Elisabeth Morray

TOMORROW – 2 CEs – ZOOM Presentation – Fee: $30 Practical Clinical Interventions for Incentivizing Change: A Handy "Reference Guide" for All Therapists TOMORROW – Fri, Sep 27, 2024 / 12 noon – 2:00 pm (ET) Both “Live” and “Recorded” for Later Viewing (Home Study) Presented by Martha Stark, MD / Harvard Medical School Hosted by the Office of Continuing Education at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology TO REGISTER – https://shorturl.at/AGGdG Although you might pride yourself on being able to offer your clients plenty of support, do you sometimes worry that you might not be offering them quite enough challenge? My 2-hour ZOOM Workshop will teach you to "construct" a series of "growth-incentivizing interventions" specifically designed to "catalyze" deep and enduring psychodynamic change in your clients – by facilitating their advancement, whatever their diagnosis and whatever their initial level of functionality, from “rigidity” to “resilience” – from “defensive reaction” to “adaptive response.” These interventions are strategically formulated to offer just the right balance between anxiety-provoking challenge and anxiety-assuaging support. I will be providing you with a set of "therapeutic tools" – both "minimally stressful" and "optimally stressful" interventions – that you will be able to call upon during pivotal and universally relevant “clinical moments” with your clients. These interventions will “incentivize” the client to (1) confront anxiety-provoking truths about her “self,” (2) grieve anxiety-provoking truths about the “objects of her desire,” (3) take ownership of anxiety-provoking truths about her “relational self,” and (4) access anxiety-provoking truths about her “private self.” You will be receiving my freshly minted 18-page CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS GUIDE – a handbook of growth-incentivizing “statements” that will provide both impetus and opportunity for your clients’ transformation and growth. You will also get PDFs of the richly detailed PowerPoint Slides from which I will be working. Whether "Live" or "Later Viewed" (Home Study), my 2-hour ZOOM Workshop is a very affordable $30 for 2 CEs! TO REGISTER – https://shorturl.at/AGGdG Biographical Information – Martha Stark MD, a graduate of Harvard Medical School and the Boston Psychoanalytic Institute, is a holistic (adult and child) psychiatrist and integrative psychoanalyst in Boston, MA. Originator/Developer of THE STARK METHOD of PSYCHODYNAMIC SYNERGY: A Multifaceted Approach to Deep Embodied Healing, Martha is the author of nine books on the integration of psychodynamic theory with clinical practice, including the 1999 award-winning Modes of Therapeutic Action: Knowledge, Experience, and Relationship – recipient of Jason Aronson’s prestigious “Book of the Year Award.” Several of Martha's books have become "required reading" for candidates in psychoanalytic training institutes and students in psychodynamic psychotherapy programs in the US and abroad.

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My recent blog post details 5 ways that RFT has made a difference to my clinical practice: https://buff.ly/3CeIynm Don't miss your chance to save 20% on these essential RFT training sessions too, early bird offers are running out very soon!: Applying RFT in therapeutic settings with Yvonne Barnes-Holmes (25th Feb 2025) 🚨 Early-bird rate valid until 8th November 2024 Using RFT to build psychological flexibility with Siri Ming (22nd Jan 2025) 🚨 Early-bird rate valid until 11th November 2024

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CE presentation + Case Consultation led by Molly Williams, MSW, ACSW, focused on improving care for autistic clients. We often see clinicians struggle when traditional interventions fall short, and all too often, this is blamed on clients' traits. Register here:   "De-Pathologizing Autism: A Guide to Affirming Care for Mental Health Professionals" will provide you with the tools to rethink and adapt your strategies for working with autistic individuals.    This one-hour presentation + 30-minute case consultation is $35. However, if you are experiencing financial hardship and you would like to attend, please reach out to me to discuss your needs further. This course will help you meet autistic clients where they are and make therapy more accessible and effective. I hope you can join us for what will be an engaging and insightful session! *This CE course meets the qualifications for 1 hour of continuing education credit as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. See attached flyer for more information.   For more information or accommodations for special needs, contact the Program Administrator at [email protected].    If you'd like to request a refund, they will be issued (less a $5 administrative fee) if requested 72 hours prior to the start of the event.

