Counseling Victims of Natural Disasters

Counseling Victims of Natural Disasters is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that examines how to help the victims, and witnesses, of natural disasters.

Recent hurricanes like Helene and Milton have brought to light the many ways in which we are at the mercy of Mother Nature. As much as we try to prepare for any natural disaster, it seems, to some extent, we will always be taken by surprise. Moreover, there are some forms of natural disasters for which we simply cannot prepare. For example, Hurricane Helene was an extremely powerful and catastrophic hurricane that caused widespread destruction and fatalities across the Southeastern United States. It is at times like these that we ask ourselves: What can be done for the victims of natural disasters?

Beyond the physical needs, such as safety, food, and water, there remains the emotional residue of living through an experience that threatens one’s life. In searching for meaning in the aftermath of a traumatic experience, people can develop new perspectives on life, which leads to an adjustment in values, beliefs, and priorities. The experience becomes incorporated into their sense of self, helping them to see themselves as stronger, more capable, and more appreciative of life.

While there may be much disagreement about what causes natural disasters and how we can better prepare for them, one thing is for sure – they will continue to happen. They will continue to challenge us physically and psychologically, and there will continue to be a need for clinicians educated and experienced in working with the victims. A clinician who is well versed in the psychological impact of natural disasters and who understands the experience of having a life severely uprooted, and even threatened, by the forces of nature can help clients feel less alone and more understood. They may be able to help their clients overcome their reticence to seek treatment. The clinician can be most helpful, perhaps, by helping their client to gain perspective on the natural disaster and adversity in general. By providing clients the opportunity for psychological growth and to change their outlook after a natural disaster, clinicians can help them to see themselves and their experiences differently.

It can be difficult for a clinician to know how to respond to life events that come with little to no warning and uproot clients’ lives. Often these experiences shatter clients’ fundamental beliefs and assumptions about themselves, the world around them, and the future – what is known as their “assumptive world.” This frequently leads to a sense that “nothing is safe” at a time when safety is most needed. Further, clients can often feel so overwhelmed by their experiences and their emotional responses to them that cognitive processing is jeopardized. For these reasons, the way in which a clinician responds to the client is of critical importance.

Develop An Optimistic Perspective on Adversity

What we believe about adversity directly and significantly impacts how we respond to it. For many people, simply learning that reports of growth experiences in the aftermath of traumatic events far outnumber reports of psychiatric disorders is extremely sobering. There is evidence that if we can train people to be more psychologically resilient – that is, less catastrophic in their thinking and more optimistic and more hopeful – then they function better when they encounter traumatic situations.

Do a Mental Rehearsal

Mental rehearsal helps people develop a mental blueprint of a performance or activity and helps them visualize how they can overcome and manage obstacles and challenges that may arise. Mental rehearsal is a powerful tool that helps us manage either the stress of performing at our very best, being the first responder on a trauma team, or coping with a trauma ourselves.

So how can you use mental rehearsal to help your clients in the aftermath of a natural disaster? The first step is to ask your client to choose a place, situation, or feeling in which she would like to respond differently. For example, your client can choose a particular place, such as room in her house (or the remains of her house itself), a memorial for the victims, or a landmark of the damage. Your client may choose a situation, such as seeing her loved ones, cleaning up the remains, or speaking with media or your client may choose a feeling, such as fear, emptiness, or confusion.

Once your client has chosen what she would like to visualize, the next step is to describe how she would like to see herself responding. For example, she can say that she would like to see herself going home and entering her bedroom feeling calm. Or she can say that she would like to see herself speaking to her children in a kind loving manner.

Now that your client has an idea of how she would like to see herself responding, the last step is to rehearse this visualization mentally while considering the following:

  • Describe the scene around you, the people involved, and what you are doing.
  • Describe how you are feeling.
  • Is there anything that is challenging, or that you are having to overcome? If so, what are you doing to manage these things?
  • Are there any feelings that are hard or distressing? If so, what are you doing to manage these?
  • Is there anything different about you? If so, describe.

Developing a mental blueprint for how she can respond to events, places, or feelings that are distressing is an empowering way for your client to separate herself from these events, see herself differently, and begin the process of responding differently with more resilience.

Ask Some Questions

Traumatic circumstances, characterized by their unusual, uncontrollable, potentially irreversible, and threatening qualities, can produce an upheaval in our major assumptions about the world, our place in it and how we make sense of our daily lives.

