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 6-hour workshop we will make the connection between the inevitable coping strategies that emerge for abused and neglected children and how those behaviors create suffering and dysfunction in adulthood.
In this workshop, we’ll explore Exposure/Response Prevention (Ex/RP), a model that’s been shown to be highly effective.
Most of the presenters were amazing. I learned a lot from the experiential techniques.
I have been eager to strengthen my knowledge base and skill level in trauma informed care. My clients and I will benefit from the hands on approach that Lisa shares with care and attention for all of her program participants. I am now much more aware of the importance of both mind (brain) and body when it comes to the impact and significance of trauma histories and clients' current level of functioning and satisfaction with life.
If you are a clinician Lisa Ferentz's trauma training is one you cannot miss!!
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.
I did not hesitate to attend Lisa's workshop 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.
Sabrina did an incredible job presenting material and keeping us engaged.
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.
The training framed supervision as relational, ethical, and helpful as compared to simply policing and gatekeeping.
[Sabrina is] Very engaging and passionate about supervision! Very relatable and encouraged self-reflection.
This was the most informative and interactive training that I have ever attended. I would recommend this training to anyone.
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.
Sabrina is a force to be reckoned with! She is inspirational, encouraging, and truly cares about this work! Sabrina took the time to get to know each and every one of us in her class, to hear our responses, and respond with care and curiosity. It was a pleasure to learn from her and I look forward to building on my skills based off of what I took from the past couple of days! Thank you!
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.
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.
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.
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 am walking away from this program feeling more confident in my abilities and role as a clinician, but I've learned so much about myself that will enhance both my personal and professional successes. Thank you, Lisa!
Lisa's trauma training has brought me to a new level as a clinician. This should be required education for anyone in the clinical care or educational setting. The knowledge and resources gained through this course are invaluable.
I enjoyed the presenters [in Individualizing Treatment for Children and Adolescents with Complex Trauma and Dissociation]; they were engaging, informative, current, and had a perspective which I believe broadened my own. They offered breakfast, snacks, and all day coffee. What could be better than being nurtured and informed!
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 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.
I loved the ideas for enriching supervision to encompass holistic well being.
[Sabrina is] Engaging, dynamic, thought provoking and fun!
[Susan is] Very positive, warm, and open and made it a safe space for discussion and learning.
The presenter [for Working with Dreams: Tapping into an Inner Wisdom] had a good grasp of the material and was exceptionally well prepared.
[Staying Within the Window of Tolerance] was one of the best workshops I have attended. The Ferentz Institute consistently provides talented, experienced, engaging speakers, who track the newest innovations in their fields, within a very welcoming, comfortable milieu.
The training was amazing. Although I wanted to learn more about Parts Work to be able to help my clients, I learned that and more. I now understand the importance of practicing what I preach. How can I talk to my clients about compassion for self, when I lack my own self compassion. I want to learn even more about Parts work not only for professional development, but for personal development as well.
Holding class attention throughout an ethics seminar [like Ethical Dilemmas in Clinical Practice] is quite a feat, something Lisa accomplished with apparent ease.
[Trauma Informed Assessment and Treatment: Ethical Considerations] overall was well organized and useful. I found much of the presentation had a clinical focus and much less emphasis on the ethical considerations and dilemmas we face in practice. Most of us know that it's our ethical responsibility to provide trauma informed care, but how that plays out in group practices and agencies can be very challenging to navigate and effectively advocate.
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!!
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!
Sabrina was very personable and allowed you to discuss situations that often made you feel vulnerable if you were to share it with other leaders/supervisors. I liked how she allowed you to feel safe and reflect on how to best address supervisory issues. I love the questions to ask Supervisees on what they will find helpful out of supervision, being better at focusing on my own self-care prior, during, and after supervision, and exercising Supervision as a ritual.
[Susan is] Very informative and made the training interesting and interactive.
Advanced Trauma Training was an amazing experiential and educational experience that advanced my skills, knowledge and support for doing the work I love.
Susan was in command of her subject but also had a great sense of humor.
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.
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 workshop was a unique and inspiring sharing of wisdom, knowledge and support for each of us a clinicians and as humans. Dr. Sabrina is an amazing presenter with an abundance of knowledge and inspiration for every one of us!
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.
Learned so much information [in Ethical Dilemmas in Clinical Practice]. It also confirmed that current practices are ethical as measured with current standards.
Lisa is a gem. I have learned so many wonderful techniques and gained a fresh perspective on my work with trauma survivors.
Susan was very knowledgeable, shared her own experiences, shared a little about herself, approachable, very authentic, obviously loves what she's doing.
This program is an extraordinary interpretation of several therapeutic modalities and an interesting and heartfelt alternative to the manualized, mechanical CEU offerings elsewhere.
[Trauma Informed Collage Methods] greatly refreshed my knowledge as an art therapist, but perhaps more importantly, I recognized the value of collage in working with difficult to reach populations. While the collage experiencials we completed were fun and relaxing, in a new way I could more confidently apply the powerful intuitive processes of collage with people who have lost everything.
I enjoyed this workshop. 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.
[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.
Dr. Evans' energy was contagious. It was obvious he truly enjoys the topic and is very knowledgeable. The course flew by yet I would have stayed to learn more.
This program should be a part of every clinician's repertoire. The compassion and knowledge Lisa has is invaluable and I am confident I am a better clinician because of this training and the investment in myself and clients.
She [Susan] was [a] great [facilitator], very informed on the topic [of Effectively Treating Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder].
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.
[Working with Dreams: Tapping into an Inner Wisdom had] great information with experiential exercises. I really enjoyed connecting with the other participants.
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.
Lisa Ferentz is very knowledgeable and a great teacher and presenter. She was very warm and welcoming. The class itself was very informational and very organized. I recommend this class to every clinician. Thanks Lisa!
Timothy provided a safe and open space to learn and grow together!
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.
I really appreciated Sabrina's authenticity as well as her ability to have participants explore traits about themselves that can be used as unique gifts as supervisors. She has amazing energy and insight!
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!
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!
This program [Level II Advanced Treatment in Trauma Certificate] provided more guidance and resources than my graduate school curriculum in terms of clinical competency. What a privilege to witness, reflect on, and explore these new creative trauma-informed modalities with Lisa... Peggy and Dr. Dee. My entire practice has shifted in such an insightful, confident, and organic way and I am extremely grateful! Greatest program I have ever attended from a clinical perspective.
I especially appreciated Salicia's authenticity and presence.
Lisa Ferentz's Level I trauma training program is a gift for the clinician as well as their clients. Trauma informed care, I am learning, invites the therapist to use their whole self - mind, body, soul, spirit, and heart - to accompany clients on their journeys of healing.
I highly recommend this program to any therapist who wishes to take their professional game to the next level.
Susan was easy to follow & understand; and, she was especially honest if she didn't know something.
She was very knowledgeable, very organized and interactive and informative. Loved the real life case studies.
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.
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.
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!!
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 loved her [Denise's] knowledge, understanding & ability to communicate with the audience. Her passion was demonstrated by her presentation.
[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.
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.
This training has been a priceless investment which I believe will change my practice for many years to come.
I gained immensely from Lisa's level one trauma training, and I am really looking forward to continue learning from her.
Enjoyed the energy, enthusiasm, knowledge that Dr. Evans shared about a complex and potentially transformative therapeutic tool. Thanks for offering this to our community.
Lisa's trauma curriculum should be a requirement for all aspiring clinicians.
I loved the training. Very informative.
Great resource provided by a gifted teacher & clinician.
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!
The Ferentz Institute Level I and II has changed the way I practice. These experiences have provided me with effective strategies to assist clients in moving through their trauma experiences safely.
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.
I was very impressed with this seminar. The facilitator not only made the seminar enjoyable, but she was extremely knowledgable and shared her experiences. I definitely look forward to attending more seminars.
Tim was a wise and conscientious presenter with a clear mastery of his subject matter.
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].
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.
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!
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.
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!
Lisa is a wonderful instructor and her course will mark a turning point in your practice.
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!
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!
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 training provided so much quality information. All of it was immediately useful with my caseload. This was so beneficial!
The presenter was excellent, easy to understand and knowledgeable.
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.
The Level I training was easily the most valuable training I've ever had. Not only was it professionally helpful, but personally. This class was so emotionally refreshing. I feel as if I have a bright new outlook on my profession and I am eternally grateful.
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!
She [Susan] provided great ideas and suggestions given her expertise... it felt safe to ask questions, learn, and even be wrong because she was supportive and warm.
Very powerful and experiential workshop! We were constantly engaged in experiential learning, even while taking in theory. Awesome!
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 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!
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.
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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