To provide social workers and other mental health professionals with state-of-the-art continuing education encompassing a variety of clinical issues, client populations, and practice settings. We believe effective learning occurs in a professional, nurturing, supportive, and fun environment that fosters collegial sharing and networking.
Our trainings encourage clinicians to reframe and de-pathologize symptoms, while focusing on clients’ resiliency and strengths. We believe that clinicians are only as effective as the extent to which they take care of themselves, so we also address issues of counter-transference, vicarious traumatization, and professional burnout.
Learn how to incorporate effective and creative trauma treatment strategies that promote self-compassion and healing.
Earn valuable CEUs through informative and experiential workshops that strengthen your professional skills and enhance your personal growth.
Discover trainings and keynote addresses that Lisa can offer your professional community at your clinical setting or conference.
Boost your professional knowledge and expand your expertise with our in-person and online trainings.
In this two-day intensive, we will learn how to creatively and experientially go beyond a singular view of the self, and embrace, instead, the notion of the many-faceted self.
In this two-day intensive, we will learn how to creatively and experientially go beyond a singular view of the self, and embrace, instead, the notion of the many-faceted self.
In this 6-hour workshop we will set the stage for a clinical and philosophical approach to trauma informed treatment.
I gained immensely from Lisa's level one trauma training, and I am really looking forward to continue learning from her.
She [Susan] was [a] great [facilitator], very informed on the topic [of Effectively Treating Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder].
Dr. Evans was very personable, engaged in and encouraged dialogue. He was enthusiastic and offered so many good references to drive home understanding of the material.
A fantastic workshop encouraging curiosity about the client's shame, guilt and inner critic parts. By allowing the possibility of honoring those parts, we are encouraging other positive parts to come forward and change the client's current self narrative. As always, Lisa is an excellent teacher, positive, kind and making the experience even more enjoyable.
Wow. What better way to learn about healing leadership than by witnessing it and being healed by it throughout the workshop? I feel so much gratitude to Sabrina for modeling what healing leadership looks like, and giving so freely of her wisdom so that we may continue to share with others. I am blown away.
Lisa's training has been one of the most meaningful experiences in my career. Lisa is engaging and makes material easy to process. She is warm, validating, direct and clear. I left each session feeling more resourced, with concrete interventions and a new appreciation for my role as a therapist as well as for my clients.
Lisa [Ferentz] has a unique ability to breathe life into an important but dry, dull and boring topic - Ethics! You simply can not fall asleep in Lisa's workshop [Ethical Dilemmas in Clinical Practice].
This program has completely transformed my clinical practice. Using the skills and knowledge I gained through this program has benefited my clients, and makes me a more confident, competent clinician. I recommend this program to all of my colleagues!
Lisa's training was amazing! Lisa was able to connect the material to real life practice, she was super knowledgeable and passionate about the topic and willing to answer all questions the group had! I cannot wait until I can take another one of her training sessions!
Dr. Sabrina did a fabulous job engaging us for 12 hours. I loved the format, her knowledge, and the real-life tips and experiences to help us grow.
I had the privilege of witnessing one of my clients become fully integrated recently thanks to Lisa's DID trainings. My client reports feeling strong and calm for the first time in over fifty years. Lisa's classes were absolutely instrumental in allowing me to feel competent enough to work with this client and my other DID clients.
I believe the Trauma Program taught by the wonderful Lisa Ferentz should be a requirement for all mental health practitioners. I can't thank the Institute enough for offering this course!
This training provided so much quality information. All of it was immediately useful with my caseload. This was so beneficial!
The Trauma Informed Assessments and Treatment training was nearly life changing for me as a clinician. Lisa was empowering, direct and willing to answer any question thrown her way. I took information from this training that I started using in my own practice immediately.
Sabrina was a wealth of knowledge and experience and her presentation style is comforting, making it easy to be engaged even through zoom. I appreciated her and the training immensely!
I liked that the presenter made the material easy to understand. She was able to cover a lot of material in the time of the workshop. I also really liked to hear specific examples that will help with our future clients.
Dr. Dee is always amazing! The workshop [Master Class: Sand Therapy and the Therapeutic Relationship] was everything I needed and more. And thank you for the awesome breakfast!!
Timothy is obviously passionate and very knowledgeable about this topic. I appreciated his gentle, supportive, and understanding approach to the workshop attendees, creating a space where I felt safe asking any question.
Presenter had a great depth of knowledge on grief that will serve my future clients well!
This is the first training I completed that I genuinely looked forward to attending because I recognized the impact it had in my clinical work.
As a clinician, one of the most important tools we have is our self. Lisa helped me find my own internal wisdom and see my blind spots.