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I have had a draft of this post saved for a really long time, not sure if useful, but I think being in relationship with trauma-informed and trauma-aware research even when we are not ourselves "trauma" researchers is pretty essential in 2025. So some scrappy notes on that and lenses I've used across my many, many different research contexts. https://lnkd.in/gZKh4b7m

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Play a video game, and we'll predict your attentional functioning. No, it’s not a BuzzFeed quiz. It’s research from my former team, now out in Translational Psychiatry, that explores a new way to measure cognitive functioning in real time as patients engage with a game-based digital therapeutic. This study is the science behind the product feature Akili introduced last year, Focus Score, which allows users to track how their attention changes with treatment. I’m delayed posting because of my new, *incredibly* needy coworker (see photo), but here are a few reflections from the science-to-product translation process: 1️⃣ Innovative product features still need a solid business model: This may sound obvious, but hear me out, because it’s an easy trap in digital health. My totally biased perspective is that our team developed a really freaking cool product feature, the Focus Score, grounded in rigorous science. However, we learned a hard lesson that science-driven product innovation is not enough to guarantee consumer adoption. No matter how strong the clinical evidence behind the product, people were hesitant to pay over $100 out of pocket for an OTC “therapy video game”, highlighting the importance of considering coverage and integration into healthcare systems from the start. 2️⃣ Digital therapeutic data are nuanced: We didn’t entirely know what to call the inputs into our Focus Score metric—they aren’t really passively sensed, since they depend on the user completing the digital therapeutic activities. At the same time, the metric is computed without active input from the user. After much back and forth, we landed on "patient-device interaction data" to capture the fact that we’re predicting cognitive functioning based explicitly on user behavior within the treatment. 3️⃣ Product data should be intuitive: Since the Focus Score is a new metric, we thought putting it on a 0-100 scale, with an average of 50, would be the most sensible way of normalizing the data. But users often struggled to understand how good or bad their score was, which probably limited the new feature’s impact on engagement. For me, this highlights the importance of providing clinical cutoffs or otherwise tying clear meaning to any clinical data presented back to the user. 4️⃣ Industry publishing is complicated, y’all: More so than in academia, perceived “ownership” of industry research can shift dramatically. It’s a unique emotional landscape to celebrate a publication and at the same time recognize that no one on this authorship team is still at the company that owns the product. Despite these complexities, I couldn’t be prouder of the dream team behind this work – shout out to Andrew Heusser Tony J Simon, Ph.D. Titi Alailima Scott Kollins. It’ll be exciting to see how digital therapeutics companies build on this research to enhance remote patient monitoring in mental health treatment. Check out the article here: https://lnkd.in/dzsCmn3Y

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AIP is why EMDR helps beyond trauma. Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) isn’t just about trauma—it’s about how the brain processes all experiences. When memories are stored adaptively, they become part of a healthy framework that supports growth and self-belief. But when experiences are too overwhelming, the brain’s natural processing can get interrupted. This is why AIP is so central to EMDR—it helps the brain reprocess those memories and restore balance. Whether a client is dealing with chronic pain, depression, addiction, or performance anxiety, AIP explains why EMDR is so effective across a wide range of challenges. Have you used AIP to explain EMDR’s versatility to clients? What examples resonate most?

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QEEG & Neurofeedback Insight (For TBI): At NDHI and Neuron-Connect, we’ve found that traumatic brain injury (TBI) often leaves distinct markers on QEEG scans, such as heightened delta activity in frontal regions or decreased beta power in areas linked to executive function. These patterns provide invaluable insights into the brain's recovery trajectory, highlighting areas of dysfunction that traditional imaging, like MRI or CT, may overlook. Using QEEG as a roadmap, we craft neurofeedback protocols specifically targeting these dysregulated networks. For example, in cases of frontal lobe injury, neurofeedback can train the brain to normalize activity in this region, often resulting in improved attention, emotional regulation, and decision-making. Similarly, addressing temporal lobe abnormalities can reduce irritability and emotional outbursts commonly seen in TBI patients. Our approach doesn’t just focus on symptoms but aims to improve overall brain function and quality of life. Whether it’s aiding recovery from a recent injury or addressing long-term consequences, this integration of QEEG and neurofeedback provides a personalized, data-driven pathway to healing. If you’re interested in exploring how QEEG and neurofeedback can assist your patients with TBI, or if you’d like to refer a patient for evaluation, NDHI and Neuron-Connect are here to help. Contact us to learn more about our programs and how they can enhance your patients’ recovery journeys. https://neuron-connect.com

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Here's a 1-page scale from DSM-5 that screens for most psychiatric disorders. A useful starting place. Read more in the Frontier Psychiatrist Blog: https://lnkd.in/eJ4GPVP2 #psychiatry #mentalhealth #mentalillness

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More about the idea behind EMDR: the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) theory, which says our brains are designed to process and integrate experiences naturally. When trauma disrupts this process, memories get stuck, leading to distressing symptoms like anxiety or negative self-beliefs. EMDR helps jump-start the brain’s natural healing process by reprocessing those stuck memories and integrating them into a healthier narrative. This is why EMDR’s power lies not just in the technique itself but in understanding how the mind is wired to heal when given the right support. What many EMDR providers have learned is that our understanding of AIP and how it supports EMDR can go beyond trauma recovery and apply to other areas of healing. When combined with EMDR, AIP can be used to help clients overcome challenges like chronic pain, depression, or addiction. By reprocessing memories and beliefs that feed into these issues, EMDR taps into the brain’s natural ability to adapt and heal. Whether it’s trauma or ongoing emotional struggles, EMDR’s ability to use the brain’s own healing process gives clients the chance to experience profound, long-term change.

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Individuals, who are at clinical high risk of developing psychosis CHR-P while they expose to early psychological interventions, which include, not limited to, cognitive-behavioral therapy, reduction high risk family and social stressful atmospheres, social skills training, humanistic and interpersonal psychotherapies, early signs and CHR-P will be improved, preventing real episodes of diagnosed psychosis, therefore early psychological interventions EPI need to be on clinical area as a first line treatment for CHR-P research and clinical guidelines say, though antipsychotic medications could be used, but unwanted side effects occured, thus they are not recommended as a first line treatment, research also says, however clinicians need to be well trained to handle early psychological modalities of interventions for CHR, based on clinical case conceptualization, many thanks for the American Psychiatric Association for elaborating such a clinical essential matter.

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What if it’s not just the healthcare system that’s broken, but how we think about mental health and mental health care to begin with? This is something I’ve been thinking a lot about these days, as more people in my network have started calling out the hyper focus on symptom reduction (check out a great article by Jessica Watrous, Ph.D. on this in Behavioral Health Tech) or how we can leverage digital tools to promote healthy habits (Julie Miller, PhD recently made an insightful post about this). Throughout my time in digital health, the focus has been on the people who have elevated levels of psychological distress - and no doubt those individuals are important. They need mental health support, and providing it can help to reduce the economic burden associated with depression and anxiety. But what about all the other folks who by all intents and purposes are “well”? Why do we ignore this large part of the population as though they can’t also benefit from mental health care. Check out this first piece I’ve written on my thoughts about how we need to change our perspective on mental health and mental health care - and stay tuned for a follow-up on why this matters! #mentalhealth #prevention #digitalhealth #digitalmentalhealth #dtx #wellness #Dario #Twill

