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As a therapist on the frontlines of trauma healing, you’re always on the lookout for the next therapy breakthrough to free your clients from intense suffering.
That’s exactly why this conference was developed — to connect you with the world’s leading innovators, researchers, and clinicians who will equip you with today’s most effective skills to revolutionize your trauma treatment results.
Join us in beautiful Anaheim, CA, or online for four days of world-class instruction that provides the perfect blend of inspiring education with rest and rejuvenation!
Master skills and access cutting-edge insight directly from the world's premier trauma experts.
Whether you’re looking for step-by-step guidance on exactly what to do and say in your next client session … or desperately looking to be refreshed and reconnected with your work …
Innovations 2026 is the place for you!
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A Fireside Conversation with Peter A. Levine & Arielle Schwartz
What does it take to truly heal from trauma? Few clinicians are more suited to exploring this question than Peter A. Levine, a somatic trauma therapy pioneer who has spent five decades transforming trauma treatment worldwide and fundamentally changing how we understand the body’s role in healing. In this rare and intimate fireside conversation, he joins Arielle Schwartz—renowned traumatologist and bestselling author of eight books—to explore the paradox of the wounded healer: how one of the world’s foremost trauma experts spent decades helping others resolve what he had not yet fully integrated in himself, as revealed in his An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey.
Moving beyond theory and technique, Dr. Levine speaks candidly about his own early experiences of violence and resilience, and how moments of joy, imagination, and bodily wisdom quietly laid the groundwork for healing long before he had language for it. Weaving autobiography, neuroscience, and lived clinical insight, this conversation offers something rare—a portrait of trauma not as a pathological state to be corrected, but as a profound human experience that can become a source of meaning, dignity, and wholeness.
Frank Anderson, MD, is a world-renowned trauma treatment expert, Harvard-trained psychiatrist, and psychotherapist. He’s the acclaimed author of Transcending Trauma and coauthor of Internal Family Systems Skills Training Manual. As a global speaker on the treatment of trauma and dissociation, he’s passionate about teaching brain-based psychotherapy and integrating current neuroscience knowledge with the Internal Family Systems model of therapy.
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Linda Thai, LMSW, ERYT-200, is a therapist and educator who specializes in brain and body-based modalities that address complex developmental trauma. She works with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, in his private small group psychotherapy workshops aimed at healing attachment trauma.
Colonization, genocide, enslavement, war, racialized terror, and ecocide aren’t just histories we leave behind—they’re imprinted on our nervous systems across generations, manifesting in presentations of rage, self-annihilation, numbness, and collapse. In this workshop, we’ll use trauma-informed, somatic, and sociocultural lenses to embark on a grounded exploration of this annihilation energy, which is actually a survival drive rooted in personal, collective, and ancestral experiences of obliteration, terror, humiliation, erasure, and subjugation. Together, we’ll explore how to use guided self-reflection and structured somatic practices with your clients that track patterns in the body and promote resourcing, titration, and pendulation toward healing and wholeness. You’ll discover how to:
Lambers Fisher, MS, LMFT, MDiv, is a marriage and family therapist in private practice who has counseled individuals, couples, and families from a variety of cultural backgrounds, in private practice, non-profit organizations, as well as ministry environments. Lambers supervises aspiring therapists, facilitates workshops, guest lectures, and is an adjunct instructor at Crown College on diversity in counseling. He’s also the author of the award-winning book, Diversity in Clinical Practice: A Practical & Shame-Free Guide to Reducing Cultural Offenses & Repairing Cross-Cultural Relationships.
As much as we may not like to admit it, few subjects make therapists sweat more than cultural competency. While we have an ethical responsibility to minimize bias, prejudice, and discrimination when working with individuals from marginalized and minority communities, many of us are prone to missteps, misunderstandings, and microaggressions that create ethical dilemmas, damage rapport, and impede our clinical progress.
In this workshop, we’ll address these common dilemmas with a step-by-step process that uses practical language to reduce the likelihood of unintentional cultural offenses and misunderstandings—and provides a roadmap for repairing a therapeutic relationship that’s damaged when they do occur. By the end of this workshop, you’ll leave with concrete strategies that will not only help you increase attunement, reduce perceived barriers, and strengthen cross-cultural relationships with clients, but navigate our epidemic of rampant cultural division and polarization outside the therapy room as well. You’ll learn:
Kate Truitt, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and applied neuroscientist. She’s the founder of the Truitt Institute, an educational platform dedicated to advancing access to mental health support on a global level, and she leads the award-winning clinical group Dr. Kate Truitt & Associates. She’s a developer and chief science advisor of the Havening Techniques, and the author of Keep Breathing and the international bestseller Healing in Your Hands.
Traumatic grief is a full-body, full-brain survival response—not a psychological failure. When loss overwhelms the nervous system, emotional processing, interoception, and regulation collapse into protective patterns like numbness, flooding, or sudden sensory-triggered distress. So how do you help trauma survivors develop healing strategies that work with—not against—these natural protective responses? In this workshop, you’ll build your own neuroplasticity-informed toolkit that will help your clients stabilize their nervous system, restore internal orientation, and heal without overwhelming their protective circuits. You’ll also learn how to:
Daphne Fatter, PhD, is a licensed psychologist, clinical consultant, author, and international speaker specializing in integrative trauma-informed therapies. She’s the author of Integrating Internal Family Systems Interventions into EMDR Therapy and is widely recognized for her expertise in blending parts work with evidence-based trauma modalities. She's EMDR certified, an EMDRIA approved consultant, and has over 20 years of experience providing trauma treatment. She has also published on countertransference and has developed a process-oriented method to support clients in decision-making.
Few clinical moments feel as charged—or ethically complex—as when a client is deciding whether to stay in or leave a relationship. These and other high-stakes relationship struggles sit at the intersection of trauma, countertransference, and burnout. And although they’re one of the most common reasons clients enter therapy, surprisingly little training is offered in how to work with them. Add ethical dilemmas into the mix, and it’s easy to feel unprepared. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to work with these kinds of life-changing decisions while maintaining ethical standards of care. We’ll examine the latest practices and use interactive exercises to explore ethical standards, ethical drift, and the role that therapist burnout plays in ethical decision-making. You’ll learn about:
This course is not affiliated with EMDRIA and does not qualify toward EMDRIA credits or training.
This product is not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with the IFS Institute and does not qualify for IFS Institute credits or certification.
Join us for an intimate and unforgettable evening with Dr. Orna Guralnik, the acclaimed psychoanalyst and star of the groundbreaking Showtime series Couples Therapy and David Kessler, one of the world’s foremost experts on grief. In this exclusive dinner event, she’ll share clinical insights and behind-the-scenes stories from the show that’s redefined how millions view psychotherapy.
You might not think neuroscience has much of an impact on your everyday life. But the truth is that almost every aspect of your daily routine, down to the smallest decisions and interactions, are informed by complex mechanisms in the brain and mind that have been forged over thousands of years—and there are simple ways we can harness these neurobiological processes to ultimately lead happier, healthier, and more purposeful lives.
In this talk, bestselling author and Harvard-trained pediatric psychiatrist Dan Siegel, shines a light on the wonders of interpersonal neurobiology using his groundbreaking Patterns of Developmental Pathways (PDP) model, which provides scientific and clinical insight into how we become who we are, as well as practical steps to help to turn seemingly intractable habits, traits, and behaviors—what can sometimes feel like a prison of personality—into a playground of possibility.
A renowned speaker and award-winning educator, he’ll guide us as we explore the lifelong journey toward wholeness, inspired by thousands of narratives on personal discovery and transformation. Along the way, we’ll cover how early temperament weaves with attachment experiences to form the nine patterns of personality that mold how we experience and express emotion, build relationships, and find meaning.
In a political moment marked by the criminalization of DEI efforts and intensification of racial targeting, the need for therapists who can see and address the invisible wounds of marginalized clients is increasingly urgent. Yet traditional approaches to trauma continue to cast a shadow over the lived experiences of those entangled in the web of racial and sociocultural oppression. The result is a therapeutic landscape where transformative, culturally attuned, trauma-informed care remains compromised.
For three decades, as a supervisor, professor, and author, Dr. Hardy has led our field in some of the most courageous and necessary conversations around expanding our narrow notions of trauma to include marginalized clients’ invisible wounds—not by avoiding tensions, but by welcoming them into the room. In this address, he’ll explore the raw realities of trauma as it intersects with race and other sociocultural identities, examining the far-reaching consequences of oppression that linger in the mind, body, and spirit. And he’ll provide concrete strategies for delivering trauma-informed care that heals and honors the resilience and humanity of our clients and ourselves.
Peter A. Levine, PhD, is the developer of the Somatic Experiencing approach, a pioneering neurobiological approach to healing trauma refined over 50 years. He founded the Ergos Institute of Somatic Education and Somatic Experiencing International, which have trained over 30,000 practitioners in more than 42 countries. He’s the author of numerous books on trauma—including Waking the Tiger, In an Unspoken Voice, Trauma and Memory, and his recent autobiography An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey.
Arielle Schwartz, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, teacher, and certified Kripalu yoga instructor, who specializes in treating PTSD and complex trauma. She’s the author of eight books, including The Complex PTSD Workbook, EMDR Therapy and Somatic Psychology, The Post Traumatic Growth Guidebook, The Complex PTSD Treatment Manual, and Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery. She trains therapists in the application of EMDR, somatic psychology, parts work therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions in the treatment of trauma and complex PTSD. She’s the founder of the Center for Resilience Informed Therapy and teaches with the Polyvagal Institute.
Trauma doesn’t live in thoughts and narratives—it lives in the body. When survival responses like fight, flight, freeze or collapse don’t complete, they become physiologically encoded, keeping clients stuck in the past regardless of how much they may talk about what happened or how many insights they may have. Dr. Levine, a somatic trauma therapy pioneer, offers a naturalistic and neurobiological framework to assess where clients are “stuck” in defensive states—and to gently release thwarted survival energy at the root of trauma symptoms. In this workshop, through lecture and case examples, you’ll gain practical somatic tools to help your clients move out of chronic dysregulation and toward greater presence, resilience, and ease. You’ll discover how to:
Ruth Cohn, MFT, is a certified sex therapist and board-certified neurofeedback practitioner. She’s the author of Working with the Developmental Trauma of Childhood Neglect: Using Psychotherapy and Attachment Theory Techniques in Clinical Practice and Coming Home to Passion: Restoring Loving Sexuality in Couples with Histories of Childhood Trauma and Neglect.
Early childhood neglect is an invisible trauma, and it’s among the most minimized, missed, and misattributed issues we encounter in therapy—even by those who’ve experienced it! Often manifesting as struggles with intimate relationships and sexual issues, the connection is missed by many clients since “nothing happened to them.” But herein lies the problem. Affect regulation, desire, boundaries, and relational safety are impacted precisely because of what did not happen: a formative, safe, and loving relationship. In this workshop, we’ll apply attachment theory, trauma theory and practice, developmental psychology, somatics, neuroscience, and sex therapy toward treating “the sexuality of neglect” and examine its common presentations, like disconnection, avoidance, shame, and numbness. You’ll learn:
Kate Truitt, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, applied neuroscientist, and founder of the award-winning Dr. Kate Truitt & Associates, recognized for excellence in trauma-informed care. She also leads the Truitt Institute and the Amy Research Foundation, advancing the integration of neuroscience into clinical practice and education. An international author and speaker, Dr. Truitt is the creator of the NeuroTriad Model and Brain Partnership programs, with work focused on trauma, stress, resilience, and applied neuroplasticity across clinical, organizational, and community settings. She is the international bestselling author of Healing in Your Hands, Keep Breathing, and The Brain Partnership Toolbox.
Trauma doesn’t make the brain irrational—it makes it efficient. Designed to keep us alive at all costs, the nervous system reorganizes after overwhelming experiences, creating a “past-weighted present,” where old danger cues shape current reactions. In this workshop, you’ll learn the importance of reframing trauma symptoms as intelligent survival strategies. And you'll discover practical, neuroscience-backed tools to help your clients update those survival patterns with compassion and precision. Through applied neurobiology, interoceptive practices, and targeted neuroplasticity techniques, we’ll examine how to collaborate with the brain’s natural protective systems. You’ll also learn how to:
Daphne Fatter, PhD, is a licensed psychologist, clinical consultant, author, and international speaker specializing in integrative trauma-informed therapies. She’s the author of Integrating Internal Family Systems Interventions into EMDR Therapy and is widely recognized for her expertise in blending parts work with evidence-based trauma modalities. She's EMDR certified, an EMDRIA approved consultant, and has over 20 years of experience providing trauma treatment. She has also published on countertransference and has developed a process-oriented method to support clients in decision-making.
Few clinical moments feel as charged—or ethically complex—as when a client is deciding whether to stay in or leave a relationship. These and other high-stakes relationship struggles sit at the intersection of trauma, countertransference, and burnout. And although they’re one of the most common reasons clients enter therapy, surprisingly little training is offered in how to work with them. Add ethical dilemmas into the mix, and it’s easy to feel unprepared. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to work with these kinds of life-changing decisions while maintaining ethical standards of care. We’ll examine the latest practices and use interactive exercises to explore ethical standards, ethical drift, and the role that therapist burnout plays in ethical decision-making. You’ll learn about:
Diana Hill, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, international trainer, and a leading expert on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She’s the author of four books including I Know I Should Exercise, But…, The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, ACT Daily Journal, and her latest Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most. She's the host of the Wise Effort Podcast and her insights have been featured by NPR, Wall Street Journal, Real Simple, and other national media.
Trauma work can pull us in many directions. Protocols, tools, and techniques pile up—but what actually heals is how we help clients relate differently to their pain and their lives. In this workshop, you'll discover Wise Effort as a simple, ACT-informed lens for trauma treatment. Rather than adding more techniques, you’ll learn to simplify your trauma work using ACT to direct you and your clients’ energy toward what truly heals. You’ll explore how to:
Dan Siegel, MD, is the founder and director of education of the Mindsight Institute and founding codirector of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA, where he was also coprincipal Investigator of the Center for Culture, Brain and Development and clinical professor of psychiatry at the School of Medicine. An award-winning educator, he’s the author of five New York Times bestsellers and over 15 other books. As the founding editor of the Norton Professional Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB), he’s overseen the publication of over 100 books in the transdisciplinary IPNB framework.
The idea that we’re interconnected with everyone and everything on the planet may sound more like creative poetry than hard fact, but it’s actually backed by neuroscience—and can significantly shape how we go about treating trauma and attachment issues in therapy. In this workshop, discover the latest scientific research on attachment and trauma, using the lens of Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB). Together, we’ll examine the new therapeutic methods that this framework has created to facilitate our clients’ healing, transformation, and well-being. You’ll not only leave with a better understanding of how attachment and trauma are shaping your clients’ lives, but with concrete tools that help them better understand their attachment patterns, heal attachment wounds, and make sense of their life story, leaving treatment not just with a feeling of relief, but a sense of purpose. You’ll also discover:
Kenneth V. Hardy, PhD, is President of the Eikenberg Academy for Social Justice and Clinical and Organizational Consultant for the Eikenberg Institute for Relationships in NYC, as well as a former Professor of Family Therapy at both Syracuse University, NY, and Drexel University, PA. He’s also the author of Racial Trauma: Clinical Strategies and Techniques for Healing Invisible Wounds, and The Enduring, Invisible, and Ubiquitous Centrality of Whiteness, and editor of On Becoming a Racially Sensitive Therapist: Race and Clinical Practice.
We’re living in a time of unprecedented turmoil, upheaval, and uncertainty. As a result, our work has never been more essential to the well-being of individuals and the health of our society. The new demands placed on us urgently require innovative and creative approaches to help both our clients and ourselves cope with the impact of living in such turbulent and volatile times. This workshop will explore the challenges of practicing therapy amid widespread societally induced trauma and disruption. You’ll examine what these circumstances mean for us as therapists—and for those we serve. You’ll explore:
Arielle Schwartz, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, teacher, certified Kripalu yoga instructor, who specializes in treating PTSD and complex trauma. She’s the author of eight books, including The Complex PTSD Workbook, EMDR Therapy and Somatic Psychology, The Post Traumatic Growth Guidebook, The Complex PTSD Treatment Manual, and Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery. She trains therapists in the application of EMDR, somatic psychology, parts work therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions in the treatment of trauma and complex PTSD. She’s the founder of the Center for Resilience Informed Therapy and teaches with the Polyvagal Institute.
Even without conscious awareness, your brain and body have released a cascade of stress chemicals such as cortisol and adrenaline. This is one reason why clients can't think their way out of the symptoms of stress or trauma; rather, you must work with the body to maximize healing. Time-tested and research-based yoga practices can play an instrumental role in this process. While you might recognize the value of bringing the body into trauma treatment, you might now know how. Applying Polyvagal Theory within therapeutic yoga provides a powerful foundation for lasting changes that promote physiological balance and psychological wellness. In this experiential session, you’ll learn how the vagus nerve is a bi-directional information highway between mind and body, and you'll discover:
Tammy Nelson, PhD, is a licensed and certified sex and couples therapist, a board-certified sexologist, and international speaker. She’s the author of six books, including The New Monogamy and Integrative Sex & Couples Therapy. With over 35 years of clinical experience, she’s known for her groundbreaking work on redefining commitment and guiding couples through affair recovery. She’s a TEDx speaker and the host of The Trouble with Sex podcast, and her work has been featured in many global media outlets. She’s the founder and director of The Integrative Sex Therapy Institute.
Relationship stress is more than just the product of communication problems: it’s more often caused by how partners’ nervous systems respond to each other, and how our traumas and past experiences impede our ability to feel safe, connected, and intimate with the people we love. Retaking control of our nervous system is the gateway to healthier conversations, deeper emotional and physical intimacy, and a more secure connection built on trust and responsiveness. In this workshop, we’ll focus on the four core relational resources—time, attention, affection, and sex—and you’ll learn specific strategies to help partners retake control of their nervous systems in each of these areas, slowing down and cultivating awareness, so they can love with more presence, curiosity, and stability. You’ll learn:
Catherine Barrett, PhD, is a licensed clinical forensic psychologist with extensive experience treating and evaluating violent offenders, sexually violent predators, and mentally ill offenders. In the family court system, she’s consulted and testified in over 100 cases, serving as a product reviewer, rebuttal witness, and expert in domestic violence. In private practice, she specializes in coercive control, complex post-traumatic stress, and trauma-related disorder, and provides psychotherapy to teens, young adults, and adults. She’s also a full-time faculty member at the University of Southern California, teaching in both the Marriage and Family Therapy program and the Doctoral Degree in Mental Health Leadership.
Treating survivors of intimate partner violence and coercive control who are engaged in litigation requires more than basic therapeutic care. Clinical decisions, documentation, and testimony can directly shape legal outcomes and either mitigate or perpetuate trauma-related risk factors. This training equips clinicians with the knowledge and practical tools to navigate the complex intersection of therapy and law:
Join Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh and Monica Lewinsky for an intimate conversation exploring trauma, shame, public narrative, and the long arc of healing. Through Lewinsky’s lived experience at the intersection of power, media scrutiny, and public shaming—and Nasserzadeh’s clinical and relational lens—this dialogue examines how people make meaning of painful experiences, how social narratives shape identity, and what allows individuals to reclaim authorship of their lives. Therapists will gain fresh insight into shame, resilience, visibility, and the relational ecosystems that support repair.
It's easy to conceptualize clients through a lens of errant chemistry or faulty wiring, particularly when industrial and information-age societies have long pressured us to use quantifiable, cost-effective models for everything from business to psychotherapy. Yet when logical, measurement-oriented aspects of therapy dominate the more organic and mysterious aspects about our work, we overlook the deeper self-access that inspires clients to live meaningful, purposeful lives—and we perpetuate the soul neglect that results from overly reductionist, hyper-rational approaches.
In this talk, therapist and New York Times bestselling author Lindsay Gibson—whose book Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents has sold millions of copies and sparked a cultural shift in how we understand and heal childhood emotional neglect—challenges us to reclaim what makes therapy transformative. By helping our clients seek their emotional truth and engage in existential self-discovery through dreams, metaphors, and imagery, we can interrupt this soul neglect. Doing so builds deeper trust, makes our work more satisfying and meaningful, and just might help heal the larger culture as well.
The conversation about narcissism has exploded across social media, mental health spaces, and even global politics. But when we bring the topic back into the therapy room, what are we talking about, really? Is narcissism a disorder? A personality style? An adaptive trait that fuels success—or a maladaptive pattern that harms others? And why has the term become such a cultural lightning rod? We’re living in a time when entitlement, grandiosity, status seeking, arrogance, and even gaslighting is socially and economically rewarded, whereas calling out these traits and behaviors is often dismissed as punitive or pathologizing health spaces, and even global politics. But when we bring the topic back into the therapy room, what are we actually treating?
In this provocative keynote, New York Times bestselling author and narcissism expert Dr. Ramani Durvasula cuts through the confusion around narcissism that dominates social media and pop psychology to reveal the clinical reality. And she’ll unpack the ultimate clinical irony: while the culture obsesses over diagnosing narcissists, therapists are more likely to treat those harmed by antagonistic patterns than the people causing the harm.
Ramani Durvasula, PhD, LCP, is a psychologist and the founder of LUNA Education, Training and Consulting, LLC. She’s professor emerita of psychology at California State University Los Angeles, and the author of multiple books, including the New York Times Bestseller, It’s Not You: Identifying and Healing from Narcissistic People.
Christine M. Cocchiola, DSW, LCSW presents internationally on the dynamics of coercive control, educating professionals, advocates, and protective parents about the lived experiences of children and the most effective intervention strategies for adult and child victims. A survivor and protective parent herself, she’s the developer of The Protective Parenting Program, coauthor of FRAMED: Women in the Family Court Underworld, and creator of the TEDx talk “It is ALL Coercive Control.”
It’s essential for therapists to distinguish milder narcissistic traits (emotional immaturity, entitlement, and inconsistent empathy) from severe antagonistic behavior (manipulation, isolation, exploitation, and coercive control). Though these patterns look related, they operate at very different levels of risk, relational harm, and clinical urgency. Clients experiencing coercive control face different clinical realities than those in relationships with less extreme antagonistic patterns. Yet across the spectrum, survivors share core themes: invalidation, betrayal, subjugation, self-abandonment, and chronic relational instability.
In this workshop, you'll explore the spectrum of severity in narcissistic and antagonistic relationships—and why the distinction matters for assessment, case formulation, and treatment. You’ll learn to understand the heterogeneity of narcissistic abuse and develop treatment plans that account for severity, safety issues, legal and ethical considerations, and the broader context of the client’s life. You’ll explore:
Thema Bryant, PhD, is a psychologist, author, professor, sacred artist, and minister leading the way in creating healthy relationships, healing traumas, and overcoming stress and oppression. She completed her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Duke University and her post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical Center’s Victims of Violence Program. She was the 2023 president of the American Psychological Association (APA) and is currently a tenured professor of psychology in the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University and an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church who leads the mental health ministry at First A.M.E. Church in Los Angeles. She’s the author of the book Matters of the Heart and host of The Homecoming Podcast.
Joy is commonly understood as a positive emotion with physical, psychological, and social benefits. In the liberation psychology framework, joy also functions as both a protective factor and a resistance strategy against chronic stress, collective and intergenerational trauma, and systemic oppression. It serves to confront colonialism and other forms of oppression while activating and sustaining an affirmative cultural identity. This workshop introduces the J.U.S.T.I.C.E. model, which outlines seven pathways to cultivate and sustain joy among marginalized clients. Through real-life case studies, you’ll learn how cultivating joy is a liberatory, transformative practice that not only promotes psychological health, but also affirms wholeness and resistance, expanding resilience, fostering well-being, and reclaiming humanity among marginalized communities. You’ll discover how to:
Sara Nasserzadeh, PhD, is a social psychologist specializing in sexuality, relationships, and intercultural fluency. She has advised UN agencies, governments, and Fortune 500 companies, and her work has been featured in major media outlets including NPR, BBC, and The New York Times. She’s authored three books, including Love By Design: 6 Ingredients for a Lifetime of Love.
