Earn 2 CEUS!*

Miriam Cornell, MA LMFT (they/them), is a therapist currently based in Minneapolis. After leaving the religious cult in which they were raised, they spent time exploring their relationship to religion, rewriting the narrative of their life, and learning everything they could about religious harm (They are still learning!). Their experience of being raised in a cult, subsequent exploration of self and healing, and their continual exploration of this topic informs their work as a therapist. They primarily work with individuals and couples around experiences of religious harm, gender, sexuality, and neurodivergence often exploring the intersecting connections of all these things.

Description

Religious harm has far-reaching relational impacts. To better meet our clients where they are, it is vital to understand the unhelpful side of religious experiences. It comes in many forms and can be experienced in many different contexts. Many folks report feeling lost, even years after de-identifying with religion, and can struggle to imagine a way forward. They sometimes have great difficulty navigating the world without religion. They often describe difficulties around knowing who they are, how to make choices, how to relate to others, and feeling a sense of autonomy. For those raised in those settings, the impact on identity development can be difficult to painful. This workshop will offer you ways to work with your client to explore the layers of their religious experience and create an expansive path of relational healing.

This workshop will offer language to better understand our client and help them name their experiences. We will explore the ways that narratives formed in the context of high control religion or associated with fundamentalist religious beliefs impact clients’ ways of existing in this world. The impact of religious harm on relationship to self and other will be presented from an attachment perspective. We will also begin to explore how the self of the therapist can impact clients in helpful and unhelpful ways around this issue.

The presenter's experience is in a fundamentalist christian cult and the workshop will primarily focus on high control experiences in the christian church. However, the idea of working with your client to create new and empowering narratives as an expansive path to healing may be helpful to explore within other contexts of religious harm.

Objectives:

1. Learn terminology essential to understanding layers of religious harm
2. Begin to understand the impact of religious harm on clients’ development over the life span
3. Learn about the relational harm within high control religion and the value of relational healing
4. Be able to explore how the relationship of the therapist to both religion and to the self can impact the therapeutic work in the sessions

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 2 CEUS!*

Lyndsey Fraser is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified Sex Therapist, and an IEA Accredited Professional. She has presented on the intersection of the Enneagram, relationships, and sexuality in various U.S. and international forums. Being one of the few sex therapists in the world working explicitly with the Enneagram.

Sam E. Greenberg is a doctor of psychology whose research focuses on the intersection of sexuality and personality through the lens of the Enneagram. Sam’s research identified nine discernible patterns of sexual desire and expression associated with each Enneagram type. Sam helps clinicians understand and utilize this information to support individuals and couples healing sexuality issues.

Description

This session presents the basics of the Enneagram typing system and focuses on how to apply the Enneagram system to approach sexuality in therapy practice. The Enneagram model provides tools to address “the elephant in the bedroom” - the fact that many marriage and family therapists are not talking about sexuality with their clients. Using the Enneagram helps therapists to talk about sexuality issues with clients using an easy, depersonalized map of sexual approaches and tendencies.

Background:

The Enneagram Model of Sexuality developed concurrently in research and sex therapy practice, supported by both scientific evidence and clinical outcomes. Sexuality researcher, Sam E. Greenberg, PhD investigated the research question What is the relationship between Enneagram type and patterns of sexual desire? in an 814 participant quantitative study published in 2023. Concurrently, Lyndsey Fraser, MA LMFT, CST implemented use of the Enneagram personality typing system with her sex therapy clients, based upon the patterns she noticed over thirteen years of clinical work. The scientific results and the clinical results demonstrated identical outcomes: distinct and discernable patterns of sexual desire and expression mapped to the nine Enneagram types. Specific sexual patterns that are predictable by the nine Enneagram types include: overall sexual desire, cues that spark sexual desire, sexual assertiveness, ability to understand and communicate sexual desires to a partner, degree of tenderness to touch, sexually explicit materials use, likelihood of participation in kink and BDSM, solo sexual desire, frequency of sexual thoughts, comfort level with sexual dry spells, and many more.

