Understanding and Treating PTSD: New Research on Brain Changes and Effective Interventions

Sadly, our world today is filled with violence. Even those who specialize in working with trauma victims can be stunned by the stories they hear of childhood abuse, family violence, sexual assaults, and the atrocities of war. Such events can leave lasting scars for those who experience them, whether or not the residual effects lead to full-blown clinical disorders like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Inevitably, no matter what kind of clinical work one does, all therapists will encounter clients with some history of trauma. Therefore, all competent clinicians should understand PTSD, and at least some level of working knowledge of the principles involved in the treatment of individuals with trauma histories.
Even experienced trauma clinicians using our best evidence-based practices for PTSD, such as Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure, know that these interventions do not work for everyone. Hence, research is continually seeking tools to enhance current treatments, and to decrease residual symptoms, and it is important to keep abreast of these new developments.
Newer research with promising interventions like Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy teach clients to relate differently to their thoughts, emotions, and body sensation while helping to build a life worth living.
Through lecture, discussion, and case examples, join clinical psychologist Dr. Richard Sears for this 6-hour workshop as he clarifies recent research on PTSD, the principles of exposure, and an overview of the principles and tools of Cognitive Processing Therapy, mindfulness, and ACT to provide you with practical tools and techniques to help your clients recover from trauma.

Published: Apr 2023

Format

Online Course

Credits

6.0

Instructor

Richard Sears, Psy.D., Ph.D., MBA, ABPP

Price

$ 119

Course objectives

Understanding and Treating PTSD: New Research on Brain Changes and Effective Interventions

  • List the areas of the brain impacted by individuals with PTSD.
  • Describe the key elements of exposure therapy to break the cycle of avoidance.
  • Identify stuck points that interfere with recovery from PTSD.
  • Distinguish when mindfulness techniques are helpful and when they serve to foster avoidance.

Instructor

Richard Sears, Psy.D., Ph.D., MBA, ABPP

Richard Sears, Psy.D., Ph.D., MBA, ABPP is a board-certified clinical psychologist with a private therapy and consultation practice in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. He is a professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine and Department of Psychology. He is also a psychologist contractor with the Cincinnati VA Medical Center, where he conducted research on MBCT for PTSD with Dr. Kate Chard. Dr. Sears has performed assessments and psychotherapy on a broad variety of individuals in a number of settings, including hospital inpatient units, community mental health centers, veteran’s hospitals, residential treatment centers, private practice, and forensic facilities. He regularly gives workshops on CBT, MBCT, ACT, and mindfulness across the United States and other countries. Dr. Sears is also a private pilot and light sport airplane mechanic, a 6th degree black belt, was given transmission as a Zen master, and once served briefly as a bodyguard for the Dalai Lama. He is author of over a dozen books, including Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for PTSD and Mindfulness: Living through Challenges and Enriching Your Life in this Moment. His website is www.psychinsights.com.

Course Lessons

How It Works

  • View the presentation. Classes are broken into small video segments of less than 30 minutes, so you can come and go as you please.
  • Take the quiz. Answer a few questions after each lesson before you move to the next lesson.
  • Complete the course evaluation.
  • Print your certificate and you're done!

We Make It Easy

  • Handouts from the class are available as PDF files to view or print.
  • Once you've purchased a class, you can view it as many times as you like.
  • Login with your email address and password. It takes you to your personal library/dashboard of all classes you have purchased.
  • Over 90% of professionals report being absolutely satisfied with their online experience!

Levels of Classes

All of our classes are offered at the intermediate level unless otherwise indicated. All classes are designed for experienced mental health professionals.

Test Policy

You need a score of 75% or higher in each lesson/module to move to the next lesson/module. Most people pass on their first attempt. You have up to 3 attempts to pass each module. After 3 failed attempts, you need to contact our office and we will reset the quiz for one more attempt.

Refund Policy

We offer a no-risk guarantee for our online courses. You can view any class for three days, and if not satisfied, contact PPS and we will refund your money in full. This refund offer does not apply if you have completed the class and passed all of the lesson/module quizzes.

Technical Support For On-Demand Courses

Please call 877-777-0668, Monday-Friday from 10 am - 4 pm Pacific Time or email info@psychsem.com.

Questions, Special Needs & Grievances

If you would like additional information, require special accommodations, or have a grievance, please contact Professional Psych Seminars at: toll-free phone: 877-777-0668, phone: 805-371-9443, fax: (805) 371-7443 or email us: info@psychsem.com.

On Demand Course FAQs

How long to I have to complete this class?

There is no time limit. You can take as long as you'd like to complete the class.

Can I sign-up for a class now, even though I don't want to take it for some time in the future?

Yes. Customers often do this when we are running a special, offering you a discounted price.

I lost my certificate. What do I do?

Log in to your account, navigate to the course, and view/print your Certificate.

Do I have to take the entire class at one time or can I stop and come back another time?

You can sign in and out anytime, from any computer, to continue the class. We break our classes into segments of 20 to 30 minutes. You can watch one segment and then come back later. You can even fast forward within a segment.

I am concerned about having to remember everything to take the test. Will this be a problem?

No. We ask you 2 to 3 questions after each 20 to 30 minute video lesson. Answer the questions after each lesson and save your answers. You can come back later and watch another video lesson when you have time. You don't have to remember more than one video lesson at a time. Also, most of our questions are very straight forward. You should have no problem answering them if you've watched the video lesson.

Can you print out the handouts for my on-demand class and send them to me?

No. You can view them online or print them out yourself.

My certificate won’t print. Can you help me?

Hold down the keys Ctrl + P at the same time to access the print screen on your computer.