
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.
Explore strategies to help Black men navigate racism and trauma, replacing 'just surviving' with thriving, meaningful lives rooted in resilience and self-worth.
In this six-hour workshop we will look at the ways in which our brains are adversely impacted by trauma and how the concept of neuroplasticity can reverse that impact.
Explore the role of artificial intelligence in mental health through an ethics-focused lens centered on transparency, cultural humility, and human connection. Using case examples and guided reflection, participants will learn when AI can support trauma-informed, relational practice and when human judgment must take the lead.
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!
Her experience and the way she presents is with warmth, and she is so engaging.
I especially liked learning about the way she has handled some of her cases and her amazing experience treating clients with complex PTSD.
She is such a genuine and authentic person in her teaching. She makes it easier to be vulnerable and self reflect on the material than I've experienced with other presenters.
Lisa is always phenomenal to learn from she's a master at the clinical art of counseling and teaching.
Lisa teaches relevant and effective interventions and makes learning fun!
When I learned that my agency was going to sponsor me to take the Trauma Certificate, Level I Course, I was ecstatic. I was eager to learn as much as I could from Lisa's expertise, and she absolutely delivered. I have already used several of the recommended clinical tools; clients have been very receptive, even surprised, by how helpful they found the method(s) to be. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn invaluable clinical knowledge and skills!
Virtual trainings can be hit or miss if the presenter doesn't hold court, but Dr. Evans was fantastic. I was laughing and engaged the entire day.
Overall, I would rate this workshop very highly. I loved the experiential components... I did come away from the workshop with a better understanding of IFS and a number of tools I can use immediately in my practice.
After taking the Trauma Informed Assessment and Treatment training, I feel more confident in how to ask questions about a history of trauma that are properly paced and that will not re-traumatize the victim. As an art therapist, I see more creative ways to ground clients using aromatherapy, tactile objects, sand tray, and visual imagery to support the trauma assessment process. I recommend this training to all therapist.
Heidi made me feel safe to ask questions and responded in a concise and understandable manner.
Very knowledgeable and engaging presenter.
Lisa provides very accurate and and clear information. If you are a visual learner, you would benefit [from Navigating the Ethical Challenges of Telemental Health].
Sabrina was inviting, engaging, and extremely knowledgeable. She was able to connect with each of the participants in some way. The connection made me feel like I mattered. You can really see that she loves the work she does.
I appreciated the focus on caring for patient, pacing, and the ethics of the work [in Trauma Informed Assessment and Treatment: Ethical Considerations]. I am interested in other trainings.
Janina has a high level of experience and knowledge.
Effective OCD treatment isn�t about feeling better right away � it�s about learning to feel discomfort and act anyway.� � A powerful insight from Susan Osofsky, LCSW
The case conceptualizations and experiential components were great for identifying tangible strategies to use with clients. Lisa was lively, funny, charismatic, and intelligent, so grateful!
She was clear, very well-informed--in fact, I'd call her the best expert I've found on the topic to date.
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.
This is the best class I have ever attended (and I have two Master's degrees) and Lisa is the most organized, most compassionate, most detailed oriented and the most aware of the process than I have ever encountered. She is very well grounded and rounded in all her presentations.
Susan was really great. Her information [in Effectively Treating Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder] was not new but it did validate that what I'm doing with my anxious clients works. I did learn more about OCD which was great too.
Lisa is open, approachable, knowledgeable and warm.
Lisa�s knowledge on the subject matter is incredible.
Lisa was able to breakdown concepts to be easily understood and has such a wealth of experience that she can really show how this can be woven in, and why it should be woven, into an assessment.
Lisa allowed me to feel open express my ideas and ask questions.
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!
I so appreciated Lisa's genuine nature and investment in our learning. Her teaching style is inviting, insightful, thought provoking and welcoming. I've taken Trauma Level I, Dissociation/Trauma and now C-PTSD training with Lisa. I've never heard her say to someone that they are "wrong." This is so encouraging and valuable when your mind feels jumbled after a long day of training. Thank you so much!
I am so fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend Lisa Ferentz' Level I Trauma Program Training. The training will allow me to assist our Judy Center Program, and the partnering Title I school in utilizing Trauma Informed practices school wide! I learned so much by attending the sessions. I benefited in many ways personally and professionally. I would highly recommend others attend the Level I Trauma Training Program conducted by the Ferentz Institute. Lisa is amazing!!
Jake's personality is amazing. He is incredibly knowledgeable about the topic, he was respectful of time, involved the audience which kept everyone engaged, created a safe space for sharing, professional, prepared, and he was warm and entertaining as well.
Rev. Chase was knowledgeable and easy to follow. Rev. Chase welcomed questions and discussions throughout the presentation.
Peggy clearly loves her work, and her knowledge base is so very deep.
This workshop was helpful to get past the places that I often get 'stuck' with my clients. Creative modalities were introduced and Lisa was great at answering specific questions for numerous case scenarios.
Helpful art prompts to use in session with clients. Lisa was warm, compassionate, understanding and flexible.
Trauma 1 Program was beyond beneficial as the core of my patients have been affected by trauma and not only did this program validate what I am already doing but also provided me with a wealth of knowledge to take my sessions to the next level and help my patients process through their trauma in a safe and effective way.
I've completed my Level 1 and Level 2 with Lisa and I can hands down say you will learn more in this course than you do in all of grad school. Level 2 was not only extremely beneficial from a clinician and learning standpoint but one of the most profound experiences I've had personally as well. The integration of both parts and expressive modalities (alongside her incredible staff) provided one of the best educational experiences I've ever had. If you are wanting to grow personally, expand your knowledge and competence as a trauma clinical, Level 2 is a must!
Jill demonstrated her skill in providing a safe environment as she shared concrete activities to help clients regulate their flooding/triggers.
Lisa was competent, prepared, disclosive and honest about her perspective, engaging with the group.
Lisa is energetic, fully present and engaged, allowing for in depth impromptu conversations as part of the presentation, which is helpful.
Dr. Papernow is a highly-skilled, empathetic, engaging and clear communicator who is able to connect with the audience in powerful and meaningful ways. Her examples, handouts and years of clinical experience will most definitely assist me in my work with clients moving forward. Thank you so much!
I loved her energy and enthusiasm. Such a wealth of knowledge and wisdom! One of the best trainings I've been to yet.
Jill is an excellent presenter and she made herself available to advise on case material from the students.
Lisa’s knowledge is so impressive, and her presentations are so warm and her ability to connect with everyone is amazing. Leaning from her is so wonderful.
Level II was an enriching experience that provided a strong foundation to and added an immense yet digestible and applicable amount of knowledge in which to feel confident and comfortable in stepping foot into private practice as a new LCSW.
TJ brought us something that adults and therapist working with adults forget about which is the importance of play. The class gave me a lot of aha moments in thinking about my client population. Additionally, the way that TJ embraces the topic with such passion and connection pulled me in and left me wanting more.
Jonah was organized, articulate and knowledgeble.
[Lisa] created a beautiful working environment that fostered participation and great discussion. [Ethical Dilemmas in Clinical Practice] was well prepared and went over the necessary information holding everyone's interest and attention.
Lisa shared her wealth of knowledge and experience in an engaging and down to earth way.
I appreciate Lisa�s perfect balance of expertise, humility and humor. She is caring and careful as a presenter and has honed her years of practice and wisdom into a training that is full of critical and immediately usable information.
I really appreciated Lisa's abilities to explain concepts.
Dr. Carter was very engaging, knowledgeable, and had a wonderful energy that kept it interesting!
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.
I have worked in the field for 20 years and I am still leaving this program with improved knowledge. This program reminded me that I will forever be a student and that ongoing learning is an ethical responsibility that I have to my clients. Excellent program- highly recommend.
Jill Penaloza was a fabulous educator and presenter for the Ferentz Institute. Her teachings were well informed, clearly presented, and applicable to many different populations of therapy. I would highly recommend taking a course by Ms. Penaloza. She was a joy. I appreciate her calm, knowledgeable approach to everything she offered during the training. Her direction was clear, helpful, and informative.
Lisa's style of teaching and material were so enlightening. I feel much more prepared to work with client's than I did before the course. I highly recommend the training.
I deeply appreciate the blend of theoretical and practical knowledge that Lisa's Trauma I course afforded me. I strongly recommend this course and the consummate professional who teaches it.
Janina is magic! Skilled, communicative, comfortable, safe energy.
Denise did an excellent job...I found her very knowledgeable and she used really relevant case examples (from her own experiences) that helped make the material more tangible. Her examples of reframing both assessment questions and how to respond to clients in a strength-based way were very informative...Overall, I very much enjoyed the training.
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 presenter was excellent, easy to understand and knowledgeable.
This training gave me new insight as an advocate and really put things in a new light.
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.
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.
The training has been incredible. I feel more competent and confident in my work with my clients because of this training and because of Lisa's ability to teach the material in such an effective manner.
[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!
I was very impressed with this seminar. The facilitator not only made the seminar enjoyable, but she was extremely knowledgeable and shared her experiences. I definitely look forward to attending more seminars.
I find Lisa Ferentz very well informed but down to earth, energetic, and passionate about the work.
This program provides the essential necessary for effective practice. I've been a licensed social worker for 17 years and this program was more beneficial than any graduate class or training I have ever taken. Thank you, Lisa!
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.
I liked Dr. Evans' passion for his topic, the handouts and journaling at the end; his ability to engage the room, with 5 of the 17 participants not being African American or brown skinned; his not shying away from anger in a very articulate participant; and his willingness to share out of his own life, practice, and his faith.
Sabrina lead with her heart throughout the entire training. Powerful experience with tangible take-aways.
[Working with Dreams: Tapping into an Inner Wisdom was a] very powerful and experiential workshop! We were constantly engaged in experiential learning, even while taking in theory. Awesome!
Jill was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable.
[Trauma Informed Assessment and Treatment: Ethical Considerations] was well paced and delivered in a good conversational manner.
This program is worth every last cent. Prior to the training, I was apprehensive about the financial investment. It was so worth it. The program boosted my confidence in working with trauma survivors. The information that I have passed on to clients in the form of psychoeducation has left them feeling empowered. I loved the on-line format. It makes it a lot more accessible and no rush hour driving!
Sabrina led with her heart throughout the entire training. Powerful experience with tangible take-aways.
This training provided so much quality information. All of it was immediately useful with my caseload. This was so beneficial!
Trauma Informed Collage Methods was a very valuable workshop as I have always had a personal affinity for collage activities and love to find ways to incorporate it into my practice. It's also a kinder and less threatening modality for those of us who minimize or deny having artistic abilities. The facilitator Peggy and her assistant Hanna were organized and accommodating. Having minimally structured experiential components to the workshop was a smart choice. I highly recommend :)
The presenter was an expert in the field who provided real-life, relatable examples that I can apply to my practice as a therapist.
Dr. Papernow's knowledge and understanding of the material is so notable. Knowledge that once shared helps therapists to avoid making the easy mistakes. Knowledge that she can share in a way that was easy to absorb.
Very informative. Learned a lot in a short amount of time. The presenter was organized and kept the workshop on schedule.
Susan and Heather were a great team [in Couples Work and Why it Matters in Modern Times]. They worked together to highlight where their modalities overlapped and differed. They were both very knowledgable.
Lisa [Ferentz] is an extraordinarily skilled presenter, who combines personal warmth with refined clinical acumen, and a great capacity for inclusion and compassion.
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.
Lisa Ferentz's program in Advanced Trauma Treatment level I is the must-have for every clinician, no matter their population or therapeutic approach. Not only can this training help inform your work with trauma clients, it can provide another layer of therapeutic empathy that can be applied to all clients, and modalities that can be used with any client.
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!
This training allowed me to transform the way I work with clients. I feel much more confident and competent in my work thanks to Lisa's help in expanding my knowledge.
Learned so much information [in Ethical Dilemmas in Clinical Practice]. It also confirmed that current practices are ethical as measured with current standards.
[Susan is] Very positive, warm, and open and made it a safe space for discussion and learning.
This training was the best I have attended! Lisa makes the subject matter engaging and accessible. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have gained. As I use the knowledge and modalities in session, I see how much it is benefiting from clients.
I especially liked the belief that Heidi has in her mission and her ability to help others participate in our collective life and death journey.
What I appreciated most about Patricia Papernow as a presenter was how genuinely she embodied the qualities she encouraged us to arouse in our clients - caring, compassion and empathy. Throughout the workshop, her warmth and presence enlivened the concepts she shared, making her guidance on supporting blended family members feel practical, human and relatable.
I think Lisa brings such an experienced and knowledgeable level of awareness. She is unlike any other presenter I've had in how well she goes beyond the subject and is able to relate the topic to theory on a deeper level, and then individually to each of our cases/situations/questions.
Enjoyed [Effectively Treating Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder]. Presenter very knowledgeable, especially about OCD treatment of which I knew basically nothing. Experiential exercise really gave me a “felt sense” of what it is like to have OCD. Very challenging.
Lisa is easy to be with, welcoming, and approachable.
Denise is very articulate and personable. She presented a very well organized and informative training. Thank you!
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.
[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.
The entire presentation was incredibly useful. I learned so much! It provided new information and kept my attention the entire time!
I enjoy Lisa�s ability to connect with anyone.
The presenter gave clear explanations and had lots of expertise.
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
Mailing Address:
3701 Old Court Road, Suite #5
Baltimore, MD 21208
For more information:


