Innovations in Psychotherapy 2024

Trauma Healing & Transformation

4-Day Conference | October 3-6

Live in Anaheim, CA, and Online

Nadine Burke Harris

Nadine Burke Harris

Founder of Center for Youth Wellness & Former Surgeon General of California

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris is an award-winning physician, researcher and public health leader who has spent her career on the front lines of some of our world’s most pressing public health challenges. As California’s first-ever Surgeon General, she helped guide the state’s COVID response, co-chairing the committee to recommend vaccine allocation and helping California achieve the lowest cumulative mortality of any large state. Amid the throes of the COVID pandemic, Dr. Burke Harris successfully launched a first-in-the-nation statewide effort to train over 20,000 primary care providers on how to screen for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and respond with trauma-informed care.

Dr. Burke Harris’ career has been dedicated to serving vulnerable communities and combating the root causes of health disparities. After completing her MPH at Harvard and residency at Stanford, she founded a clinic in one of San Francisco’s most underserved communities, Bayview Hunters Point. It was there that Burke Harris identified Adverse Childhood Experiences as a major risk factor affecting the health of her patients and applied research from the CDC and Kaiser Permanente to develop a novel clinical screening protocol.

Bessel van der Kolk

Bessel van der Kolk

New York Times Bestselling Author of The Body Keeps the Score

Bessel A. van der Kolk, MD, is a clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of post-traumatic stress. His work integrates developmental, neurobiological, psychodynamic and interpersonal aspects of the impact of trauma and its treatment.

Dr. van der Kolk and his various collaborators have published extensively on the impact of trauma on development, such as dissociative problems, borderline personality and self-mutilation, cognitive development, memory, and the psychobiology of trauma. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed scientific articles on such diverse topics as neuroimaging, self-injury, memory, neurofeedback, Developmental Trauma, yoga, theater, and EMDR. 

He is founder of the Trauma Center in Brookline, Massachusetts and President of the Trauma Research Foundation, which promotes clinical, scientific, and educational projects. 

His 2014 #1 New York Times best seller, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Treatment of Trauma, transforms our understanding of traumatic stress, revealing how it literally rearranges the brain’s wiring – specifically areas dedicated to pleasure, engagement, control, and trust. He shows how these areas can be reactivated through innovative treatments including neurofeedback, somatically based therapies, EMDR, psychodrama, play, yoga, and other therapies.

Dr. van der Kolk is the past president of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and professor of psychiatry at Boston University Medical School. He regularly teaches at conferences, universities, and hospitals around the world.

Sue Johnson

Sue Johnson

Developer of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT)

Dr. Sue Johnson, EdD, is an author, clinical psychologist, researcher, professor, popular presenter and speaker and a leading innovator in the field of couple therapy and adult attachment. Sue is the primary developer of Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT), and Emotionally Focused Couples and Family Therapy (EFT), which has demonstrated its effectiveness in over 30 years of peer-reviewed clinical research.

Sue Johnson is founding Director of the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT) and Distinguished Research Professor at Alliant University in San Diego, California, and Professor, Clinical Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia, Canada, as well as Professor Emeritus, Clinical Psychology, at the University of Ottawa, Canada.

Steven Hayes

Steven Hayes

Developer of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D., is the co-founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), best-selling author of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life and Nevada Foundation Professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada. An author of 44 books and nearly 600 scientific articles, he has shown in his research how language and thought leads to human suffering, and has developed ACT as a way of correcting these processes. Hayes has been president of several scientific societies and has received several national awards, such as the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.

His popular book, Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life was featured in Timemagazine among several other major media outlets, and for a time was the number one best-selling self-help book in the United States.

Janina Fisher

Janina Fisher

World-Renowned Trauma Trainer and Expert

Janina Fisher, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, a Board member of the Trauma Research Foundation, and a former instructor at Harvard Medical School. She’s the author of Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma SurvivorsTransforming the Living Legacy of Trauma, and the Living Legacy Instructional Flip Chart. 

Gabor Maté

Gabor Maté

Award-winning author, world-renowned trauma and addictions expert

Gabor Maté, M.D., C.M., 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 ground-breaking 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.

Resmaa Menakem

Resmaa Menakem

Trainer, Speaker, and Bestselling Author of "My Grandmother’s Hands"

Resmaa Menakem, MSW, LICSW, SEP, is a Senior Fellow at Meadows Behavioral Healthcare where he has built an intensive training curriculum for staff on cultural somatics and racialized trauma.

He has served as director of counseling services for the Tubman Family Alliance; as behavioral health director for African American Family Services in Minneapolis; as a domestic violence counselor for Wilder Foundation; as a certified Military and Family Life Consultant for the US Armed Forces; as a trauma consultant for the Minneapolis Public Schools; and as a Cultural Somatics consultant for the Minneapolis Police Department.

As a Community Care Counselor, he managed the wellness and counseling services for civilians on fifty-three US military bases in Afghanistan.

Resmaa studied and trained at Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, as well as with Dr. David Schnarch (author of the bestselling Passionate Marriage).

He currently teaches workshops on Cultural Somatics for audiences of African Americans, European Americans, and police officers.

He is also a therapist in private practice.

Ramani Durvasula

Ramani Durvasula

The World's Most Highly Recognized Narcissism Expert

Dr. Ramani Durvasula the New York Times Best Selling Author of It’s Not You: Identifying and Healing from Narcissistic. She is a licensed clinical psychologist in Los Angeles, CA, Professor Emerita of Psychology at California State University, Los Angeles, and the Founder and CEO of LUNA Education, Training & Consulting, a company focused on educating individuals, clinicians and businesses/institutions on the impact of narcissistic personality styles. She received her BA from the University of Connecticut, and her MA and Ph.D. from UCLA, and completed her clinical training at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute.  She is also the author two other books focused on narcissism: Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving A Relationship with a Narcissist, and “Don’t You Know Who I Am?”: How to Stay Sane in an Era of Narcissism, Entitlement, and Incivility. Dr. Durvasula is a faculty member for the APA Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology, and a consulting editor for the journal Behavioral Medicine, and her academic research was focused on the impact of personality and personality disorders on health and behavior. She has spoken widely on the impact of narcissism on mental health, relationships and the workplace. She also operates a popular YouTube channel and podcast (Navigating Narcissism). Dr. Durvasula has also developed an educational and certification program for clinicians working with clients experiencing the fallout of narcissistic relationships.

David Kessler

David Kessler

One of the World’s Foremost Experts on Grief

David Kessler, MA, RN, FACHE, is one of the world’s foremost experts on grief. He’s the founder of Grief.com and author of six books, including Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief. 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.    

Laurel Parnell

Laurel Parnell

Director of the Parnell Institute for Attachment-Focused EMDR

Laurel Parnell, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and director of the Parnell Institute for Attachment-Focused EMDR. One of the world’s leading experts on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), she is the originator of the EMDR-related therapies Attachment-Focused EMDR and Resource Tapping. Dr. Parnell has served on the faculty of the California Institute for Integral Studies and John F. Kennedy University. She is the author of several books and videos on EMDR, including, Attachment-Focused EMDR: Healing Relational Trauma, Rewiring the Addicted Brain with EMDR-Based Treatment, A Therapist’s Guide to EMDR and Tapping In. Dr. Parnell keynotes conferences, trains clinicians in EMDR, and teaches workshops internationally on Attachment-Focused EMDR, Rewiring the Addicted Brain and Resource Tapping. Learn more about Dr. Parnell at www.parnellemdr.com.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Laurel Parnell maintains a private practice and is the director of the Parnell Institute, LLC. She receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Parnell receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Laurel Parnell has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Ruth Lanius

Ruth Lanius

World-leading Trauma Researcher and Instructor

Ruth Lanius, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Professor of Psychiatry, is the director of the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) research unit at the University of Western Ontario. She established the Traumatic Stress Service and the Traumatic Stress Service Workplace Program, services that specialize in the treatment and research of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and related comorbid disorders. She currently holds the Harris-Woodman Chair in Mind-Body Medicine at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario.

Her research interests focus on studying the neurobiology of PTSD and treatment outcome research examining various pharmacological and psychotherapeutic methods. She has authored more than 100 published papers and chapters in the field of traumatic stress and is currently funded by several federal funding agencies. She regularly lectures on the topic of PTSD nationally and internationally She has recently published a book The Impact of Early Life Trauma on Health and Disease with Eric Vermetten and Clare Pain.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Ruth Lanius has employment relationships with Western University of Canada, McMaster University, St. Joseph’s Health Care, University of Western Ontario, Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research, London Health Sciences Centre, Robarts Research Institute, and the Lawson Health Research Institute. She receives grants from the National Defence (Canada), the Academica Medical Organization of Southwestern Ontario, the Trauma Research Foundation, and the Canadian Institute of Health Research. Dr. Lanius receives royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Ruth Lanius is a fellow with the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, a member of the International Society for the Study of Dissociation, the New York Academy of Sciences, and the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. She is a journal reviewer for several publications, to see a complete list contact PESI, Inc.

Deb Dana

Deb Dana

Leading Polyvagal Informed Therapy Innovator

Deb Dana, LCSW, is a clinician, consultant, and author who’s well known for translating Polyvagal Theory into a language and application that’s both understandable and accessible. Her publications include The Polyvagal Theory in TherapyPolyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection, and Anchored. 

Here's your once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to master skills and access cutting-edge insight directly from the world's premier trauma experts

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!

You’ll master skills from the field’s most powerful approaches, including IFS Therapy, DBT, EMDR, ACT, Polyvagal-Informed Therapy, and more — in an intimate environment that’s perfect for learning and restoration.

Here’s just a sample of the incredible, rarely offered sessions you’ll experience at Innovations 2024:

  • Nadine Burke-Harris, California’s first-ever Surgeon General, on how ACEs screening has revolutionized trauma-informed care 
  • Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score, on innovative treatments to transform trauma
  • Sue Johnson, developer of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT), on applying the EFIT model for deep healing
  • Steven Hayes, co-founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, on healing suffering through the ACT approach
  • Gabor Maté, author of The Myth of Normal, on compassionate care for trauma and addiction survivors

Plus, groundbreaking workshops from Ramani Durvasula, David Kessler, Janina Fisher, Laurel Parnell, Resmaa Menakem, and dozens more of today’s leading trauma innovators!

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 2024 is the place for you!

Innovations in Psychotherapy

Trauma Healing & Transformation

October 3-6, 2024

PLUS EARN UP TO A YEAR'S WORTH OF CE CREDITS (INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF REGISTRATION)

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2024 EXPERT FACULTY
Nadine Burke Harris
Founder of Center for Youth Wellness & Former Surgeon General of California
More Information

Nadine Burke Harris

Founder of Center for Youth Wellness & Former Surgeon General of California

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris is an award-winning physician, researcher and public health leader who has spent her career on the front lines of some of our world’s most pressing public health challenges. As California’s first-ever Surgeon General, she helped guide the state’s COVID response, co-chairing the committee to recommend vaccine allocation and helping California achieve the lowest cumulative mortality of any large state. Amid the throes of the COVID pandemic, Dr. Burke Harris successfully launched a first-in-the-nation statewide effort to train over 20,000 primary care providers on how to screen for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and respond with trauma-informed care.

Dr. Burke Harris’ career has been dedicated to serving vulnerable communities and combating the root causes of health disparities. After completing her MPH at Harvard and residency at Stanford, she founded a clinic in one of San Francisco’s most underserved communities, Bayview Hunters Point. It was there that Burke Harris identified Adverse Childhood Experiences as a major risk factor affecting the health of her patients and applied research from the CDC and Kaiser Permanente to develop a novel clinical screening protocol.

Bessel van der Kolk
New York Times Bestselling Author of The Body Keeps the Score
More Information

Bessel van der Kolk

New York Times Bestselling Author of The Body Keeps the Score

Bessel A. van der Kolk, MD, is a clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of post-traumatic stress. His work integrates developmental, neurobiological, psychodynamic and interpersonal aspects of the impact of trauma and its treatment.

Dr. van der Kolk and his various collaborators have published extensively on the impact of trauma on development, such as dissociative problems, borderline personality and self-mutilation, cognitive development, memory, and the psychobiology of trauma. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed scientific articles on such diverse topics as neuroimaging, self-injury, memory, neurofeedback, Developmental Trauma, yoga, theater, and EMDR. 

He is founder of the Trauma Center in Brookline, Massachusetts and President of the Trauma Research Foundation, which promotes clinical, scientific, and educational projects. 

His 2014 #1 New York Times best seller, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Treatment of Trauma, transforms our understanding of traumatic stress, revealing how it literally rearranges the brain’s wiring – specifically areas dedicated to pleasure, engagement, control, and trust. He shows how these areas can be reactivated through innovative treatments including neurofeedback, somatically based therapies, EMDR, psychodrama, play, yoga, and other therapies.

Dr. van der Kolk is the past president of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and professor of psychiatry at Boston University Medical School. He regularly teaches at conferences, universities, and hospitals around the world.

Sue Johnson
Developer of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT)
More Information

Sue Johnson

Developer of Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT)

Dr. Sue Johnson, EdD, is an author, clinical psychologist, researcher, professor, popular presenter and speaker and a leading innovator in the field of couple therapy and adult attachment. Sue is the primary developer of Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT), and Emotionally Focused Couples and Family Therapy (EFT), which has demonstrated its effectiveness in over 30 years of peer-reviewed clinical research.

Sue Johnson is founding Director of the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT) and Distinguished Research Professor at Alliant University in San Diego, California, and Professor, Clinical Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia, Canada, as well as Professor Emeritus, Clinical Psychology, at the University of Ottawa, Canada.

Steven Hayes
Developer of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
More Information

Steven Hayes

Developer of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D., is the co-founder of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), best-selling author of Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life and Nevada Foundation Professor at the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada. An author of 44 books and nearly 600 scientific articles, he has shown in his research how language and thought leads to human suffering, and has developed ACT as a way of correcting these processes. Hayes has been president of several scientific societies and has received several national awards, such as the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies.

His popular book, Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life was featured in Timemagazine among several other major media outlets, and for a time was the number one best-selling self-help book in the United States.

Janina Fisher
World-Renowned Trauma Trainer and Expert
More Information

Janina Fisher

World-Renowned Trauma Trainer and Expert

Janina Fisher, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, a Board member of the Trauma Research Foundation, and a former instructor at Harvard Medical School. She’s the author of Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma SurvivorsTransforming the Living Legacy of Trauma, and the Living Legacy Instructional Flip Chart. 

Gabor Maté
Award-winning author, world-renowned trauma and addictions expert
More Information

Gabor Maté

Award-winning author, world-renowned trauma and addictions expert

Gabor Maté, M.D., C.M., 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 ground-breaking 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.

Resmaa Menakem
Trainer, Speaker, and Bestselling Author of "My Grandmother’s Hands"
More Information

Resmaa Menakem

Trainer, Speaker, and Bestselling Author of "My Grandmother’s Hands"

Resmaa Menakem, MSW, LICSW, SEP, is a Senior Fellow at Meadows Behavioral Healthcare where he has built an intensive training curriculum for staff on cultural somatics and racialized trauma.

He has served as director of counseling services for the Tubman Family Alliance; as behavioral health director for African American Family Services in Minneapolis; as a domestic violence counselor for Wilder Foundation; as a certified Military and Family Life Consultant for the US Armed Forces; as a trauma consultant for the Minneapolis Public Schools; and as a Cultural Somatics consultant for the Minneapolis Police Department.

As a Community Care Counselor, he managed the wellness and counseling services for civilians on fifty-three US military bases in Afghanistan.

Resmaa studied and trained at Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, as well as with Dr. David Schnarch (author of the bestselling Passionate Marriage).

He currently teaches workshops on Cultural Somatics for audiences of African Americans, European Americans, and police officers.

He is also a therapist in private practice.

Ramani Durvasula
The World's Most Highly Recognized Narcissism Expert
More Information

Ramani Durvasula

The World's Most Highly Recognized Narcissism Expert

Dr. Ramani Durvasula the New York Times Best Selling Author of It’s Not You: Identifying and Healing from Narcissistic. She is a licensed clinical psychologist in Los Angeles, CA, Professor Emerita of Psychology at California State University, Los Angeles, and the Founder and CEO of LUNA Education, Training & Consulting, a company focused on educating individuals, clinicians and businesses/institutions on the impact of narcissistic personality styles. She received her BA from the University of Connecticut, and her MA and Ph.D. from UCLA, and completed her clinical training at the UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute.  She is also the author two other books focused on narcissism: Should I Stay or Should I Go: Surviving A Relationship with a Narcissist, and “Don’t You Know Who I Am?”: How to Stay Sane in an Era of Narcissism, Entitlement, and Incivility. Dr. Durvasula is a faculty member for the APA Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology, and a consulting editor for the journal Behavioral Medicine, and her academic research was focused on the impact of personality and personality disorders on health and behavior. She has spoken widely on the impact of narcissism on mental health, relationships and the workplace. She also operates a popular YouTube channel and podcast (Navigating Narcissism). Dr. Durvasula has also developed an educational and certification program for clinicians working with clients experiencing the fallout of narcissistic relationships.

David Kessler
One of the World’s Foremost Experts on Grief
More Information

David Kessler

One of the World’s Foremost Experts on Grief

David Kessler, MA, RN, FACHE, is one of the world’s foremost experts on grief. He’s the founder of Grief.com and author of six books, including Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief. 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.    

Laurel Parnell
Director of the Parnell Institute for Attachment-Focused EMDR
More Information

Laurel Parnell

Director of the Parnell Institute for Attachment-Focused EMDR

Laurel Parnell, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and director of the Parnell Institute for Attachment-Focused EMDR. One of the world’s leading experts on Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), she is the originator of the EMDR-related therapies Attachment-Focused EMDR and Resource Tapping. Dr. Parnell has served on the faculty of the California Institute for Integral Studies and John F. Kennedy University. She is the author of several books and videos on EMDR, including, Attachment-Focused EMDR: Healing Relational Trauma, Rewiring the Addicted Brain with EMDR-Based Treatment, A Therapist’s Guide to EMDR and Tapping In. Dr. Parnell keynotes conferences, trains clinicians in EMDR, and teaches workshops internationally on Attachment-Focused EMDR, Rewiring the Addicted Brain and Resource Tapping. Learn more about Dr. Parnell at www.parnellemdr.com.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Laurel Parnell maintains a private practice and is the director of the Parnell Institute, LLC. She receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Parnell receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Laurel Parnell has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Alexandra Solomon
Couples, Dating, and Relationship expert
More Information

Alexandra Solomon

Couples, Dating, and Relationship expert

Alexandra H. Solomon, PhD, is staff clinical psychologist, member of the teaching faculty in the marriage and family therapy graduate program, and clinical assistant professor of psychology at The Family Institute at Northwestern University. In addition to her clinical work with couples and individuals, Solomon teaches graduate and undergraduate students. One of her courses is Northwestern University’s internationally renowned “Building Loving and Lasting Relationships: Marriage 101,” which combines traditional and experiential learning to educate students about key relational issues like intimacy, sex, conflict, acceptance, and forgiveness. Solomon’s work has been widely cited, and her articles on love and marriage have appeared in The Handbook of Clinical Psychology, The Handbook of Couple Therapy, Family Process, Psychotherapy Networker, and other top publications in psychology. Her work also appears in O Magazine and The Huffington Post, and she is a frequent interviewee and contributor for the Oprah Winfrey Network, Yahoo! Health, The Atlantic, CBS Early Show, NPR, Psychology Today, and WGN Morning News. She is a sought-after speaker for corporate, collegiate, and professional audiences on topics related to modern love. Solomon lives in Highland Park, IL, with her husband, Todd, and their two children, Brian and Courtney.

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.

Ruth Lanius
World-leading Trauma Researcher and Instructor
More Information

Ruth Lanius

World-leading Trauma Researcher and Instructor

Ruth Lanius, MD, PhD, FRCPC, Professor of Psychiatry, is the director of the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) research unit at the University of Western Ontario. She established the Traumatic Stress Service and the Traumatic Stress Service Workplace Program, services that specialize in the treatment and research of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and related comorbid disorders. She currently holds the Harris-Woodman Chair in Mind-Body Medicine at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Western Ontario.

Her research interests focus on studying the neurobiology of PTSD and treatment outcome research examining various pharmacological and psychotherapeutic methods. She has authored more than 100 published papers and chapters in the field of traumatic stress and is currently funded by several federal funding agencies. She regularly lectures on the topic of PTSD nationally and internationally She has recently published a book The Impact of Early Life Trauma on Health and Disease with Eric Vermetten and Clare Pain.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Ruth Lanius has employment relationships with Western University of Canada, McMaster University, St. Joseph’s Health Care, University of Western Ontario, Canadian Institute for Military and Veteran Health Research, London Health Sciences Centre, Robarts Research Institute, and the Lawson Health Research Institute. She receives grants from the National Defence (Canada), the Academica Medical Organization of Southwestern Ontario, the Trauma Research Foundation, and the Canadian Institute of Health Research. Dr. Lanius receives royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Ruth Lanius is a fellow with the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, a member of the International Society for the Study of Dissociation, the New York Academy of Sciences, and the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. She is a journal reviewer for several publications, to see a complete list contact PESI, Inc.

Deb Dana
Leading Polyvagal Informed Therapy Innovator
More Information

Deb Dana

Leading Polyvagal Informed Therapy Innovator

Deb Dana, LCSW, is a clinician, consultant, and author who’s well known for translating Polyvagal Theory into a language and application that’s both understandable and accessible. Her publications include The Polyvagal Theory in TherapyPolyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection, and Anchored. 

 Diane Poole Heller
Trauma Resolution and Attachment Expert
More Information

 Diane Poole Heller

Trauma Resolution and Attachment Expert

Diane Poole Heller, PhD, is an internationally-recognized speaker, author, and expert in the field of attachment theory and trauma resolution. She developed a signature series on adult attachment called DARe (Dynamic Attachment Re-patterning experience), that facilitates more fulfilling adult relationships.

In 1989, she began working with Dr. Peter Levine, teaching for 25 years for SEI.

She’s authored 3 books: Crash Course, on auto accident trauma; Healing Your Attachment Wounds: How to Create Deep and Lasting Relationships; and The Power of Attachment: How to Create Deep and Lasting Intimate Relationships. Her film, “Surviving Columbine,” supported community healing after the Columbine High School shootings.


Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Diane Poole Heller has an employment relationship with Trauma Solutions. She is a published author and receives royalties. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Diane Poole has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Tammy Nelson
Founder of the Integrative Sex Therapy Institute
More Information

Tammy Nelson

Founder of the Integrative Sex Therapy Institute

Tammy Nelson, PhD, is an internationally acclaimed psychotherapist, Board Certified Sexologist, Certified Sex Therapist, and Certified Imago Relationship Therapist. She has been a therapist for almost 30 years and is the executive director of the Integrative Sex Therapy Institute. She started the institute to develop courses for psychotherapists as the need grew for certified, integrated postgraduate sex and couple’s therapists in a growing field of mental health consumers who need more complex interventions for their relationship needs.

Dr. Tammy is a TEDx speaker, Psychotherapy Networker Symposium speaker and the author of several books, including Getting the Sex You Want: Shed Your Inhibitions and Reach New Heights of Passion Together (Quiver, 2008) and the best-selling The New Monogamy: Redefining Your Relationship After Infidelity (New Harbinger, 2013), as well as When You’re the One Who Cheats: Ten Things You Need to Know (RL Publishing Corp., 2019) and the upcoming Integrative Sex and Couples Therapy (PESI, 2020).

She has been a featured expert in New York Times Magazine, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, CNN, Rolling Stone magazine, TIME Magazine, Redbook, Glamour, The Sun, and The London Times. She is the host of a popular podcast on iTunes, “The Trouble with Sex”, and writes for the Huffington Post, YourTango, ThriveGlobal, and medium.com. Dr. Tammy can be followed on her blog, www.drtammynelson.com/blog.

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 an employment relationship with Daybreak University. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording 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), Big Tent Ketamine group (BTK), 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).

Kate Chard
CPT Co-Developer and Director of the Trauma Recovery Center
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Kate Chard

CPT Co-Developer and Director of the Trauma Recovery Center

Kathleen M. Chard, Ph.D., is a co-developer of CPT and director of the Trauma Recovery Center at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center. Serving as the VA CPT Implementation Director, Dr. Chard oversees the dissemination of CPT to mental health clinicians across the United States. She is the co-author of Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD: A Comprehensive Model (The Guilford Press, 2017) and author of CPT for Sexual Abuse treatment manual (2012). A sought-after speaker, Dr. Chard has personally trained over 5,000 clinicians throughout the United States on using CPT with veterans, active-duty personnel, and civilians in addition to overseeing the training of tens of thousands of others via the trainers she supervises. She is co-chair of a 17-site study comparing CPT to Prolonged Exposure in US veterans in addition to conducting a $6 million-dollar Department of Defense study on the assessment of PTSD. She served as a past editor of the Journal of Traumatic Stress and is a professor of Clinical Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Kathleen Chard has employment relationships with CPT Training Institute, the Cincinnati Veterans Administration Medical Center, the University of Cincinnati, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. She receives royalties as a published author. She has a research activity that is grant funded through Health Services Research and Development Service. Kathleen Chard receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Kathleen Chard is an ad hoc reviewer for several peer review journals, for a complete list contact PESI, Inc.

Tasha Oswald
Neurodiversity-affirming expert, IFS Level 3 Therapist
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Tasha Oswald

Neurodiversity-affirming expert, IFS Level 3 Therapist

Tasha Oswald, PhD (she/her), is a neurodiversity-affirming licensed psychologist and clinical consultant, IFS Level 3 trained and polyvagal-informed. She identifies as a neurodivergent, Caucasian, cisgender female. Dr. Oswald is passionate about addressing the gap in mental health services for autistic adults and youth. For this reason, she founded the adult autism specialty practice, Open Doors Therapy, based in California. She specializes in working with autistic women, autistic working professionals, gifted and neurodivergent individuals, emerging adults on the spectrum, and adults receiving a later life ASD diagnosis. Seeing the transformative power of group therapy for autistic adults, group work is a cornerstone of her practice. Being in the field for nearly 20 years, Dr. Oswald has received extensive training in autism. After completing her PhD in psychology with an autism emphasis, she was awarded an NIH-Funded Autism Research Training Program (ARTP) post-doctoral fellowship. Through this fellowship program, she engaged in interdisciplinary training and research at the world-renowned UC Davis MIND Institute. While at the MIND Institute, she developed and established a therapy group program for young adults on the autism spectrum called the ACCESS Program. She has published autism research in preeminent research journals. Today, Dr. Oswald is an active blogger and contributor to global media outlets as an autism expert. As a speaker and advocate, she has presented at numerous research and autism conferences, universities, community groups, and companies to raise awareness of mental health topics related to autism in adulthood.

Abi Blakeslee
Somatic therapy expert clinician and trainer
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Abi Blakeslee

Somatic therapy expert clinician and trainer

Abi Blakeslee, SEP, CMT, MFT, PhD is an SE faculty and a marriage and family therapist. I have a master’s in counseling and Depth Psychology and a Ph.D. in Clinical and Somatic Psychology. My dissertation, with a committee that included Dr. Daniel Siegel, generated original research on the role of implicit memory in Somatic Experiencing. My clinical experience is with individuals, couples, children, and families treating a broad base of issues. I draw from over a decade and a half of experience with SEI, teach throughout the country and internationally, and consult worldwide. I am currently conducting evidence-based research on SE to promote its use in trauma-informed statewide care initiatives. you can access several SE research publications I have written on my website. I reside in Bozeman, Montana (right outside of Yellowstone National Park), and currently specialize in providing SE individual and group consultations for SE students of all levels. I have faculty-level online group case consultations on Saturday of most months. You can join by going to my website www.abiblakeslee.com. I focus on giving practical details in building SE skills and how to integrate various frameworks into your SE practice such as psychodynamic therapy, object/relations, the psychobiological principles of attachment, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, and SE touch skills. Please feel free to email at somatics4healing@yahoo.com, or sign up to receive information about trainings, lectures, and SE research at www.abiblakeslee.com.

Leslie Korn
Renowned Integrative Medicine Clinician and Educator
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Leslie Korn

Renowned Integrative Medicine Clinician and Educator

Leslie Korn, PhD, MPH, LMHC, ACS, FNTP, BCTMB, is a renowned integrative medicine clinician and educator specializing in the use of nutritional, herbal and culinary medicine for the treatment of trauma and emotional and chronic physical illness. She is known for her dynamism and humor providing clients effective alternatives to psychotropics. She completed her graduate education in the department of psychiatry and public health at Harvard Medical School and her life training in the jungle of Mexico where she lived and worked alongside local healers for over 25 years. She directed a naturopathic medicine and training clinic facilitating health, culinary and fitness retreats. She is licensed and certified in nutritional therapy, mental health counseling, and bodywork (Polarity and Cranial Sacral and medical massage therapies) and is an approved clinical supervisor. She introduced somatic therapies for complex trauma patients in outpatient psychiatry at Harvard Medical school in 1985 and served Acupuncture and faculty at National College of Naturopathic Medicine.

She is the author of the seminal book on the body and complex trauma: Rhythms of Recovery: Integrative Medicine for PTSD and Complex Trauma, 2nd Edition (Routledge, 2012, 2023); The Brainbow Blueprint: A Clinical Guide to Integrative Medicine and Nutrition for Mental Well Being (PESI, 2023), Nutrition Essentials for Mental Health (W.W. Norton, 2016), Eat Right Feel Right: Over 80 Recipes and Tips to Improve Mood, Sleep, Attention & Focus (PESI, 2017); Multicultural Counseling Workbook: Exercises, Worksheets & Games to Build Rapport with Diverse Clients (PESI, 2015); The Good Mood Kitchen (W.W. Norton, 2017); and Natural Woman: Herbal Remedies for Radiant Health at Every Age and Stage of Life (Shambhala, 2019). She was a founder of the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, a Fullbright scholar in Herbal Medicine and an NIH-funded scientist, in mind/body medicine. She is an approved clinical supervisor and is the research director at the Center for World Indigenous Studies where she designs culinary and herbal medicine programs with tribal communities engaged in developing integrative medicine programs.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Leslie Korn maintains a private practice and is the Director of Research at the Center for World Indigenous Studies. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. and additionally receives publishing royalties from Norton, Shambhala, and Routledge. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Leslie Korn is a member of the Nutritional Therapy Association and Integrative Medicine for the Underserved.

Lewis Engel
EMDR and Flash Technique Expert
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Lewis Engel

EMDR and Flash Technique Expert

Lewis Engel, PhD, is a clinical psychologist in private practice in San Rafael, California, and consults with both group of therapists and individual therapists mastering EMDR and Flash Technique. Dr. Engel is a former associate professor of psychology at Lone Mountain College, San Francisco. He co-authored Imaginary Crimes: Why We Punish Ourselves and How To Stop, with Tom Ferguson, MD, which has been translated and published internationally. Dr. Engel collaborates with Dr. Phil Manfield, in researching and disseminating the Flash technique.


Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Lewis Engel maintains a private practice and receives royalties as a published author. He receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Lewis Engel is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association.

Phil Manfield
Flash Technique Developer
More Information

Phil Manfield

Flash Technique Developer

Philip Manfield, PhD, developed the Flash Technique, which he teaches nationally and internationally. He has practiced psychotherapy in the San Francisco Bay Area since 1975. Dr. Manfield has authored or edited four books about psychotherapy and EMDR, including EMDR Up Close: Subtleties of Trauma Processing, and EMDR Casebook. He is committed to research-based practice and has been lead author on two papers concerning Flash in the Journal of EMDR Practice and research and principal investigator of and collaborator/consultant on ongoing studies supporting the efficacy and safety of Flash Technique.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Philip Manfield maintains a private practice and has an employment relationship with John F. Kennedy University. He receives a speaking honorarium as a national EMDR trainer and consultant. Dr. Manfield is a published author and receives royalties. He receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Pesi, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Philip Manfield has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Schedule at a Glance

Click on the days below to see times of each event
  • Thursday, October 3

    8:30 AM ~ Welcome
    9:00 AM – Noon ~ Workshops
    Noon – 1 PM ~ Break
    1 PM – 3 PM ~ Workshops Continued
    3 PM – 6:30 PM ~ Exhibit Hall Grand Opening

  • Friday, October 4

    7 AM – 8 AM ~ Morning Movement/Yoga
    9 AM – 10:45 AM ~ Welcome & Keynote Address
    11:00 AM – 1 PM ~ Morning Workshops
    1:15 PM – 2:45 PM ~ Luncheon Address & Exhibit Hall Happenings
    3 PM – 5 PM ~ Afternoon Workshops
    5 PM – 7 PM ~ Innovations Reception in the Exhibit Hall

    6:30 PM – 8 PM ~ Evening Dinner Event
    8 PM – 11 PM ~ Innovations Dance Party

  • Saturday, October 5

    7 AM – 8 AM ~ Morning Movement/Yoga
    9 AM – 10:45 AM ~ Keynote Address
    11 AM – 1 PM ~ Morning Workshops
    1:15 PM – 2:45 PM ~ Luncheon Address & Exhibit Hall Happenings
    3 PM – 5 PM ~ Afternoon Workshops
    5 PM – 7 PM ~ Exhibit Hall Grand Finale
    6:30 PM – 8 PM ~ Evening Dinner Event

  • Sunday, October 6

    8:30 AM – 9:45 AM ~ Keynote Address
    10 AM – Noon ~ Final Workshops

What to Expect at Innovations in Psychotherapy 

The ExperienceActionable ContentInspiration / RejuvenationNetworking & Fun

Transform trauma treatment outcomes by getting hands-on, cutting-edge access to what’s new, what’s hot, and what’s actually working RIGHT NOW in trauma treatment.

Plus, this conference is uniquely designed to take care of you … while it prepares you to care for your clients!

Just check out this short video on all Innovations in Psychotherapy has for you…

Innovations in Psychotherapy is four full 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.

Actionable Content

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.

Inspiration and Rejuvenation

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.

Networking & Fun

Take the next step in advancing your Trauma skills…

  • Master IFS Therapy skills to free your client’s internal “parts” from suffering
  • Applying EMDR methods to transform developmental trauma and attachment wounds
  • Integrate today’s most effective somatic and cognitive therapy interventions
  • Provide deep relief from grief and loss
  • Offer effective care for survivors of narcissistic abuse
  • Discover proven methods to treat trauma in clients with autism 
  • Navigate the impact of trauma on relationships, intimacy, sexuality, and pleasure
  • Apply culturally informed care that’s personalized to your client’s needs

Testimonials

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.

Tammy Nelson
Founder of The Integrative Sex Therapy Institute

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.

Ramani Durvasula
World-renowned narcissism expert

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!

Jonah Paquette
Author and Trainer on Well-Being and Happiness

This is the conference where therapists can learn to apply innovative skills and proven interventions for today’s difficult clinical issues.

Janina Fisher
Trauma treatment author, trainer, and innovator

IN-PERSON

Anaheim Marriott
$499.99
$859.99
40% Savings!

Virtual

Online
$249.99
$499.99
50% Savings!

The skills and insight you need on the topics that matter the most.

Join hundreds of your colleagues and discover the approaches that truly work for the challenges you’re facing right now!
Register Now

Get the latest insights from

  • Internal Family Systems Therapy
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy
  • Polyvagal Informed Therapies
  • EMDR and Flash Technique
  • Acceptance & Commitment Therapy
  • Psychedelics for Trauma
  • Mindfulness and Yoga
  • Neuroscience-Based Interventions
  • Hypnotherapy
  • Emotional Freedom Technique / Tapping

On today's most important issues

  • Traumatic Stress
  • Autism and Neurdivergence
  • Narcissism
  • Grief and Loss
  • Intimacy and Relationships
  • Personality Disorders
  • Ethics in Practice
  • Racialized Stress & Trauma

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Innovations in Psychotherapy right for me?

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.

Does my registration include CE credits?

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.

How many CE credits can I earn, and how do I know if my license is covered?

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.

Do I need to attend all of the live sessions to get CE credit?

No, you can attend whatever sessions you are interested in and receive CE credit for just those sessions attended live.

Will there be live interaction? Can I ask questions of the presenters?

Yes, both in-person and virtual attendees will have the opportunity to ask their questions live and get real expert responses.

What if I can't attend all 4 days?

No problem. Attend whatever sessions you are interested in. Please note that you can only receive CE credit for the sessions you attend live.

Unique Opportunities

Get Certified!

This conference includes the opportunity to get all the educational needs to become a Certified Grief Informed Professional (CGP) through Evergreen Certifications.

Exhibit Hall

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.

Enjoy Beautiful Anaheim, CA

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.

Location

Anaheim Marriott
Reserve Your Hotel Room
Find On Google Map

Innovations in Psychotherapy 2024 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!

As many others are creating complicated barriers to cancellations, we’re making it easier.

If at any time you aren’t 100% completely satisfied with your experience, in-person or as a virtual attendee, just contact us at innovations@pesi.com. We’ll make it right, guaranteed. We’re that confident you’ll find this learning experience to be all that’s promised and more.

What To Expect

The Experience

Transform your practice by learning what’s new, what’s hot, and what’s actually working RIGHT NOW in therapy.
Notebooks full of skills, interventions, and techniques that you can apply immediately.
Join Us Today

Inspiration & Rejuvenation

You will leave Innovations feeling inspired and refreshed for the year ahead.
Join the field’s best speakers

Networking & fun

With thousands of attendees, you’ll meet the people who’ve been in your shoes, faced the same challenges, and overcome the same obstacles. Plus, we’ll help you connect with dinner and special networking events.

You will leave Innovations having met, networked, and formed relationships with people just like you.

Special Meal Events

The Networker’s Night of Awards & Storytelling

Hear engaging therapists share their personal stories on "The Moment that Changed Me."

You’re invited to an incredible evening of dinner and fun where our hand-selected storytellers  from among therapy’s finest will be sharing three inspiring short stories from their clinical work.

Followed by the presentation of the coveted Lifetime Achievement Award to Janina Fisher  & the Rich Simon Writing Award to David Treadway.

This is one of those events that stands out every year. Join in a piece of psychotherapy history as Janina Fisher accepts the lifetime achievement award  and enjoy incredible story-telling over dessert with your friends and colleagues.

Saturday 7-9PM. Dinner Included
No CE hours available for this session.
ADD AT REGISTRATION

When the Therapist Gets Triggered

Using Our Self Without Losing Our Self in Therapy

Sara Kuburic, known by her 1.6 million Instagram followers as The Millennial Therapist, is an existential therapist, researcher, author and columnist for USA Today. She’s also the author of the new book It’s on me: Accept Hard Truths, Discover Yourself, and Change Your Life. Her modern perspective on existential therapy—one of the most long-standing, evidence-based therapeutic approaches–has led to features in popular publications such as Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health, The Guardian, and ABC News.

With our field’s emphasis on acquiring skills, learning techniques, and absorbing old and new theories, it’s easy to forget the critical importance of who we are. In her keynote address, Kuburic will remind us of the ways our human Self—unique, authentic, genuine, and yes, vulnerable—is the most important tool we can bring into our sessions, particularly when clients trigger us. By genuinely showing up as our Self, and appropriately disclosing our clients’ impact on us, we reaffirm our humanity and the inherently existential nature of therapy.

Saturday 12-1pm. Lunch included.
Earn up to 1 CE hour.
ADD AT REGISTRATION

An Evening of Comedy with Adam Ray

A must-See Friday Night Dinner Event

Adam’s comedic resume is thicker than the DSM. In addition to doing stand-up alongside some of comedy’s biggest names, Adam currently plays the role of Vince McMahon in NBC’s Young Rock. He previously guest starred on Curb Your Enthusiasm and Arrested Development, worked opposite Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy in Paul Feig’s buddy comedy The Heat. He’s a former MADtv cast member, has been featured on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and hosts the popular About Last Night podcast, which has welcomed guests including Chevy Chase, Dana Carvey, Susan Sarandon, Lisa Kudrow, Tony Danza, and Henry. His sketches and standup comedy clips have over 50 million views on YouTube.

Those in the know—therapists, wink-wink—will tell you that the talking cure is the best medicine. But let’s face it: laughter comes in at a close second.

This dinner event is sure to SELL OUT – add it to your registration today!

Friday 7-9PM. Dinner Included
No CE (They don't give CE credits for standup, but they should)
ADD AT REGISTRATION

After the Boundaries with Nedra Glover Tawwab

How to Restore the Peace in Relationships

Nedra Glover Tawwab is a therapist, New York Times bestselling author of Set Boundaries, Find Peace and Drama Free , and the creator of a popular mental-health focused Instagram account with nearly 2 million followers. Her work has been highlighted in The New York Times, Red Table Talk, and Good Morning America, and on podcasts like the Good Life Project and Therapy For Black Girls. 

In this keynote, she’ll remind us of why setting boundaries isn’t just another relationship issue—it’s often the issue underlying our clients’ distressing symptoms. Importantly, she’ll explore the tenuous line between keeping healthy boundaries and managing the potential fallout of keeping them, which may mean navigating family cut-offs and other ruptures.

Friday 12-1pm. Lunch included.
Earn up to 1 CE hour
ADD AT REGISTRATION

Enhance your Symposium Experiance

Some of the most stand-out and memorable parts of Symposium are our exclusive lunch and dinner keynotes and events.

All Attendees are invited to add these lunch and dinner events to your registration. You can earn extra CE, spend time in an intimate environment with speakers, have your meals covered, and enjoy some of the Omni Shoreham’s finest cuisine.

Be sure to add these when you register.