This introductory module forms the foundation for your learning to assess and manage difficult-to-treat depression. The first part describes what depression is and specifically differentiates between the main uses of the word “depression”, which can refer to a symptom, a syndrome, or a diagnosis. The second part defines difficult-to-treat depression, explains why we prefer that concept instead of treatment-resistant depression, and describes the clinical characteristics of that population. The third part outlines the four-step approach to assessing patients with difficult-to-treat depression.

People who suffer with scrupulosity, as a subtype of OCD, can experience a range of challenges getting treatment, such as invalidation of actual spiritual and religious practice (or lack thereof) or becoming overly in obsessional loops and compulsive behaviors. Clinicians often must wade through poorer insight and additional resistance. SCRUPULOSITY: Treating Religious, Moral, and Spiritual Manifestations of OCD invites a brief but comprehensive study into the history of OCD itself—which involves clergy and church history, offering attendees evidence-based tools and resources for best results.

Not all clutter takes up physical space. In our increasingly digital world, many individuals struggle with the accumulation of digital information- over saving photos, files, apps, and emails. Digital hoarding can cause significant stress and impairment, hindering one’s ability to live fully. In this workshop, we’ll explore the various causes and methods of digital hoarding and provide insights into breaking the cycle, helping individuals regain control of their digital lives. We will explore Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and an integrative approach that focuses on motivation and emotional regulation, offering a more personalized and compassionate approach to managing digital overload. Case discussions will be utilized to illustrate different skills and provide valuable insights into recovery. This workshop will offer up to date research addressing the behavior while providing guidance in developing a behavioral plan through actionable strategies to help those impacted by digital hoarding.

This presentation was originally reviewed on February 17, 2025, and live streamed online on February 21, 2025, from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is rarely a standalone condition. Complex cases often present with comorbidities such as severe anxiety, depression, ADHD, ASD, Tic Disorders, eating disorders, personality disorders, and sometimes a combination of these and other conditions. In this presentation, we will explore the nuances of treating OCD in complex cases, highlighting the importance of clinical expertise in recognizing and addressing these comorbidities and adapting treatment. We will discuss tailored interventions that account for the interplay between conditions, ensuring more comprehensive and effective care for individuals facing these challenging symptom presentations and very complex cases.

This presentation was originally reviewed on October 16, 2024, and live streamed online on October 18, 2024, from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm ET.

Cognitive behavioral therapy was first applied to psychotic disorders by Aaron Beck in 1952, however the first clinical trial of cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBT-P) was not completed until 1992. CBT-P has been shown to reduce distress related to psychotic symptoms by up to 40% and improve overall functioning. The evidence supporting its use is so robust that it is recommended in the American Psychiatric Association (APA) guidelines as well as the National Institutes of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for treatment of schizophrenia. However, this treatment remains underutilized and often unavailable for people in the United States experiencing psychosis due to lack of experienced practitioners and lack of understanding regarding the benefit of CBT-P in the treatment of psychotic disorders. This presentation aims to improve understanding of the evidence base surrounding CBT-P in the treatment of people experiencing psychosis and to describe the process of CBT-P.

This presentation was originally reviewed on September 17, 2024, and live streamed online on September 20, 2024, from 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm ET.

Tourette’s and related tic disorders are relatively common and often impairing conditions. While pharmacotherapy has historically been considered the first-line (and only) active treatment for tics, medication use in children has been limited by safety and tolerability concerns. Over the past two decades behavioral treatments, most notably, the Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT), have demonstrated efficacy and tolerability for tics in youth and adults, leading to designation as a first-line treatment, when available, for treating tics by the American Academy of Neurology and European and Canadian medical academies. This presentation will review the clinical aspects of Tourette’s and other tic disorders most relevant for treatment and describe the theoretical underpinings, implementation, benefits, and long-term outcomes of CBIT with reference to other treatment modalities. Core treatment elements will be demonstrated to illustrate their role in treatment. Following completion of the presentation, attendees should be able to describe the core components of this treatment.

All people experience needs to regulate their emotions throughout everyday life. Some of our strategies may be more useful than others, but sometimes lack of either awareness or practice of different emotion regulation strategies is a barrier to exploring more effective ways at regulating our emotions without ignoring them. This presentation will cover: the process model of emotion generation and emotion regulation; how to use the process model to identify various places to regulate emotions; past research on two emotion regulation strategies: suppression and rethinking; practice utilizing the rethinking strategy; create a “plan to practice” an active emotion regulation strategy; suggestions for using the model in practice and ways of helping patients practice and self-monitor their emotion regulation effectiveness. Teaching patients the process model of emotions and emotion regulation can provide an empowering framework for organizing and suggesting emotion regulation strategies. Attendees will also practice one emotion regulation strategy “rethinking” – and generate ways to aid their patients in practicing this strategy to add to a toolbelt.