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 workshop, we’ll explore Exposure/Response Prevention (Ex/RP), a model that’s been shown to be highly effective.
In this 6-hour workshop we will experientially process a variety of techniques designed to help traumatized clients somatically and emotionally feel safe, grounded, and within the optimal window of arousal.
Discover the transformative power of Gestalt therapy in this dynamic training, where you'll master "here and now" awareness, the Gestalt Contact Cycle, and experiential techniques to confidently inspire growth and connection in your work with individuals and couples.
This was an awesome workshop that gave me the very unique opportunity to learn from the wisdom of a seasoned Rabbi, Priest and therapist. I left the workshop better equipped and more inspired to help my clients.
The facilitator is engaging and inspiring! She is easy to understand and teaches for every learning style!!!!
Wonderful wonderful thanks able to use many things with clients learning in class.
Lisa is amazing. She has a wealth of knowledge that is incredibly useful to working in the field of mental health. She is incredibly generous and thoughtful in her treatment of the professionals who take her program. I've gained a lot of confidence going forth to share my knowledge with clients who have endured trauma. I strongly recommend discrete training to anyone in the mental health profession. You won't regret it!
Dr. Sabrina is genuine, authentic and compassionate teacher. I appreciate her ability to teach holistic wellness by sharing her knowledge and wisdom. I am grateful for her taking the time to address the importance of utilizing an integrative-approach with clients, as well as empowering clinicians to use healing practices to take care of ourselves as healers.
This workshop was a unique and inspiring sharing of wisdom, knowledge and support for each of us as clinicians and as humans. Dr. Sabrina is an amazing presenter with an abundance of knowledge and inspiration for every one of us!
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.
This workshop was very insightful. I learned so much about how to make clinical supervision effective utilizing a holistic approach. Dr. Sabrina provided a lot of relatable information. She was real and present throughout the entire workshop.
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.
Lisa's personality and presentation skills added entertainment and engagement for participants. The experience was well worth the investment of time and money.
Timothy Elliott was an excellent presenter. He did an excellent job of welcoming the group and of framing the entire training with encouraging clinician self-care (which I know is part of the Ferentz Institute Brand!). He made it a safe space by maintaining the time, encouraging interaction while also being fine when there wasn't any, and keeping a good pace of the lecture while also including space for questions/comments both in the chat and video. Highly recommend it!
The workshop was phenomenal. I already see a change in the way I conceptualize and treat clients' presenting concerns. Learning and applying several expressive techniques first-hand in the workshop gave me the confidence to put it into practice. It also helped that the venue and workshop set-up were *amazing* and very conducive to learning.
The presenter was an expert in the field who provided real-life, relatable examples that I can apply to my practice as a therapist.
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.
It was everything I was hoping for and more. So much learning happened during it and so much learning will happen as I continue to reckon with the ideas she introduced to us in this training.
[Trauma Informed Assessment and Treatment: Ethical Considerations] was wonderful in terms of really considering the effects of trauma and how to identify the respond to them in the therapy session. Lisa's knowledge, warmth and enthusiasm keep me motivated in my growth as a clinician.
She [Sabrina] was down to earth, knowledgeable, affirming, inspiring and open.
This workshop facilitated by Lisa Ferentz was wonderful! It was very informative and the zoom presentation was as interactive and helpful as her workshops usually are, whether in person or on-line. Thank you Lisa!
I loved the trainer!
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.
I've done numerous advanced trainings but this one was head and shoulders above the rest. Lisa's passion and non-pathologizing stance transformed the way I view my clients and inspired me to more creative in my work.
This was by far the best training I have attended. I learned that I was actually doing a lot correctly, but also learned a lot of things I could be doing. I look forward to Level II!
Timothy was so wise and supportive in the way he presented the material. The environment was comfortable and facilitated space for questions and thoughts among participants, which is not always the case in virtual workshops.
I loved all of it! The real life examples of concepts, breaking into groups and processing an issue, the reminder from Sabrina that I am human and no one expects me to have all of the answers. This felt like sitting with a friend and drinking a dirty chai and feeling the support and nurturing while also gaining knowledge.
Susan was very knowledgeable and shared a lot of concrete, usable strategies while also providing a clear framework in a way that was understandable for me and that I can use with clients.
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 is a vibrant, organized, compassionate speaker who has deepened my understanding and given me the tools I needed to break through with my most challenging trauma and abuse cases.
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.
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!
It's rare that a workshop grabs my attention and holds it from start to finish. [Trauma Informed Collage Methods was] Informative and engaging!
This program is an extraordinary interpretation of several therapeutic modalities and an interesting and heartfelt alternative to the manualized, mechanical CEU offerings elsewhere.
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.
Dr. Sabrina is inspiring, calming, and full of wisdom. This was a great way to start my journey as a supervisor.
This was an awesome workshop that gave me the very unique opportunity to learn from the wisdom of a seasoned Rabbi, Priest and therapist. I left the workshop better equipped and more inspired to help my clients.
Thank you, Lisa, and everyone at the Ferentz Institute, for putting together such an amazing program. I am a better clinician for attending each class. She is a gift on so many levels to those of us in the field. I gained a greater knowledge base as a result I now have new colleagues and new tools to continue learning, growing, and have a renewed passion for what we do.
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.
Most of the presenters were amazing. I learned a lot from the experiential techniques.
[Trauma Informed Assessment and Treatment: Ethical Considerations was] very helpful. Material relevant and has broad application. Physical environment was comfortable. Audience was engaged and conversant with material.
This training gave me new insight as an advocate and really put things in a new light.
[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 absolutely loved this training. How to illicit hope, how and when to use spirituality as a vehicle for change and the difficulties and possibilities therein. The training was more of a conversation then a lecture, I am still thinking about this days after the training and have followed up on some reading suggestions that have also been inspiring. Thank you!
It's hard to explain what an impact Lisa's training has had not only in how I see myself as a therapist but how much more equipped I am to help my clients. I have already seen a tremendous change in the work I do with my clients. It will change the way you see/do therapy. I can't recommend it highly enough!
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.
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 :)
This program has helped me to become a more competent and confident clinician. I have begun using the skills and interventions from this program with current clients, and the shift in my practice and the progress of my clients has been amazing to witness. I recommend this program to every clinician who wants to develop or strengthen skills and knowledge of trauma informed care.
From the start, I knew a made a great choice in investing my time and emotions in this program. I've learned so many tools and strategies to help my patients cope with their trauma and I've learned a lot about myself and how I can best support and guide my patients.
The presenter [for Trauma Informed Assessment and Treatment: Ethical Considerations] was awesome. I have been to ethics trainings and it made your mind wonder away to other areas and all you could think about is leaving. Lisa is a passionate presenter and she keeps you interested. She was very respectful to the people asking questions. I really love her.
Susan was personable and good-natured. Combined with her being informed that made the workshop valuable.
I thoroughly enjoyed the informative and enlightening workshop. It is just what I needed at this phase in my career.
I have grown as a therapist over the last nine sessions and I believe my growth allows me to see and access the strengths and resiliency in my clients in a new and different way.
I am a seasoned professional and always leave trainings feeling like there was no new take away. However, after [Understanding and Working with Self-Injurious Behavior (SIB)] I left feeling recharged with new knowledge and skills. Can't wait to get back to work to use use them. Thanks!!
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.
Dr. Wayne was able to skillfully weave teaching strategies so successfully, from referencing comic books, graphic novels, movies, tv shows, biblical stories, personal stories, humor, songs/music. All of these teaching modalities helped drive home his points not just on an intellectual level, but also a visceral level. His optimism and refusal to reside in a 'I'm trapped and so are you' mode was so hopeful and inspiring.
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.
The training framed supervision as relational, ethical, and helpful as compared to simply policing and gatekeeping.
Being able to bear witness to Dr. Sabrina's wisdom and experiences, as well as the others in the group was most helpful. It was very nourishing to have self-care practices integrated into our time together. I think the training offers a unique approach to supervision that honors the sacredness of the experience beyond documentation and business exchanges.
I really enjoyed the material, interaction, and overall experience. I felt that I learned more in that class than I did in graduate school! The information was so rich and exciting to learn!
The Trauma Level I course increased both my confidence and competence as a clinician. The online learning format afforded convenience without sacrificing the quality of this dynamic course. The resources and connection with other clinicians through the online format have proven to be incredibly helpful in my day to day practice.
Sabrina did an incredible job presenting material and keeping us engaged.
Sabrina is knowledgeable, personable and authentic. When I sign up to take 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.
The classes for level two were extremely informative and helpful to me as a therapist. I always left with tools to use with clients. I became more confident in my ability to counsel with the help of this institute.
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.