Clients experience notably increased pace of progress in sex therapy when the Enneagram model is used. Relational work benefits significantly as clients are able to depersonalize sexual habits of their partner and understand that these are a factor of personality rather than individual choices and behaviors. Incorporating the Enneagram into therapeutic work also builds deep understanding of the self and partner. Type specific strategies can be used to approach the partner and meet their needs. Judgement decreases as the Enneagram Model of Sexuality gives partners language to communicate about their sexual selves.

Objectives:

1. Understand the basics of the Enneagram typing system

2. Apply the Enneagram typing system to sexuality in your therapy practice

3. Learn how to have compassion & understanding for your clients in your office around their differing Enneagram types & sexual approaches

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 1.5 CEUS!*

Kimberly Erickson, a holistic trauma coach and speaker, empowers individuals to heal from trauma and rewrite their stories using somatic awareness and parts work. With personal experience in adoption, developmental trauma, attachment trauma, burnout, and stress, she brings empathy and expertise to her coaching practice, Growing Harmony Within. Kimberly has achieved mastery level in Dr. Aimie Apigian's Biology of Trauma program, is training in Advanced Level Somatic Experiencing, and has completed training in Somatic Attachment Therapy, Somatic Parts Work, Internal Family Systems, and NeuroAffective Touch. Through one-on-one and group coaching, she guides clients on their healing journeys with powerful, trauma-informed tools and techniques.

Description

"Rewriting Your Story: Healing Trauma Through Somatic Awareness" is a transformative workshop designed for participants who seek to deepen their understanding of trauma healing and create a new narrative for their lives. Led by a holistic trauma coach with expertise in somatic experiencing, parts work, relational trauma repair, and the biology of trauma, this workshop offers a unique opportunity for participants to explore the profound impact of somatic awareness on the healing journey and the power of rewriting their stories.

Throughout the workshop, participants will engage in a series of experiential exercises and group discussions that align with the facilitator's core principles, including creating a safe and supportive environment, fostering a holistic perspective, and promoting ongoing learning and growth. The workshop begins with an introduction to the trauma-informed approach and its significance in building trust and psychological safety when working with clients and exploring personal narratives.

As the workshop progresses, participants will delve into the biology of trauma, learning about the nervous system's role in trauma responses, including sympathetic, parasympathetic, and dorsal vagal states. Through the use of sociometrics, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how to recognize and work with these states in themselves and their clients, as well as how these states contribute to the stories they tell themselves.

Next, participants will be encouraged to identify areas in their work and personal lives where they feel stuck or overwhelmed by their current narratives. By acknowledging and validating these struggles, participants can cultivate greater self-awareness and empathy, enhancing their ability to support others through similar challenges and rewrite their own stories.

The heart of the workshop is about listening to your body's story, where participants will engage in a somatic and parts work exercise. This exercise will guide them in building awareness of their body's sensations and connecting with different parts of themselves, fostering a more compassionate and authentic relationship with themselves and others.

As the workshop draws to a close, participants will explore the importance of sustaining balance and growth in their personal and professional lives as they continue to rewrite their stories. The facilitator will emphasize the significance of ongoing practice and integration of the skills and insights gained during the workshop, providing resources and guidance for continued healing and growth beyond the workshop setting.

By the end of the workshop, participants will leave with a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper understanding of the power of somatic awareness in rewriting their stories and cultivating more fulfilling lives. They will have gained the tools and insights needed to break free from old narratives and embrace a new, empowering story that aligns with their authentic selves.

Objectives:

1. Develop an understanding of the trauma-informed approach and its importance in creating a safe, supportive, and empowering environment for clients.

2. Learn to recognize and work with the nervous system's responses to trauma, including sympathetic, parasympathetic, and dorsal vagal states, to support clients in regulating their emotions and building resilience.

3. Engage in a somatic and parts work exercise to develop awareness of their body's sensations and connect with different parts of themselves, promoting a holistic perspective that addresses the mind, body, and spirit.

4. Gain tools and techniques for creating a safe, non-judgmental, and collaborative space for clients to explore their experiences, emotions, and challenges.

5. Discover the power of personal narrative in the healing process and learn how to support clients in identifying and rewriting limiting stories and beliefs that may be holding them back from personal growth and fulfillment.

