Upcoming Classes

Boost your professional knowledge and expand your expertise with The Ferentz Institute’s in-person and online training classes.

December 2025

We are currently not offering any trainings this month. Please check again later!

We’re on winter break!

The Ferentz Institute is recharging for the season and gearing up for an inspiring new semester. We look forward to welcoming you back when our Spring classes begin on February 19. Explore our trainings and see what’s coming up—exciting learning opportunities await.

February 2026

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Thursday,
February 19, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
Lisa Ferentz
LCSW-C, DAPA

In this 6-hour workshop we will set the stage for a clinical and philosophical approach to trauma informed treatment.

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Thursday,
February 26, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
Lisa Ferentz
LCSW-C, DAPA

In this workshop, participants will connect the fawn response to insecure attachment, and process why it is a necessary and inevitable childhood response to trauma, abuse or neglect.

March 2026

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Monday,
March 2, 2026
8:45 AM - 12:00 PM (ET)
Location:
Virtual Training on Zoom
Presenter:
Presenter:
Wayne Evans
PHD

Explore strategies to help Black men navigate racism and trauma, replacing 'just surviving' with thriving, meaningful lives rooted in resilience and self-worth.

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Wednesday,
March 4, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
Lisa Ferentz
LCSW-C, DAPA

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.

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Tuesday,
March 10, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
Kristin Whiting-Davis
LCSW-C, LICSW

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.

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Monday,
March 16, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
Virtual Training on Zoom
Presenter:
Presenter:
Dee Preston-Dillon
PHD

This workshop will explore essential validation, freedom from the danger of implicit bias, and I-Thou dialogues to reclaim existential truth.

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Tuesday,
March 17, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
Lisa Ferentz
LCSW-C, DAPA

In this 6-hour workshop we will use videotaped examples to explore the four major attachment styles: secure; avoidnt; ambivalent; and disorganized.

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Wednesday,
March 25, 2026
8:45 AM - 12:00 PM (ET)
Location:
Virtual Training on Zoom
Presenter:
Presenter:
Aliza Scharf-Bendov
LCSW-C, MSW

Deepen your trauma-focused clinical work through an integrative lens that weaves together diagnostic clarity, nutrition, movement, and body-centered healing practices. Get actionable techniques and informed referral pathways to better serve clients with PTSD and complex trauma.

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Thursday,
March 26, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
Lisa Ferentz
LCSW-C, DAPA

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.

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Friday,
March 27, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
Lisa Ferentz
LCSW-C, DAPA

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.

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Monday,
March 30, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
Virtual Training on Zoom
Presenter:
Presenter:
Susan Osofsky
MSW, LCSW

In this workshop, we’ll explore Exposure/Response Prevention (Ex/RP), a model that’s been shown to be highly effective.

April 2026

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Tuesday,
April 14, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Kevin Scott Ferentz
Presenter:
Lisa Ferentz
LCSW-C, DAPA

In this 6-hour workshop participants will learn about the etiology, epidemiology and diagnostic criteria for all of the affective and anxiety disorders in DSM-5.

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Friday,
April 17, 2026
12:45 PM - 4:00 PM (ET)
Location:
Virtual Training on Zoom
Presenter:
Presenter:
Lisa Ferentz
LCSW-C, DAPA

In this workshop, participants will look at the Code of Ethics for guidance as it relates to issues of termination, therapist safety, and best practices.

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Tuesday,
April 21, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
Virtual Training on Zoom
Presenter:
Presenter:
Jill Penaloza
LCPAT, ATR-BC, CGP

In this experiential interactive workshop you'll learn and practice easy-to-use tools to support autonomic nervous system regulation and self-mastery.

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Wednesday,
April 22, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
Sabrina N’Diaye
PHD, LCSW-C

Join us for a warm, experiential workshop that invites you to explore your own inner guidance while gaining creative techniques to help clients tap into theirs. Through meditation, imagery, reflective writing, and simple art-making, you’ll uncover new ways to foster calm, clarity, and connection.

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Thursday,
April 23, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
Lisa Ferentz
LCSW-C, DAPA

In this 6-hour workshop we will explore creative ways to empower clients to continue their work outside of therapy by introducing “invitations” to be accomplished in between their sessions.

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Monday,
April 27, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
Katie O'Mailey
LCSW-C, LICSW, RYT

This comprehensive workshop uses the neurobiology of trauma to legitimize and contextualize creative techniques to promote sustainable healing from the often heavy byproducts of trauma.

May 2026

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Friday,
May 1, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
Lisa Ferentz
LCSW-C, DAPA

In this 6-hour workshop we will process the inherent challenges of working with traumatized clients in a variety of practice settings.

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Tuesday,
May 5, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
Virtual Training on Zoom
Presenter:
Salicia Mazero
Presenter:
Peggy Kolodny
MA, ATR-BC, LCPAT

Unlock the power of creativity in therapy by blending art therapy techniques with Internal Family Systems (IFS) to deepen emotional awareness and foster self-leadership. Through experiential collage and clay activities, guided practice, and case demonstrations, participants will gain practical tools to apply these approaches in both individual and group therapy.

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Monday,
May 11, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
Lisa Ferentz
LCSW-C, DAPA

This workshop will focus on ethical issues that can arise in therapy when treating traumatized clients, as well as issues related to termination.

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Tuesday,
May 12, 2026
12:45 PM - 4:00 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
Aliza Scharf-Bendov
LCSW-C, MSW

Strengthen your ability to confront antisemitism in therapy through a practical, anti-oppressive framework that combines trauma-informed care, cultural competence, and cultural humility. Leave with a working model and actionable strategies to address antisemitism with confidence and clinical skill.

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Friday,
May 15, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
Virtual Training on Zoom
Presenter:
Presenter:
Patricia Papernow
EDD

This workshop will give you a framework that integrates research and clinical experience on three levels: psychoeducational, interpersonal, and intrapsychic/family-of-origin.

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Friday,
May 29, 2026
8:45 AM - 12:00 PM (ET)
Location:
Virtual Training on Zoom
Presenter:
Presenter:
Hetty Barnett
LCSW-C

This workshop is designed for therapists new to the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model or those with a basic understanding seeking to expand their knowledge and application in clinical practice.

June 2026

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Friday,
June 5, 2026
8:45 AM - 12:00 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
TJ Matton
LCSW-C

Explore a fresh, playful approach to mindfulness that goes beyond stillness and silence, helping clinicians integrate movement, curiosity, and joy to support nervous system regulation and deepen client engagement.

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Monday,
June 8, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
In-Person at The Hilton Garden Inn • Owings Mills, MD
Presenter:
Presenter:
Lisa Maestri
LCSW-C

Dive into a hands-on day of movement, art, and mindful creativity designed to help you bring powerful, trauma-informed tools into your clinical practice.

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Friday,
June 12, 2026
8:45 AM - 12:00 PM (ET)
Location:
Virtual Training on Zoom
Presenter:
Presenter:
Ken Carter
PHD

This comprehensive workshop offers an in-depth exploration of commonly prescribed mental health medications, ethical considerations, and practical strategies for non-prescribing clinicians to collaborate effectively with clients and prescribers.

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Thursday,
June 18, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
Virtual Training on Zoom
Presenter:
Presenter:
Lisa Ferentz
LCSW-C, DAPA

In this workshop we will look at the unique developmental aspects of the adolescent brain and why it is so vulnerable to the negative effects of social media and video gaming.

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Monday,
June 29, 2026
8:45 AM - 4:15 PM (ET)
Location:
Virtual Training on Zoom
Presenter:
Presenter:
Sabrina N’Diaye
PHD, LCSW-C

This workshop will give you creative opportunities to explore your underdeveloped talents, as well as deepen your listening skills: an essential attribute for being able to provide effective supervision.