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📣 Clinical Directors, Supervisors, and Senior Therapists—this one’s for you 👇 We know the demands of your time are overwhelming. You're being pulled in countless directions and amidst all that, you’re expected to mentor new grads sometimes on your own time and often without additional compensation. It can feel like a heavy burden to take on, especially when you're already stretched thin. 🤔 Many first-year clinicians hesitate to ask for help, unsure of how to navigate complex patient cases or clinical expectations and this hesitation can stem from a lack of support and clear guidance. As leaders, you play a crucial role in fostering a culture that encourages open communication and mentorship. However, we understand that the time commitment can feel insurmountable. Your clinicians' well-being matters—especially when 31% of clinicians are planning to quit in the next 2-3 years (Forbes, 2022). It’s clear that something needs to be done, and it needs to happen fast. Support is needed, more pay is essential, and burnout solutions are no longer a nice-to-have; they’re a necessity. 🌱 What if there was a way to lighten that load? Is your clinic currently aware of solutions like ours - a platform that connects new grads with seasoned and trusted professionals from across the country? 🤝 📣 Outsourcing your mentorship can provide your new grads with the guidance they want, saving you and your team hundreds of hours while ensuring your first-year clinicians receive the support they need—without adding extra strain to already burned-out clinicians. If not, what do you think is the main reason clinics aren’t already utilizing these types of solutions? Your insights are invaluable 👉 Please share your thoughts in the comments below. 💬 Scholarnetics360 __________ #healthcareprofessionals #otstudent #dptstudent #dptschool #healthcareeducation #medicalcareers #healthcarecareer #healthcarementoring #ptmentorship #mentorship #mentorshipprogram #scholarnetics360

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Online interventions for symptomatic anxiety and other behavioral health challenges is gaining traction, and might help us fill some gaps in access to care. But notice my word choices, distinctions which the Guardian article does not make: 1) I deliberately chose the word "interventions" and not "therapy" - to me therapy requires a human interaction, but there are many interventions that may not. 2) I chose to add the word "symptomatic" in front of "anxiety" for a couple of reasons, but mostly because we all have anxiety from time to time, much of which doesn't rise to the level of requiring intervention and is instead a normal condition of life. 3) Finally, I deliberately chose "behavioral health challenges" because "anxiety" (or depression, or any number of other common psychological symptoms) don't by themselves amount to a diagnosis that requires treatment. The Guardian article doesn't make these distinctions, but to be fair neither do most discussions I've seen of this growing business of online "care." Being more careful with language could help us put these applications in a better perspective. Most importantly, if we understood there's a spectrum of behavioral challenges, some of which do NOT require referral to a trained therapist, we'd do a lot to relieve some of the access bottleneck because we could entertain other interventions. But at the same time, let's not send someone who DOES need a therapist to an app, and let's not pretend that online therapy is a universal solution. My solution does also require a way to help make the distinction as to who gets what level of care. Some of that can be done by predictive analytics (shameless plug for my work with The Claim Lab), some of it requires early assessment and a navigator (shameless plug for the development work I helped do with Axiom Medical), and some of it requires knowing who can provide good quality behavioral care that is totally focused on returning people to work functioning (shameless plug for my work with Ascellus). The theme here is this: we have a mental health crisis that impacts workplaces. There are solutions to these problems. Let's get on with solving them. What do you think? #behavioralhealth #mentalhealthishealth #workplacementalhealth #solutions

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Are You Ready for Generative AI in Psychiatric Practice? (Special Report) In this Psychiatric News Special Report, the integration of generative AI into psychiatric practice is examined for its numerous opportunities for innovation in treatment and professional development. As generative AI continues to spark widespread interest, the psychiatric community faces a pivotal moment to engage with its integration in a more deliberate and responsible manner. Key findings: Opportunities in Psychiatry ✐ Professional development (e.g. simulating clinical scenarios for skills refinement and ethical decision-making) ✐ Enhancing clinical practice (real-time feedback improves patient interactions. ✐ Treatment innovation (crafting personalized therapeutic exercises, enhancing patient engagement through interactive experiences). ✐ Advancing scientific understanding (e.g. analyzing conversational data and chart notes, boosting biopsychosocial research and enabling large-scale meta-analyses). Practical Applications ✐ Training Simulations: Use AI to create realistic training modules for handling diverse patient scenarios. ✐ Patient Engagement: Generate personalized therapy exercises to enhance patient involvement in treatment plans. ✐ Research Enhancement: Quickly analyze large datasets to identify novel treatment approaches or understand complex mental health issues. Recommendations and Strategies ✐ Establish standardized methods to assess AI safety and effectiveness, focusing on patient outcomes rather than engagement metrics. ✐ Address challenges to integration into clinical workflows like interoperability and clinician training, and develop reimbursement models and regulatory oversight for adoption. ✐ Maintenance and Security: Ensure ongoing updates and security measures to maintain AI quality, adapting models to counter threats. #mhealth #generativeai #healthcare https://lnkd.in/gGSfRVAA

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Dissertation survey time! 😁 I'm recruiting for a study on therapist identity/lived experience-related self disclosure practices. I'll be looking at the origin of these behaviors as well as the effect on therapist outlook in care with patients. If you're a mental health therapist (any licensure), please consider taking the survey. (It takes about 10 mins to complete) And please share with your therapist friends!! Link in the comments 😊 #Psychology #MentalHealth #Therapist #Research

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Are you a clinician who uses #AcceptanceandCommitmentTherapy/ #ACT? Perhaps you call it #ACTraining within your scope? Either way, these processes rely on a very cool and highly generalizable theory -- that of #RelationalFrameTheory/ #RFT. If you are doing ACT-based treatments, and find yourself unsure of how/why it all comes together, you may be less effective than you otherwise could be. A solid foundation in RFT allows the clinician to effectively approach a client's narratives in-session about their internal and external experiences both in and out of session. I have put together a 2-#BACB #CEU course on the basics of RFT (it's a dense theory, so 2 hours is legit just the basics!), and I am charging less for it than I ever have for a CEU, at $10/CEU or $20 total. I firmly believe every #behavioranalyst should understand RFT, as it helps fill-in the holes in the swiss cheese of Skinner's Theory of Verbal Behavior. The course is fully-stagnant, automated, with lifetime access, and is available here, where you'll receive your ACE CEU Certificate after successful completion of the quiz: https://lnkd.in/dmUjKT4E

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Brief visits with therapists in primary care scale well. At scale, these visits could be a significant component in US efforts to improve population health. These brief interventions rely on therapists, not specific treatments, to impact consumer health. Therapists themselves are the driving force. Behavioral issues are pervasive and disruptive. However, many respond well to brief contact with an empathic, non-judgmental therapist—some people have never experienced anything like it. These interventions help an unspecified number of primary care patients. Some portion of them will subsequently use fewer medical services. Even small percentages are a big deal. Investors would rejoice over a medication with such potential—why not try promising human interventions? The problem is finding champions. Therapists are wary of leaving traditional therapy. Physicians have more pressing issues. Investors have pharma and tech biases. However, health plans are well positioned to lead this—they understand financial issues and how to incentivize a workforce. Population health is an enormous challenge. We tend to wait for novel medications (e.g., GLP-1 drugs for weight loss), but biology has limits. Therapists have quietly refined these primary care interventions for decades. Let’s capitalize on these hidden gems. See more 200-word essays on my website: https://lnkd.in/gPTCnM_Q

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The care of patients with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) requires a scientific, collaborative approach between clinicians American Psychiatric Association, patients, and health systems, free from undue legal interference from the DOJ U.S. Department of Justice and the DEA Drug Enforcement Administration, which could significantly improve the treatment of ADHD and minimize the risk of diversion and stimulant use disorder. Here is an article I wrote on the KevinMD Blog. Thank you Kevin Pho, M.D. for highlighting this important clinical issues.

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