This was the most non-triggering, emotionally safe and supportive training on trauma I've ever experienced. Given the nature of this important content, the way the material was presented was truly masterful and informative.
Invaluable investment in myself and career. I learned what I wish I had in school and feel that I am a better clinician for attending.
She [Susan] was very knowledgeable, very organized and it interactive and informative. Loved the real life case studies.
It is truly an honor and privilege to attend Lisa Ferentz's workshops. Lisa is a dynamic and masterful presenter and therapist specifically trained in trauma therapy. Her trauma workshop provides a high level of education with up to date practical application of assessments, treatments and creative techniques. [Trauma Informed Assessment and Treatment: Ethical Considerations] provides guaranteed take home tools will enhance your clinical practice. I am always inspired by her enthusiasm and dedication to trauma therapy. I walk away with renewed energy and excitement.
The way Salicia facilitated the exercises was most powerful and supportive.
This was a wonderful workshop that engendered a meaningful conversation on spirituality and psychotherapy, and the role of both in post traumatic growth. The facilitators were very engaging and knowledgeable.
This is the stuff I wish we had in college! Lisa is an excellent teacher! Taking this course is something I have dreamed of since I first heard Lisa teach at another training. Every class I went away with immediately applicable teaching and resources. I immediately felt more confident and comfortable in my practice.
I really enjoyed the case examples and breakout groups and her lived experience.
The presenter [Patricia] conveyed a strong commitment to this very important material through the information she shared as well as appropriate self-disclosure.
I really valued [Understanding and Working with Self-Injurious Behavior (SIB)]. Lisa allowed me to more fully understand that my challenging clients are not trying to be resistant or difficult but are struggling with trauma and deeply ingrained, albeit ineffective coping mechanisms. Lisa also supported and solidified for me, what I had already been mulling over — that restructuring our treatment model for high risk and chronic relapsing individuals (substance use) to incorporate more skills training.
Sabrina is knowledgeable, personable and authentic. When I sign up to do a training with Sabrina, I know I will grow as a clinician and as a human. I always get my money's worth and more.
[Navigating the Ethical Challenges of Telemental Health] was so pertinent to some of the current challenges facing psychotherapists Lisa Ferentz is a talented and skilled facilitator who provides information, stimulates discussion, and appropriately draws on participant expertise. all while standing on her head!! No, just kidding, but I look forward to my next workshop with her.
I feel so much more resourced and capable to work as a trauma informed therapist. This class has given me the confidence and renewed my passion for this work.
I learned so much in this program. Lisa is so knowledgeable and understanding. There is so much time to connect with other clinicians and share different techniques.
[Sabrina is] Very engaging and passionate about supervision! Very relatable and encouraged self-reflection.
Timothy was thoughtful, compassionate and extremely knowledgeable on the topic and provided excellent tools and resources to engage in the work with gender expansive youth more meaningfully and with greater intention.
Susan was easy to follow & understand; and, she was especially honest if she didn't know something.
This program incorporates all of the contemporary and recent knowledge the field has gained in trauma-informed therapy treatment and gives therapists concrete tools and strategies to use with their clients. Lisa and her faculty provide warmth, support and encouragement all throughout the course.
Holding class attention throughout an ethics seminar [like Ethical Dilemmas in Clinical Practice] is quite a feat, something Lisa accomplished with apparent ease.
Sabrina lead with her heart throughout the entire training. Powerful experience with tangible take-aways.
Lisa is a gem. I have learned so many wonderful techniques and gained a fresh perspective on my work with trauma survivors.
Sabrina was so warm and open that I did not feel I was in a role of just teacher and student, but in a place where I am learning from a place as peer seeking wisdom from more advanced peer who is also always in a place of learning and growth.
Heidi's style of interacting as she presented the material was kind, respectful, thoughtful, mindful, experienced, and yet humble.
Salicia was amazing and I would attend another training with her.
This training was worth the investment. It increased my confidence as well as my competence and my ability to both maintain and model healthy boundaries and work-life balance. Lisa is a very inspiring mentor.
[Trauma Informed Collage Methods featured a] wonderful combination of theory, practical art prompts, and a chance to experience methods and materials. Allowed for new learning, and refinement, across a spectrum of trauma therapy and artmaking experience in the room. Thank you!
The training framed supervision as relational, ethical, and helpful as compared to simply policing and gatekeeping.
Denise was well educated, compassionate and experienced in her work with the clients that have endured domestic violence.
Lisa did an incredible job of making the training feel as close to an in-person training as possible. I loved the online chat. This certificate was the best investment I have made in my professional career. Thank you!