*This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 1.5 CEUS!*

Dr. Senyurekli is in private practice with Parkdale Therapy Group, where she sees a blend of individuals and couples. She has worked previously with The Emily Program and with Rekindle Counseling. Her background includes presenting to community groups, teaching MFT graduate students at St. Mary’s University, and teaching Family Social Science undergraduate students at the University of Minnesota.

Description

This training will use research, clinical case examples, and personal reflection to demonstrate how Polyvagal Theory (PVT) can be used to better understand and shift client experiences. It will review the foundations of PVT and its core concepts, explore how past experiences and current stressors impact nervous system movement, and describe how nervous systems can impact one another. It will demonstrate how to map a client’s nervous system, and explore how movement within the nervous system can be influenced through the use of ventral breaks, anchors, value congruence, and structural changes when possible. It will conclude with examples of how clinicians can begin applying a PVT lens in conjunction with their existing (or favorite) therapy models.

Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to describe the core concepts associated with PVT, including neuroception and the three nervous system states of ventral vagal, sympathetic, and dorsal vagal.

2. Participants will be able to map out a client's nervous system and build out their anchors and dorsal brakes.

3. Participants will understand how to integrate skills from various family therapy models and frameworks to help clients create change.

*This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 1.5 CEUS!*

Nicole Carreon is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with specialized training in EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction. A board-approved supervisor, she provides practicum and post-degree supervision for LMFTs and LPCCs. Nicole works with adolescents, adults, couples, and families, with expertise in trauma, addiction, anxiety, relationship concerns, and neurological conditions such as tinnitus, misophonia, and hyperacusis. Certified in Havening Techniques® since 2022, she integrates this neuroscience-based approach into her practice and education, helping clients regulate their nervous systems and heal from trauma through gentle, effective, and transformative psychosensory methods.

Holli Engelhart is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker who earned her MSW from the University of St. Thomas–College of St. Catherine in 2009. Trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Trauma-Informed Care, and certified in Havening Techniques®, she also serves as a Minnesota Board of Social Work–approved supervisor. Discovering Havening was a turning point in her career, revealing its powerful potential to reduce distress and heal unresolved emotional experiences. Holli is dedicated to integrating this neuroscience-informed approach into her practice and is inspired by the profound, lasting change Havening can create for individuals seeking relief from trauma.

Description

Havening for LMFTs: A Somatic Tool for Trauma, Attachment, and Nervous System Regulation is a hands-on, approachable training created for marriage and family therapists who want to add a powerful, neuroscience-supported tool to their clinical work. Havening Techniques® use gentle touch, sensory input, and guided processing to help calm the nervous system, lower emotional distress, and create a greater sense of safety. In this seminar, LMFTs will learn how these techniques can easily fit into systemic work to support emotional regulation and healthier relationship patterns. Grounded in current research on trauma and neuroplasticity, Havening offers a simple yet meaningful way to help clients shift out of fight-or-flight states and into a place where connection and healing feel more possible. Because LMFTs often work with clients carrying attachment wounds, trauma histories, and chronic stress, Havening blends naturally with relational therapy by addressing not just thoughts and feelings, but also the nervous system responses that drive them. Throughout the training, participants will watch demonstrations, join in discussion, and learn how to use Self-Havening to regulate their own nervous system.  We’ll explore how the techniques can be applied with individuals, couples, and families, and how they can increase emotional safety and support client regulation during challenging moments.  

Objectives:

1. Understand the neurobiological foundations of Havening Techniques® and how psychosensory touch supports deactivation of the amygdala, reduces distress, and promotes nervous system regulation within individual, relational, and family therapy.

2. Identify ways to integrate Havening into systemic and relational treatment, including its application for attachment injuries, emotional regulation challenges, trauma symptoms, and relational conflict patterns.

3. Demonstrate beginner-level Havening interventions—such as Self-Havening exercises and apply them ethically and effectively within the LMFT scope of practice to enhance client safety, stabilization, and emotional processing.

