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OPA 2025 Annual Conference
More information about OPA's 2025 Annual Conference coming soon!
OPA Webinar Schedule
Click the links for more information about the corresponding CE offering.
March 13, 2025 | Trauma, Dissociation, and Psychosis: CBT and Other Approaches to Understanding and Recovery
More Information Here
June 10, 2025 | Complex PTSD Starter Kit
More Information Here
OPA March Webinar
Trauma, Dissociation, and Psychosis:
CBT and Other Approaches to Understanding and Recovery
Presented by Ron J. Unger
Thursday, March 13, 2025 | Attend via Zoom
REGISTER HERE
Description:
A large number of studies now provide strong evidence that psychosis is often an understandable reaction to trauma, abuse, and other difficult life experiences. This training will introduce you to a science based yet humanistic conceptualization of extreme human experiences that can be related to trauma, and will demonstrate how to help people change their relationship with these experiences, for example, by collaborating with them in building coherent and compassionate self-narratives that can set the stage for a strong recovery. Dissociation can be a normal response to traumatic stress and can, in its more extreme forms and when misinterpreted, easily lead to psychosis. Drawing on this understanding, the possibility of addressing dissociation and misinterpretations of dissociation using methods drawn from diverse sources such as CBT, the Hearing Voices Movement, mindfulness, and psychodynamic approaches will be presented. These approaches can help people to regain perspective and personal power and create an opportunity to resolve internal conflicts rather than remaining stuck in endless efforts to suppress whatever is disturbing them.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify three possible interrelationships between trauma, dissociation, and psychosis, including ways that psychosis itself, and reactions to psychosis by others, can be traumatizing
- Create a plan to integrate CBT for psychosis with therapy oriented towards trauma to effectively treat people who are struggling with both trauma and psychosis
- Describe a collaborative approach to helping clients develop coherent and compassionate stories of trauma and recovery which provide an alternative to both fragmented "psychotic" stories, and to helplessness-inducing "mental illness" stories
Rob J. Unger
Ron Unger LCSW is a therapist and consultant specializing in CBT and related approaches for psychosis. For the past 2 decades he has been providing continuing education seminars on therapy for psychosis, working with the intersection of trauma and psychosis, and addressing cultural and spiritual issues within treatment for psychosis, at universities and mental health facilities across the United States and internationally. His seminars help people relate to the basic humanity in otherwise puzzling extreme states of mind, and reveal possible pathways people can take toward deep recovery and healing. He chairs the Pacific NW Branch of ISPS-US, and maintains a blog at recoveryfrompsychosis.org
OPA June Webinar
Complex PTSD Starter Kit
Presented by Heather Tollander, PsyD
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 | Attend Via Zoom
REGISTER HERE
Description:
This training will give clinicians a starter kit to facilitate their work with clients with complex trauma and Complex PTSD (CPTSD). We are all working with clients with complex trauma and CPTSD whether we are aware of it or not! We will review the definition of trauma, differentiate between simple and complex trauma, review diagnostic criteria for each, and apply what we have learned with a case example and discussion. There will also be time for question and answer. Whether you are a long time therapist curious about the nuances of trauma, or a psychologist in an assessment practice, this training aims to deepen your understanding of trauma by introducing you to some of the complexities of trauma, enrich your case conceptualization, and improve your diagnostic accuracy.
Learning Objectives:
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Below please provide the three (or more) learner outcomes (what can attendees expect to learn by attending this presentation) for your session.
- Attendees will be able to understand what trauma is, understand the difference between simple and complex trauma, understand differences in DSM-V PTSD and ICD-11 CPTSD diagnostic criteria, and identify symptoms and signs that a client has complex trauma.
Heather Tollander, PsyD
Dr. Tollander is a Queer licensed psychologist in group practice at Northwest ADHD Treatment Center in Portland, OR. They identify as gender fluid and use they, she and he pronouns. They were initially trained in DBT, therapeutic assessment, brief psychodynamic therapy, and behavioral interventions for ADHD. Their interest in complex trauma and dissociation began when many of the behavioral interventions they were taught for ADHD were not effective for many of their clients. She has her certificate in complex trauma and dissociation from the International Society of Trauma and Dissociation. Dr. Tollander also has extensive experience in mindfulness and Buddhist meditation and practice which they integrate into their clinical work. When not at work he can be found on the playground with his young child, hiking the Oregon outdoors, and doing a wide array of fiber arts crafts.
OPA Continuing Education Programs & Policies
The Oregon Psychological Association sponsors many continuing education programs that have been developed to meet the needs of psychologists and other mental health professionals. The Continuing Education Committee works diligently to provide programs that are of interest to the wide variety of specialties in mental health.
- APA Approval
- The Oregon Psychological Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. OPA maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Letters of completion will be awarded to participants who attend the entire workshop. No partial credits are given.
- OBOP Approval
- For an overview of OBOP CE information, please click here. For full information from OBOP regarding CE and licensure please click here.
- Other Mental Health Agency Approvals
- OPA workshops should be satisfactory for Oregon Licensed Social Workers' and LPC's continuing education requirements. Approval for any other licensing or regulatory bodies must be completed by the individual attendee.
Each OPA workshop is classified according to the following system:
Level 1: general or introductory content aimed at a diverse audience.
Level 2: psychologically sophisticated content, at either introductory or more advanced levels, aimed at general professional audiences.
Level 3: highly advanced theoretical or technical content, aimed at expert audiences.
Level 2 and 3 presentations will typically warrant CE credit for a licensed psychologist. Both level and number of hours for each workshop are indicated for each workshop and official letters of completion will be awarded to participants who attend the entire workshop. APA guidelines specify that no letter of attendance will be awarded for partial workshop attendance.
Level 2 and 3 offerings are typically accepted by the Oregon Board of Psychologists (OBOP). However, Oregon licensed psychologists should consult with the Oregon Board of Psychologists regarding the state laws and rules regarding continuing education in Oregon, and note that there is no pre-certification of continuing education credit by the Oregon Board of Psychologists. If you have questions about whether or not OBOP may accept a class for CE credit you can contact them at 503.378.4154.
Diversity CE Offerings
Cultural Competence Homestudy courses are offered by the New Mexico Psychological Association (NMPA) to OPA members for a fee. Questions should be directed to the NMPA. Courses include: Cultural Competency Assessment (1 CE), Multicultural Counseling Competencies/Research (2 CEs), Awareness-based articles (3 CE), Knowledge based articles (3 CE), Skills-based articles on counseling (3 CE) and Skills-based articles on assessment (3 CE). Click on the link above to get started.
Webinar Policies & Information
In order to register for OPA webinars on-line you will need a credit card for payment to complete your order. Please review the cancellation policy for each event carefully.
All OPA educational events are provided in a virtual format only. If you are unable to attend virtually the day of the webinar, you can now register for the recorded only version and a link to the recording of the webinar will be emailed to you approximately one week after the webinar concludes.