The presenter of the workshop had a calming energy about her, and genuinely seemed interested in what was being discussed.
Lisa is a breath of fresh air. She exudes compassion and understanding, She is the model of the perfect therapist.
I believe the most positive take away from [Working with Dreams: Tapping into an Inner Wisdom] was the opportunity to interact with other participants. I do believe the workshop was well-planned and facilitated.
Most of the presenters were amazing. I learned a lot from the experiential techniques.
Sabrina has such a fun, engaging, and therapeutic presence during the training! She integrates self-reflection and challenges us to grow!
The Working With Dreams workshop was interesting and informative. Vivienne, our instructor, used experiential exercises to engage our group and illustrate how to use her techniques. I can't wait to try her methods out with my clients.
Susan was in command of her subject but also had a great sense of humor.
I appreciated Susan's approachability with asking questions and how well she explained things providing us with stories of what she would share with her own clients.
Although I recently attended another CEU about IFS (internal family systems) therapy, I did not hesitate to attend [Using Expressive Modalities to Connect With and Soothe Traumatized Parts] as I knew she would add depth and knowledge to the subject. I was not disappointed, and I was happy to gain insights that have helped me personally and professionally.
Once again, Lisa facilitated a top notch and very relevant seminar [with Trauma Informed Assessment and Treatment: Ethical Considerations]. The presentation was very engaging and time flew by quickly.
[What I liked best was] Susan's abundance of knowledge and understanding of OCD, as well as her enthusiasm and warm style towards presenting this training.
An awesome workshop! I left inspired and better equipped to help my clients.
I loved her [Denise's] knowledge, understanding & ability to communicate with the audience. Her passion was demonstrated by her presentation.
If you're fortunate enough to attend this training I highly recommend doing so. The financial and time commitment pales in comparison to the value of experiences and knowledge gained throughout this program. It really was wonderful and I feel like it provided opportunity for both professional and personal growth.
This program was extraordinary. Lisa is phenomenal. I learned a lot that will help me be a better clinician while normalizing and embracing care for myself.
A wonderful experience. This will certainly enhance my skills in working with traumatized children.
The Level 1 training was invaluable to my journey of providing trauma informed therapy and doing deeper work with clients. I recommend new and older clinicians to invest in this program to inform, and to re-spark passion for the very important and sensitive work that we do.
Sabrina as a trainer is outstanding. I loved the breakout sessions.
Lisa “holds a space” for her students in a way that is restorative, empowering, comforting, and grounding. I highly valued all of my time in Level I and Level II with Lisa and her faculty. If you live within driving distance of an event provided by Lisa- make the time to attend! Soul altering work!
This is an awesome training with all the qualities and more of a very excellent postdoctoral course! Lisa is a wonderful, generous mentor, lecturer, teacher and clinician.
Thank you for teaching me how to be a better trauma informed therapist. I have learned valuable techniques and ideas on how to approach the traumatic events that my clients experience. I enjoyed that classes were interactive, and that Lisa was willing to share her successes as well as challenges with clients.
This program is an extraordinary interpretation of several therapeutic modalities and an interesting and heartfelt alternative to the manualized, mechanical CEU offerings elsewhere.
There are so many aspects of this training that will benefit your work as a clinician or if you are developing a program to serve survivors. This knowledge is imperative to the success and healing of trauma survivors.
I cannot adequately express how much I gained from Lisa's training. I am tuned into my clients on a much deeper level, always mindful of safety, attunement, body language, and their ability to be fully present in session. Lisa is a very generous teacher as well. I encourage other clinicians to take the trauma training, it will give you so many new tools to help your clients.
I loved the trainer!
As a Black woman, this seminar spoke to me on so many levels. It was relatable to both my personal and my professional life. This was an amazing experience that I highly recommend to others.
This training has made me realize who I am as a therapist! I have learned so much and I see a huge difference in how I work with my clients. Thank you!
[Susan is] Very informative and made the training interesting and interactive.
The Level I Trauma Certification Program has totally transformed my practice! The conceptual framework and immediately-applicable clinical tools gave me the confidence to work with any client who has experienced trauma. Lisa and her team are phenomenal!
Getting to utilize and incorporate various expressive therapies in practice has allowed me to better meet the needs of all clients I see, but to especially address the unique needs of the adolescent. Thank you, Lisa, for your passion and mission of equipping all providers with the knowledge and means to address trauma from a safe, strengths-based approach.
As always, Lisa's preparation, information, and presentation [for Trauma Informed Assessment and Treatment: Ethical Considerations] was superb. She delivers material and sources in a way that keeps participants interested and engaged. Her ethics workshops are never boring and always informative.
