Dispelling The Illusion of Certainty in Therapy

Space is limited for this intimate Salon! 

Saturday, September 21, 10:00 am - 1:00 pm 

3 CEUs

with Chad Dispenza, MA, MS & Brian Wainwright, MS, LMFT  

Light refreshments will be included

Schedule: 

 9:45 am Arrive, Sign-in, Mingle

10:00 - 11:30 am Workshop

11:30 - 11:45  Break

11:45 - 1:00 pm Workshop

Description:

This training will invite clinicians to consider how to prioritize the knowledge of clients over their own, emphasizing the benefits and subtleties of therapists occupying a "decentered but influential" stance.

Educational goals:   

1)  In this workshop, participants will gain a basic understanding of narrative therapy and practices which may enhance clinical skills, including:

• Recognizing and influencing relational forces that determine durable              therapeutic outcomes
• Discussing the limitations that come with centering therapeutic expertise over the know-how and skills-for-living of the client
• Building a therapeutic practice that protects clinicians from burnout and promotes longevity, enthusiasm and a sense of adventure by **prioritizing** the capabilities and inherent resourcefulness of clients over the centering of therapists professional knowledge and expertise.
• Taking a critical view of therapeutic practices and interventions that sponsor certainty around therapeutic outcomes

2)  Additional emphasis for this specific half-day workshop will introduce:

• Finding creative ways to elevate meaningful experiences in the clients life as a source of inspiration for change
• Considerations around power in the therapeutic process

• Building awareness around the limits to personal skill so as to build on their margins in a supervision or professional consultation setting

Measurable Learning Objectives:

At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1)  Describe two techniques for prioritizing client knowledge in narrative therapy, illustrating how these techniques support a "decentered but influential" stance.

Decentering therapists knowledge

Asking questions that put clients in touch with their own skills and knowledge

2)  Explain the concept of "the illusion of certainty" in therapy and its implications for therapeutic practice.

3)  Analyze the impact of a "decentered but influential" stance on the therapeutic process, using case examples to demonstrate the benefits and challenges of this approach.

4)  Compare and contrast the outcomes of therapist-centered versus client-centered approaches in narrative therapy.

Presenter Bios:

Brian Wainwright:

My interest as a professional helper has always been a little unorthodox. I've been drawn to working with those who are often written off as a “lost cause”, or too ill for talk therapy. Today, much of the mental health care institution seems to traffic in fashionable ideas that prioritize productivity and getting ahead in some way. Mental health outcomes elevate achievements of personal success and prioritize personal failure as a means to assess “unwellness”. I’ve come to be more interested in how people organize themselves into lives worth living or “a good life”.

My expertise, if one could call it this, has something to do with the art of crafting enlivening questions and inviting those who consult with me to witness the unusual, overlooked, and taken-for-granted parts of their lives. I try to ask alluringly unusual questions that allude to evocative possibilities for how life has yet to be lived, pursuing conversations that encourage enthusiasm for what might be.

Chad Dispenza

Chad Dispenza, MA, MS, recently made the Monterey Peninsula his home after spending nearly a decade in Southern California, where he earned his Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University Los Angeles. Originally from Upstate New York, Chad also holds a Master of Science in Creativity & Change Leadership from the Center for Applied Imagination at SUNY Buffalo State University. He has furthered his wellspring of knowledge in digital wellbeing through certificate programs from The Digital Wellness Institute and MIT.

Chad is actively engaged in ongoing narrative training through the Re-Authoring Teaching Collaboratory, a global network of narrative practitioners dedicated to professional development in narrative therapy, organizational, and community work. In addition to seeing clients as an AMFT, Chad also serves as the Director of the California Center for Digital Wellbeing.

He's excited to host this event in his backyard and looks forward to connecting with new faces and sharing narrative ideas with fellow mental health professionals in the area.

3 CEs and refreshments included in the registration cost for this presentation

COST

Licensed MC-CAMFT Members:  $20

Pre-Licensed MC-CAMFT Members: $10

Non-Members and Guests:  $30

Course meets the qualifications for 3 hours of continuing education credits for LMFTs, LPCCs, LEPs, and/or LCSWs, as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.

FOR GENERAL INFORMATION, SPECIAL NEEDS, ADA ACCOMMODATION OR GRIEVANCES:

Please contact our Hospitality Chair, Corrina Zandakis, at  corrina@zandakistherapy.com

CE CERTIFICATES

Please Note: Certificates of completion will be awarded at the completion of the workshop to those who attend the workshop in its entirety, sign in and out, and complete the course evaluation form.

MC-CAMFT is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and LEPs and maintains responsibility for this program and its content.  Provider# 050097.

Information on Continuing Education Credit for Health Professionals

• The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE credits for LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFT license renewal for programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.

• LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFTs, and other mental health professionals from states other than California need to check with their state licensing board as to whether or not they accept programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.

• For questions about enrolling in CE or receiving your Certificate of Attendance, email mccamft@gmail.com

Because this is a space limited event, please let us know ASAP if you are unable to attend so we can make space for others.  

You may cancel for a full refund up to 15 days in advance of the event, or a 50% refund between 5 and 14 days in advance of the event. No refunds for cancellations within 4 days of the event or for no-shows or failure to attend due to emergencies. Unused funds cannot be applied to future workshops. All requests for refunds must be submitted by email at mccamft@gmail.com.