for trauma looping

Somatic Interventions

Body awareness, movement, and grounding techniques
Practical ways to release stored trauma physiology

Integration and Clinical Application

Case vignette
Choosing the right tool for the right client at the right moment

Target Audience

Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Marriage and Family Therapists
Addiction Counselors
Other Mental Health Professionals

Trauma Therapy in the Brain and Body:

We’re learning more all the time about how trauma impacts the brain and the body … and how to use that knowledge to aid trauma recovery. But clients are often understandably hesitant to engage in treatment tasks that stir up discomfort, like revisiting trauma memories or approaching trauma-related reminders.

Exposure has gotten a bit of a bad reputation. But it’s a powerful route to healing.

Using a neuroscience-informed lens, Dr. Sheila Rauch – esteemed clinician, researcher, and author of Retraining the Brain: Applied Neuroscience in Exposure Therapy for PTSD – will show you what you need to know to:

Empower clients to make decisions about their trauma treatment plan
Harness the power of corrective information to reduce clients’ trauma-related distress
Modify therapy when clients aren’t responding quickly enough

Program Information

Objectives

Name at least two characteristics of effective exposure-based psychotherapy for PTSD, according to evidence-based research.
Utilize knowledge about the impacts of trauma on the brain and body to provide psychoeducation to clients.
Modify PTSD therapy for slow- or non-responding clients with at least two neuroscience-based strategies.

Outline

Effective Psychotherapy for PTSD

Exposure therapy components that resolve PTSD symptoms
Evidence based treatment – the current state of the research
Brief review of theoretical models for PE, CPT, and EMDR

Neuroscience Findings Relevant to PTSD Treatment

Changes in brain structure and function
Impact on cortisol and other neurosteroids
How startle, heart rate variability, and other psychophysiology is affected

Practical Applications for Therapists

How to talk with clients about the impact of trauma on their brain and body
Give psychoeducation about treatment options and why they might work
Spotlight on PE – apply neuroscience in practice
Neuroscience-informed modifications for slow- and non-responding clients
Limitations of the research and potential risks

Target Audience

Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Marriage and Family Therapists
Addiction Counselors
Other Mental Health Professionals

Building Everyday Resilience

Resilience isn’t just a mindset – it’s a neurobiological process that can be built and strengthened over time.

When trauma and chronic stress reshape the brain for survival, clients often get stuck in reactivity, hypervigilance, and fatigue. But with the right tools, those same neural pathways can be rewired for healing, calm and growth.

In this training, Dr. Kate Truitt translates cutting-edge neuroscience into simple, body-based strategies you can use immediately in therapy. You’ll discover how to:

Explain how stress rewires the brain through stress-induced structural plasticity (SISP)
Activate pathways of safety and connection using mindful touch, bilateral movement, paced breathing, and sensory orientation
Work with the brain’s protective responses to restore flexibility and foster lasting resilience

If you’ve ever wanted to help clients move from surviving to truly thriving, this session will give you the science-based roadmap. You’ll walk away with a toolkit of somatic micro-practices designed to calm the nervous system, strengthen regulation, and build resilience that lasts.

Program Information

Objectives

Identify the role of SISP in how chronic stress reshapes neural networks.
Examine how C-tactile (CT) fibers respond to gentle touch and support nervous system regulation and decrease stress reactions.
Utilize neuroplasticy-based micro-practices that support safety and regulatory recalibration.

Outline

The Neurobiology of Resilience

Understanding resilience as a neuroplastic process
How chronic stress reshapes neural pathways (SISP)
The difference between protective and restorative wiring
Risks, limitations and scope of practice

The Brain-Body Connection in Healing

The role of the autonomic nervous system in safety and regulation
Key neurochemical and oscillatory mechanisms behind resilience
How trauma changes interoceptive awareness and sensory processing

Somatic Micro-Practices for Neural Rewiring

Mindful touch and activation of C-tactile (CT) fibers
Bilateral movement and rhythm-based regulation
Paced breathing and interoceptive recalibration
Gratitude reflection and sensory orientation

Partnering with the Brain’s Protective Wiring

Reframing survival reactions as evidence of resilience
Introducing the concept of “Brain Partnership”
Strategies to gently redirect stress-based patterns

Clinical Integration and application

Practical steps for incorporating micro-practices into sessions
Matching interventions to client readiness and pacing
Building daily practice frameworks for long-term change

Closing Reflection and Takeaways

Reinforcing key mechanisms of neuroplastic change
Creating ongoing safety and success signals for clients
Developing personalized micro-practice toolkits

Target Audience

Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Marriage and Family Therapists
Addiction Counselors
Other Mental Health Professionals

Neuroscience for the Psychotherapist

Therapists today are called to lead – whether it’s guiding clients through complex healing journeys, mentoring colleagues, or shaping the culture of care within their organizations. With so many demands, both clinical and administrative, the risk of negative impacts like errors and burnout is high.

In this session, Dr. Amy Fortney Parks will offer a neuroscience-based roadmap for creating leadership in practice that is both effective and sustainable. You’ll learn:

How to regulate your nervous system and foster resilience when treating complex cases
Tools to reduce decision fatigue and improve mental clarity
Strategies to build community and foster purpose so you can sustain leadership over the long term

Program Information

Objectives

Identify the roles of the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and vagus nerve in leadership performance and sustainability.
Utilize three neuroscience-based strategies that enhance focus, connection, and collaborative decision-making in leadership contexts.
Plan at least three practical, brain-based techniques to sustain leadership while meeting external demands from systems, clients, and communities.

Outline

Neuroscience of Leadership in Psychotherapy

Therapist as leader
Role of the prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and vagus nerve in performance
Clinical pressures and burnout
Real-world pressures – insurance, administrative, overload, and more

Neuroscience-Based Tools to Enhance Focus, Connection, and Collaboration

Guided nervous system reset practice
Neuroscience of decision fatigue and clarity
Identify decisions to automate, delegate, or eliminate
The role of oxytocin and mirror neurons in trust and connection
Collaborative leadership for community building
Clinical and leadership applications to client work and daily tasks
How to sustain leadership over the long term
Essential recovery cycles
Create a personal action plan
Limitations of research and potential risks

Target Audience

Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
Psychiatrists
Marriage and Family Therapists
Addiction Counselors
Other Mental Health Professionals