Pre-Meeting institute options for the 2025 EBP Conference include:
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Process in Clinical Practice:
Dr. Robyn Walser is Director of TL Consultation Services, Assistant Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, Director of Research at Trauma Recovery Clinical Services, and works at the National Center for PTSD. She maintains an international training, consulting, and therapy practice as a licensed psychologist. Dr. Walser is an expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and has co-authored 9 books on ACT, including a book on learning ACT. She recently wrote The Heart of ACT- Developing a flexible, process-based, and client-centered practice using acceptance and commitment therapy. Dr. Walser has expertise in traumatic stress, depression and substance abuse and has authored a number of articles, chapters, and books on these topics. She has been doing ACT workshops since 1997; training in multiple formats and for multiple client problems. Her workshops feature a combination of lecture and experiential exercises designed to provide a unique learning opportunity in this state-of-the-art intervention.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Nightmares: Training in a Consensus Protocol: Nightmares are a significant but treatable health condition that impact psychological health. Nightmares are commonly reported following trauma and often remain following successful treatment of PTSD. In 2018, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine position paper for the treatment of nightmare disorder in adults recommended to varying degrees various cognitive behavioral treatments for nightmares. Recently, nightmares experts have convened to develop a consensus approach and new treatment manual called Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Nightmares (CBT-N). This institute will provide foundational understanding of normal sleep, assessment of sleep disorders, and guidance on how to implement CBT-N in clinical practice. We will achieve these goals by providing in-depth training based on the CBT-N manual, presenting case examples, providing handouts, and incorporating video demonstrations as well as audience exercises to reinforce learning.
Kristi Pruiksma, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor and licensed clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. She is a Diplomat of Behavioral Sleep Medicine. Her clinical and research work focuses on evidence-based treatments for sleep disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with a focus on active duty military personnel. Her work is primarily in affiliation with the STRONG STAR Consortium.
Joanne L. Davis, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychology at The University of Tulsa, Director of Clinical Training, Director of the Trauma Research: Assessment, Prevention, and Treatment Center, and Co-Director of The University of Tulsa Institute of Trauma, Adversity, and Injustice. Dr. Davis’ research focuses on the treatment of nightmares and sleep problems in trauma-exposed individuals as well as on prevention efforts regarding the prevalence and impact of interpersonal trauma. She is the developer of a cognitive behavioral treatment targeting nightmares and sleep problems, Exposure, Relaxation, and Rescripting Therapy, and has conducted research to evaluate its efficacy for the past 24 years.
Courtney Bolstad, Ph.D., DBSM, is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in geropsychology and behavioral sleep medicine, particularly the study and treatment of nightmares and other parasomnias. She is currently an Advanced Fellow in Geriatrics at the Birmingham/Atlanta Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC) at the Birmingham VA Health Care System. Dr. Bolstad received her PhD from Mississippi State University after completing her doctoral internship at the Birmingham VA Health Care System. She then completed a clinical geropsychology fellowship at the South Texas Veterans Healthcare System. She has a Diplomate in Behavioral Sleep Medicine (DBSM), a nationally recognized credential awarded by the Board of Behavioral Sleep Medicine. Dr. Bolstad has over 25 peer-reviewed manuscripts published in recognized journals within the fields of psychology, sleep medicine, and geriatrics. In her clinical work, she has Provider Status in both Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Nightmares (CBT-N). She provides training and consultation to other licensed providers implementing CBT-N.
Understanding Digital Media Addiction Among Youth: Digital media addiction can take many forms such as the compulsive engagement in online gaming, social media, cybersex/pornography, gambling, shopping, and other technology-based behaviors. The rates of digital media addiction among adolescents have sparked global concern about addressing and preventing these behaviors. The aim of this workshop is to describe the prevalence, nature, and potential negative consequences of digital media addiction among youth. Specifically, the presenter will discuss the conceptualization and neuroscience of behavioral addictions, features of adolescent brain development, the relationship between trauma and addictive behaviors, and essential components of prevention and intervention efforts.
Dr. Amanda Giordano Ph.D., LPC is an associate professor at the University of Georgia who specializes in addictions counseling. She is the sole author of a clinical reference book titled, A Clinical Guide to Treating Behavioral Addictions and co-author of a textbook titled, Addiction Counseling: A Practical Approach. Dr. Giordano works to advance the counseling field with rigorous research and has published over 65 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. In 2024 she was awarded the Garry R. Walz Trailblazer award from American Counseling Association in recognition of her innovative work in the field of behavioral addictions.
The Adaptive Value of Emotions and How to Decrease Aggression: Aggression can have devastating interpersonal and societal consequences, including incarceration, family violence, disruption of social support, and death. Veterans and service members with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have higher rates of impulsive aggression, characterized as emotionally charged, reactive, and difficult to control, compared to veterans and service members without PTSD. Impulsive aggression is not targeted through traditional evidence-based psychotherapies (EBP) for PTSD. Emotion regulation ability is a key factor in reducing impulsive aggression. Our team developed a 3-session emotion regulation treatment (Manage Emotions to Reduce Aggression; MERA) to help veterans and service members reduce aggression. This training will introduce the adaptive value of emotions, including anger, sadness, disgust, happiness, and fear. Then it will teach providers have to deliver the brief intervention, MERA, which has demonstrated reductions in aggressive behavior.
Dr. Shannon Miles is a clinical psychologist at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL. She specializes in the treatment and study of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and challenging comorbidities such as emotion dysregulation and aggression after traumatic brain injury.
Ethics in Digital Health - A Guide to Approach the New Way We Practice: Digital health transforms healthcare, offering incredible potential but also complex ethical challenges. From AI to telehealth, these advancements raise critical questions about patient privacy, data security, algorithmic bias, and equitable access. This intensive half- day program equips you with the essential tools to navigate these complexities. Through interactive discussions, real-world case studies, and practical frameworks, you'll gain a deep understanding of core ethical principles and develop actionable strategies for ethical decision-making.
Vaile Wright, Ph.D. is the Senior Director for the Office of Health Care Innovation at the American Psychological Association. She is a licensed psychologist, and researcher focusing on developing strategies to leverage technology and data to address issues within health care including increasing access, measuring care, improving efficiencies and optimizing treatment delivery at both the individual and system levels. Dr. Wright has maintained an active line of research with peer-reviewed articles in multiple journals including Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, Psychotherapy and Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice. As a spokesperson for APA, she has been interviewed by television, radio, print and online media including CNN, NBC News, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and NPR on a range of topics including stress, politics, discrimination and harassment, COVID, serious mental illness, telehealth and technology, and access to mental health care. Dr. Wright received her Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and is licensed in the District of Columbia.
Dr. David Cooper, Psy.D. is a digital health expert who is currently the Executive Director of Therapists in Tech, the largest organization of clinicians in digital mental health. He has worked with organizations like the US Department of Defense, the AMA and FDA, Teladoc and many top hospitals in the US on their digital health strategies and portfolios.