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 2 CEUS!*

Description

This workshop will explore suicidal ideation using an Internal Family Systems (IFS) lens. This will include exploring how parts language and other IFS principles can reduce the internalized stigma clients may hold about experiencing SI, including helping them experience reduced shame and hesitation to disclose SI. Therapists will then learn techniques for increasing clients’ access to self-preserving thoughts & beliefs and ways to practice self-preserving actions. The workshop will conclude with how to complete a suicide risk assessment & safety plan using parts language and how to use this assessment to assist clients in gaining more insight into the suicidal ideation they experience. Discussions on how to use IFS flexibly & how to integrate it with other therapeutic models are integrated into the course.

Objectives:

1.Therapists will learn how to use parts language to de-stigmatize suicidal ideation, including how to reduce client shame surrounding SI and client hesitation to disclose SI.

2.Therapists will learn how to complete a risk assessment & safety plan using parts language.

3.Therapists will learn how to use parts language to increase client insight into suicidal ideation, including how to support clients in changing their relationship to suicidal parts.

4.Therapists will learn how to use parts language to increase clients’ access to self-preserving thoughts & engagement in self-preserving actions. This will include parts-based coping & self-regulation skills.

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 2 CEUS!*

Description

Neurodivergent clients, including those with Autism and ADHD, can have a variety of specific experiences with regard to sex and relationships that can pose a challenge to clinicians who do not have the knowledge-base to attune to this population. Given that most clinicians learned very little about neurodivergence in graduate school, let alone applied to a sex and relational setting, clinicians and clients often! feel stuck and might wonder Why Is This So Hard?!

This training works to fill in those gaps by addressing specific sex and relational challenges that come up for neurodivergent clients through education, discussion, and a case-study application. Topics will include sensory needs, focus challenges, demand avoidance, communication, alexithymia, and proprioception as well as asexuality and kink. The training will also address mixed-neurotype relationships, relationship transitions, and breakups.

Objectives:

1. Gain a deeper understanding of the different ways sensory needs, focus challenges, demand avoidance, and proprioception shows up in the context of neurodivergence

2. Learn about the spectrum of neurodivergent clients’ relationships to sex from sex-repulsed asexuality to sexual hyperfixation and kink

3. Explore specific challenges that come up in the context of relationships where one or more people are neurodivergent including communication, scheduling, and differing needs

4. Understand some of the ways that neurodivergence impacts how clients process breakups and relationship transitions

5. Enhance understanding through a case-study application

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 1.5 CEUS!*

Lyndsie Standerwick, LMFT, RPT (She/Her)

Lyndsie is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Registered Play Therapist. She has worked in crisis mental health for the last three and a half years. During the early parts of her career Lyndsie worked with people experiencing domestic and sexual violence. Lyndsie then moved on to inpatient mental health work, and then day treatment with children and adolescents. Throughout her career thus far, she has also provided individual and family therapy in an outpatient setting.

Mark Wilde, (He/Him) LMFT

Mark is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He is a board approved supervisor and also an AAMFt approved supervisor. He has worked in crisis mental health for the last two years. In addition to years of outpatient therapy, Mark has worked in ARHMS and CTSS programs and children’s day treatment.

Description

This presentation is designed to familiarize clinicians with the contemporary mental health crisis landscape and strengthen their confidence in responding effectively when clients present with acute distress. As the demand for crisis services continues to rise, clinicians across all settings—outpatient, community-based, medical, and educational—are increasingly called upon to make rapid, well‑informed decisions that balance client safety, autonomy, and therapeutic rapport. This training will explore core components of crisis assessment, risk stratification, protective factors, safety planning, and determining the most appropriate next steps in care.

A central focus of the presentation is the mental health safety assessment, a structured yet flexible process used to evaluate the immediacy and severity of risk. A safety assessment typically includes exploring suicidal ideation, intent, plan, means, past attempts, self‑harm behaviors, and other indicators of danger to self or others. It also involves assessing the client’s current mental status, substance use, trauma history, and environmental stressors. Effective safety assessments are not simply checklists; they require attunement, curiosity, and the ability to hold space for intense emotion while gathering essential information. Clinicians will learn how to differentiate between passive thoughts, active intent, and imminent risk, as well as how to document findings clearly and ethically.