Wonderful wonderful thanks able to use many things with clients learning in class.
I was moved by the dialogue, and I now have a better understanding of the benefits of balancing spirituality and psycho-therapy. The therapist [Lisa] was awesome and one could get sense as to why she is so sought after. The feedback from the Rabbi [Goldberger] and the Priest [Father Ray] offered for me a unique look into the both perspectives and how each saw how the inclusion of spiritually can help ones clients achieve post recovery.
The Trauma Informed Treatment, Ethical considerations workshop was interesting, clear, informative and useful throughout. Lisa's authenticity is refreshing, her genuine dedication and advocacy for both the client and practitioner are unparalleled. I am glad I had the chance to attend this unique workshop.
Dr. Sabrina's approach to healing leadership offers inspiration and practical tools to tap into our whole selves - and thereby grow leadership that can join with and nurture the whole selves of those we supervise. Invaluable!
Sabrina presents her heart and spirit in the training. Genuine and sincere, while grounded in theory and experience.
Perspective changing- trauma informed- life changing!
This training equipped me with a greater understanding of trauma informed treatment. I feel more confidant in my practice dealing with issues of trauma and more energized to continue to increase my knowledge and efficacy.
The presenter was excellent, easy to understand and knowledgeable.
This program is an absolute must for any clinician who is serious about providing the best therapeutic care to all clients.
Susan was very knowledgeable and experienced in working with clients struggling with OCD.
Powerful training full of knowledge, caring, and compassion.
Patricia Papernow is very clear, her presence and engagement with participants is natural; she creates safety, invites questions and feedback, makes room for questions along the way, is clearly passionate and knowledgeable about the content. Supportive of sharing handouts with other clinicians, and includes handouts to give to clients. Amazing amount of resources given to us. Thank YOU!
This training has truly changed my practice in the way I view both the students and my colleagues in my school. I have completely redesigned the school counselor office lighting to create a warmer more welcoming environment. I look at my most difficult students through a different lens, often picturing them as babies in the trauma he must've endured. I am a patient, more attentive and excited to use the myriad of strategies thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I was ambivalent about the utility of teletherapy. Lisa presented information focusing on the individual, therapist, and relationship. [Navigating the Ethical Challenges of Telemental Health was] highly useful.
I liked [Patricia's] her warmth, and wealth of knowledge, and approachability.
I found [Creative Techniques for Managing Traumatic Stress: Grounding, Containment, and Resourcing] overall very interesting and helpful. [The presenter] gave us a lot of creative techniques that are simple enough to implement as non-art therapists. I liked the structure – alternating between theory and experiential.
I enjoyed this workshop [Using Expressive Modalities to Connect With and Soothe Traumatized Parts]. I feel like this and other offerings at the Ferentz Institute are the only time I receive continuing education that really, really speaks to these matters in a substantive manner. I hope to be able to attend more workshops in the near future. This particular one was impressive at the depth we went to in a relatively short amount of time.
The Expressive Modalities Program provides a quality connection of didactic information with sensory experience, for a more complete understanding of beneficial client treatment concepts.
This program has completely changed the way I approach therapy and it show in the improvements I am observing in the lives of my clients! Thank you!
[Staying Within the Window of Tolerance: Breath Work and Body-Centered Modalities for Affect Regulation] was an excellent mix of education via lecture and via experiential learning. I really enjoyed the opportunity to practice the techniques with other participants in a supportive environment!
The Ferentz Institute, Inc. is an approved sponsor of the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for continuing education credits for licensed social workers in Maryland. CEU approval for all trainings is also granted to Psychologists, LCPC’s and MFT’s and approved by the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists and the Board of Examiners for Psychologists in Maryland. Reciprocity has also been granted for clinicians in Washington, DC, Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Texas. All mental health clinicians are encouraged to check with their respective State Boards to learn if reciprocity is offered for our CEUs. The Institute also maintains full responsibility for all programming.
*Please note that, for workshops that offer CEUs in Anti-Oppressive Content, Ethics, and/or Diversity, those credits may only be used for one of those categories, not all.
Join interactive lessons, get expert feedback, and explore your creativity in a supportive community.
"...a magical guide to conquering our fears, phobias and emotional pain...”
—Janina Fisher, PhD
“… a real treasure trove of tools for healing..."
— Dusty Miller
“…a rich resource which helps empower the client and facilitate recovery..."
— Joyanna Silberg, PhD
"...a dynamic and strengths-focused approach to treating challenging trauma-based behaviors..."
—Nancy Napier, LMFT
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Baltimore, MD 21208
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