However, it is in reconsidering our lives that we plant the seeds for new perspectives and a sense that valuable, although painful, lessons have been learned.

Facing trauma makes us more likely to become cognitively engaged with fundamental existential questions about death and the purpose of life. A commonly reported change is for trauma survivors to place more value on the smaller things in life. They may also consider important changes in the religious, spiritual, and existential components of the philosophies of life.

Learn more about Counseling Victims of Natural Disasters

Counseling Victims of Natural Disasters is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that examines how to help the victims, and witnesses, of natural disasters.

Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. We are approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

PDR offers over 150 accredited online CE courses for healthcare professionals. 

Target AudiencePsychologistsSchool PsychologistsCounselorsSocial WorkersMarriage & Family Therapists (MFTs)Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)Occupational Therapists (OTs)Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), and Teachers

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.orgClick here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

When Your Young Client is Defiant – New Online CE Course

When Your Young Client is Defiant is a new 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that provides practical strategies for managing challenging and defiant behavior in young clients.

When Your Young Client is Defiant is a 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that provides practical strategies for managing challenging and defiant behavior in young clients.

Adults are often at a loss when it comes to handling defiance and power struggles. Some lecture the child on disrespectful behavior. Others ignore it, hoping it will go away. Often, children with language delays learn to express dissatisfaction by whining, or throwing temper tantrums, or engaging in negative behaviors. Such behaviors frequently have a negative impact on the child’s social development, family relationships, and academic outcomes. Research shows that caregivers and parents of children with difficult temperaments may also experience significant stress. Healthcare professionals are in an ideal position to teach families how to communicate better with their children and to support clients to manage their emotions.

The techniques discussed in When Your Young Client is Defiant are appropriate for all learning environments – home, classroom, playground, gym, and the therapy room. They can be used in group or individual therapy sessions, in private practice, and/or school-based settings. The techniques can be modified for each child’s developmental level, from toddler to teen.

The author begins by providing an overview of the various forms of defiant, disruptive, and challenging behavior, as well as highlighting factors that put children at increased risk for displaying such behaviors. This is followed by a discussion on the causes and five main triggers of defiant behavior. The author also provides a detailed explanation of how deficits in executive functioning can impact a child.

The remainder of the course focuses on understanding and managing difficult behavior and verbal defiance. Multiple strategies for supporting clients are discussed at length and the author provides further interventions specifically for managing executive functioning deficits and avoiding power struggles with children.

Author’s note: It should be noted at the outset that the dynamics and techniques described in this course may not be adequate or even appropriate to use with children how have more serious behavior conditions, such as oppositional defiant disorder or conduct disorders. They will require more intense and specialized mental health interventions.

Outline

  • Introduction
  • Section 1: Identification and Forms of Defiant, Disruptive, or Challenging Behavior
  • Section 2: What Are the Causes of Defiant Behavior?
  • Section 3: What Triggers Defiant Behavior?
  • Section 4: Understanding and Managing Difficult Behavior
  • Section 5: Strategies for Managing Difficult Behavior
  • Section 6: Interventions to Manage Executive Functioning Deficits
  • Section 7: Responding Appropriately to Defiance in Verbal Children to Avoid Power Struggles
  • Section 8: Freeing Children from Their Defiant Roles
  • Appendix: Useful Phrases, Responses, and Processes

Course #31-53 | 2024 | 61 pages | 20 posttest questions

Click here to learn more about When Your Young Client is Defiant

Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. We are approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

PDR offers over 150 accredited online CE courses for healthcare professionals. 

Target AudiencePsychologistsSchool PsychologistsCounselorsSocial WorkersMarriage & Family Therapists (MFTs)Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)Occupational Therapists (OTs)Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), and Teachers

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.orgClick here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Ethics in Nutrition – New Online CPEU Course

Ethics in Nutrition is a new 1-hour online continuing education (CE/CPEU) course that addresses the ethics of practice in nutrition and dietetics with the latest Code of Ethics from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Ethics in Nutrition is a new 1-hour online CPEU course that meets the CDR ethics requirement of RDNs and DTRs.

Ethical practice is a requirement and a duty of all health professionals. We are in a life and death business where mistakes or misjudgments can cause real harm, such as in the case of medical errors. Being an ethical practitioner is your responsibility. Some situations seem clear cut while others are murky and may lead to more than one approach. The practice and business of nutrition and dietetics grow and change but ethical practices remain paramount regardless. Potential situations arise that require a review of what the ethical solution(s) should be. This course includes real-life scenarios so you can utilize the profession’s Code of Ethics to identify these ethical issues and come up with solutions and ways to avoid unethical behaviors.

This course satisfies the requirement of the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) that RDNs and DTRs complete a minimum of 1 CPEU of Continuing Professional Education in Ethics during each 5-year recertification cycle in order to recertify. Course #11-55 | 2024 | 17 pages | 10 posttest questions

Click Here to Learn More & Enroll

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy) and Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) are not responsible for the provider’s interpretation of the Academy/CDR Code of Ethics for the Nutrition and Dietetics Profession or its enforcement as it relates to the scenarios and content presented in this activity.

CE Information:

Ethics in Nutrition awards 1.00 CPEUs in accordance with the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s CPEU Prior Approval Program (Activity #184840 | Performance Indicators: 1.1.1, 1.2.1, 1.3.3, 1.5.1 | End Date: 8/13/2027). Professional Development Resources is also a provider with the Florida Council of Dietetics and Nutrition and is CE Broker compliant (#50-1635 – all courses are reported within two business days of completion).

Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. We are approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

PDR offers over 150 accredited online CE courses for healthcare professionals. 

Target AudiencePsychologistsSchool PsychologistsCounselorsSocial WorkersMarriage & Family Therapists (MFTs)Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)Occupational Therapists (OTs)Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), and Teachers

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.orgClick here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Back to School CE Deals

‘Tis the season for Back to School well, everything, and we’ve got your CE covered with these Back to School Deals – just $10 per credit hour:

'Tis the season for Back to School CE Deals @pdresources.org - select online courses just $10 per credit hour:

Have a coupon? Apply it at checkout for additional savings!
Sale ends August 23, 2024. Offers valid on future orders only.

'Tis the season for Back to School CE Deals @pdresources.org - select online courses just $10 per credit hour:

Click here to view all Back to School CE Deals!

Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. We are approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

PDR offers over 150 accredited online CE courses for healthcare professionals. 

Target AudiencePsychologistsSchool PsychologistsCounselorsSocial WorkersMarriage & Family Therapists (MFTs)Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)Occupational Therapists (OTs)Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), and Teachers

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.orgClick here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Indicators of Human Trafficking

Course excerpt from Human Trafficking: Identification and Intervention

Potential Indicators of Human Trafficking

Victims and survivors of human trafficking rarely self-identify in the healthcare setting (Alpert et al. 2014) and may be unaware that they are a victim/survivor of human trafficking (Polaris, 2017). Therefore, it is critical for healthcare providers to be knowledgeable about potential indicators of human trafficking.

Victims/survivors of human trafficking rarely self-identify making it critical for healthcare providers to be alert to potential indicators:

Various indicators of human trafficking have been identified by different sources, including that the individual:

  • Is not free to leave or come and go as he/she wishes.
  • Is under 18 and is providing commercial sex acts.
  • Is in the commercial sex industry and has a pimp/manager.
  • Is unpaid, paid very little, or paid only through tips.
  • Works excessively long and/or unusual hours.
  • Is not allowed breaks or suffers under unusual restrictions at work.
  • Owes a large debt and is unable to pay it off.
  • Was recruited through false promises concerning the nature and conditions of his/her work.
  • High security measures exist in the work and/or living locations (e.g. opaque windows, boarded up windows, bars on windows, barbed wire, security cameras, etc.).
  • Is fearful, anxious, depressed, submissive, tense, or nervous/paranoid.
  • Exhibits unusually fearful or anxious behavior after bringing up law enforcement.
  • Avoids eye contact.
  • Appears malnourished.
  • Shows signs of physical and/or sexual abuse, physical restraint, confinement, or torture.
  • Has few or no personal possessions.
  • Is not in control of his/her own money, no financial records, or bank account.
  • Is not in control of his/her own identification documents (ID or passport).
  • Is not allowed or able to speak for themselves (a third party may insist on being present and/or translating).
  • Claims of just visiting and inability to clarify where he/she is staying/address.
  • Lack of knowledge of whereabouts and/or do not know what city he/she is in.
  • Loss of sense of time.
  • Has numerous inconsistencies in his/her “story.”

Additionally, these have been identified as indicators of human trafficking in the clinical setting, specifically:

  • Delayed presentation for medical care.
  • Discrepancy between the stated history and the clinical presentation or observed pattern of injury.
  • Scripted, memorized, or mechanically recited history.
  • Stated age older than visual appearance.
  • Subordinate, hyper-vigilant, or fearful demeanor.
  • Inability to produce identification documents.
  • Documents in the possession of an accompanying party.
  • Reluctance or inability to speak on one’s own behalf.
  • Accompanying individual who answers questions for the patient or otherwise controls the pace and content of the encounter.
  • Companion or accompanying individual who insists on providing translation.
  • Companion who refuses to leave.
  • Evidence of a lack of care for previously identified or obviously existing medical conditions.
  • Tattoos or other marks or insignias that may indicate a claim of “ownership” by another.
  • Evidence of any kind of physical violence including torture.

Red Flag Indicators

Specific red flag indicators of sex trafficking, or of labor trafficking with concomitant sexual exploitation/abuse are listed

Specific red flag indicators of sex trafficking, or of labor trafficking with concomitant sexual exploitation/abuse, include:

  • Recurrent sexually transmitted infections.
  • Multiple or frequent pregnancies.
  • Frequent or forced abortion.
  • Frequent relocation to avoid detection.
  • Labor trafficking should be suspected in patients of any age who present with injuries or ailments that could be due to lack of proper protective gear, excessively long work hours, heavy labor with restricted access to food/drink, or physical abuse, for example:
    • Occupational-type injuries without evidence of legitimate employment (e.g., overuse injuries, chemical exposures, exposure to extreme or adverse climate conditions, head injuries).
    • Physical ailments (e.g., dehydration, malnutrition, chronic fatigue), especially when accompanied by vague references to being related to a work situation.

Given that foreign-born nationals are more likely than U.S. citizens to be trafficked for the purpose of forced or bonded labor, the above indicators are especially relevant to patients for whom English is not the primary language.

Indicators of Exploitation of Children

Commercial sexual exploitation should be suspected if children or adolescents (or, in certain circumstances, young adults) present with any of the following features:

  • Presentation to the health care setting with non-guardian or unrelated adults.
  • Access to material possessions that one would reasonably doubt the patient could afford.
  • Over-familiarity with sexual terms and practices.
  • Seemingly excessive number of sexual “partners.”
  • History of school truancy or recurrent episodes of running away.
  • Reluctance to talk about a particular tattoo.
  • Fearful attachment to a cell phone (often used for monitoring or tracking) (Alpert et al., 2014, p. 18-19).

The following have been identified as potential additional indicators of the commercial sexual exploitation of children, specifically:

  • History of emotional, sexual, or other physical abuse.
  • Signs of current physical abuse and/or sexually transmitted diseases.
  • History of running away or current status as a runaway.
  • Inexplicable appearance of expensive gifts, clothing, or other costly items.
  • Presence of an older boyfriend/girlfriend.
  • Drug addiction.
  • Withdrawal or lack of interest in previous activities.
  • Gang involvement (The Polly Klaas Foundation, n.d.).

Further, indicators of familial trafficking are unique. Because the trafficking takes place within family networks, “the trafficker may begin grooming the victim at an early age, using their close proximity to take advantage of the child’s developmental stage and inability to verbally express concerns or safety issues” (U.S. Department of State, 2021, Navigating the Unique Complexities in Familial Trafficking, para. 3). In these cases, the traffickers take advantage of the child’s reliance on the family structure, for both attachment and to meet their basic needs (U. S. Department of State, 2021).

When Human Trafficking is Suspected

Upon recognizing one indicator (or more) of human trafficking during a healthcare encounter or when a client has disclosed being trafficked, a provider’s next responses are critical. “Do not try to rescue your patient if you are not yet linked to the protection system available for trafficked persons in your country or area, and do not have proper information on existing referral networks and available services” (International Organization for Migration, 2009, p. 81).

If a health care provider suspects their client/patient is being trafficked, it is important for them to speak with the client/patient privately, particularly since anyone accompanying them may also be involved in their trafficking. Private conversations also help to foster a safe space for clients/patients to share information about what they may be experiencing (Texas Health & Human Services: Texas Human Trafficking Resource Center, 2024).

Human trafficking, commonly discussed under the two broad categories of sex trafficking and labor trafficking, is a pervasive public health issue, globally and in the United States. Human Trafficking: Identification and Intervention is a 1-hour online continuing education (CE) course that will examine the various forms of human trafficking, including the commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking of domestic minors and children who are foreign nationals, the commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking of adults, and the labor trafficking of adults and minors. Estimates of the prevalence and scope of these crimes will be discussed. The course will also explore how providers may recognize indicators of human trafficking in healthcare settings and provide trauma-informed intervention. Resources available to assist providers and those impacted by human trafficking will also be examined.

Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. We are approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

PDR offers over 150 accredited online CE courses for healthcare professionals. 

Target AudiencePsychologistsSchool PsychologistsCounselorsSocial WorkersMarriage & Family Therapists (MFTs)Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)Occupational Therapists (OTs)Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), and Teachers

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.orgClick here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Therapy Tidbits from The National Psychologist

Therapy Tidbits from The National Psychologist is a series of online continuing education (CE) courses comprised of select articles from each edition of The National Psychologist, a private, independent, online newsletter intended to keep psychologists informed about practice issues.

Therapy Tidbits from The National Psychologist is a series of online continuing education (CE) courses created from each edition.

The latest edition:

Therapy Tidbits – Spring /Summer 2024 is a 1-hour online continuing education (CE) course comprised of the following articles:

  • Artificial Intelligence in Behavioral Health: The Lowest Hanging Fruit – Highlights how AI can offer a solution to current challenges and open new possibilities for improving care delivery and therapist wellbeing. 
  • Jewish College Students Under Siege – Offers a brief overview of strategies for supporting Jewish students, families, and university faculty members. 
  • Fighting Antisemitism in Clinical Practice – Provides an outline of the individual steps practitioners can take to combat antisemitism. 
  • New Psychological Research Highlights Factors Fueling Gun Violence Epidemic – Discusses a recent study that suggests males who did not live up to their standard of being masculine, or whose masculinity was threatened, were more likely to be violent. 
  • Considerations for Telesupervision in Mental Health Clinical Training – Explores the benefits and challenges of using technology as part of clinical supervision of master and doctoral-level mental health trainees. 
  • Ethical Dimensions of Integrating Artificial Intelligence in Clinical Psychology – Focuses on the ethical use of AI in psychology, cautioning against the possibility of bias in AI algorithms. 
  • Coping with Moral Injury in Mental Healthcare – Explains the concept of “moral injury” and offers strategies for supporting persons who suffer with it. 
  • Gestalt Therapy: Processes that Impact Client Awareness – Summarizes aspects of Gestalt Therapy and describes each impacts patients.

 Course #11-56 | 2024 | 17 pages | 10 posttest questions

Click here to learn more and enroll.

The National Psychologist is a private, independent online newspaper intended to keep psychologists informed about practice issues. Contributions and letters are invited. The editor reserves the right to edit articles and submissions for clarity and/or to meet specific space limitations. Publication staff is not responsible for opinions or facts in bylined articles. Click here to subscribe to TNP.

2023 Editions:

Click here to view the entire Therapy Tidbits series.

Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. We are approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

PDR offers over 150 accredited online CE courses for healthcare professionals. 

Target AudiencePsychologistsSchool PsychologistsCounselorsSocial WorkersMarriage & Family Therapists (MFTs)Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)Occupational Therapists (OTs)Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), and Teachers

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.orgClick here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Christmas in July CE Sale

Join us for Christmas in July and enjoy a FREE CE course with every 2 you buy, now through Wednesday @pdresources.org:

Christmas in July CE Sale

Add any 3 CE courses to your shopping cart and the lowest priced 3rd course will automatically deduct at checkout (courses must be purchased together, one free course per order). Have a coupon? Apply it at checkout for additional savings!

Christmas in July ends Wednesday, July 31, 2024. Offer valid on future orders only.

Click here to Buy 2 CE Get 1 FREE!

Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. We are approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

PDR offers over 150 accredited online CE courses for healthcare professionals. 

Target AudiencePsychologistsSchool PsychologistsCounselorsSocial WorkersMarriage & Family Therapists (MFTs)Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)Occupational Therapists (OTs)Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), and Teachers

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.orgClick here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Human Trafficking – New CE Course

Human Trafficking: Identification and Intervention is a new 1-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that details the many facets of human trafficking as well as how to identify and provide intervention to victims/survivors.

Human Trafficking: Identification and Intervention is a 1-hour online continuing education (CE) course that details the many facets of human trafficking as well as how to identify and provide intervention to victims/survivors.

Human trafficking, commonly discussed under the two broad categories of sexual trafficking and labor trafficking, is a pervasive public health issue, both globally and in the United States. This course will examine the various forms of human trafficking, including the commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking of domestic minors and children who are foreign nationals, the commercial sexual exploitation and trafficking of adults, and the labor trafficking of adults and minors. Estimates of the prevalence and scope of these crimes are discussed. As we discuss each of these categories, we consider the range of crimes committed against the individuals, how the exploitation can be part of a larger experience of trauma, tactics used to lure individuals into trafficking, and the issues surrounding work visas.

The course begins by defining and exploring the scope of this human rights violation and discusses the Trafficking Victims Protection Act’s (TVPA) three-pronged approach to combatting human trafficking. This is followed by a short overview of the National Human Trafficking Hotline’s Action-Means-Purpose Model used to describe the elements of human trafficking.

Detailed information on the potential indicators of human trafficking and the specific red flag indicators of trafficking is provided. Several screening tools available to assist healthcare professionals with identifying victims of trafficking are also provided. This is followed by a discussion of issues that should be considered in providing intervention and services. This includes the assessment and treatment of trauma when working with patients; implementation of the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care; barriers to financial inclusion and stability; the importance of professional interpreters; and law enforcement involvement in trafficking cases.

The importance of using trauma informed assessment and care is underscored as the author presents information on SAMHSA’s trauma informed approach to care, highlighting the six key principles and outlining trauma-specific interventions. This is followed by a short section on how the challenges related to working with victims/survivors who have endured abuse and trauma may contribute to the experience of vicarious trauma among providers.

A comprehensive list of informational videos, further training opportunities, and resources are provided. Appendices outlining the 25 distinct businesses in which the human trafficking of persons occurs, and key trafficking terms and definitions are also included.

Course #11-50 | 2024 | 33 pages | 10 posttest questions

Click here to learn more.

Course Directions

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. The course is text-based (reading) and the CE test is open-book (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document).

Successful completion of the online CE test (80% required to pass, 3 chances to take) and course evaluation are required to earn a certificate of completion. Click here to learn more.

Professional Development Resources is a nonprofit educational corporation 501(c)(3) organized in 1992. We are approved to sponsor continuing education by the American Psychological Association (APA); the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology & School Psychology, Dietetics & Nutrition, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker & MFT Board and Board of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the South Carolina Board of Professional Counselors & MFTs; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage & Family Therapists and State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and are CE Broker compliant (all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

PDR offers over 150 accredited online CE courses for healthcare professionals. 

Target AudiencePsychologistsSchool PsychologistsCounselorsSocial WorkersMarriage & Family Therapists (MFTs)Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs)Occupational Therapists (OTs)Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs), and Teachers

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.orgClick here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Skepticism and Critical Thinking – New CE Course

The Power of Skepticism and Critical Thinking is a new 3-hour online continuing education (CE) course that examines why positive skepticism and critical thinking skills are necessary in clinical practice.

The Power of Skepticism and Critical Thinking is a new 3-hour online CE course that examines why these skills are necessary in practice.

Human beings are endowed with the ability to reason and the need to find connections between things and events. Unfortunately, the need to find connections can be so strong, practitioners and patients can sometimes convince themselves that there are links between treatment plans and patient outcomes, even if there is a lack of evidence to support them. In health care, arriving at the wrong conclusion can be an error of life and death proportions.

These “deductive malfunctions” and other fallacies, heuristics, and biases, are described, discussed, and illustrated in this course. The author begins by defining the concept of ‘critical thinking,’ and follows with a discussion on why practitioners must take an objective approach when evaluating patients, analyzing treatment plans, assessing the effectiveness of interventions, and challenging their own beliefs.

The factors (such as cognitive error, fallacies, assumptions, blind sports, pseudoscience, and quackery) that challenge one’s ability to think critically are highlighted. The author examines strategies for developing critical thinking skills across all ages and provides a review of assessment tools that can be used to gauge the quality of critical thinking before teaching begins and as a measure of progress throughout the training.

The final section of the course provides methods and techniques for cultivating and applying a critical thinking mindset. ‘How-To’ lists for evaluating new treatments, the scientific quality of conference speakers, published studies, and internet content are included.

Outline

Introduction
Section 1: What Is Critical Thinking?
Section 2: Why Do We Need Critical Thinking?
Section 3: Challenges to Critical Thinking
Section 4: Can Critical Thinking Be Learned?
Section 5: Measuring Critical Thinking
Section 6: Cultivating a Critical Thinking Mindset
Summary and Conclusions
Further Information

Course #31-52 | 2024 | 57 pages | 20 posttest questions

Click here to learn more about Skepticism and Critical Thinking

Course Directions

This online course provides instant access to the course materials (PDF download) and CE test. The course is text-based (reading) and the CE test is open-book (you can print the test to mark your answers on it while reading the course document).

Successful completion of this course involves passing an online test (80% required, 3 chances to take) and we ask that you also complete a brief course evaluation. Click here to learn more.


Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the Continuing Education Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA Provider #AAUM); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology and Office of School Psychology, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Dietetics and Nutrition, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners – Occupational Therapy; the Mississippi MSDoH Bureau of Professional Licensure – Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145), State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135) and marriage and family therapists (#MFT-0100), and the State Board for Social Workers an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0664); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and MFT Board (#RCST100501) and Speech and Hearing Professionals Board; the South Carolina Board of Examiners for Licensure of Professional Counselors and Therapists (#193), Examiners in Psychology, Social Worker Examiners, Occupational Therapy, and Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678); the West Virginia Board of Social Work; the Wyoming Board of Psychology; and is CE Broker compliant  (#50-1635 – all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.orgClick here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!

Therapy Tidbits – Summer/Fall 2023 CE Available

Therapy Tidbits – Summer/Fall 2023 is a new 1-hour online continuing education (CE) course comprised of select articles from the current issue of The National Psychologist, a private, independent, online newsletter intended to keep psychologists informed about practice issues.

Therapy Tidbits – Summer/ Fall 2023 is a new 1-hour online CE course comprised of select articles from The National Psychologist

The articles included in this course are:

  • Should AI Be Used in Ethical Healthcare Decision Making? – Encourages the reader to consider when and how AI should be incorporated into clinical decision making.
  • Severe Need for More Psychologists – Provides statistics that highlight the supply and demand problem in health service psychology and makes recommendations for encouraging students to pursue a career in psychology.
  • Psychologists’ Ethical Use of Self-Disclosure about Highly Charged Issues – Considers the possible types of self-disclosure and whether self-disclosure can be used ethically in therapy to support client outcomes.
  • How are Tabletop Role-Playing Games Being Used in Therapy? – Describes tabletop role playing games as a tool to engage and support clients in therapy.
  • HIPAA – Must I Comply? It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect – Outlines recommendations for ensuring HIPAA compliance.
  • Iowa Psychological Association Opposes PsyPact – Reviews the concerns of enacting interstate compacts to provide telehealth.
  • Differing Views on PSYPACT – Offers positive outcomes of enacting interstate compacts to provide telehealth.
  • Should Psychologists Refuse Care for Clients They Find Morally Objectionable? – Highlights sections of the APA code of ethics as they relate to providing quality of care for diverse populations.

Course #11-54 | 2023 | 19 pages | 10 posttest questions

  • CE Credit: 1 Hour
  • Target Audience: Psychologists
  • Learning Level: Introductory
  • Course Type: Online

Click here to learn more about Therapy Tidbits – Summer/Fall 2023


Professional Development Resources is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Professional Development Resources maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Professional Development Resources is also approved by the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC ACEP #5590); the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB Provider #1046, ACE Program); the Continuing Education Board of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA Provider #AAUM); the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA Provider #3159); the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR Provider #PR001); the Alabama State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Arizona Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners; the Florida Boards of Social Work, Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy, Psychology and Office of School Psychology, Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Dietetics and Nutrition, and Occupational Therapy Practice; the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy; the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners – Occupational Therapy; the Mississippi MSDoH Bureau of Professional Licensure – Occupational Therapy; the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0145), State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors (#MHC-0135) and marriage and family therapists (#MFT-0100), and the State Board for Social Workers an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0664); the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker and MFT Board (#RCST100501) and Speech and Hearing Professionals Board; the South Carolina Board of Examiners for Licensure of Professional Counselors and Therapists (#193), Examiners in Psychology, Social Worker Examiners, Occupational Therapy, and Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology; the Tennessee Board of Occupational Therapy; the Texas Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists (#114) and State Board of Social Worker Examiners (#5678); the West Virginia Board of Social Work; the Wyoming Board of Psychology; and is CE Broker compliant  (#50-1635 – all courses are reported within a few days of completion).

Enjoy 20% off all online continuing education (CE/CEU) courses @pdresources.orgClick here for details.

Earn CE Wherever YOU Love to Be!