Family estrangement is one of the quietest heartbreaks our clients carry, and one of the most clinically delicate places we’re invited to enter. Many clients who enter therapy arrive with a pressing question: “Should I stay connected, or should I cut ties?” Some report being encouraged to choose the “no contact” option with family, while others feel judged for wanting distance. This workshop offers a grounded, nonjudgmental clinical approach to help you remain ethical, culturally responsive, and emotionally steady when clients are making high impact decisions about family relationships. Drawing on established therapeutic approaches and integrating contemporary realities, you’ll learn to assess estrangement with nuance, clarify boundaries as invitations rather than ultimatums, and support clients in choosing between repair, redesign, or peace from afar. You’ll discover:
Mary Sise, LCSW, is a pioneer in energy psychology with over 25 years of experience integrating energy-based methods into trauma treatment. She's the creator of the Trauma Reintegration Process, past president of the Association for Comprehensive Energy Psychology (ACEP), and coauthor of The Energy of Belief. She teaches internationally, blending brain science, energy psychology/tapping, and spiritual psychology to help clinicians guide clients into deep emotional healing and parts integration.
Some parts don’t speak—they shut down. Some parts don’t cry—they protect. And some parts don’t know it’s over—because they’re still here. In trauma recovery, clinicians often encounter clients who feel fragmented, emotionally numb, or unable to access key aspects of themselves. These responses aren’t signs of resistance, but indications that certain parts of the self have gone offline in the wake of overwhelming experiences. This workshop introduces a clinical framework for somatic-energetic parts integration, drawing from trauma-informed energy psychology, Polyvagal Theory, and body-based practices. Through live video demonstrations of the Trauma Reintegration Process, participants will learn how to identify dissociated, exiled, and protector parts that remain “frozen in time” and apply somatic and energetic tools to help them thaw, supporting their safe return to present-time awareness and system-wide coherence. You’ll discover how to:
Amelia Kelley, PhD, MS, LCMHC, ATR, CYT, is a trauma-informed therapist, researcher, and leading expert in women’s mental health, ADHD, and sensitivity. She is the author of Powered by ADHD: Strategies and Exercises for Women to Harness Their Untapped Gifts and a forthcoming clinical treatment guide on women’s ADHD with W.W. Norton. She is also the founder of the Powered by ADHD Women’s Group. Dr. Kelley is the host of The Sensitivity Doctor podcast. A TED speaker and owner of Kelley Counseling & Wellness, she specializes in working with neurodivergent women and highly sensitive individuals. Her work has been featured in ADDitude Magazine, SiriusXM Doctor Radio, NPR, The Chicago Tribune, Parade, Healthline, and HuffPost.
Women with ADHD often don’t look “hyperactive”—they look exhausted. They may seem responsible, organized, socially attuned, high-achieving, but they're often internally overwhelmed. Many carry a blend of rejection sensitivity, emotional intensity, people-pleasing, perfectionism, and chronic guilt that has never been fully explained by traditional ADHD models. In this workshop, you'll explore the ADHD Female Personality Profile, an emerging synthesis of research on neurodivergence, gendered socialization, sensitivity, emotional labor, trauma history, and lifelong masking. You'll learn why ADHD women often become overachievers and people-pleasers, and why their relational lives—parenting, romantic partnerships, and friendships—are shaped by patterns of emotional over-responsibility and burnout. You’ll discover:
Lindsay C. Gibson, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist in private practice and author of the New York Times bestseller Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents and Recovering from Emotionally Immature Parents: Practical Tools to Establish Boundaries and Reclaim Your Emotional Autonomy. Her books have been translated into 37 languages.
The deprivation and invalidation clients experience with emotionally immature caregivers is a form of relational trauma that can disrupt their sense of security and self-trust. Today’s success-driven culture further contributes to clients undervaluing “soft” needs for interdependent love, creativity, and spiritual connection. Many clients compensate by over-relying on pragmatism and intellectualization to avoid vulnerability, shame, and the uncertainty of emotional processing. While this may support outward achievement, it often results in anxiety, self-criticism, and doubts about one’s worth. In this workshop, you’ll explore how to help clients value and rely on the information provided by their own emotions and thereby find purpose beyond external measures of success and validation. You’ll learn to help clients:
Rebecca Kase, LCSW, is an EMDR consultant and trainer. She owns the Trauma Therapist Institute. She is the author of Polyvagal-Informed EMDR: A Neuro-informed Approach to Healing, The Applied Polyvagal Flipchart, and The Polyvagal Solution. She is an EMDR trainer and consultant, internationally recognized trauma expert, and leading voice in living a neuro-informed life.
Polyvagal Theory offers a powerful framework for understanding how the nervous system shapes trauma responses. But clinicians often struggle to translate these concepts into practical, moment-to-moment interventions. In this experiential workshop, which takes a “nervous system first” approach, you'll learn how to apply polyvagal principles in session to enhance regulation, strengthen resilience, and support therapeutic momentum. The clinical tools you’ll take away—which can be integrated across trauma modalities, including EMDR, parts work, IFS, somatic therapies, or cognitive-based therapies—prepare clients for deeper work and to support stabilization throughout the therapeutic process. You’ll discover:
Alexandra Solomon, PhD, is a globally recognized expert on relationships and the creator of the Relational Self-Awareness framework. A licensed clinical psychologist, professor at Northwestern University, MasterClass instructor, and bestselling author, she bridges research and clinical insight to help people cultivate authentic, curious, and mindful relationships. Solomon shares her work through her popular podcast Reimagining Love, her widely followed Instagram, and acclaimed books including Love Every Day, Loving Bravely, and Taking Sexy Back. Her work has been widely featured including by NPR, The New York Times, and the Oprah Winfrey Network.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Alexandra Solomon maintains a private practice and has an employment relationship with Northwestern University. She receives royalties as a published author and is the podcast host of Reimaging Love. Dr. Solomon receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Alexandra Solomon is a thought leader for Heleo, a founding expert for the Mine'd app, and an ambassador for The Relationship School. She is an ad hoc for several peer review journals, for a complete list contact PESI, Inc. Dr. Solomon is a member of the American Psychological Association, and the American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists.
Few topics spike our anxiety and judgment like infidelity. But one of the realities of living in the digital age is that it's easier than ever to cheat—and easier than ever to get caught. Betrayal has the power to rock the very foundation of a relationship: partners likely feel lost, overwhelmed with emotions, and unsure of their next steps. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to effectively support both the betrayed and betraying partners and navigate common barriers to healing. Using a compassionate, multi-stage approach, we’ll explore different skills to help couples restore trust, foster emotional repair, and move toward post-traumatic growth and renewed connection after betrayal. You’ll also learn:
David Kessler, MA, RN, FACHE, is one of the world’s foremost experts on grief and the founder of Grief.com. He leads grief certification programs for professionals and online groups for those in grief. He’s the author of seven books, including Finding Meaning and his newest, Finding Meaning Workbook: Tools for Releasing Pain and Remembering with Love, as well as the coauthor of several books with Elisabeth Kübler-Ross and Louise Hay.
Paul Denniston, RYT 500, is the founder of Grief Yoga, which he teaches to counselors, psychologists, and healthcare professionals. He certifies other yoga teachers in the Grief Yoga Teacher Training. He’s also the author of the bestselling book Healing Through Yoga: Transform Loss into Empowerment.
Grief may feel isolating, but it is never meant to be carried alone. While loss is deeply personal, healing happens in relationship. In this workshop, you’ll explore the powerful role of therapeutic presence as the foundation for grief work, learning how skilled witnessing and attuned presence creates a stabilizing “community of two,” where clients feel seen, held, and understood. From there, we’ll examine how to thoughtfully and ethically expand this support beyond the therapy room to peers, family, and groups. Grounded in research and practical tools, this workshop will help you guide grieving clients through meaning-making and resilience-building while ensuring safety, compassion, and ethical integrity. You’ll learn:
Intergenerational trauma doesn’t just show up in symptoms. It’s present in the painful misunderstandings and power struggles that unfold between caregivers and the children they nurture. Patterns of dysregulation and disconnection get passed down outside of conscious awareness, shaping how families relate across generations. Repairing these relational patterns requires more than just parenting tips and boundary-setting strategies. This workshop offers EMDR-based tools—grounded in attachment theory, Polyvagal principles, and play therapy—for interrupting destructive and supporting lasting parent-child repair through co-regulation and relational safety. Workshop participants will learn to:
Many women carry father wounds without realizing it. In our patriarchal culture, these wounds are reinforced, making them easy to miss and hard to name. Sometimes there’s overt abuse or abandonment, but more often, there’s a gradual accumulation of absence, emotional unavailability, or disappointment that became normalized over time.
Whether the wound was overt or subtle, these women may struggle with boundaries, over-give in relationships, or find it difficult to receive care from others. They may feel anxious around male authority or repeatedly choose partners who reinforce deep fears about their own worth.
In this powerful session, the host of the top-ranked podcast The Terri Cole show and bestselling author of Boundary Boss will draw on her groundbreaking new book, Father Wound: Break Unhealthy Patterns to Reclaim Your Worth and Power, to help us better recognize father wounds in their many forms. She’ll also explore how unaddressed father wounds manifest across a woman's relationships, career, and sense of self, so you can help clients shift from unconscious adaptation and self-abandonment to self-trust and more conscious relational choices.
Gabor Maté, MD (pronounced GAH-bor MAH-tay) is a retired physician who, after 20 years of family practice and palliative care experience, worked for over a decade in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side with patients challenged by drug addiction and mental illness. The bestselling author of five books published in nearly 40 languages, including the award-winning In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction, Gabor is an internationally renowned speaker highly sought after for his expertise on addiction, trauma, childhood development, and the relationship of stress and illness. For his groundbreaking medical work and writing he has been awarded the Order of Canada, his country’s highest civilian distinction, and the Civic Merit Award from his hometown, Vancouver. His most recent book, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture is a New York Times and international bestseller.
Drawing on more than a decade of frontline experience working with people affected by severe addiction, mental illness, and trauma, Gabor Maté offers a deeply human and science‑grounded exploration of addiction in all its forms—from substance use to socially sanctioned compulsions such as workaholism, shopping, and sex. Informed by cutting‑edge neuroscience and his bestselling book In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, this workshop challenges conventional views of addiction as a genetic or purely medical disorder, presenting it instead as a continuum rooted in early childhood experience, stress, and emotional loss.
Through a compassionate lens, you’ll explore how early environments shape brain development, how stress and trauma increase vulnerability to addiction, and why understanding the function addiction serves in a person’s life is essential to healing.
You’ll discover how to:
Terri Cole, MSW, LCSW, is a licensed psychotherapist and the author of Boundary Boss, Too Much and Father Wound. For almost three decades, she’s worked with a diverse group of clients, including everyone from stay-at-home moms to celebrities and Fortune 500 CEOs. She reaches over a million people weekly through her blog, social media platform, courses, and podcast, The Terri Cole Show.
From female clients whose fathers were physically absent during childhood, to those whose fathers were emotionally unavailable, inconsistent, critical, or unsafe to rely on, father–daughter wounds shape a woman’s sense of self-worth, attachment, and relational safety. Even if no overt abuse or abandonment occurred, these early dynamics can quietly influence how women relate to themselves and others—long after childhood is over. In this workshop, we’ll hear a firsthand account of a father-daughter wounding and use a clinical lens to explore how this wound shows up throughout her adult relationships, and how healing is possible—even without the father’s awareness, accountability, or participation. You’ll walk away with a clinically grounded framework to help your own clients who’ve experienced these wounds recognize these patterns, mourn what was missing, and process the pain in ways that support self-trust, emotional regulation, and healthier relational choices. You’ll discover:
Janina Fisher, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, founder of Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST), advisory board member of the Trauma Research Foundation, and coauthor with Pat Ogden of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Interventions for Attachment and Trauma and author of Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors: Overcoming Self-Alienation and Transforming the Living Legacy of Trauma.
Research has shown a relationship between a history of childhood abuse and a later diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. Sadly, clients who’ve suffered greatly in early relationships struggle to experience others as safe. Their intense emotions and impulsive behaviors are often feared by therapists trying to help them. And yet these clients are caught up in a private, internal battle: Do I trust or not trust? Do I live or die? Do I love or hate? Do I win or lose? In this workshop, you’ll be introduced to a nonpathologizing perspective on personality disorders, one that frames them as trauma-related disorders reflecting traumatic attachment. You’ll learn to:
Chinwé Williams, PhD, is a licensed and board-certified EMDR counselor of 20 years, as well as a counselor educator of 16 years, as well as a former graduate counseling professor, college and high school counselor, and executive coach. She currently serves as a mental health consultant for K-12 schools, faith-based, and corporate work settings. An expert in trauma recovery, stress and anxiety management, adolescent and women’s wellness, somatic practices, and race-related traumatic stress, she’s been on the faculty of multiple graduate programs, including Rollins College, Georgia State University, Argosy University, and University of Central Florida. She’s the author and coauthor of several books, including Seen: Despair and Anxiety in Kids and Teenagers and the Power of Connection, and her work has been featured in Essence, Black Excellence, HuffPost, CENET, Reader's Digest, USA Today, AARP, and other leading publications.
The deeply painful experience of betrayal trauma can be caused by a family member, caregiver, friend, or even institution. Whatever the source, it undermines an individual’s sense of safety, self-worth, and the capacity to trust, often producing PTSD-like symptoms such as anxiety, dissociation, and emotional dysregulation. In this workshop, you’ll learn an integrative model to help clients calm and ground the nervous system when betrayal memories or triggers arise. Combining Polyvagal Theory, somatic psychology, attachment-informed practices, and EMDR-informed resources, you’ll learn a somatic boundary script and a simple stabilization routine for clients to use within and outside of sessions. Whether your clients are coping with the effects of caregiver neglect, friendship ruptures, or partner betrayal, this workshop offers tools to process traumatic symptoms while fostering emotional resilience. You’ll discover how to:
Joe Kort, PhD, LMSW, is the clinical director and founder of The Center for Relationship and Sexual Health in Royal Oak, Michigan. He’s a board-certified clinical sexologist and author of four books, including, Is My Husband Gay, Straight or Bi: A Guide for Women Concerned About Their Men.
For decades, trauma therapy assumed that once emotional wounds were treated, sexual difficulties would resolve on their own. For many survivors, this has never been the case. This avoidance left clinicians without the training or confidence to address sexual wellness, and left clients without support in healing the sexual and erotic parts of their lives. We now understand that sexual health and mental health must be integrated, especially when working with sexual trauma. Trauma disrupts erotic development, diminishes pleasure, and interferes with a survivor’s ability to feel safe in their own sexuality. In this workshop, you’ll learn practical, trauma-informed methods to address sexual functioning, desire, pleasure, and erotic identity in treatment. You’ll also discover:
Innovations in Psychotherapy is four days of actionable, proven, strategic training and guidance … from experts who have been in your shoes and are ready to share their practical skills with practicing therapists like you.
You’re sure to walk away with notebooks full of skills, interventions, and techniques that you can apply immediately with your next sessions.
Every year in October thousands of our colleagues come together for an unparalleled opportunity to learn, grow, and feel re-inspired and prepared for the year ahead.
Innovations is a conference where the best and brightest come to teach and learn new ways of practicing. You’ll find every session packed with actionable content you can carry back to your office and use right away.
You won’t find another conference so effectively structured around your needs as a working clinician seeking to advance your trauma treatment skills.
We’ve made sure your learning experience is paired with relaxing and fun experiences too, with lots of opportunities to simply explore the bookstore and exhibit, mingle with new and old friends, experience special lunch and dinner events, enjoy live music and dance parties, and the chance to meet your favorite authors at book signings.
Plus, you’ll connect with incredible colleagues who are passionate about the same work you do. You will leave Innovations having networked and formed relationships with your community.
Alexandra Solomon, PhD, is a globally recognized expert on relationships and the creator of the Relational Self-Awareness framework. A licensed clinical psychologist, professor at Northwestern University, MasterClass instructor, and bestselling author, she bridges research and clinical insight to help people cultivate authentic, curious, and mindful relationships. Solomon shares her work through her popular podcast Reimagining Love, her widely followed Instagram, and acclaimed books including Love Every Day, Loving Bravely, and Taking Sexy Back. Her work has been widely featured including by NPR, The New York Times, and the Oprah Winfrey Network.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Alexandra Solomon maintains a private practice and has an employment relationship with Northwestern University. She receives royalties as a published author and is the podcast host of Reimaging Love. Dr. Solomon receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Alexandra Solomon is a thought leader for Heleo, a founding expert for the Mine'd app, and an ambassador for The Relationship School. She is an ad hoc for several peer review journals, for a complete list contact PESI, Inc. Dr. Solomon is a member of the American Psychological Association, and the American Association for Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists.
Amelia Kelley, PhD, MS, LCMHC, ATR, CYT, is a trauma-informed therapist, researcher, and leading expert in women’s mental health, ADHD, and sensitivity. She is the author of Powered by ADHD: Strategies and Exercises for Women to Harness Their Untapped Gifts and a forthcoming clinical treatment guide on women’s ADHD with W.W. Norton. She is also the founder of the Powered by ADHD Women’s Group. Dr. Kelley is the host of The Sensitivity Doctor podcast. A TED speaker and owner of Kelley Counseling & Wellness, she specializes in working with neurodivergent women and highly sensitive individuals. Her work has been featured in ADDitude Magazine, SiriusXM Doctor Radio, NPR, The Chicago Tribune, Parade, Healthline, and HuffPost.
Arielle Schwartz, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, teacher, certified Kripalu yoga instructor, who specializes in treating PTSD and complex trauma. She’s the author of eight books, including The Complex PTSD Workbook, EMDR Therapy and Somatic Psychology, The Post Traumatic Growth Guidebook, The Complex PTSD Treatment Manual, and Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery. She trains therapists in the application of EMDR, somatic psychology, parts work therapy, and mindfulness-based interventions in the treatment of trauma and complex PTSD. She’s the founder of the Center for Resilience Informed Therapy and teaches with the Polyvagal Institute.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Arielle Schwartz maintains a private practice and is a trainer with Advanced EMDR Therapy Trainings. She receives royalties as a published author and receives compensation as an international presenter and a yoga instructor. Dr. Schwartz is a paid consultant for Evergreen Certifications. She receives speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Arielle Schwartz is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Yoga Alliance.
Catherine Barrett, PhD, is a licensed clinical forensic psychologist with extensive experience treating and evaluating violent offenders, sexually violent predators, and mentally ill offenders. In the family court system, she’s consulted and testified in over 100 cases, serving as a product reviewer, rebuttal witness, and expert in domestic violence. In private practice, she specializes in coercive control, complex post-traumatic stress, and trauma-related disorder, and provides psychotherapy to teens, young adults, and adults. She’s also a full-time faculty member at the University of Southern California, teaching in both the Marriage and Family Therapy program and the Doctoral Degree in Mental Health Leadership.
Chinwé Williams, PhD, is a licensed and board-certified EMDR counselor of 20 years, as well as a counselor educator of 16 years, as well as a former graduate counseling professor, college and high school counselor, and executive coach. She currently serves as a mental health consultant for K-12 schools, faith-based, and corporate work settings. An expert in trauma recovery, stress and anxiety management, adolescent and women’s wellness, somatic practices, and race-related traumatic stress, she’s been on the faculty of multiple graduate programs, including Rollins College, Georgia State University, Argosy University, and University of Central Florida. She’s the author and coauthor of several books, including Seen: Despair and Anxiety in Kids and Teenagers and the Power of Connection, and her work has been featured in Essence, Black Excellence, HuffPost, CENET, Reader's Digest, USA Today, AARP, and other leading publications.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Chinwé Williams is the co-owner of Southeastern Counselor Training Institute and has an employment relationship with Meaningful Solutions Counseling & Consulting. She receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Williams receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Chinwé Williams has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Christine M. Cocchiola, DSW, LCSW is a recognized expert on the experiences of adult and child victims of coercive control. She presents internationally on the dynamics of coercive control, educating professionals, advocates, and protective parents about the lived experiences of children and the most effective intervention strategies for both adult and child victims suffering abuse. She’s the developer of The Protective Parenting Program, an evidence-based, attachment-focused therapeutic model designed for parents whose children have been harmed by abusive partners. A survivor and protective parent herself, she’s also the coauthor of FRAMED: Women in the Family Court Underworld. Her TEDx, “It is ALL Coercive Control,” is available on YouTube.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Christine Cocchiola maintains a private practice and serves as CEO & President of Coercive Control Counseling, Inc. She has employment relationships with the NYU Silver School of Social Work, the University of Connecticut (UCONN) School of Social Work, Southern Connecticut State University (SCSU) School of Social Work, and Naugatuck Valley Community College. She is the founding member of the International Coercive Control Conference and the creator of the Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Workshops. Dr. Cocchiola receives royalties as a published author and receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-Financial: Dr. Cocchiola is a Founding Member of the International Coercive Control Conference and serves as a Board Member of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. She also serves as a journal peer reviewer.
Dan Siegel, MD, is the founder and director of education of the Mindsight Institute and founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA, where he was also co-principal Investigator of the Center for Culture, Brain and Development and clinical professor of psychiatry at the School of Medicine. An award-winning educator, he’s the author of five New York Times bestsellers and over 15 other books. As the founding editor of the Norton Professional Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB), he’s overseen the publication of over 100 books in the transdisciplinary IPNB framework.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Daniel Siegel is the clinical professor at the UCLA School of Medicine, the medical director of Lifespan Learning Institute, the executive director of Center for Human Development and Mindsight Institute, and the founding editor of Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology. He receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Daniel Siegel receives a speaking honorarium, recording royalties, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-Financial: Dr. Daniel Siegel serves on the advisory board for Gloo and Convergence in Washington, D.C.
Daphne Fatter, PhD, is a licensed psychologist, clinical consultant, author, and international speaker specializing in integrative trauma-informed therapies. She’s the author of Integrating Internal Family Systems Interventions into EMDR Therapy and is widely recognized for her expertise in blending parts work with evidence-based trauma modalities. She's EMDR certified, an EMDRIA approved consultant, and has over 20 years of experience providing trauma treatment. She has also published on countertransference and has developed a process-oriented method to support clients in decision-making.
David Kessler, MA, RN, FACHE, is one of the world’s foremost experts on grief, the founder of Grief.com, and author of seven books, including Finding Meaning and his newest, Finding Meaning Workbook: Tools for Releasing Pain and Remembering with Love. He’s coauthored books with Elisabeth Kubler Ross and Louise Hay and leads grief certification programs for professionals and online groups for those in grief.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: David Kessler is the is the co-founder and President Emeritus of Project Angel Food. He is a published author and receives royalties. David Kessler receives a speaking honorarium and recording and book royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: David Kessler is a board member for the Farrah Fawcett Foundation. He is a team member of the Health Care Executives of Southern California, the Los Angeles Police Department, and the Red Cross.
Diana Hill, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, international trainer, and a leading expert on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). She’s the author of four books including I Know I Should Exercise, But…, The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, ACT Daily Journal, and her latest Wise Effort: How to Focus Your Genius Energy on What Matters Most. She's the host of the Wise Effort Podcast and her insights have been featured by NPR, Wall Street Journal, Real Simple, and other national media.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Diana Hill maintains a private practice and is a guest teacher for Insight LA Online Meditation Community. She is the co-host and co-founder of a podcast, Your Life in Process. She receives royalties as a published author, and she receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Diana Hill contributes videos to PsychFlex.
Frank Anderson, MD, is a world-renowned trauma treatment expert, Harvard-trained psychiatrist, and psychotherapist. He’s the acclaimed author of Transcending Trauma and coauthor of Internal Family Systems Skills Training Manual. As a global speaker on the treatment of trauma and dissociation, he’s passionate about teaching brain-based psychotherapy and integrating current neuroscience knowledge with the Internal Family Systems model of therapy.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Frank Anderson maintains a private practice. Dr. Anderson receives royalties as a published author. He receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Frank Anderson is a member of the New England Society Studying Trauma and Dissociation and the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation.
Gabor Maté, MD (pronounced GAH-bor MAH-tay) is a retired physician who, after 20 years of family practice and palliative care experience, worked for over a decade in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side with patients challenged by drug addiction and mental illness. The bestselling author of five books published in nearly 40 languages, including the award-winning In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction, Gabor is an internationally renowned speaker highly sought after for his expertise on addiction, trauma, childhood development, and the relationship of stress and illness. For his groundbreaking medical work and writing, he has been awarded the Order of Canada, his country’s highest civilian distinction, and the Civic Merit Award from his hometown, Vancouver. His most recent book, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture is a New York Times and international bestseller.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Gabor Maté receives compensation as a presenter. He receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Maté receives a speaking honorarium and recording and book royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Gabor Maté has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Janina Fisher, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, founder of Trauma-Informed Stabilization Treatment (TIST), advisory board member of the Trauma Research Foundation, and coauthor with Pat Ogden of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy: Interventions for Attachment and Trauma and author of Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors: Overcoming Self-Alienation and Transforming the Living Legacy of Trauma.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Janina Fisher is an international expert and consultant on Trauma and Dissociation. She is a consultant for Khiron House Clinics and the Massachusetts Department of MH Restraint and Seclusion Initiative. Dr. Fisher receives royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium, recording royalties and book royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. Dr. Fisher has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Janina Fisher is on the advisory board for the Trauma Research Foundation. She is a patron of the Bowlby Center.
Kate Truitt, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, applied neuroscientist, and founder of the award-winning Dr. Kate Truitt & Associates, recognized for excellence in trauma-informed care. She also leads the Truitt Institute and the Amy Research Foundation, advancing the integration of neuroscience into clinical practice and education. An international author and speaker, Dr. Truitt is the creator of the NeuroTriad Model and Brain Partnership programs, with work focused on trauma, stress, resilience, and applied neuroplasticity across clinical, organizational, and community settings. She is the international bestselling author of Healing in Your Hands, Keep Breathing, and The Brain Partnership Toolbox.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Kate Truitt maintains a private practice. She is the CEO of the Trauma Counseling Center of Los Angeles. Dr. Truitt is the executive director and founder of Viva Excellence and Amy Research Foundation. She is the executive director to American Cognitive Training Association. She is the Chief Strategy Officer to The Havening Techniques. Dr. Truitt is a scientific advisor and board member to Anti-AgingGames.com and Goldie Hawn Foundation. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. All relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations have been mitigated.
Non-financial: Dr. Kate Truitt is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, the American Cognitive Training Association, and the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Kenneth V. Hardy, PhD, is President of the Eikenberg Academy for Social Justice and Clinical and Organizational Consultant for the Eikenberg Institute for Relationships in NYC, as well as a former Professor of Family Therapy at both Syracuse University, NY, and Drexel University, PA. He’s also the author of Racial Trauma: Clinical Strategies and Techniques for Healing Invisible Wounds, and The Enduring, Invisible, and Ubiquitous Centrality of Whiteness, and editor of On Becoming a Racially Sensitive Therapist: Race and Clinical Practice.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Kenneth Hardy has employment relationships with Eikenberg Institute for Relationships and Eikenberg Academy for Social Justice. He receives royalties as a published author. Kenneth Hardy receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-Financial: Kenneth Hardy has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Lambers Fisher, MS, LMFT, MDiv, is a marriage and family therapist in private practice who has counseled individuals, couples, and families from a variety of cultural backgrounds, in private practice, non-profit organizations, as well as ministry environments. Lambers supervises aspiring therapists, facilitates workshops, guest lectures, and is an adjunct instructor at Crown College on diversity in counseling. He’s also the author of the award-winning book, Diversity in Clinical Practice: A Practical & Shame-Free Guide to Reducing Cultural Offenses & Repairing Cross-Cultural Relationships.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Lambers Fisher maintains a private practice and has an employment relationship with Christian Heart Counseling. He is an adjunct instructor at Crown College. Lambers Fisher receives a speaking honorarium, book royalties, recording royalties, and a consulting fee from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Lambers Fisher is a member of the American Association for Marriage & Family Therapy and the Minnesota Association for Marriage & Family Therapy.
Linda Thai, LMSW, ERYT-200, is a therapist and educator who specializes in brain and body-based modalities that address complex developmental trauma. She works with Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, in his private small group psychotherapy workshops aimed at healing attachment trauma.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Linda Thai maintains a private practice and has an employment relationship with ND Systems. She receives compensation as a presenter, and she receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Linda Thai is the co-founder of Yoga & Twelve-Step Recovery (Y12SR). She is a board member for Asian mental health Collective.
Lindsay C. Gibson, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist in private practice and author of the New York Times bestseller Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents: How to Heal from Distant, Rejecting, or Self-Involved Parents and Recovering from Emotionally Immature Parents: Practical Tools to Establish Boundaries and Reclaim Your Emotional Autonomy. Her books have been translated into 37 languages.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Lindsay Gibson maintains a private practice and receives royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Lindsay Gibson has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Monica Lewinsky is an activist, writer, producer, global public speaker, and contributing editor to Vanity Fair. She is also the host of the podcast Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky which explores personal narratives of identity, survival, and transformation. The podcast was named one of Rolling Stone’s “Top 10 New Podcasts of 2025” and included in The Guardian’s “20 Best Podcasts of 2025.”
A leading voice on the issues of public shaming, cyberbullying, and resilience, Lewinsky has transformed her own lived experience into influential advocacy work. Through writing, speaking, and storytelling, she fosters compassionate conversations around shame, accountability, and reclaiming one’s voice.
Dr. Orna Guralnik, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst and writer. She is faculty of NYU PostDoc and on the editorial board of Psychoanalytic Dialogues. Her writing centers on the intersection of psychoanalysis, dissociation, and cultural studies. She co-founded the Center for the Study of Dissociation and Depersonalization at the Mount Sinai Medical School and is a graduate of Ferkauf’s Graduate School of Psychology and NYU PostDoc’s Analytic Program. She is the analyst and consulting producer of the Docu-series Couples Therapy, airing on Showtime/ Paramount+.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Orna Guralnik maintains a private practice and has employment relationship with New York University and the National Institute for the Psychotherapies. She is an author with Routledge Publishing and receives royalties. She receives a speaker honorarium and from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Orna Guralnik has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Paul Denniston, RYT 500, authored the bestselling book Healing Through Yoga: Transform Loss into Empowerment. The founder of Grief Yoga, he teaches this practice to counselors, psychologists, and health care professionals and certifies other yoga teachers in the Grief Yoga Teacher Training.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Paul Denniston is the founder of Grief Yoga and has employment relationships with Core Power Yoga, The Yogi Tree, Esalen, 1440 Multiversity, and Kripalu Yoga Center. He receives royalties as a published author. He receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Paul Denniston has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Peter A. Levine, PhD, is the developer of the Somatic Experiencing approach, a pioneering neurobiological approach to healing trauma refined over 50 years. He founded the Ergos Institute of Somatic Education and Somatic Experiencing International, which have trained over 30,000 practitioners in more than 42 countries. He’s the author of numerous books on trauma—including Waking the Tiger, In an Unspoken Voice, Trauma and Memory, and his recent autobiography An Autobiography of Trauma: A Healing Journey.
Ramani Durvasula, PhD, LCP, is a psychologist and the founder of LUNA Education, Training and Consulting, LLC. She’s professor emerita of psychology at California State University Los Angeles and the New York Times and International Bestselling author of It’s Not You: Understanding and Healing from Narcissistic Relationships, as well as Don’t You Know Who I Am: How to Stay Sane in the Era of Narcissism, Entitlement and Incivility, and Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving a Relationship With a Narcissist. She’s developed a training program in conjunction with PESI on working with clients who’ve experienced narcissistic and other antagonistic relationships.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Ramani Durvasula is the founder and CEO of LUNA Education, Training, and Consulting. She maintains a private practice and has employment relationships with the California State University Los Angeles and the University of Johannesburg. Ramani Durvasula receives royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Ramani Durvasula is an associate editor for Behavioral Medicine and a consulting editor for Psychology of Women Quarterly and Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Mental Health. She is an ad hoc reviewer for the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology, AIDS and Behavior, and Sex Roles: A Journal of Research. Ramani Durvasula is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science Society for Behavioral Medicine, and the International Association of Applied Psychology.
Rebecca Kase, LCSW, is an EMDR consultant and trainer. She owns the Trauma Therapist Institute. She is the author of Polyvagal-Informed EMDR: A Neuro-informed Approach to Healing, The Applied Polyvagal Flipchart, and The Polyvagal Solution. She is an EMDR trainer and consultant, internationally recognized trauma expert, and leading voice in living a neuro-informed life.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Rebecca Kase maintains a private practice and is the CEO of Trauma Therapist Institute. She previously received royalties from Bilateralstimulation.io. Rebecca Kase receives royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium, book, and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Rebecca Kase is a member of the American Psychological Association, EMDR International Association, the International Society for the Study of Traumatic Dissociation, and the Yoga Alliance.
Ruth Cohn, MFT, is a certified sex therapist and board-certified neurofeedback practitioner who grew up the daughter of Nazi Holocaust survivors in the era of the Vietnam War, the Women’s Movement of the 1970’s, and increased public awareness of violence against women and children—all of which shaped her passion and interest in social justice and psychology. She’s the author of Working with the Developmental Trauma of Childhood Neglect: Using Psychotherapy and Attachment Theory Techniques in Clinical Practice and Coming Home to Passion: Restoring Loving Sexuality in Coupes with Histories of Childhood Trauma and Neglect.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Ruth Cohn maintains a private practice and receives royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Ruth Cohn has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Sara Nasserzadeh, PhD, is a social psychologist specializing in sexuality, relationships, and intercultural fluency. She has advised UN agencies, governments, and Fortune 500 companies, and her work has been featured in major media outlets including NPR, BBC, and The New York Times. She’s authored three books, including Love By Design: 6 Ingredients for a Lifetime of Love.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh is the co-founder of Relationship Panoramic and receives compensation as an advisor. She receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Nasserzadeh has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Sara Nasserzadeh is an author with Psychotherapy Networker.
Tammy Nelson, PhD, is a licensed and certified sex and couples therapist, a board-certified sexologist, and international speaker. She’s the author of six books, including The New Monogamy and Integrative Sex & Couples Therapy. With over 35 years of clinical experience, she’s known for her groundbreaking work on redefining commitment and guiding couples through affair recovery. She’s a TEDx speaker and the host of The Trouble with Sex podcast, and her work has been featured in many global media outlets. She’s the founder and director of The Integrative Sex Therapy Institute
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Tammy Nelson maintains a private practice and is executive director and primary faculty at Integrated Sex Therapy Training Institute (ISTI) and has employment relationships with Daybreak University and the California Institute of Integral Studies. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording, and book royalties from PESI, Inc., and she additionally receives royalties from New Harbinger and Sounds True. She is a paid consultant for Evergreen Certifications. Dr. Nelson has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Tammy Nelson serves on the board of advisors for the World Association of Sex Coaches. She is a member of the American Art Therapy Association, American Association of Sex Educators, Sex Counselors, and Sex Therapists (AASECT), American Comprehensive Energy Psychology Association (ACEP), American Counseling Association, American Family Therapy Academy, American Family Therapy Association (AFTA), American Psychological Association (APA), Connecticut Counselors, Imago Relationships International Association of Professional and Certified Therapists, International Board of Sexologists, International Institute for Sexuality and Human Development, Nonfiction Authors Association, Society Scientific Study Sexuality (SSSS), and the Society for Sex Therapy and Research (SSTAR).
Terri Cole, MSW, LCSW, is a licensed psychotherapist and the author of Boundary Boss and Too Much! For over two decades, Terri has worked with a diverse group of clients that includes everyone from stay-at-home moms to celebrities and Fortune 500 CEOs. She reaches over a million people weekly through her blog, social media platform, courses, and podcast, The Terri Cole Show.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Terri Cole maintains a private practice and receives compensation as an online course instructor. She receives royalties as a published author. She is a podcast host. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Terri Cole is a member of the National Association of Social Workers.
Thema Bryant, PhD, is a psychologist, author, professor, sacred artist, and minister leading the way in creating healthy relationships, healing traumas, and overcoming stress and oppression. She completed her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at Duke University and her post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical Center’s Victims of Violence Program. She was the 2023 president of the American Psychological Association (APA) and is currently a tenured professor of psychology in the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University and an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church who leads the mental health ministry at First A.M.E. Church in Los Angeles. She’s the author of the book Matters of the Heart and host of The Homecoming Podcast.
Innovations in Psychotherapy has so many great speakers, a great crowd, and a lot of hands-on learning opportunities. This is the place to better your craft by learning from the best!
The absolute loving, compassionate energy I experience at Innovations in Psychotherapy Conference galvanizes me and teaches me what a privilege it is to do our work.
The Innovations conference was one of the best conferences I have been to. I attended many of the presentations and learned from the best of today's psychotherapists. The conference was organized, friendly, and it was exciting to be there. And it was in sunny California.
"I felt so inspired by the end of the event. The speakers were top notch. I loved connecting with other therapists."
"The even lived up to its name. I left feeling empowered to experiment with new psychotherapy approaches I hadn't considered."
"This event was fantastic. Excellent choices in speakers and so many hands on learning opportunities. I REALLY felt I gained from the yoga/ dance events as a way to not only move through the intensity of all I was learning but also to experience new embodiment techniques to bring back to my sessions."
"Honestly, I loved seeing the big names in the psychotherapy world - it was SO COOL to have them speaking right there in front of me and learning from them in such an intimate manner after reading some of their books."
"The speakers were stellar! Well organized, created excitement. The band and singer was a special touch. The bookstore was well stocked."
"I appreciated that there were several workshops related to trauma. The location and mood and atmosphere that you all created was really positive and comfortable to be a part of."
"The caliber and quality of the presenters was outstanding. I enjoyed the workshops and felt very inspired. All the speakers were great! I liked that there was coffee and pastries provided each morning and snack as well in the evening. I liked having a bookshop to buy the speakers books and have some book signings. Everyone was very nice. The hotel venue was also very nice."
"It was great to have multiple options for sessions - it was hard to choose! Thank you for the ability to watch the ones we couldn't attend later online."
"I enjoyed the yoga and dance offered at the beginning and end of each day. The handouts for presenters being available online. The flow of the day was nice and it was helpful to have a variety of workshops to attend."
"I was very impressed with this conference. I loved the live music and emphasis on laughter and having fun. Every speaker that I went to was absolutely wonderful."
"This conference was the best I have ever attended. I left excited to implement what I had learned"
Join Live In
Anaheim, CA
INCLUDES:
Join Live
Virtually
INCLUDES:
Join hundreds of your colleagues and discover the approaches that truly work for the challenges you’re facing right now!
If you are a mental health professional looking for today's most effective interventions and tomorrow's most promising innovations ... then this event is for you! This conference provides skills for real therapists on the front lines of healing, plus the opportunity to engage with the field's leaders — most of whom also actively see clients.
Yes! While other conferences charge extra for CE, our registration passes include live CE hours as part of your ticket. After the event, an email will be sent to you that will explain how you will complete your electronic evaluation and access your certificate of completion.
We have your CE needs covered! PESI works directly with state and national boards to help ensure you get the most continuing education credit possible.
No, you can attend whatever sessions you are interested in and receive CE credit for just those sessions attended live.
Yes, both in-person and virtual attendees will have the opportunity to ask their questions live and get real expert responses.
No problem. Attend whatever sessions you are interested in. Please note that you can only receive CE credit for the sessions you attend live.
You’ll master skills from the field’s most powerful approaches, including IFS Therapy, DBT, EMDR, ACT, Somatic Therapy, and more — in an intimate environment that’s perfect for learning and restoration.
Visit the Innovations Exhibit Hall each day for exclusive opportunities to meet face-to-face with our field’s experts, win prizes, and to experience the latest products and services that will enhance your practice.
As the city built on imagination, Anaheim provides one of the most ideal locations to learn, unwind, be inspired, and build connection with your colleagues and yourself.
Innovations in Psychotherapy 2026 is taking place at the luxurious Anaheim Marriott. To make your as enjoyable as possible, we have exclusive discounted rooms, available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Relax in beautifully appointed hotel rooms and suites with plush bedding, marble bathrooms, hardwood floors and balconies with views of Anaheim. Recharge in the California sun in the sparkling outdoor pool or work out in the fully equipped fitness center. Indulge in fresh Californian cuisine made from locally grown ingredients or sample our restaurant's extensive bourbon collection.
Reserve your room now at the exclusive conference hotel!