In addition to evaluating risk, clinicians must also identify protective factors—conditions, strengths, and supports that reduce the likelihood of harm and promote resilience. Protective factors may include strong social connections, cultural or spiritual beliefs, a sense of responsibility to loved ones, engagement in treatment, problem‑solving skills, stable housing, or access to supportive community resources. Understanding protective factors helps clinicians contextualize risk and avoid overly restrictive interventions when a client’s strengths can be mobilized to support safety.

The presentation will also cover safety planning, an evidence‑based, collaborative intervention that empowers clients to recognize warning signs, use coping strategies, reach out to supportive individuals, and access crisis resources when needed. Unlike “no‑harm contracts,” safety plans are practical, personalized, and actionable. Clinicians will learn how to co‑create plans that are realistic, culturally responsive, and aligned with the client’s values.

Finally, the training will guide clinicians in determining next steps—whether that involves continued outpatient care, increased support, crisis stabilization, or emergency intervention. The goal is to equip clinicians with the knowledge and confidence to make thoughtful, ethically grounded decisions that prioritize both safety and dignity.

Objectives

1. Identify when clients are in crisis and learn assessment skills to determine risk level.

2. Identify protective factors and understand what services and supports exist for clients.

3. Identify the difference between crisis and emergency. Learn about safety planning and increasing protective factors.

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 2 CEUS!*

Description

A 2020 national survey of adult Americans found that 27% reported being currently estranged from a relative, with 10% reporting an active estrangement from either a parent or an adult child. For many of these families one side of the cutoff is coming to therapy to reconcile, heal or confront this rift. These estrangements are often fueled by deeply held convictions and values and therefore not easily resolved. However, the core of these divisions is often due the family's inability to hold two very different stories about their family identity at the same time. This workshop will be presenting some critical factors that may explain this phenonmenon. In particular, why familial cutoff has become such a common "solution" of choice to family relational problems and why so many ousted family members are mystified why the rift even occurred. This workshop will offer serveral pragmatic insights and tools for reframing the family narrative and teaching families how to maintain relationships while also holding two conflicted stories about who we are at the same time. Finally, the workshop will provide suggestions on how to remove common blocks to healing, restoring trust, accountability and reconciliation that may be helpful to therapists thrust into the middle of this family crisis.

Objectives:

1. Understanding the powerful values that create and maintain family estrangement.

2. Recognize the role and responsibility of psychoeducation in family estrangement and family repair, recognizing strengths and deficiencies in our obligation to families.

3. Offer a pragmatic path forward for restoration and reconciliation in estranged families that clients can understand and apply.

4. Suggest various ways the paths of healing and restoration of family connection can be blocked and how to resolve those blocks in therapy.

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 3 CEUs!*

Description

Have you ever wondered how to manage your countertransference when working with clients on deep existential issues? Does your own fear of dying or getting very ill influence how you show up for them? Do you ask yourself how you can help people find meaning when you often struggle with finding meaning yourself? Or maybe you work regularly with people who are ill, or in an existential crisis around end-of-life issues, and at times you find it hard to stay grounded yourself. This workshop will help you navigate this uncertain and yet wildly human terrain with more equanimity and grace. You will learn how to more calmly and surely walk alongside your clients as they grapple with the larger questions that we all face, while adhering to relevant ethical standards regarding self-disclosure, for example. Managing countertransference, applying of ethical principles and professional codes and clear clinical recommendations will be included.

Objectives:

1. List 3 ways to manage existential countertransference with clients who are dealing with end-of-life issues

2. Examine their own beliefs relevant to working with existential issues in psychotherapy

3. Develop greater self-awareness around reasons to consider therapist self-disclosure regarding existential issues with clients

4. More deeply understand the ethical principles most relevant to working with existential issues in psychotherapy

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 1 CEU!*

Description

The body holds memories and developmental patterns of response that form conscious and unconscious stories of how to be in the world. Explore in an experiential format, how our embodied responses are shaped by experience and how stories can be transformed in the therapeutic relationship, processing patterns and development of adaptive responses to life's challenges. Using the foundations of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and presenting on the work of FTW (femme, trans, women) clinical theories, this workshop proposes that we are 'more than a score' and that our stories and our client's stories are central to how understand ourselves.

Objectives:

1. Understand the foundations of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy in clinical practice

2. Understand the contributions of FTW theorists to trauma therapy and clinical practice

3. Support using self-of-the-therapist in clinical practice through experiential learning

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 3 CEUs!*

Description

Chronic illness is almost universal in older adults, with over 80% of people over 65 in the US affected by one condition, and over 60% by multiple. In an aging worldwide population with increasing incidence of chronic difficulties, caregiving is becoming more complex, and increasingly an occupation of individuals and families. Chronic illness itself has both evident and unseen impacts on wellbeing: both for the person who experiences it, and their families, who in turn must decide how to respond to these life transitions, care burdens, and their own reactions. Family therapists are therefore well placed to support caregivers and help alleviate these broad impacts, using theoretical models that recognize the psychosocial dynamics of caregiving beyond the biomedical impact on the individual experiencing illness.

This webinar is led by a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in the care of older adults and their loved ones experiencing chronic and terminal illness, and a former mental health and palliative care nurse turned student psychotherapist, bringing decades of clinical experience across two continents to bear on this topic.

Attendees will be informed on the climate of chronic illness care, the nature of common and serious long-term conditions, and their various physical, social, psychological and spiritual impacts on the individual. Myths, preconceptions, and unseen difficulties of caregivers will be highlighted, delving into caregiver stressors and consequences.

The evidence base and literature regarding chronic illness caregiving in a multicultural context will be examined, to inform the use of therapeutic models of family and couples therapy with caregivers. The role of the family therapist will be addressed, including common therapeutic themes, scope of practice, and practical issues.

Complex ethical and therapeutic scenarios based on the trainers’ clinical experiences will be explored along with trainees, assisting in grounding effective pluralistic approaches and interventions. Finally, attendees will have the chance to ask their own burning questions and receive pointers for further learning.

Objectives:

1. Understand the implications of the increasing prevalence of chronic illness for therapists

2. Explore typical difficulties faced by people with chronic illness and its various impacts on families and caregivers

3. Become aware of the evidence base and models of family therapy related to chronic illness and caregiver stress

4. Describe practical applications of family therapy for clinical work with caregivers

5. Address ethical issues, multicultural needs, and interpersonal elements in working with clients impacted by chronic illness

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 3 CEUs!*

Description

Core Concepts

What is Compassion Fatigue

The concept of compassion fatigue and related terms such as chronic stress and vicarious trauma will be explored. Participants will complete a questionnaire to gauge their risk of compassion fatigue and burnout to help conceptualize the ways these issues arise for themselves and their teams.

The Impact of Trauma

Whether you experience trauma firsthand, witness it, or work with those affected, trauma disrupts lives and communities. We will explore how trauma disrupts people's lives from a physical, emotional, cognitive, behavioral, relational, and systems perspective to reduce judgment and stigma around the costs of caring. We’ll explore how working with those who have experienced trauma can lead to the vicarious experience of trauma.

Healing Power of Vulnerability

To heal our experiences, we need to allow ourselves to be vulnerable internally and with our communities. We will explore the forms of vulnerability that lead to burnout and the ways to build self and community care to utilize vulnerability as a strength to support individual and team health.

Skills to Engage

Mindful Stewardship

Sometimes we actively disengage from painful things as a form of self-protection. Building awareness of the impact of trauma is part of your stewardship as well as maintaining a connection to hope and joy. Finding the balance between responding to pain and seeking joy is a core component of trauma stewardship and a mandatory aspect of sustainable trauma care work.

Community Care Skills

Our session closes with continued discussion on skills that address keeping these topics in our awareness and building a regular system to address their impact. We will share skills to lower distress and manage burnout for ourselves as well as how to continue to support others.

Key Takeaways

This training will give you an overview of the concepts of compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout. The main takeaway will be how best to care for yourself while continuing to care for others.

Objectives:

1. Explore compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious trauma, and how they manifest.

2. Recognize and assess the multidimensional impacts of trauma on individuals and those caring for them

3. Score your risk of compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout.

4. Evaluate how the dimensions of your identity impact your experience of vicarious trauma

5. Articulate how varying identity factors shape how we navigate and cope with the impact of trauma.

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 3 CEUs!*

Description

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) are definitely topics that have a place in marriage and family therapy (MFT). It is important that we address them, as the majority of MFT providers are white and female. This presentation will be centered around our ethical responsibility for developing an ongoing cultural competence, understanding cultural humility, identifying microaggressions, and the psychological impact that they have on our clients.

During this presentation, we will examine the ways that we can educate ourselves on the different cultural aspects clients present with, and how we can be more aware of our own biases. We will talk about intent v impact and how they are necessary for awareness. We will have opportunities for questions and have case examples so it will be an interactive session as well. You will learn principles related to ways to converse with clients regarding your questions about their ethnic heritage, their mindset regarding different cultures between you, as their provider and their family. Additionally, we will address issues that arise for you with work that you do with clients who are of a different cultural background as you. Privilege, power and difference will also be discussed. It is imperative to examine how privilege can be used to create scenarios in sessions that change power dynamics related to difference.

Objectives:

1. Explore Cultural Education: Learn about different cultural aspects that clients may present and how to become more aware of your own biases.

2. Understand Intent vs. Impact: Discuss the importance of intent and impact in fostering awareness during interactions.

3. Engage Interactively: Participate in an interactive session with opportunities for questions and case examples to enhance understanding.

4. Address Privilege and Power Dynamics: Examine how privilege and power influence relationships and discuss ways to manage these dynamics effectively in professional settings.

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 3 CEUs!*

Description

Most people struggle far more with receiving feedback than giving it, and this challenge shows up every day in our workplaces. In this talk, we shine a light on the overlooked skill of accepting critical feedback with openness, clarity, and emotional maturity. Through humor, real-life stories, and practical tools, I help participants understand why becoming skilled at receiving feedback is one of the most important steps they can take toward personal and professional growth.

We begin by exploring why feedback matters, not only as a performance tool but also as a powerful relationship builder. People often assume they are good at receiving feedback simply because they have heard it before, but hearing and receiving are two very different experiences. Participants learn to recognize that difference and understand how true receiving requires curiosity, emotional regulation, and a willingness to consider new information even when it is uncomfortable.

Since emotions can quickly take over, we take a compassionate look at the natural reactions that surface when we feel criticized. These may include defensiveness, shutting down, rationalizing, or wanting to argue our point. Instead of judging these reactions, we identify what is happening in the brain and body and then practice making proactive choices about how to respond. Participants walk away with strategies for staying present, keeping themselves grounded, and choosing responses that support trust.

We also discuss what it means to respond well in the moment. Even when feedback is surprising, unclear, or feels unfair, people can learn to listen for useful insights, give themselves time to think, and respond with professionalism and clarity. The session offers practical language, mindset shifts, and simple steps that help people navigate these conversations with confidence instead of dread.

Finally, we look at what to do after the conversation ends. Participants learn how to reflect on the feedback, decide what actions make sense, and follow up in a way that strengthens relationships and demonstrates maturity. This is where true growth happens and where trust is reinforced.

By the end of the session, participants understand the importance of receiving feedback well, know how to manage their emotional responses, can distinguish hearing from truly receiving, and feel prepared with actionable steps to move forward even when the message is difficult. This talk supports teams in building cultures where openness is normal, learning is continuous, and people feel stronger for having heard the truth.

Objectives:

1. Understand why being able to receive critical feedback is important for personal and professional growth

2. Understand emotional responses and how to make proactive choices about said responses

3. Recognize the difference between merely hearing feedback and receiving it

4. Be prepared to respond in the moment and take important steps for moving forward

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 3 CEUs!*

Description

Core Concepts

Understanding Yourself

Your perspective of the world is shaped by the identities you see and focus on. This section provides the foundation for how we see the world and how our experiences are shaped by identity factors we are and are not exposed to in development. This section creates the foundation for normalizing blindspots and ways we can increase awareness to address them.

Tension of Bias

This section explores the progression from blindspots to unconscious bias, to microaggression. The environmental and personal impact of unconscious bias and microaggressions on the person committing a microaggression, the person receiving it, and those observing it are discussed.

Tension of Privilege

Through activity and discussion, participants explore the concept of privilege and how it impacts social interactions. The tension around historic and situational aspects of privilege is discussed along with the different perspectives those with and without privilege may have.

Approaching Differences

There are many ways to approach uncomfortable and new experiences. This section provides a framework that focuses on normalizing the tension inherent in cross-cultural interactions and values and behaviors that enable people to stay open to diverse experiences.

Skills to Engage

Preparing for Tension

We will review skills focused on preparing yourself for situations that you expect may lead to tension. These skills will also assist you in reflecting on your own identity and experiences and understanding how this affects your interactions with others. The goal of these skills is to help you develop an internal awareness of how you respond in moments of tension in order to care for yourself and engage with others.

Approaching Differences

Our training will explore the approaching differences model. This skill allows you to reflect on what kind of internal space you are engaging from. We then process together how to shift toward interactions that follow a pathway of openness and empathy.

Key Takeaways

Engaging the tension of diversity provides foundational skills to interact in ways that align with a pathway of openness in moments of tension. We all have moments when we fall off this pathway, for many reasons. The key goal of this training is to help you recognize when this is happening so that you can reflect and intervene in order to work your way back to an open pathway to support the vital work you do as a mental health professional.

Objectives:

1. Examine tension's purpose and its positive impact on individual and team growth and engagement.

2. Analyze how individual identity influences perspectives and group interactions.

3. Define microaggressions and discuss their impact on the aggressor, victim, and observer.

4. Explore different experiences of privilege based on different aspects of identity.

5. Recognize the two responses to differences in conflict situations and evaluate actions to foster a culture of belonging.

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.

Earn 3 CEUs!*

Description

This training explores the historical and contemporary impact of antisemitism on mental health, intergenerational trauma, and resilience. By examining the psychological effects of historical persecution—including the Holocaust—and ongoing antisemitism worldwide, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how these experiences shape identity, community, and well-being across generations.

A key focus of the training will be the role of epigenetics in trauma transmission, providing insight into how historical traumas can affect individuals and communities long after the events have occurred. Participants will explore how antisemitism manifests in today’s world, including the psychological and emotional toll of recent events such as the October 7th attacks in Israel. These discussions will provide context for understanding the reactivation of generational trauma and the unique challenges Jewish individuals and communities face in the present day.

Through discussions, case studies, and practical exercises, clinicians will examine the intersection of identity, trauma, and resilience. The training will equip mental health professionals with the tools to engage in informed and sensitive conversations about antisemitism and its psychological impact while fostering a therapeutic space that promotes healing and empowerment.

Additionally, this program will emphasize the importance of inclusivity and awareness in clinical practice. Participants will develop practical strategies to support clients who have been directly or indirectly affected by antisemitism, historical trauma, and recent global events. By fostering an understanding of the complexities surrounding these issues, mental health professionals can better support Jewish clients and contribute to a more culturally competent and trauma-informed practice.

This training is designed for therapists, counselors, and mental health professionals who seek to expand their knowledge of historical and intergenerational trauma, epigenetics, and the impact of antisemitism in today’s world. By the end of the session, participants will have gained valuable insights and actionable strategies to enhance their clinical work, advocate for inclusivity, and support healing in affected individuals and communities.

Objectives:

1. Understand the historical and contemporary impact of antisemitism on mental health.

2. Explore intergenerational trauma and epigenetics in family systems.

3. Examine the intersection of identity, community, and resilience in therapy.

4. Develop trauma-informed strategies to support Jewish clients.

5. Enhance cultural competency and inclusivity in clinical practice.

* This CE activity offered by Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family is approved by the Minnesota Board of Social Work as an approved CE Provider (approval valid through July 25, 2026).

This CE activity is pending CE approval with Minnesota Board of Behavioral Health and Board of Marriage and Family Therapy.