Dr. Sabrina was an amazing presenter and I will definitely take another class with her when one is offered.
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!
[Sabrina is] Very engaging and passionate about supervision! Very relatable and encouraged self-reflection.
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.
This course gave me the knowledge, skills, and confidence to treat clients with trauma. I would 100% recommend it! It's the course I wish I had in graduate school!
Patricia was very engaging and offered a truly interactive experience. She is clearly very knowledgeable on this topic.
Lisa's trainings validate a lot of the work that we do and provides new formulations, techniques, and a level of confidence to apply these techniques. What a powerful experience.
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.
The Trauma Certificate program was extremely valuable and has contributed immensely to my work with clients. It has been the best investment I have made in regards to my clinical practice.
Dr. Evans is an amazing speaker. His delivery and command of the subject matter 'Superwoman Schema in Black Women' was truly life changing for me. The information gained will be shared with others to help restore and transform their lives, as well.
Sabrina is great- very real. Great interactive activities. Looked forward to part 2.
Dr. N'Diaye brings warmth and expertise to this training. She inspires, models, and teaches effective technique within a well developed theoretical frame.
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.
This was the most informative and interactive training that I have ever attended. I would recommend this training to anyone.
She was very knowledgeable, very organized and interactive and informative. Loved the real life case studies.
I truly appreciated her integrated approach, her authenticity and the sharing of personal examples. She [Sabrina] made the virtual space feel welcoming and comfortable.
This has been, by far, the most useful and high quality training I have ever attended! I recommend this to any mental health professional and really anyone in a helping/health profession.
[Trauma Informed Assessment and Treatment: Ethical Considerations] was my first workshop at the Ferentz Institute and it exceeded all of my expectations! It was highly interactive and offered practical application for ensuring my clinical practice meets the highest ethical standards.
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!
This program gave me, as a seasoned clinician, so much insight about how to be trauma informed in every aspect of treatment: intake environment, parts work, and termination. Thank you!
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.
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!!
[Susan is] Very informative and made the training interesting and interactive.
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!
[Trauma Informed Assessment and Treatment: Ethical Considerations} was a rewarding workshop with a more macro view on ethical treatment of clients. Like all of Lisa's work (and trauma work in general) the workshop emphasizes the importance of relationship and pacing to ensure the safety of the client. The workshop provided specific ways to give clients a safe intake and assessment experience that does not trigger the client and is still informative for the therapist.
She [Susan] was [a] great [facilitator], very informed on the topic [of Effectively Treating Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder].
Lisa Ferentz is a captivating and engaging speaker. [In Understanding and Working with Self-Injurious Behavior (SIB)] she provided worksheets and techniques for immediate use. I am looking forward to taking another training from her in the future.
Learned so much information [in Ethical Dilemmas in Clinical Practice]. It also confirmed that current practices are ethical as measured with current standards.
Susan was in command of her subject but also had a great sense of humor.
Heidi brought her strong background in grief work and helped create not only a training but an experience on furthering the depth of my understanding of grief. There were practical exercises and interactive strategies to help engage participants virtually. Highly recommend!
I gained immensely from Lisa's level one trauma training, and I am really looking forward to continue learning from her.
This program brought me back to all the good things I felt while in grad school: lots of new knowledge, useful skills, and a safe and comfortable learning experience.
Lisa is a presenter who embodies competence and warmth and grace!. The workshop itself taught me new and wonderful ways to navigate clients through trauma with dignity and a wonderfully varied choice of modalities! Lisa's use of her personal journey with trauma patients was a wonderful and captivating way to learn.
I really appreciated Lisa's approachable, super informed, and engaging presentation style [in Understanding and Working with Self-Injurious Behavior (SIB)]. The material was so applicable to not only conceptualization but also practice.
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.
[Susan is] Very positive, warm, and open and made it a safe space for discussion and learning.
Sabrina was engaging, direct, warm and above all, AUTHENTIC. I could feel her spirit through her tone, use of words and teaching.
Advanced Trauma Training was an amazing experiential and educational experience that advanced my skills, knowledge and support for doing the work I love.
Lisa's care and attention to our development as trauma informed clinicians is unmatchable. Her knowledge and ability to offer so many variations has been so helpful in my growth and in my work with a wide range of clients. I appreciated her ability to recognize the need for clinician self care and being a huge advocate for that important part of the work that can often go unattended to. I only wish I had taken this training sooner in my career but so grateful for the current opportunity!
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: