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Behavioral strategies get a lot of attention in the insomnia field, and with good reason – sleep restriction and stimulus control work quickly to get patients sleeping better. But what about those pesky thoughts that get in the way of good sleep? “I’ll be useless tomorrow!” “I’ll never be able to sleep normally!” “If I fall asleep right now, I’ll only get 4 hours of sleep!” Unhelpful cognitions fuel poor sleep and we’re ignoring a critical part of the equation if we don’t intervene with them. In fact, research suggests that working on sleep-related cognitions help patients maintain the benefits they make through behavioral interventions. Today we’re joined by Dr. Allison Harvey, an expert in the field of sleep disorders. She outlines strategies for how to intervene with the most common sleep-interfering cognitions. Join in as Carin and Dr. Harvey try to convince Kevin that insomnia treatment is fun!

Allison G. Harvey, PhD, is a Professor, Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Director of The Golden Bear Sleep and Mood Research Clinic in the Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Harvey is a treatment development researcher who conducts research focused on understanding and treating sleep and circadian problems, mental health, and behavior change processes. She has published over 300 peer reviewed papers and chapters and authored three books. Her research is funded by the National Institute of Health. Dr. Harvey is a recipient of numerous awards including from an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Orebro, Sweden as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sleep Research Society and the Society for Behavioral Sleep Medicine.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Dr. Harvey’s chapter introducing her cognitive model of insomnia. Harvey, A.G. (2002). A Cognitive Model of Insomnia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 40, 869–893
The Beck Institute for training in general cognitive therapy skills: www.beckinstitute.org
Dr. Christine Padesky’s educational content on cognitive therapy: www.padesky.com
Practical for Your Practice Podcast, S6E2: Don’t Attach Your Sleep Tracker to Your Ceiling Fan (and Other Helpful Tips from Insomnia Experts): https://cdp.usuhs.edu/podcast/practical-for-your-practice-don-t-attach-your-sleep-tracker-to-the-ceiling-fan-and-other-helpful-tips-from-insomnia-experts
Dr. Bennet-Levy’s book on behavioral experiments: Bennett-Levy, J., Butler, G., Fennell, M. J. V., Hackmann, A., Mueller, M., & Westbrook, D. (Eds.). (2004). Oxford guide to behavioural experiments in cognitive therapy. Oxford University Press

Calls-to-action:

Share your impactful moment in the comments or via https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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The first 12 months after leaving the military can be an incredible window of opportunity, but it is also a uniquely high-risk time for a service member’s mental health. When the uniform comes off, Veterans don't just leave a job; they lose a built-in mission, a tight-knit community, and a structured way of living. In this episode, hosts Dr. Jenna Ermold and Dr. Kevin Holloway sit down with licensed psychologist and researcher Dr. Shannon Blakey to flip the script on how we support transitioning veterans. Instead of waiting for clinical distress or pathology to surface, Dr. Blakey shares how clinicians can use Behavioral Activation (BA) as a proactive super-tool for wellness promotion. Tune in to discover how to help Veterans build an internal "compass," translate rigid military strengths into civilian life, and navigate the unexpected identity shifts of life after service.

Shannon Blakey, PhD, is a Research Clinical Psychologist at RTI International and co-

founder of Redstart Psychological Services, PLLC. Dr. Blakey’s research focuses on the

nature, prevention, and treatment of mental health problems and suicide risk, especially

among military and veteran populations. Her research has been supported by the

National Institutes of Health and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), including an

ongoing DoD-funded project to adapt Behavioral Activation strategies into an upstream

well-being promotion and suicide prevention program for use during the military-to-

civilian transition. Dr. Blakey has published over 100 scientific articles and book

chapters and serves on multiple journal editorial boards. She is a North Carolina

Licensed Psychologist and maintains an active clinical practice delivering evidence-

based psychotherapies to veterans and service members.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Blakey, S. M., et al (2026, September 16). How to improve military transition outcomes through values-based activities.
Blakey, S. M., et al (2025). Bringing veteran mental health promotion and suicide prevention efforts upstream: The THRiVE study protocol. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 158, 108100.
Castro, C. A., & Dursun, S. (Eds.). (2019). Military veteran reintegration: Approach, management, and assessment of military veterans transitioning to civilian life. Academic Press.
Lejuez, C. W., et. al (2011). Ten year revision of the brief behavioral activation treatment for depression: Revised treatment manual. Behavior Modification, 35(2), 111–161.

Calls-to-action:

Share your impactful moment in the comments or via https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Clinical work with clients at high risk for suicide can make providers feel they are on a conveyor belt. One reason for this is that, sadly, so many people are struggling with crises and safety concerns; the demand for services seems never-ending. But another reason is more insidious: the risk of provider burnout. On today’s episode, Dr. Erin Frick shares her perspective from working as a clinician and educator in the field of suicide prevention. Listen in as she encourages us to remain hopeful and connected with the “humanness” behind the crises. And if you have thoughts about how to “redefine the ‘wins’ “ in this work, share them with us.

Erin Frick, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist and an Associate Director at the Consortium for Defense Psychology (CDP), located at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.. At CDP, Dr. Frick leads the VA-Safeguard Suicide Prevention Project, where her team works to identify and implement best practices for suicide prevention among special veteran populations by leveraging evidence-based psychotherapies and VA standards of care. She also leads the DoD Child Collaboratory, a team dedicated to researching and implementing training and best practices for utilizing telehealth and digital tools to enhance healthcare and support for military youth and families.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Therapeutic Risk Management Tool, available on the Rocky Mountain MIRECC website: https://www.mirecc.va.gov/visn19/trm/
The benefits of mindfulness for stress reduction: Ameli R, Sinaii N, West CP, Luna MJ, Panahi S, Zoosman M, Rusch HL, Berger A. Effect of a Brief Mindfulness-Based Program on Stress in Health Care Professionals at a US Biomedical Research Hospital: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Aug 3;3(8):e2013424. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.13424. PMID: 32840621; PMCID: PMC7448827.
CDP’s CBT for Suicide Prevention workshops: https://cdp.usuhs.edu/training-schedule

Calls-to-action: For example:

Attend CDP’s CBT for Suicide Prevention (CBT-SP) training
Regularly implement self-care
Share your impactful moment in the comments or via https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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In this episode, hosts Drs. Jenna Ermold and Carin Lefkowitz sit down with clinical psychologist and national pain management expert Dr. Jennifer Murphy to dismantle the traditional, "find it, fix it" biomedical approach to chronic pain. Drawing from her extensive background, including five years as the National Director of Pain Management for the VA, Dr. Murphy highlights why addressing persistent pain is a critical piece of mental health advocacy, particularly for Veterans.

The conversation explores the complex intersections of chronic pain with PTSD, sleep disturbances, and elevated suicide risk. While providers often feel ill-equipped to ask about pain, Dr. Murphy demystifies the treatment process, revealing that evidence-based protocols (like CBT for Chronic Pain) rely heavily on foundational behavioral health skills clinicians already possess.

Because military-connected clients can often be more comfortable entering care to address physical versus behavioral health symptoms, treating a patient’s pain can act as a pivotal therapeutic gateway to addressing trauma and PTSD down the road. Ultimately, validating a patient's lived experience is the first step toward restoring autonomy and opening the door to deeper clinical healing. There is no wrong door and the most important thing we can do as providers is keep as many of them open as possible.

Did this episode spark your interest in expanding your chronic pain practice toolkit? Did it bring up a question or underscore an impactful moment you experienced? Reach out to us via email or leave us a message on Speakpipe. And remember to stay curious and mind your EBPs!

Dr. Jennifer Murphy is a clinical psychologist who has specialized in pain management for twenty years. She is CEO of Pain Expert Consulting and Senior Clinical Strategist for Applied VR. From 2020-2025, Dr. Murphy served as the National Director of Pain Management for the Department of Veterans Affairs. She is lead author of the VA’s Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain Manual, a book entitled Chronic Pain and Opioid Management: Strategies for Integrated Treatment, as well as numerous peer-reviewed publications.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

AppliedVR: Explore immersive, FDA-authorized virtual reality healthcare technology designed to help patients manage chronic pain. Learn more at AppliedVR.
Consortium for Defense Psychology (CDP) Training: CDP offers evidence-based protocol training in CBT for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP) multiple times a year. Check out the upcoming training schedule on our upcoming trainings page

Calls-to-action:

Take a CBT for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP) workshop through CDP
Share your impactful moment in the comments or via https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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In this episode of Practical for your Practice, hosts Dr. Kevin Holloway and Dr. Jenna Ermold dive into the rapidly evolving landscape of artificial intelligence in mental healthcare. They are joined by 1LT John Ray Roberts and 1LT Annie McConnon, rising graduate students in the clinical psychology program at the Uniformed Services University (USU).

Together, they explore how clients and clinicians are currently navigating AI - from automated note-taking to therapeutic chatbots - and discuss ongoing research tracking provider and patient perceptions. The conversation balances the exciting potential of AI as a resource extender with the indispensable, human elements of the therapeutic relationship. AI is already in the therapy room. Tune in to find out how you can participate in this vital research and ensure provider perspectives aren't left behind.

Annie Mcconnon, 1LT, USAis a rising 4th year clinical psychology doctoral candidate at the Uniformed Services University. She earned her master's degree in Clinical Counseling and Sport/Performance Psychology from Boston University. She is currently the Health Psychology Extern at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and an Operational Psychology Extern at the Marine Corps Embassy Security Group. Her research interests include performance psychology interventions and artificial intelligence.

John-Ray Roberts, 1LT, USA is a rising 3rd-year clinical psychology doctoral student at the Uniformed Services University. He earned his Master of Divinity (M.Div.) at Louisville Seminary in 2017. Prior to his time at USUHS, he served as a chaplain in the United States Army Reserve. His current research interests center on the intersection of artificial intelligence and human expertise, with particular attention to applications in clinical psychology.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Sentio University (AI and Mental Health Course): https://sentio.org/free-ai-course-therapists
Stanford AI Index: https://hai.stanford.edu/ai-index/2026-ai-index-report
Military Medicine Journal (2025): Ann D McConnon, Airyn J Nash, John Ray Roberts, Shmuel Z Juni, Ashley Derenbecker, Patrice Shanahan, Andrew J Waters, Incorporating AI Into Military Behavioral Health: A Narrative Review, Military Medicine, Volume 190, Issue 9-10, September/October 2025, Pages e1870–e1881, https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usaf162

Calls-to-action:

Take the survey here: https://forms.gle/ZBiSDf4FwXK4RQqw6 (Questions? Contact john.roberts@usuhs.edu)
Share your impactful moment on our SpeakPipe at https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p or via email cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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“What signs did I miss?” “Are people judging me?” “Should I even be in this field?” The suicide of a loved one triggers many thoughts and emotions in survivors. When the survivor is a mental health professional, those thoughts and emotions can be even more complicated, leading them to question their own skills and capabilities. On this episode we are joined by Dr. Andrew Devendorf, a psychologist who is also a survivor of suicide loss. He and Carin share their experiences in coping with the suicide of a loved one, how it impacted their professional lives, and how silencing the stigma can be. Our Actionable Intel provides resources for healing and connection.

Andrew Devendorf, Ph.D., is a Military Behavioral Health Psychologist with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine. He serves as a subject matter expert in suicide prevention for the VA SAFEGUARD project.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: www.afsp.org
National Alliance for Mental Illness: www.nami.org
My Brother Went Missing, And The Search For Him Turned My World Upside Down, an article by Andrew Devendorf: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/missing-brother-search_n_5d67e1a5e4b063c341fc2782
Surviving the Impossible: Reflections on Suicide Loss, an article by Andrew Devendorf: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/deeper-mental-health/202502/surviving-the-impossible-reflections-on-suicide-loss
The Hilliest Course I’ve Ever Run, a blog by Carin Lefkowitz: https://deploymentpsych.org/blog/staff-perspective-hilliest-course-i%E2%80%99ve-ever-run-coping-suicide-loved-one
An Afterword to “The Hilliest Course I’ve Ever Run,” a blog by Carin Lefkowitz: https://deploymentpsych.org/blog/staff-perspective-afterword-%E2%80%9C-hilliest-course-i%E2%80%99ve-ever-run%E2%80%9D

Calls-to-action:

Keep the conversation going. If you’re a survivor or suicide loss, reach out to trusted friends, colleagues, or organizations. Don’t grieve alone. If you know a survivor, reach out to them.
Share your impactful moment in the comments or via https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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In this episode, hosts Dr. Jenna Ermold and Dr. Kevin Holloway tackle a critical "blind spot" in military mental health with Dr. Shane Kraus, Director of the Behavioral Addictions Lab at UNLV. While we often screen for alcohol and PTSD, there is a "hidden" addiction quietly devastating the lives and careers of Service members and Veterans. From the high-tech lure of AI-driven sports betting apps to the surprising presence of slot machines on overseas bases, gambling disorder is a rapidly growing crisis that often goes undetected until it’s too late.

Dr. Kraus joins us to explain the "banana analogy" and the dangerous neurobiology of the "near miss" that keeps the brain hooked. We discuss why military culture might make this addiction so difficult to spot, the staggering link between "chasing losses" and Veteran suicide, and the simple questions you aren't asking that could save a life. If you’ve ever wondered why a patient with stable PTSD suddenly spirals into a crisis, this conversation on the first-ever recognized behavioral addiction is a must-listen.

Shane W. Kraus is a licensed clinical psychologist and expert in psychopathology, substance use disorders, gambling disorders, and compulsive sexual behavior disorder (CSBD). He is an associate professor of psychology who has published over 250 scholarly works on substance use disorders/behavioral addictions (e.g., gambling), psychopathology, compulsive sexual behavior, and trauma. Dr. Kraus received his PhD in clinical psychology from Bowling Green State University in 2013. He completed his addiction fellowship at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry in 2015.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

National Council on Problem Gambling:ncpgambling.org
UNLV Behavioral Addictions Lab: Reach out for validated screening tools and research. https://ba.sites.unlv.edu/
State Councils on Problem Gambling: Check your local state chapter for clinician training and toolkits.

Calls-to-action:

Ask about financial stress and obtain additional training on gambling disorder
Share your impactful moment via email (cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu) or via https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Your hosts are back for season 8 of P4P! This season we’ll have more conversations with experts in the field of evidence-based practice. But we want to get back to the personal stories behind their professional accomplishments. This season we’ll highlight the “impactful moments” that shaped them and keep them engaged in this difficult work. We’re kicking off the season by sharing our own impactful moments. Listen in as we discuss the unexpected interactions that uncovered our own biases and changed our perspectives about clinical practice.

Calls-to-action:

Notice your own “impactful moments” and call on them when the work gets hard
Notice when you might be catastrophizing and use those impactful moments to recalibrate
Share your impactful moment in the comments or via https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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After 11 episodes of talking about the “sins” of evidence-based practice, we’re wrapping up season 7 by finding out “what’s in the box?” Our guests this season have covered a wide range of topics related to EBPs, including reducing suicide risk, and working with maternal mental health, OCD, and nightmare disorders. While the individual topics may have spanned the broad field of clinical practice, there was a surprising amount of overlap in the “sins” that our guests have encountered. On our final episode of season 7, your P4P hosts notice the common themes between these sins and which ones we’d invite to our own private awards show. Tune in to find out who the nominees are!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Provider Self-Assessment Checklist (PSAC): A checklist your hosts created based on the “sins” discussed this season. It’s a quick way to check in on your own knowledge and comfort in broad areas of evidence-based practice.

Calls-to-action:

Use the Provider Self-Assessment Checklist to assess your own vulnerability to EBP “sins”
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Submit your comments or questions on our social media pages or via https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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The world feels a bit cray-cray right now and your hosts are feeling fatigued, on edge, and crispy. We took a moment to ask, “how are you really doing?”, and didn’t allow each other to answer “fine.” It’s a challenge for many of us in the helping professions to acknowledge our own distress, make time for self-care, and accept help from others. On this episode, we practice what we preach by acknowledging how stress is affecting our personal and professional lives. We explore what gets in the way of good self-care and how we’ve tried to be authentically and imperfectly present with ourselves, each other, and the people we help.

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In this episode of Practical for Your Practice, hosts Jenna Ermold and Carin Lefkowitz sit down with Dr. Randy Martin, Clinical Director of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for the New York Presbyterian Hospital System. Despite being a fixture in most large organizations, EAPs often remain "under the radar" for many behavioral health providers. Dr. Martin demystifies the "ABC of EAPs," explaining how these programs serve as the "mental health equivalent of a primary care physician" by providing short-term counseling, assessment, and organizational support.

The conversation explores the parallels between EAP work and military mental health, the importance of proactive outreach during life transitions, and how providers can partner with EAPs to expand their own practices.

Dr. Randy Martin is a highly accomplished licensed psychologist and Clinical Director of the New York Presbyterian Hospital System’s Employee Assistance Program. As a dynamic thought leader, executive, and training specialist, he has impacted the productivity and profitability of Fortune 1000 companies, educational institutions, and healthcare systems through psychoeducational webinars, seminars, and on-site crisis management interventions. A frequent media contributor seen on CNN Radio and in the Wall Street Journal, Randy is a recognized expert in short-term counseling, assessment, and organizational wellness. His career is defined by a passion for mentoring professionals and improving client well-being, earning him the Caron Foundation’s EAP Award.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA): Link to EAPA Website

Calls-to-action:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Submit your comments or questions on our social media pages or via https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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In this episode, hosts Jenna Ermold and Carin Lefkowitz welcome Adrienne Griffen, an "accidental advocate" and Executive Director of the Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA). A Naval Academy graduate and former intelligence officer, Adrienne shares her powerful personal journey of navigating postpartum depression while holding high-level security clearances – and why it took six months to finally get the help she needed.

The conversation dives deep into the unique "triple threat" of stigma facing military women: the pressure of the warrior ethos, the upheaval of the military lifestyle, and the vulnerabilities of the perinatal period. Adrienne adds to our collection of EBP “sins” and provides practical actionable intel and valuable resources. Whether you are a civilian or military provider, this episode offers a roadmap for moving beyond "baby blues" to provide comprehensive, life-saving support for military-connected families.

Adrienne Griffen, MPP, is an advocate and nationally-recognized expert in the field of maternal mental health. She is a sought-after speaker and educator, using her lived experience to engage audiences on issues surrounding the mental health and wellbeing of our nation’s mothers.

Adrienne is the Executive Director of Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (mmhla.org), a nonprofit organization leading efforts to improve maternal mental health in the United States. She graduated from the United States Naval Academy and has a Masters in Public Policy from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: 1-833-TLC-MAMA (24/7 voice and text support in English and Spanish).
Postpartum Support International (PSI):postpartum.net – Includes specialized support groups for military families.
Maternal Mental Health Leadership Alliance (MMHLA):mmhla.org – Advocacy and policy for maternal mental health.

Calls-to-action:

Review the information provided on mmhla.org especially the MOMs Act
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Submit your comments or questions on our social media pages or via Speakpipe
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is common, disabling and frequently misunderstood in clinical practice. In this episode of Practical for Your Practice, hosts Dr. Jenna Ermold and Kevin Holloway are joined by Dr. Elizabeth McIngvale and Dr. Lauren Wadsworth, two nationally recognized leaders in OCD treatment and training, for a deep dive into Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), the gold-standard treatment for OCD.

Together, they unpack why OCD is so often misdiagnosed, mistreated, or unintentionally reinforced, even by well-intentioned clinicians, and how ERP works to interrupt the obsession–compulsion cycle by targeting avoidance, ritualizing, and intolerance of uncertainty.

Be sure to listen in and remember, we want to hear from you! Have thoughts about this episode? A “clinical sin” you’ve encountered? Ideas for future topics or guests?

Leave us a voicemail via SpeakPipe https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p Or send us an email cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu . We love hearing from our listeners.

As always, until next time, stay curious, and mind your EBPs.

Elizabeth McIngvale, Ph.D., LCSW, is the Director of the OCD Institute of Texas, Co-Founder of MHNTI, and faculty at Baylor College of Medicine. A renowned OCD expert, she has published 35+ peer-reviewed works and delivered 250+ lectures. She founded the Peace of Mind Foundation and OCDChallenge.org, now part of the IOCDF, where she serves as a Board Member and former national spokesperson. Diagnosed with OCD at age 12, Dr. McIngvale brings a unique dual perspective as both a clinician and advocate. She has advised NIH and SAMHSA and serves as a faculty instructor for the Behavioral Therapy Training Institute. She remains dedicated to advancing research and expanding access to high-quality care for OCD and anxiety disorders.

Dr. Lauren Wadsworth is a board-certified clinical psychologist and Clinical Senior Instructor at the University of Rochester Medical Center. She is the founding director of Genesee Valley Psychology (GVP), providing accessible evidence-based care in Western NY, and Meridian Psychology Practice, serving NY, MA, and GA. As a leader in mental health education, she co-founded the Mental Health National Training Institute (MHNTI) and Twin Stars Diversity Trainers. An expert in diversity and inclusion, she co-authored Did That Just Happen?! Beyond "Diversity" — Creating Sustainable and Inclusive Organizations. Dr. Wadsworth is dedicated to expanding access to evidence-based treatment and fostering inclusive environments through app-based training and organizational consultation.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Mental Health Network & Training Institute (MHNTI) Evidence-based training and consultation for OCD and related disorders https://mhnti.com
International OCD Foundation (IOCDF) Clinician training, resources, and treatment referrals https://iocdf.org

Calls-to-action:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Submit your comments or questions on our social media pages or via Speakpipe
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Terminations in therapy should be expected, but they often catch us – patients and providers – off-guard. What is the best way to talk about termination? What if it’s unexpected? Is “termination” even the right word? This episode finds your hosts inspired by two listeners, one of whom asked us to muse on the topic of ending the therapy relationship. And what better way to terminate 2025 than by exploring this topic? Thanks, Jane!

Resources mentioned in this episode:

CDP’s consultation services: https://deploymentpsych.org/resources/consultation-services

Calls-to-action:

Make use of consultation when facing a challenging termination
Consider using a psychotherapy plan to articulate the treatment and termination process from the beginning
Incorporate ongoing assessment throughout to inform treatment and termination
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Submit your comments or questions on our social media pages or via Speakpipe
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Stop dodging those complex questions about AI and mental health! Join Drs. Kevin Holloway and Jenna Ermold as they engage with the brilliant Dr. April Foreman, Director of Technology and Innovation at the Veterans Crisis Line, for a conversation that proves tech is no longer optional—it's essential. Dr. Foreman pulls back the curtain on the sobering reality: the demand for evidence-based suicide prevention care is simply too vast for traditional methods to meet. Discover the shocking "sin" of EBP practice we might all be committing, learn how simple AI tools (like automated scribing) can boost your clinical fidelity, and find out what happens when a clinical expert "red-teams" popular chatbots for suicidality. Get the insights you need to confidently apply your ethical framework to the future of care and conquer your fear of the algorithmic boogeyman!

April C. Foreman, Ph.D., is a Licensed Psychologist serving Veterans as Director of Technology and Innovations for the Veterans Crisis Line. She is a member of the team that launched OurDataHelps.org, a recognized innovation in data donation for ground-breaking suicide research. She is passionate about helping people with severe (sometimes lethal) emotional pain, and in particular advocates for people with Borderline Personality Disorder, which has one of the highest mortality rates of all mental illnesses. She is known for her work at the intersection of technology, social media, and mental health, with nationally recognized implementations of innovations in the use of technology and mood tracking. She is the 2015 recipient of the Roger J. Tierney Award for her work as a founder and moderator of the first sponsored regular mental health chat on Twitter, the weekly Suicide Prevention Social Media chat (#SPSM, sponsored by the American Association of Suicidology, AAS). Her dream is to use her unique skills and vision to build a mental health system effectively and elegantly designed to serve the people who need it.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

CDP’s 2025 EBP Conference Archive including presentations by Dr. April Foreman, Dr. Vaile Wright, Dr. Matt Price, and Drs. Vaile Write and David Cooper’s PMI.
Therapists in Tech: therapistsintech.com
988 (press 1) Veteran’s Crisis Line
veteranscrisisline.net - Call, text, or chat for 24/7 confidential crisis support for Veterans and their loved ones

Calls-to-action:

Spend time with new technology–learn about it experientially
Get involved! Be part of the solution with emerging technologies rather than willfully avoiding them.
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email
Leave us a question or comment on Speakpipe

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Dr. Robin Brody is back to tackle a critical gap in clinical training: narcissism and its devastating impact. We cut straight to the core, defining narcissism by its signature trait, entitlement, and exploring the clinical distinctions between grandiose, vulnerable, and malignant subtypes. The episode then dives into the flip side: narcissistic abuse. Learn to spot the confusing dynamics clients face, including performative empathy, denial of reality (often called gaslighting), trauma bonding through intermittent reinforcement, and the predictable cycle of idealization, devaluing, discard, and hoovering. Most crucially, we discuss the "sin" of inadequate provider training and the risk of how applying standard components of evidence-based treatment, like assertiveness skills, can tragically fail or even place survivors in danger.

Dr. Robin Brody is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry (Voluntary) at Weill Cornell Medicine and the founder of Dr. Robin Brody Psychological Services, a private practice specializing in the treatment of occupational trauma, PTSD, and couples therapy, and gender and sexually diverse individuals. Her work is driven by a deep commitment to helping trauma survivors, particularly those facing PTSD and moral injury.

Her expertise and demonstrated passion center on treating trauma survivors, particularly those with PTSD and moral injury. In doing so, Dr. Brody has worked with diverse populations of civilians, veterans of all branches and eras, first responders, healthcare workers, and 9/11 survivors and responders across the diagnostic and demographic spectrum. Dr. Brody started and ran an EBP for PTSD program within the World Trade Center Mental Health Program, where she trained and supervised providers in PE and CPT. Before joining Mount Sinai's World Trade Center Mental Health Program, Dr. Brody served on the faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine. In that capacity, Dr. Brody oversaw Weill Cornell's Military Families Wellness Center and worked within the Program for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Studies (PATSS), where she was a co-investigator on numerous clinical research studies involving the treatment of PTSD, particularly among frontline healthcare workers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In all her efforts, Dr. Brody is committed to increasing access to, and training, in evidence-based treatments, especially for PTSD. Dr. Brody's research interests include PTSD treatment innovation and the role of shame, stigma, and identity in trauma recovery.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

DSM-5 Alternative Model of Personality Disorders
It’s Not You, Dr. Ramani Durvasula

Calls-to-action:

Utilize Diagnostic Frameworks: Look into the DSM-5 Alternative Model of Personality Disorders as a useful framework for understanding healthy personality functioning and personality disorders, including narcissism.
Obtain additional training on NPD and narcissistic abuse
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email
Leave us a question or comment on Speakpipe

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Feeling stressed? You’re not alone! And that’s exactly the point of this lively episode of Practical for Your Practice! Hosts Jenna Ermold and Carin Lefkowitz welcome back the always-animated (and self-proclaimed “gesturing Italian”) Dr. Gabriel Paoletti for a refreshingly human take on stress.

From cheesesteaks to “mamma mia” stress cues, this conversation dives into how we can rethink stress, not as something to eliminate, but as a signal that something meaningful is at stake. Dr. Paoletti breaks down how stress can actually help performance, especially when we approach it as a shared experience, a “team sport”, instead of a solo battle.

Tune in for practical strategies (and a few laughs) on how to build your “stress team,” use humor to stay grounded, and create simple cues that help you, and those around you, catch stress before it catches you.

Bonus: Find out why “halloumi” might be the most unexpectedly perfect stress word ever.

You can leave us a voice mail message at speakpipe.com/cdpp4p, or send us an email at cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu. Your message could be featured in an upcoming episode!

Dr. Gabriel Paoletti is the Director of Human Performance Optimization (HPO) Integration and HPRC in support of the Advanced Research for Military Optimization, Readiness, and Rehabilitation (ARMORR) – Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP), a center at the Uniformed Services University in Bethesda, Maryland. He oversees the strategic and operational components of delivering comprehensive health and performance education on Total Force Fitness and Human Performance Optimization to the DoD and national security community. Over the past 15+ years, Dr. Paoletti has applied the latest human performance research to create and lead over 400 distinct human performance optimization and leadership development programs for audiences throughout the world, ranging from leaders at the Pentagon, Army, Marine, Air Force, Navy, Coast Guard service members to Fortune 500 companies, professional athletes, CEO’s and government leaders. Under his leadership, his team has been officially selected to develop holistic human performance curricula for half of the U.S. Armed Forces. Dr. Gabriel Paoletti graduated from Saint Joseph’s University with a double major in economics and philosophy, graduating first in his class in both majors. He received his Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania and his Doctor of Education in Leadership from Creighton University.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://www.hprc-online.org/mental-fitness/stress/unlock-your-full-potential-hprcs-personal-stress-toolkit
https://www.hprc-online.org/mental-fitness/mental-health/build-your-stress-team

Calls-to-action: For example:

Identify who is on YOUR stress team
Review the resources from HPRC
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email
Leave us a question or comment on Speakpipe

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Suicide prevention isn’t only about assessing current risk for self-harm. It’s also about recognizing that we can’t predict if and when that risk will increase. Patients spend most of their lives outside of our office, and an unexpected crisis can increase their risk of self-directed violence exponentially. The risk may be especially heightened for firearm owners, who have immediate access to a highly lethal method of injury. Fortunately, that risk can be reduced if we simply put a few moments’ delay between impulse and action in the form of secure firearm storage. Yet many clinicians, including our hosts, shy away from that conversation, especially with military-connected patients. Our guest today, Dr. Curt West, offers common sense and clinically sound advice for how to engage in this important discussion.

Dr. James “Curt” West is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry and a Scientist at the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS). He is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and has presented to the APA on physician and patient conversations on firearm safety. In addition, he has participated in the forum on health and family firearm safety and created an online course for the APA on firearm safety. Dr. West is the host of the podcast “Let’s Talk About Your Guns.” Prior to his work at USUHS, he worked as a military psychiatrist and deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan as an Operational Stress Control and Readiness psychiatrist, and later served as the Deputy Commander of Behavioral Health at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

An article from the APA Monitor, “Navigating Firearm Safety Discussions in Clinical Settings.” https://www.apa.org/monitor/2025/07-08/firearm-safety-clinical-settings
The BulletPoints Project, a clinical resource for preventing firearm injury www.bulletpointsproject.org
Fact sheets published by the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress: www.cstsonline.org
Let’s Talk About Your Guns podcast: https://www.cstsonline.org/suicide-prevention-program/projects/talk-about-guns
Pause To Protect, a resource for safely storing firearms: www.pausetoprotect.org

Calls-to-action: For example:

Explore the resources mentioned in this podcast to learn more about firearm safety and its connection to suicide prevention
Listen to the “Let’s Talk About Your Guns” podcast to empower yourself to engage in conversations about firearm safety with your patients.
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email
Leave us a question or comment on Speakpipe

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We often think of nightmares as a symptom that occurs as part of another condition, like PTSD or depression. But nightmares can be frequent and disruptive enough that they require their own clinical focus. We currently have 3 gold standard options for treatment: Imagery Rehearsal Therapy; Exposure, Relaxation, and Rescription Therapy; and Lucid Dreaming. Our guest today, Dr. Courtney Worley, introduces us to the diagnosis of Nightmare Disorder, explains why it deserves its own attention, and gives us an overview of the most effective treatments. Join us for a discussion that appeals to sleep nerds and healthy skeptics alike.

Dr. Courtney Worley is a Diplomate In Behavioral Sleep Medicine and Board-Certified Clinical Psychologist. She completed her Ph.D. in clinical psychology in 2012 at The University of Alabama with specialized coursework in health and geropsychology. Dr. Worley specializes in providing Evidence Based Psychotherapies for PTSD, Insomnia, Nightmares and Depression. She has an active clinical practice in the Department of Veterans Affairs, at Upward Behavioral Health, and with NOCTEM Health. She is the co-author of The nightmare and sleep disorder toolkit: A workbook to help you get some rest using imagery rehearsal therapy and other evidence based approaches from New Harbinger Publications.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Nightmare and Sleep Disorder Toolkit: A Workbook to Help You Get Some Rest Using Imagery Rehearsal Therapy and Other Evidence-Based Approaches by Courtney Worley and Michael Nadorff.
Geoffroy, P. A., Borand, R., Ambar Akkaoui, M., Yung, S., Atoui, Y., Fontenoy, E., Maruani, J., & Lejoyeux, M. (2022). Bad Dreams and Nightmares Preceding Suicidal Behaviors. The Journal of clinical psychiatry, 84(1), 22m14448. https://doi.org/10.4088/JCP.22m14448

Calls-to-action: For example:

Routinely ask about nightmares and dreams as part of your clinical assessment
Obtain training in at least one of the evidence-based treatments for nightmare disorder
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email
Leave us a question or comment on Speakpipe or our social media channels

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Welcome back to Practical for Your Practice! In our Season 7 kickoff, hosts Drs. Jenna Ermold, Kevin Holloway, and Carin Lefkowitz set the stage for a new theme: The Seven Sins of Evidence-Based Practice. Inspired by Carin’s favorite film Seven, this season dives into the common pitfalls clinicians face when delivering EBPs and how we can learn, grow, and support each other through them.

In this episode, our hosts get candid about their own “sins”:

Kevin reflects on the dangers of “EBP stew” – straying from validated protocols without consultation.
Carin admits to the “sexy assessment sin” – neglecting routine and thorough assessment, both at intake and throughout treatment.
Jenna opens up about perfectionism – the belief that you must be flawless before implementing EBPs, which can hold clinicians back from valuable learning experiences.

Together, they emphasize that these “sins” aren’t failings, they’re part of being human and growing as providers. With humor, food analogies, and lots of honesty, the team models how to normalize mistakes, seek consultation, and embrace imperfection on the path to better care.

Actionable Intel:

Stick close to validated EBP protocols and get consultation to avoid drift.
Invest in both initial and ongoing assessment to guide treatment decisions and track progress.
Don’t let perfectionism keep you from starting – growth happens in the doing.

Join the Conversation: Have your own “EBP sin” to confess? Share your stories with us! Email, leave a voicemail on SpeakPipe, or connect with us on social media.

Stay tuned for more episodes this season as our guests share their own challenges, lessons learned, and strategies for avoiding (or recovering from) the Seven Sins of EBP.

Until next time—stay curious, and mind your EBPs.

Calls-to-action:

Share your "EBP sin" via SpeakPipe, email (cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu) or on social media
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email: https://deploymentpsych.org/CDP-MED-Opt-In

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Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an increasingly common diagnosis. Yet most behavioral health providers are unaware that they can play a role in both the assessment and treatment of OSA in their patients. Today we’re joined by an expert in the subfield of sleep psychology, Dr. Phil Gehrman. He shares basic information about what OSA is, how providers can effectively screen for it, and how they can facilitate treatment for this dangerous condition. Despite what you might have heard before, Dr. Gehrman posits that behavioral health providers can play “a huge potential role that really is untapped.”

Dr. Phil Gehrman is Professor of Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He directs the Sleep, Neurobiology and Psychopathology lab at Penn. He has an active research program exploring the mechanisms and treatment of sleep and circadian dysregulation in the context of mental health disorders. Dr. Gehrman’s clinical specialization is on the delivery of cognitive behavioral and chronotherapeutic interventions for insomnia, circadian rhythm disorders, and other sleep disorders. The overarching goal of his work is to advance the understanding of the links between sleep and mental illness through translational research that spans biology to therapeutics.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

STOP Screening tool for Obstructive Sleep Apnea: https://deploymentpsych.org/content/insomnia-tools
Motivational Interviewing for CPAP Adherence: Rapelli G, Pietrabissa G, Manzoni GM, Bastoni I, Scarpina F, Tovaglieri I, Perger E, Garbarino S, Fanari P, Lombardi C and Castelnuovo G (2021) Improving CPAP Adherence in Adults With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: A Scoping Review of Motivational Interventions. Front. Psychol. 12:705364. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.705364
Motivational Interviewing resources: https://deploymentpsych.org/Clinical-Skills-Resources
Systematic desensitization: https://www.veterantraining.va.gov/insomnia/docs/PAP_Desensitization.pdf
Practical for Your Practice voice mail: speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Practical for Your Practice email: cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu

Calls-to-action:

Incorporate the STOP into your practice
Become familiar with behavioral and motivational approaches listed above
Connect with your local sleep medicine clinic
Reach out to us via Speakpipe with your questions and comments
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email at https://deploymentpsych.org/CDP-MED-Opt-In

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Evidence-based psychotherapies for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as Prolonged Exposure and Cognitive Processing Therapy, are the best tools we have to treat PTSD for most people–at least as long as those in need are able to access these therapies. A number of barriers may exist, such as availability of trained therapists, insurance coverage (or lack thereof), or even life stressors standing in the way. During the COVID-19 pandemic, trauma exposure exploded exponentially while at the same time access to care due to lockdowns and social distancing was severely diminished. In this episode of Practical for Your Practice, we chat with Dr. Sheila Rauch, one of the authors of the Prolonged Exposure Therapist Guide, about her many exciting projects to expand access to effective care for PTSD. As she explains, “the more doors that we have for people with PTSD to enter and get effective treatment, the more people are going to actually do that.” Join us for one of our new favorite episodes to hear about self-help approaches, PE in primary care, immediate interventions in emergency departments, and shifting the name of PE to “Processing Emotions.”

Sheila A.M. Rauch, Ph.D., ABPP, co-led design and now serves as Deputy Director of the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program and Director of Mental Health Research and Program Evaluation at the Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Medical Center. For over 20 years, Dr. Rauch’s work in VA and Academic Medical settings focuses on developing programs, conducting research, and providing PTSD and Anxiety Disorders treatment with the goal to improve access to effective mental health treatment. Her research focuses on examination of mechanisms involved in the development and treatment of PTSD and improving access to effective interventions. She has led several PTSD treatment outcome and mechanisms trials including pharmaceutical and therapy trials focused on moving interventions for PTSD into medical and primary care settings. She has published over 220 peer-reviewed scholarly articles as well as many chapters and six books on anxiety disorders and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She developed an effective primary care based PTSD intervention that is in use across VA and many civilian settings and has also worked to get treatment out of the clinic and into the hands of those who need it with apps, self-guided workbooks, and web-based interventions. Her work examines neurobiology and factors involved in the development, maintenance, and treatment of anxiety disorders, psychosocial factors in medical settings, and the relation between physical health and anxiety. Her recent books include Retraining the Brain and Making Meaning of Difficult Experiences.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Rauch, S. A. M., & Rothbaum, B. O. (2023). Making Meaning of Difficult Experiences: A Self-Guided Program. Oxford University Press.
Virtually Better. (2024). Messy Memories [Mobile app]. Available on Google Play and Apple App Store
PE in Primary Care training: VA and military providers can reach out to Margaret.venners@va.gov for training, and civilian providers can reach out to jgarlick@med.umich.edu
Practical for Your Practice voice mail: speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Practical for Your Practice email: cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu

Calls-to-action:

Remember that emotions aren’t dangerous
Get training in brief treatment models (e.g. PCPE. see above)
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email at https://deploymentpsych.org/CDP-MED-Opt-In

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Suicide is currently the second leading cause of death for youth aged 10 through 14. It’s a horrifying fact that has spurred providers into action. One of those providers is our guest on today’s episode. Allison Hannah, MSW, LCSW, has delivered evidence-based suicide prevention interventions to youth, from elementary school-aged children to teens. Listen in as she provides us with the basics of CBT for Suicide Prevention and ways to adapt it effectively for youth. Her experiences inspire hope for providers, clients and families.

Allison Hannah, MSW, LCSW, is a Military Behavioral Health Social Worker for the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP). She assists in the implementation and expansion of the Star Behavioral Health Providers Program (SBHP). SBHP trains civilian behavioral health providers to work with service members, veterans, and their families. Allison is a veteran of the United States Army and United States Army Reserves and provided clinical services within the Child and Family Behavioral Health Services section at an active-duty Army base. She is trained in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and is a Registered Play Therapist specializing in using evidence-based approaches to address trauma, adjustment and attachment related disorders.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

CBT for Suicide Prevention Training and Consultation at CDP. Visit our website to register: https://deploymentpsych.org/training
Asynchronous trainings through the DoD Child Collaboration Study. Complete the courses here: https://deploymentpsych.org/DoDKidsStudy
The 988 Lifeline website includes resources for youth in crisis. https://988lifeline.org/
Practical for Your Practice voice mail: speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Practical for Your Practice email: cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu

Calls-to-action: For example:

Get training and consultation in CBT for Suicide Prevention
Increase your knowledge in adapting evidence-based treatments for youth
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email at https://deploymentpsych.org/CDP-MED-Opt-In

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Most digital media is designed to be addictive, and young brains are especially susceptible. Successful digital media content is stimulating, engaging, and targets the brain’s natural reward centers. This creates an unfair advantage over young brains, which have not yet fully developed their executive functioning. In today’s episode, Dr. Amanda Giordano introduces us to the “Four C’s” model of addiction, healthy vs unhealthy engagement with digital media, and interventions for youth and their families. She also shares who has her “six” and Actionable Intel to hone your skills.

Amanda L. Giordano, PhD, LPC is an associate professor at the University of Georgia who specializes in addictions counseling. She is the sole author of a clinical reference book titled, A Clinical Guide to Treating Behavioral Addictions and co-author of a textbook titled, Addiction Counseling: A Practical Approach. Dr. Giordano works to advance the counseling field with rigorous research and has published over 65 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters. In 2024 she was awarded the Garry R. Walz Trailblazer award from American Counseling Association in recognition of her innovative work in the field of behavioral addictions.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Register now for Dr. Giordano’s pre-meeting institute at the 2025 EBP Conference! https://deploymentpsych.org/EBPConference
Practical for Your Practice voice mail: speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Practical for Your Practice email: cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu

Calls-to-action: For example:

Register now for Dr. Giordano’s pre-meeting institute at the 2025 EBP Conference! https://deploymentpsych.org/EBPConference
Incorporate a few questions about addictions (besides substances) in your intake assessment.
Create a family digital media plan. Many templates exist.
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email at https://deploymentpsych.org/CDP-MED-Opt-In

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If you’ve been side-eyeing the rise of AI in mental health, this episode of Practical for Your Practice is one you don’t want to miss. Dr. David Cooper, Executive Director of Therapists in Tech and member of the APA's Mobile Health Tech Advisory Committee (AND one of our EBP Conference 2025 PMI workshop presenters), joins us for a down-to-earth and engaging deep dive into what AI actually means for therapists. Spoiler: it’s not Skynet. Dr. Cooper breaks down the basics of generative AI, including what GPT really stands for and why therapists shouldn’t fear it—but should understand it. He explains how AI is being used in the behavioral health field with a focus on doing so ethically. This episode is your permission slip to play. Whether you’re AI-curious or totally intimidated, you’ll walk away with practical tips, reassuring insights, and a renewed sense of purpose. So go ahead—press play, stay curious, and start exploring how AI can actually help you do your job better.

David Cooper, PsyD. is a digital health expert who is currently the Executive Director of Therapists in Tech, the largest organization of clinicians in digital mental health. He has worked with organizations like the US Department of Defense, the AMA and FDA, Teladoc and many top hospitals in the US on their digital health strategies and portfolios.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Therapists in Tech
Dr. Cooper’s PMI workshop: Ethics in Digital Health: A Guide on How to Approach the New Way We Practice Pre-Meeting Institute (May 6th, 1pm - 4pm ET)
Practical for Your Practice voice mail: speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Practical for Your Practice email: cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu

Calls-to-action:

Check out Therapists in Tech
Register for Ethics in Digital Health: A Guide on How to Approach the New Way We Practice Pre-Meeting Institute (May 6th, 1pm - 4pm ET)
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email at https://deploymentpsych.org/CDP-MED-Opt-In

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Complex cases… The rule? Or the exception? In this episode of Practical for Your Practice, we sit down with Dr. Aaron Brinen, who argues that complexity is often the norm when it comes to client cases. Dr. Brinen shares valuable insights on how to effectively serve clients with complex issues, emphasizing the importance of a thorough case formulation. We dive deep into how this process can lead to more effective strategies for change. Tune in to learn why taking the time to understand a client’s “perpetual motion machine” can enhance your evidence-based practice and lead to better outcomes.

Aaron P. Brinen, PsyD, is a primary developer of recovery-oriented cognitive therapy (CT-R) along with Aaron T. Beck, MD. Under the guidance of Dr. Beck, Dr. Brinen has worked to formalize and standardize the CT-R protocol for individual and group therapy settings, as well as for use in team-based psychiatric care and during inpatient treatment. He is a co-author of the manual of CT-R for serious mental health conditions, and has been active in the training of community therapists from around the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Living Well with Psychosis Practical Strategies for Improving Your Daily Life (PROMO CODE: AU2E)
Dr. Brinen’s presentation in CDP’s 2024 EBP Conference: Strategy for Change: Using Conceptualization to Drive Evidence Based Treatment Choices in Complex Cases
Practical for Your Practice voice mail: speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Practical for Your Practice email: cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu

Calls-to-action:

Watch Strategy for Change: Using Conceptualization to Drive Evidence Based Treatment Choices in Complex Cases
Get a dry erase board or have plenty of paper on hand for case formulation
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email at https://deploymentpsych.org/CDP-MED-Opt-In

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Traumatic invalidation, a powerful and often misunderstood concept, occurs when a person’s emotions, behaviors, or identity are repeatedly dismissed, belittled, or rejected by important people in their lives. It can manifest as emotional neglect, severe criticism, unequal treatment, or outright denial of one’s reality. In this P4P episode, we sit down with Dr. Robin Brody who shares her insights on how traumatic invalidation can directly challenge a person’s sense of self-worth and belonging in the world and can play a significant role in the development and maintenance of PTSD. If you are interested in learning more about traumatic invalidation, and specifically what YOU can do to better assess and address it directly in your practice, take a listen to this episode. Helping individuals understand and name their experience of traumatic invalidation can be a profound step in their recovery!

Her expertise and demonstrated passion center on treating trauma survivors, particularly those with PTSD and moral injury. Dr. Brody has worked with diverse populations of civilians, veterans of all branches and eras, first responders, healthcare workers, and 9/11 survivors and responders across the diagnostic and demographic spectrum. Dr. Brody started and ran an EBP for PTSD program within the World Trade Center Mental Health Program, where she trained and supervised providers in PE and CPT. Before joining Mount Sinai's World Trade Center Mental Health Program, Dr. Brody served on the faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine. In that capacity, Dr. Brody oversaw Weill Cornell's Military Families Wellness Center and worked within the Program for Anxiety and Traumatic Stress Studies (PATSS), where she was a co-investigator on numerous clinical research studies involving the treatment of PTSD, particularly among frontline healthcare workers amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. In all her efforts, Dr. Brody is committed to increasing access to, and training, in evidence-based treatments, especially for PTSD. Dr. Brody's research interests include PTSD treatment innovation and the role of shame, stigma, and identity in trauma recovery.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://dbtpe.org/
Treating Trauma in Dialectical Behavior Therapy: The DBT Prolonged Exposure Protocol (DBT PE)
Invalidating Childhood Environment Scale
Practical for Your Practice voice mail: speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Practical for Your Practice email: cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu

Calls-to-action:

Take one of CDP’s PTSD EBP trainings (PE, CPT). More info at: https://deploymentpsych.org/training
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email at: https://deploymentpsych.org/CDP-MED-Opt-In

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No one knows better than our clients what is going on in their world - their stressors, symptoms, triumphs, values, goals… but sometimes it can also be helpful to hear additional perspectives from others in our client’s world. In this episode the P4P hosts discuss the potential relevance of collateral information in assessment, case conceptualization and treatment planning. We talk about how collateral information can sometimes enhance our understanding of our client’s environment, behaviors, and experiences as well as some of the pitfalls to avoid when involving others in the therapeutic process. Listen in for some great examples of when collateral information saved the day AND when we experienced collateral conundrums. As always we leave you with actionable intel to help support how YOU use collaterals in your EBP work.

Bios:

Drs. Ermold, Holloway and Lefkowitz are clinical psychologists who provide training and consultation at the Center for Deployment Psychology. Their specialties include military psychology, the assessment and treatment of trauma (PE and CPT), sleep disorders and more. They are passionate about delivering EBP’s effectively and creating a supportive community for providers to learn and grow in their EBP work.

Calls-to-action:

Always follow the laws and ethical guidelines of your state and discipline

Remember that the goal of gathering collateral information is to facilitate your client’s treatment. Always clarify the goals of a consultation and remember to prioritize the therapeutic relationship.

Utilize consultation

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email - https://deploymentpsych.org/CDP-MED-Opt-In

Send us your questions, comments, stories, and/or topic/guest suggestions! We’d love to hear from you!

Practical for Your Practice voice mail: speakpipe.com/cdpp4p

Practical for Your Practice email: cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu

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For many of us, the idea of assessing and responding to suicide risk via telehealth seems overwhelming. As Jenna says, “the stakes are just a little higher.” But that’s all the more reason to become confident in the process; our patients deserve access to the best possible care, after all. In this episode, Dr. Kristyn Heins addresses common provider concerns about treating high risk patients over telehealth. Her common sense suggestions can reduce our collective anxiety and help us build our confidence in suicide prevention strategies.

Kristyn Heins, Ph.D., is a Licensed Professional Counselor serving as a Military Behavioral Health Counselor for the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. In this role, she supports the CDP’s efforts of training clinicians in evidenced-based practice focused on suicide prevention. Prior to joining the CDP, Dr. Heins worked at the Department of Veteran Affairs in various roles including primary care mental health, and suicide prevention telehealth. Dr. Heins is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy- Suicide Prevention, and Problem Solving Therapy- Suicide Prevention. She also has worked in a Federally Qualified Health Center and in a non-profit setting.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). A validated and short self-report measure that can be utilized in a variety of settings. https://cssrs.columbia.edu/
The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). A validated and short self-report measure used for depression screening. https://tinyurl.com/5n6u7p6j
Suicide Cognitions Scale. A self-report measure to assess thoughts, perceptions, and beliefs that are commonly experienced by people who have attempted suicide. https://osf.io/bf8uy/
CBT for Suicide Prevention Workshops presented by CDP. View our training calendar here to register for a workshop, then follow up with consultation. https://deploymentpsych.org/training

Calls-to-action:

Get familiar with validated self-report measures
Take a CBT-SP course
Utilize your support and consultation resources
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email - https://deploymentpsych.org/CDP-MED-Opt-In
Send us your questions, comments, stories, and/or topic/guest suggestions! We’d love to hear from you!
- Practical for Your Practice voice mail: https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
- Practical for Your Practice email: cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu

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In this episode we have the honor of sitting down with Australian researcher, Ms. Carolyn Heward, lead author of “A Scoping Review of Military Culture, Military Identity, and Mental Health Outcomes in Military Personnel”. Listen in as we discuss the complexity of military culture's impact on military identity and its effect on mental health. We’ll dig into the Military Identity Model (MIM) and types of identities such as loyal, warrior, hidden and disrupted. But most importantly we’ll consider the clinical benefits of including military identity into case formulation, treatment planning and EBP work. As Heward says “identity work is clinical work” and we couldn’t agree more.

Carolyn Heward is a Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at James Cook University in Townsville, Queensland, Australia, where she teaches in the Master of Psychology (Clinical) program while conducting research on military identity construction and its implications for psychological wellbeing. As a Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience working with the Australian Defence Force (ADF), she brings valuable insights to the intersection of military culture and mental health, particularly through her perspective that identity work is fundamental to clinical practice. Her recent scoping review on military culture, identity, and mental health has contributed to understanding the unique challenges faced by service members, while her current doctoral research explores the construction of military identity within the ADF and its clinical implications. Drawing from her clinical experience, Carolyn’s work focuses on developing integrated approaches to clinical psychology that move beyond cultural formulations to address individual identity construction. She has also contributed to public discourse on military mental health through The Conversation, publishing articles on military identity and providing analysis of the Australian Government’s response to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Carolyn Heward, Wendy Li, Ylona Chun Tie, Pippa Waterworth, A Scoping Review of Military Culture, Military Identity, and Mental Health Outcomes in Military Personnel, Military Medicine, Volume 189, Issue 11-12, November/December 2024, Pages e2382–e2393, https://doi.org/10.1093/milmed/usae276
Practical for Your Practice voice mail: speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Practical for Your Practice email: cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu

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Sleep trackers - what are they good for? While they may give you an entertaining look at your sleep health, they can complicate treatment of sleep disorders. Our guest today, Dr. Diana Dolan, returns to P4P to provide a balanced view on consumer wearables and their impact on sleep assessment and treatment. Technology has evolved in the past few years, and so have our suggestions for how to work with patients who love their sleep trackers. How can we capitalize on our patients’ enthusiasm for better sleep? Tune in to find out.

Diana Dolan, Ph.D., CBSM, DBSM, is a clinical psychologist serving as an Associate Director of Training & Education with the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. She currently oversees programs that provide evidence-based training for military-connected patients on a variety of topics. She is certified in Behavioral Sleep Medicine by the American Board of Sleep Medicine. She is also a diplomate in Behavioral Sleep Medicine from the Board of Behavioral Sleep Medicine.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

de Zambotti, M., Goldstein, C., Cook, J., Menghini, L., Altini, M., Cheng, P., & Robillard, R. (2024). State of the science and recommendations for using wearable technology in sleep and circadian research. SLEEP 47: 1-31. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsad325
Khosla S, Deak MC, Gault D, Goldstein CA, Hwang D, Kwon Y, O'Hearn D, Schutte-Rodin S, Yurcheshen M, Rosen IM, Kirsch DB, Chervin RD, Carden KA, Ramar K, Aurora RN, Kristo DA, Malhotra RK, Martin JL, Olson EJ, Rosen CL, Rowley JA; American Academy of Sleep Medicine Board of Directors. Consumer sleep technology: an American Academy of Sleep Medicine position statement. J Clin Sleep Med. 2018;14(5):877–880.
CBT-I Coach app. Includes a sleep diary that may appeal to patients who prefer to use apps and other technology. https://mobile.va.gov/app/cbt-i-coach

Calls-to-action: For example:

Become familiar with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s position on consumer wearables: “It is the position of the AASM that CST must be FDA cleared and rigorously tested against current gold standards if it is intended to render a diagnosis and/or treatment. Given the unknown potential of CST to measure sleep or assess for sleep disorders, these tools are not substitutes for medical evaluation. However, CSTs may be utilized to enhance the patient-clinician interaction when presented in the context of an appropriate clinical evaluation.”
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Send us your questions and feedback!
- Voicemail: speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
- Email: cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu

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New year! New season! New look! AND new theme! Our hosts kick off season six of the P4P podcast introducing the theme, “Who’s Got Your Six?” (see what we did there?), and talk about the importance of cultivating our own support systems and people. Each host shares a story about someone who has (and has had) their “six”. As mental health providers, we all need and deserve someone to have our backs. So how do we cultivate these supportive relationships? Check out this episode! And as always, thank you listeners for having OUR six.

We LOVE hearing from our listeners. If you have a question, comment, topic suggestion for a future episode, or even a guest recommendation, let us know! We also welcome listeners to share your “EBP Confession” story (season 4 theme), your “What’s Your Why?” story (season 5 theme), or your “Who’s Got Your Six” story (season 6 theme). You can leave us a voice mail message at speakpipe.com/cdpp4p, or send us an email at cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu. Your message could be featured in an upcoming episode!

Drs. Carin Lefkowitz, Jenna Ermold, and Kevin Holloway are all psychologists, trainers, and subject matter experts at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS).

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Practical for Your Practice voice mail: speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Practical for Your Practice email: cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu

Calls-to-action:

Don’t take “no” for an answer when you want to be part of a group or work with an individual you can learn from.
Know your value. Don’t waste your energy on someone else or an organization that doesn’t recognize your value.
It’s ok to ask for help. It’s ok to be real. Deep relationships thrive on authenticity. GIve yourself permission to acknowledge your limits and vulnerabilities.

Code: KJZH0ALNBI5O3UXX

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Tap, tap, tap. Is this thing on? Hello? Anyone out there? Turns out, YES! Podcasts are funny things where it sometimes feels like we might just be talking into the void. And what we REALLY want is to have collegial interactions with you, the listeners. So for our 60th episode, we asked for your questions, comments, and “What is your why?” stories, and you delivered! Thank you to all who contributed to this episode. Join us as we respond to listeners' questions and hear about LPCs in clinical practice, clients that aren’t a “perfect” fit with EBP protocols, not mixing EBP “cocktails”, lots of “woohoo!”s, and Jenna being voted “Most Likely to be Ariel in Little Mermaid 2” in high school. What a great community of practice!

Drs. Carin Lefkowitz, Jenna Ermold, and Kevin Holloway are all psychologists, trainers, and subject matter experts at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS).

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Take our Facebook poll: Was your path to your career in behavioral health a “windy” path or more direct? https://tinyurl.com/cdpp4ppoll2
Leave us a Voice Mail: https://speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
Send us an Email: cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu

Calls-to-action:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Today we are joined by Dr. Joe Ruzek, a clinical psychologist and former Director of the National Center for PTSD Dissemination and Training Division. Dr. Ruzek recently published a book on group therapies for PTSD and shares his findings and innovations with Jenna and Carin. We discussed the unique benefits of group therapies, more flexible ways of measuring progress, and future directions. As always, we wrap up with Actionable Intel; Dr. Ruzek provides listeners with numerous tips and resources to hone skills in group therapy.

Calls-to-action:

Get busy running groups! Find a trusted colleague who wants to run a group on any topic. It will help you develop your skills in structuring groups, setting an agenda, and managing group dynamics, regardless of the topic.
Visit the National Center for PTSD website to access many free resources on trauma-focused care, including group treatments. www.ptsd.va.gov
Learn an evidence-based treatment for PTSD. Once you have developed competence and familiarity with the approach, consider implementing it in group format.
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As behavioral health providers, many of us receive training, and are well positioned to help people after a disaster or traumatic event. But what do you do in situations of ongoing threat, ongoing stress and adversity perhaps lasting months or years? In this episode, we are joined by the amazing Dr. Patricia Watson, a psychologist at the National Center for PTSD, who walks us through the incredibly versatile Stress First Aid (SFA) model to include its essential elements, relationship to the stress continuum model, as well as core actions to take based on the type and severity of stress injury. From military members to fire fighters, law enforcement to EMS, harm reduction workers to healthcare workers, this model will help YOU help reduce stress reactions for those who need it most. Come hear the origin stories for both SFA AND Dr. Watson’s career. You won’t want to miss it.

Calls-to-action:

Review CDP Presents webinar recording on SFA and resources

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Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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In this episode of Practical for your Practice we are joined by motivational interviewing maven and one of our USU colleague besties, Dr. Abby Diehl, who challenges us to become more aware of our righting reflex - or our tendency, as behavioral health providers, to become problem detectors who offer immediate solutions to eradicate said problem(s). Sometimes easier said than done when one tries to operate in the larger (quick) “fix it” culture many of us find ourselves in. Her advice? Shut your mouth and open your ears and listen to understand. You might just be surprised how just being with people and deeply listening can lead to deeper connection and ultimately profound change. You’ll definitely want to keep your ears open for this not to miss episode.

Calls-to-action:

Take an upcoming CDP Motivational Interviewing workshop

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

Leave us a message on Speakpipe: https://www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p

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One of the most common co-morbid conditions with many of the disorders treated by mental health providers is substance-use disorder (SUD). And while many of us as providers are trained in evidence-based psychotherapies for disorders such as PTSD, MDD, GAD, Primary Insomnia, etc, many of us are not as well trained regarding how to manage or treat co-morbid SUD. Research demonstrates that concurrent treatment of the primary condition and co-morbid SUD has the highest likelihood of positive treatment outcomes. Join us as our guest, Dr. Mark Campanile, discusses medication assisted therapies for SUD and incorporating concurrent treatments for dual diagnosis cases in a Veterans Affairs clinic.

Calls-to-action:

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Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Treatment of nightmares is an evolving field. Today we’re joined by Dr. Shantel Fernandez Lopez, who introduces us to a treatment option for youth. Exposure, Relaxation, and Rescripting Therapy (ERRT) is one of the evidence-based treatments for nightmares. Though it was originally developed for adults, modifications have been made for use with children and adolescents. As one of the treatment developers, Dr. Fernandez Lopez walks us through those evolutions and shares examples of ERRT in practice….including how to use Scooby Snacks to reclaim good sleep!

Calls-to-action:

Visit CBT Nightmares Web to complete a free training on CBT for Nightmares (CBT-N).

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Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Medication-Assisted Treatment may be intimidating, but it can also be life-saving for clients who are facing withdrawal from opioid or alcohol dependency. Today we’re joined by Catherine Perri, Clinical Director of the Ripple Ranch. Catherine provides us with a crash course in understanding what MAT is, addressing the stigma associated with dual diagnoses, and the goal of utilizing MAT in conjunction with evidence-based psychotherapies to treat “the whole person.”

Calls-to-action:

Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s website for a wealth of resources and unbiased recommendations: https://www.samhsa.gov/
Learn more about the services available at The Ripple Ranch. https://rippleranch.com/
Check out CDP’s free resources on motivational interviewing and motivational enhancement skills: https://deploymentpsych.org/Clinical-Skills-Resources
Research and connect with MAT providers in your area. Collaboration is critical in this subfield.
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Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Eating disorders often have a “bad rap” as being intractable, difficult to treat, and dangerous. There is a wide range of eating disorders, each with their own unique features and challenges. And to make matters more complicated, many mental health providers do not receive focused training on how to treat these disorders, oftentimes leading to reticence to engage, worried that we’ll say or do the wrong thing. Fortunately there is an effective evidence-based psychotherapy for eating disorders–CBT-E (The E is for “Enhanced”). While CBT-E shares a lot of common ground with other standard CBT therapies, there are some distinct differences and enhancements that address the unique psychological challenges clients with eating disorders face. Join us with Dr. Suzanne Straebler, psychologist and expert in treating eating disorders, as she discusses CBT-E, its general components, and how you can receive focused training to treat these disorders.

Calls-to-action:

Screen patients for eating disorders – A brief 5-question screener can be found at – https://eatingdisorderscreener.org/ (*This screener may miss individuals with Binge Eating Disorder. Don’t avoid asking questions about one’s view of their shape and weight and comfort with their current eating habits).
Check your own weight bias and stigma and consider how it may impact your views on who can have an eating disorder and its impact on treatment of individuals of all body shapes and sizes– some information can be found here - https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorders/eating-disorders-explained/weight-stigma
Eating disorders are treatable with well implemented evidence-based treatments – find out more about one of these treatments, CBT-E, here – https://www.cbte.co/
Consider registering for and attending an upcoming CBT-E workshop at CDP. You can find upcoming training opportunities here – https://deploymentpsych.org/training .
Like what you’re hearing? Like this episode, subscribe to the podcast, and share with others!

Do you have questions for our hosts? Feedback from prior episodes? Want to share your own “What Is Your Why?” story? Join us on Aug 13, 2024 from 1000-1200 EDT for our first-ever “Live” episode of Practical For Your Practice. Call us at 301-715-8592, code: 4878058925# to talk to our hosts live. Or if you can’t make it at that time, leave us a voicemail message at https://speakpipe.com/cdpp4p or an email at cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu. While the episode will not be broadcast/streamed live, we will record, edit, and include the discussion in our final episode of the season. Come join the conversation!

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Always been curious about working with the National Guard or Reserves? In this not-to-miss episode we sit down with CDP’s own Jennifer Nevers who not only serves as an integral team member of the Star Behavioral Health Providers Program (SBHP) that aims to expand the availability of high-quality behavioral health services, especially for those in the reserve components BUT Jennifer is also a Major in the Indiana Army National Guard serving as a Behavioral Health Officer (BHO). Jennifer shares her “WHY” with us, both why she chose to join the National Guard as well as why she’s passionate about improving access and quality of care for this population. Come hear about some of the unique opportunities and challenges of serving in the reserve component as well as actionable intel that includes amazing free resources to support YOUR work to include the SBHP program.

Calls-to-action:

Opt-in to receive training updates from the Start Behavioral Health Providers Program: SBHP Training Opt-In | Center for Deployment Psychology
Learn About Military Culture | Center for Deployment Psychology
Take the Self Awareness Exercise | Center for Deployment Psychology
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Working with clients with suicidal thoughts and behaviors is one of the more difficult and challenging aspects of being a behavioral health provider. This is perhaps even more so when the client is a child or adolescent. An important, and sometimes overlooked, aspect of working with suicidal youth is working with and supporting their caregivers–moms, dads, grandparents, whoever may be primarily responsible for their care. How can we best support them while they are dealing with the scary unknown territory of suicide risk management for their child? At at time when almost 20% of high school students report suicidal ideation in the past year, and 10% report a suicide attempt in the same time period, join us for this vital discussion about caregiver care after youth self-directed violence.

Calls-to-action:

Check out the resources Dr. Arango mentioned in the episode.
Watch Dr. Arango’s CDP Presents Webinar: “Social Connectedness and Youth Suicide Prevention” July 11, 2024

Leave the P4P team a voicemail with your reactions, questions, requests for topics or guests, or anything else you’d like to share. We want to hear from you! Drop us a line at speakpipe.com/cdpp4p.

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On this episode, Carin and Kevin are joined by long-time host and Friend of CDP, Dr. Andy Santanelllo. Andy has been focused on dissemination and implementation science through The ACT Academy, and returns to the P4P Podcast to share ideas about how we can deliver EBPs more consistently and competently. His suggestions are not just aspirational or “fanciful,” but rather small tweaks that we can make to existing training, supervision, and consultation efforts. Join us as we catch up with Andy and discuss ways to merge cutting-edge science with practical applications for learners, instructors, supervisors, consultants, and everyone in between.

Calls-to-action:

Include more “doing” and “real plays” in your training, supervision, and consultation.
Frequently provide informed consent in experiential learning to keep the learning environment safe and professional.
Ask for more experiential practice from your instructor or consultant
Did you like this episode? Is there a topic you want us to cover on CDP’s P4P? Give us your feedback at www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p
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Guess who's back? Back again… Welcome to Practical for your Practice (P4P) Season 5! Your hosts are excited to kick things off with a reveal of this season’s theme. On P4P, we believe in the importance of relating to each as a behavioral health podcast community. So in that vein, for Season 5 we will be asking our guests “what is their why.” What drew them into the field of behavioral health and the specific slice of the field that they're in? Behavioral health provider origin stories if you will. And what better way to kick things off than to have your hosts disclose theirs. You might even hear about their superpowers. So tune in to hear some actionable intel about career paths and get excited for a great season!

Calls-to-action:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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We asked for your EBP Confessionals and you delivered! Carin, Jenna, and Kevin are relieved to know they are not the only ones who have made blunders while delivering treatment. Today we discuss two “confessions” submitted by our listeners and Carin shares her experience of working with a client who was viscerally impacted by exposure therapy. Tune in for the season 4 finale of The Practical for Your Practice Podcast!

Calls-to-action:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

Share your EBP fears with us on www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p

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How do we support providers who are impacted by suicide loss? Although most of us are familiar with the importance of suicide prevention, we are less familiar with the concept of suicide postvention. Dr. Megan Harvey of the Rocky Mountain MIRECC joins us on this episode to discuss how we can compassionately and effectively support providers coping with a suicide loss, either professional or personal. Tune in for this important discussion.

Dr. Harvey is a psychologist with over 15 years of experience working within the VA Health System. She provides consultation and other services as part of the Suicide Risk Management Consultation Program housed by the Rocky Mountain MIRECC.

Resources:

The Suicide Risk Management Consultation Program (SRM) provides free consultation, support, and resources to VA or non-VA providers who serve Veterans at risk for suicide. Visit their website SRM Home - MIRECC / CoE (va.gov) or reach out via email: srmconsult@va.gov
The provider section of Uniting for Suicide Postvention (USPV) offers resources, guidance and support to those affected by suicide loss: https://www.mirecc.va.gov/visn19/postvention/providers/
Connect with the Coalition of Clinician Survivors for support: www.cliniciansurvivor.org
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP): https://afsp.org/find-support/ive-lost-someone/
American Association of Suicidology (AAS): https://suicidology.org/resources/suicide-loss-survivors/
TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) for those impacted by military or Veteran suicide. https://www.taps.org/

Calls-to-action:

Acknowledge the loss, whether it is your own or a colleague’s.
If you have experienced a loss, talk to a supervisor, close friend, consultant, or personal therapist. Don’t grieve alone.
Watch the following video on The Personal and Professional Impact of Suicide Loss: https://youtu.be/Gd4Vcn9tJ1E
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Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email
Share your EBP fears with us on www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p

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In this episode, we discuss MATCH-ADTC, an evidence-based psychotherapy for young people struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma exposure, and/or conduct disorders. Our guest, Khristine Heflin, introduces us to this modular treatment that enables providers to meet each child’s unique needs. We discuss how this applies to the needs of military children, in particular, and wrap up with actionable intel on how to obtain training in this effective treatment.

Resources:

Clinicians working in military treatment facilities can reach out to Program Lead, Dr. Jennifer Ulrich, to inquire about the MATCH-ADTC pilot training program. She can be reached at: Jennifer.a.ulbricht.civ@health.mil
Non-military providers can pursue training in MATCH on the PracticeWise website: https://www.practicewise.com/

Calls-to-action:

Follow up on training resources if you are working with children and teens (or you want to start).

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

Share your EBP fears with us on www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p

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What if you could successfully treat PTSD in 2 weeks instead of 12? Massed delivery of PTSD treatments such as Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure are gaining empirical support. But how does it work and could you offer it to your patients? Our guest in this episode is at the forefront of research answering these questions. We’re joined by Dr. Cynthia Yamokoski, the Associate Director of the PTSD Mentoring Program at the National Center for PTSD. She shares the benefits and challenges of massed treatment for PTSD and provides suggestions for how to get started in your clinical practice. Of course, she also shares her “EBP Confession,” describing how she let her EBP pendulum swing too far. Listen in as Dr. Yamokoski leads us “through the fog.”

Cynthia Yamokoski, PhD is a clinical psychologist and the Associate Director of the PTSD Mentoring Program at the National Center for PTSD. She is a Senior Clinical Instructor at the Case Western Reserve University. She earned her doctorate from the University of Akron.

Dr. Yamokoski and her colleagues in Cleveland have developed and implemented an intensive 2- and 4-week PTSD program utilizing massed delivery of evidenced-based psychotherapy for PTSD, and she is facilitating the implementation of this model in additional PTSD programs within the VA system.

Resources:

This American Life “Ten Sessions”: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/682/ten-sessions
The PTSD Consultation Program at the National Center for PTSD: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/consult/index.asp
This article provides a good summary of the massed treatment research to date: Wachen, J.S., Dondanville, K., Evans, W., Morris, K., & Cole, A. (2019). Adjusting the Timeframe of Evidence-Based Therapies for PTSD-Massed Treatments. Current Treatment Options in Psych. DOI 10.1007/s40501-019-00169-9

Calls-to-action: For example:

Learn more about massed treatments by listening to the “Ten Sessions” episode of This American Life and reading relevant research.
Utilize consultation as you start implementing massed treatment.

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

Share your EBP fears with us on www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p

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For many providers, the term “eating disorders” suggests a couple of somewhat familiar disorders like bulimia or anorexia. But, like with many things, the category is more complex and varied than that, not only in the types of disordered eating that can happen, but also the complex contributions from environment, social influences, physiology, crises such as the pandemic, and many other influences. So many providers, especially those of us that specialize in other things or are more generalist in approach, feel ill-prepared to assess or even ask about eating disorders in their clients, much less how to address these issues. And yet, eating disorders can be very disruptive to military readiness, ability to accomplish the mission, and function effectively in various domains of their lives. Fortunately, Dr. Deborah Glasofer shares with our hosts information about training opportunities being developed to help fill some of these skills gaps. Join us for a fascinating discussion about eating disorders, leveling the playing field, and increasing access to care for clients with ED challenges. Get PreparED with us!

Dr. Glasofer is an Associate Professor of Clinical Medical Psychology (in psychiatry) at Columbia University Irving Medical Center and clinical psychologist at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. She has been involved in a variety of psychotherapy development studies for eating disorders in adults, and has an interest in enhancing the training of healthcare providers and trainees in principles of eating disorders assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. Within Columbia's Department of Psychiatry, she provides instruction to residents in cognitive behavioral therapy (for mood, anxiety, and eating disorders) and serves as a team member of CopeColumbia, a multidisciplinary group that formed during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide peer support and enhance wellbeing among healthcare providers and hospital staff. Dr. Glasofer enjoys writing for the popular press on topics related to mental health and has authored several books on eating disorders for clinicians, academics, and the general public.

Resources:

https://prepared.nyspi.org/ - PreparED Eating Disorders Education website (32:05)
https://nceedus.org/ - National Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders (32:12)
https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org - National Eating Disorders Association (32:20)
Overcoming Binge Eating by Christopher Fairburn (32:46)
Help Your Teenager Beat an Eating Disorder, 2 Ed by James Lock and Daniel Le Grange (33:04)
Eating Disorders: What Everyone Needs to Know by B. Timothy Walsh, Evelyn Attia, and Deborah R. Glasofer (33:22)
CDP Presents - Eating Disorders - General and Military-Relevant Considerations: https://deploymentpsych.org/Eating-Disorders-Archive

Calls-to-action:

Consider adding eating disorders as a category to inquire about at intake.
Check out the resources above.

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Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

Share your EBP fears with us on www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p

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Just about everyone in the world has experienced something that can be characterized as a trauma. Humans are resilient, and most people recover on their own and function well. Some continue to be affected by trauma long after the fact, and it is not always easy to identify who that may be and how a history of adversity may impact our interactions. There is a difference between trauma-specific care (such as Cognitive Processing Therapy or Prolonged Exposure therapy) and trauma-informed care. Join us and our amazing guest, Dr. Lydia Bartholow, as we discuss trauma-informed care and how we can reorient from a “What’s wrong with you?” to a “What happened to you?” approach and implement psychological “universal precautions” to transform our systems to acknowledge a history of adversity.

Lydia Bartholow, DNP, PMHNP, CARN-AP, is a doctorally prepared psychiatric nurse practitioner specializing in addiction medicine and trauma-informed care. She currently staffs and directs a trauma-informed urgent substance withdrawal management center. She is on faculty at UCSF, where she teaches in the psychiatric nurse practitioner program. She speaks nationally on topics such as co-occurring disorders, harm reduction, and substance use disorder care system improvement. She focuses all parts of her practice on radical public health, harm reduction, and anti-oppression work. Lydia lives in Portland, OR, on Chinook, Kathlamet, Clackamas, and Kalapuya land.

Resources:

Lydia Bartholow’s website: https://www.lydiabartholow.com/ (6:58)
Trauma-Informed Oregon: https://traumainformedoregon.org/ (33:08)
SAMHSA.gov Trauma-informed Care: https://www.traumapolicy.org/topics/trauma-informed-care (33:29)
Center for Healthcare Strategies’s Trauma-Informed Care Implementation Resource Center: https://www.traumainformedcare.chcs.org/

Calls-to-action: For example:

Trauma-Informed Psychoeducation skill: (from motivational interviewing) Elicit–Provide–Elicit: 1) elicit previous information/experience and ask permission to provide more information, 2) provide new information, 3) elicit their feedback about how they might apply/use/integrate the information provided
Check out the resources at Trauma-Informed Oregon and SAMHSA (links above).

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Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

Share your EBP fears with us at www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p

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One of the issues that providers may face in their clinical practice is deciding what treatment options might fit best for a client who has PTSD. While our brains often go to the first line treatments like PE, CPT and EMDR, sometimes a 10 - 12 session protocol isn't the best fit for the client in front of us who can’t commit to that treatment length or has other reasons that drive a different approach. To truly provide patient-driven care, we, as clinicians, need to have other EBP options at-the-ready to meet our clients where they are. In this episode CDP’s own Dr. Paula Domenici joins us to talk about her experience with using Written Exposure Therapy (WET) and how it has enhanced her clinical practice. Come dip your toes with us as we explore how WET might be a useful protocol to add to your clinical toolbox. You won’t want to miss Paula’s “EBP Confession” so stay tuned until the end!

Resources:

Sloan, D. M., & Marx, B. P. (2019). Written exposure therapy for PTSD: A brief treatment approach for mental health professionals. American Psychological Association.
CDP Presents Webinar: An Introduction to Written Exposure Therapy (WET) for PTSD
NCPTSD on demand course: Written Exposure Therapy: A Brief PTSD Treatment
RCT’s References:
1. Exposure‐based writing therapies for subthreshold and clinical posttraumatic stress disorder: A systematic review and meta‐analysis.
2. Effectiveness of written exposure therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder in the Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare system.
3. Written exposure therapy vs prolonged exposure therapy in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized clinical trial.
4. A brief exposure-based treatment vs cognitive processing therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized noninferiority clinical trial.
5. Effect of written exposure therapy vs cognitive processing therapy on increasing treatment efficiency among military service members with posttraumatic stress disorder: A randomized noninferiority trial.

Calls-to-action:

Sloan, D. M., & Marx, B. P. (2019). Written exposure therapy for PTSD: A brief treatment approach for mental health professionals. American Psychological Association.
CDP Presents Webinar: An Introduction to Written Exposure Therapy (WET) for PTSD
NCPTSD on demand course: Written Exposure Therapy: A Brief PTSD Treatment
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email
Share your EBP fears with us on www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p

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Today we are joined by Dr. Tim Rogers, one of our Subject Matter Experts on sleep disorders. He’s been spearheading CDP’s insomnia consultation offerings and joins Jenna and Carin to share the top 3 questions that have been asked lately. Tim has suggestions for how to score sleep logs most efficiently, dealing with comorbidities, and when to start insomnia treatment. Tim also enters our EBP Confessional Booth while Carin ponders the agony of early morning rising and Jenna shares her worst sleep puns. If that doesn’t get you excited about treating insomnia, nothing will!Resources:1) https://deploymentpsych.org/blog/staff-perspective-cracking-code-sleep-log-scoring2) https://vimeo.com/4207289013) https://deploymentpsych.org/Sleep-Log-Scoring-Video Calls-to-action: Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email Share your EBP fears with us on www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4pRegister for a CBTI workshop: https://deploymentpsych.org/training

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As many of our listeners know, the Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense (VA/DoD) Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and acute stress disorder (ASD) was released in June of 2023. The CPG, designed to assist clinical decision-making, provides recommendations that, in essence, give a clinician a fighting chance of identifying treatments that the research suggests should help their clients. But for many busy providers, it is a lot to unpack and digest! Join us as our (fearless) Director, Dr. David Riggs, who served on the CPG workgroup, walks us through important aspects of the guideline. We’ll discuss the why behind first and second-line treatments, updates from the last CPG, and actionable intel to support you in treating trauma. As with every episode this season, we invited Dave into the EBP confessional, and you won’t want to miss his story of a time when things didn’t quite go according to plan with a client AND how he recovered. Buckle up. It’s a roller coaster of a tale! Resources:1. VA/DoD CPG for PTSD (to include links to full CPG, Clinician Summary, Patient Summary, Quick Reference, and more): Click HERE 2. Webinar Recording “A Quick Walk Through the New VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for PTSD”: view HERE

Calls-to-action: Review the updated VA/DoD CPG for PTSD: Click HEREReview the recording of CDP’s webinar: “A Quick Walk Through the New VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for PTSD”: view HEREEnroll in an upcoming EBP for PTSD: https://deploymentpsych.org/trainingSubscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email Share your EBP fears with us on www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p

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In both the public and private sectors, demand for behavioral health care is outpacing availability and capacity. The pressure on the behavioral health system necessitates innovation with regards to the methods and models of therapeutic interventions. What can we do when there are just not enough therapy slots available on the calendar to accommodate the need? And how can these needs best be met when clinical presentations are becoming more diverse while evidence-based psychotherapies tend to be narrowly focused on specific diagnoses? Join us for a fascinating discussion with Drs. William Isler and Adam Hodge about an innovative transdiagnostic group therapy approach leveraging Unified Protocol to serve better those who serve–and beyond!William C. “Chuck” Isler, Ph.D.Dr Isler currently works as a civilian for the Air Force Counter-Insider Threat Hub. He served more than 20 years as an Active Duty Air Force Psychologist, completed a post-doctoral fellowship in Clinical Health Psychology, worked on the fellowship faculty, and later became the Fellowship Director. Dr. Isler held multiple additional roles, including Consultant for Clinical Psychology, Deputy for the Mental Health Division, Chief, Deployment Mental Health, Program Manager for Primary Care Behavioral Health and Squadron Commander. Adam S. Hodge, Ph.D.Dr. Hodge currently works as an Active-Duty Air Force Psychologist at Wright-Patterson AFB. His primary duties include working in an embedded role as part of the Operational Support Team at Wright-Patterson AFB, and he also serves as an adjunct faculty member for the APA-accredited Clinical Psychology Internship at Wright-Patterson. Dr. Hodge is actively involved in research, including research on Group Unified Protocol, and is collaborating on efforts to disseminate Group Unified Protocol training across the Department of Defense. Resources:1. Unified Protocol Institute: unifiedprotocol.com 2. Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders: Therapist Guide (Treatments That Work), Barlow, D., Farchione, T., et al 3. More info about the DHA Targeted Team-Based Care pilot: https://health.mil/News/Dvids-Articles/2023/05/17/news444960

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Clinicians new to EBPs and protocol-driven treatments understandably worry about what to do when something goes wrong. “What if I explain things wrong?” “What if my client gets worse?” Hiccups are the rule rather than the exception, especially when we’re new to a particular model or technique. Carin, Jenna, and Kevin have had their EBP fears come to fruition and are ready to “confess” their past struggles. Even more importantly, the team discusses how they recovered from their hiccups and what they learned from them. Note: We discuss potentially upsetting content, including suicide and violence toward children, in this episode. Please use discretion when listening. Calls-to-action: Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email Share your EBP fears with us at www.speakpipe.com/cdpp4p

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Welcome back for Season 4! Some big changes this season – we are sad to say goodbye to Dr. Andy Santanello who did a phenomenal job as co-host in seasons 1 - 3. Andy has pivoted to new opportunities and we wish him well! In his place, we are happy to introduce Dr. Carin Lefkowitz (long time guest, first time host) as our new Practical for your Practice co-host! Welcome, Carin! In our first episode of season 4, we tackle one of the top concerns we hear in our PTSD EBP workshops and consultation… “But what if my client dissociates?!”. If this has been on your list of clinical worries, worry no more! Take a listen as we discuss what is dissociation (and what isn’t)? What is its function? How can we best assess it? When is it likely to show up? AND most importantly, what providers can do to manage it in the context of their EBP work! Our very own Dr. Kelly Chrestman is back to share helpful actionable intel!

Calls-to-action:

Dissociative Subtype of PTSD-National center for PTSD

DES-II - Dissociative Experiences Scale

Target Behaviors & Behavior Chain Analysis - DBT Self Help

What is Dissociation and What to do About it?

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Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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From the time Aaron Beck and Albert Ellis recognized the importance of addressing unhelpful cognitions and cognitive processes in the treatment of depression in the 1960’s, cognitive behavioral therapy has become a driving force in the world of evidence-based practice. Initially, Drs. Beck and Ellis focused on the content of thoughts as the primary target for psychological interventions. Similarly, modern behavioral psychology has emphasized the importance of addressing cognition as a key aspect of successful psychotherapy. However, B.F. Skinner’s focus on verbal behavior as a generalized operant and modern contextual behavioral scientists’ work on Relational Frame Theory tend to emphasize the importance of addressing contextual factors that influence the function or impact of language over the content of thoughts. In this wide ranging episode, Drs. Jeff Mann, Andy Santanello, and Kevin Holloway discuss places of convergence between these two great traditions and look toward the future of process-based approaches to cognition. Make sure you grab some coffee and a snack: this is a LONG one!Jeffrey Mann, Psy.D., is a Military Behavioral Health Psychologist at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) with the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Dr. Mann provides support Navy mental health training programs and is a Veteran of the United States Air Force (USAF) where he served as a psychologist from 2009 to 2013. In 2013, he deployed to Southwest Asia in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.Dr. Mann received his bachelor’s degree in computer science from DePauw University and his master’s and doctorate degrees in clinical psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology, Chicago, with a specialization in primary care psychology. He is a 2010 graduate of the Wilford Hall USAF Medical Center Psychology Residency Program.Dr. Mann’s clinical work has focused on the assessment and treatment of trauma-related mental health conditions, anxiety disorders, insomnia and the use of Telebehavioral Health.Calls-to-action: Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Cultural competency training is an essential component of all behavioral health training curriculums and often a requirement for continuing education for licensed providers. But how often do those training opportunities include “military service” in the mix of cultural dimensions of identity that influence or shape an individual’s experience? Not often enough. In this episode we are joined by Dr. Shannon McCaslin as we explore the importance of keeping “eyes on” military culture to better understand how it can and should inform our EBP work. Come hear how military culture can influence your patients’ perspectives of their symptoms and treatment options level of, engagement, adherence, and treatment outcomes. Dr. Shannon McCaslin, is a Clinical Psychologist at the National Center for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Dissemination & Training Division, VA Palo Alto Health Care System. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of South Dakota in 2003 and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Stress and Health at the University of California, San Francisco, and the San Francisco VA Medical Center. Dr. McCaslin’s work focuses on understanding factors impacting quality of life and functioning among those with PTSD and on the development and evaluation of educational and online products.Resources mentioned in this episode: * Community Provider Toolkit:https://www.mentalhealth.va.gov/communityproviders * https://deploymentpsych.org/military-culture * https://deploymentpsych.org/Military-Culture-Enhancing-Competence-Course-Description * https://vha.train.org/vha/welcome

Calls-to-action: Check out the resources on CDP’s Military Culture page on their websiteSubscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Reactions to trauma vary from person to person. Although Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is often a main topic of conversation regarding trauma, two other important posttraumatic trajectories, Moral Injury and Posttraumatic Growth, are gaining recognition. In this episode, Marine Corps Veteran, Social Worker, and Zen priest Dave Dahl share his unique perspective on trauma recovery, modeling the importance of shared perspective-taking in helping service members in their journey to recovery.David Dahl is a Marine veteran who serves as a clinical social worker and therapist for military veterans with trauma, mood disorders, and severe mental illnesses. Before social work, David worked with disadvantaged and adjudicated youth in outdoor settings and as a social-emotional learning and restorative discipline trainer in various counties and states. He also serves as a Zen Priest and teaches meditation in his community. Calls-to-action: Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Like we’ve heard hundreds of times, “there’s an app for that!” Mobile apps are ubiquitous in modern life. With the proliferation of mental health apps available in app stores, it can be difficult to determine which apps have been rigorously tested and validated. Additionally, the mental health app market is largely unregulated, meaning that many apps may make claims about their effectiveness without sufficient evidence to support them. This can be problematic, as using an app without evidence-based support may not only be a waste of time and money but also potentially harmful if it leads to delayed treatment or incorrect self-diagnosis. How is a mental health practitioner to find evidence-based apps to use in therapy? And what are the challenges to NOT considering utilizing mobile apps in clinical work? Join us in a fascinating discussion with Dr. Greg Reger about the current mental health mobile app landscape and you can integrate mobile app use in your clinical practice.Dr. Greg Reger is the Deputy Associate Chief of Staff for Mental Health at the VA Puget Sound Health Care System and Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He received his PhD in Clinical Psychology from Fuller Theological Seminary and completed his psychology internship at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He served with the 98th Combat Stress Control Detachment at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and deployed to Iraq for a year prior to working for the Department of Defense National Center for Telehealth and Technology (T2). Dr. Reger’s research is focused on the design, development, and evaluation of innovative technologies to support Service Member and Veteran psychological health.Resources mentioned in this episode: * M-Health Index and Navigation Database Mobile Health Index and Navigation Database, App Evaluation Resources from the Division of Digital Psychiatry at BIDMC (mindapps.org) * One Mind PsyberGuide One Mind PsyberGuide | A Mental Health App Guide * VA Mental Health Applications VA App Store | VA Mobile * No personal knowledge of accuracy but I am told this is the current library of DoD apps (including MH apps) DHA PWAs (health.mil) * Psychiatry.org - The App Evaluation Model

Calls-to-action: For example: Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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You can sense it coming, feel it before you see it and hear it. The small tremors in conversation that warn you the elephant is incoming. You brace, trying to keep the focus on your agenda, perhaps cling to the familiar safety of your EBP protocol. But the elephant is coming into your clinical space and now you have to decide what to do. In this episode of Practical for your Practice, we roll up our sleeves with Dr. Abigail Angkaw to address the topic of what clinicians can do when sociocultural and political issues stomp into their EBP. More specifically, what to do when we clinicians, as humans, have a strong reaction to those issues. THAT, is the elephant in the room. Tune in for some tips to tune up on areas like disclosure, self-reflection, microaggressions, finding empathy, context and case conceptualization, and what is best for your client and YOU when those elephants won’t leave your room. Abigail Angkaw is a Consultant with the PTSD Consultation Program through the National Center for PTSD, clinical psychologist, Section Chief at the VA San Diego, and an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of California, San Diego. Her primary research interests include PTSD and co-occurring conditions as well as improving the delivery of mental health treatment. Coming from a military family, Dr. Angkaw is personally invested in helping providers through complex clinical and administrative challenges to provide high quality care for Veterans with PTSD. Dr. Angkaw received her PhD from the University of Cincinnati and completed her internship and postdoctoral fellowship at the UCSD and VA San Diego.Resources mentioned in this episode: * CDP Presents: Treating PTSD When Clinicians Have Negative Reactions to Patients' Sociocultural Views * Cultural Formulation Interview * National Center for PTSD Consultation Program * Center for Deployment Psychology Consultation Program

Calls-to-action: For example: View recording of webinar:CDP Presents: Treating PTSD When Clinicians Have Negative Reactions to Patients' Sociocultural ViewsSubscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Psychedelic Assisted Therapy. Perhaps reading that phrase brings about word associations like “mushrooms” “LSD” “Molly” “Mescaline” “altered state”, “euphoria” and even “the 60’s”. Or perhaps just seeing those words makes you curious enough to take a listen to this awesome podcast with Dr. Brian Pilecki, a clinician and researcher in the emerging field of integrating psychedelics into the treatment of behavioral health disorders. Listen in and learn as Dr. Pilecki explains some of the ins and outs of psychedelic assisted therapy to include what it is, who might benefit, types of psychedelics that have been most studied, where the research stands, as well as how to get more information about being trained to provide this type of treatment. You won’t be sorry. Dr. Brian Pilecki is a clinical psychologist at the Portland Psychotherapy Clinic specializing in treating anxiety disorders, trauma, and PTSD, and matters related to the use of psychedelics. He completed his doctorate at Fordham University in Bronx, NY, and completed his pre-doctoral internship at the Weill-Cornell Medical center at New York Presbyterian Hospital. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and practices from an orientation based in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Dr. Pilecki also received a master’s degree from the California Institute of Integral Studies in East-West Psychology where he studied psychedelic medicine, non-Western ways of knowing, and contemplative traditions such as Buddhism. He is an active researcher and has published on topics such as anxiety disorders, mindfulness, psychedelics, and the relationship between theory and practice in psychotherapy. At Portland Psychotherapy, Dr. Pilecki is involved in research on the positive benefits of psychedelics and provides clinical services in the preparation for or integration of psychedelic experiences.Resources mentioned in this episode: * Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies https://maps.org/

Calls-to-action: Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Any guide to “small talk” will tell you that there are just some topics that you shouldn’t broach in most social situations. One of those topics is spirituality. But should spirituality be taboo in psychotherapy? Does the direct discussion of spirituality have a place inside evidence-based practice? In this episode, Andy, Kevin, and Jenna chat about some practical ways to answer these questions and offer ideas for “going there” when spirituality might be a useful domain to explore with your clients. Andrew Santanello, Psy.D s a licensed, clinical psychologist. Dr. Santanello worked in the Department of Veterans Affairs as a PTSD specialist for over a decade before moving to his current position as a Military Behavioral Health Psychologist, PTSD subject matter expert, and National Cognitive Processing Therapy trainer at the Center for Deployment Psychology.Although Dr. Santanello has extensive expertise with "second-wave" CBT interventions such as CBT-D, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, and Cognitive Processing Therapy, his passion for "third-wave" behavioral interventions, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, is a common thread throughout his professional career. His professional interests include dissemination and practice of Evidence-Based Psychotherapy with an increasing focus on mechanisms of change and process-based psychotherapy, psychological resilience, and the intersection of behavioral science and mindfulness-based approaches to alleviating human suffering.In addition to his work with the CDP, Dr. Santanello is an active member in the Military Special Interest Group and Mid-Atlantic Chapter (MAC) of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (ACBS) and maintains a small private practice in Baltimore, MD.Resources mentioned in this episode: * (Didn’t mention this specifically in the episode, but I think that it is worth including. This is one of Steven Hayes’ first every pubs) * Hayes, S. (1984). Making sense out of spirituality. Behaviorism, 12(2), 99-110.

Calls-to-action: For example: Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Anger is something all humans experience. It can be uncomfortable for us as therapists when it shows up in therapy, whether it is the focus of intervention, or when expressed in session. Indeed, traditional clinical approaches have often focused on managing, preventing, or suppressing anger. But perhaps anger itself isn’t always the problem, but rather aggression or other values-inconsistent behavioral choices. Join us as we discuss being curious about anger and its function from an ACT-informed perspective with our guest, John Donahue, Psy.D.John Donahue, Psy.D., is an associate professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Baltimore, where he directs their post-master's certificate program in professional counseling studies. He received a doctorate in clinical psychology from La Salle University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship with the NW Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center at the Portland VA Medical Center, where he specialized in posttraumatic stress disorder treatment and research. Dr. Donahue’s clinical and research interests relate to the cross-cutting role of psychological flexibility processes in the development and maintenance of psychological disorders, and more broadly, the development of empirically based dimensional models of psychopathology. Calls-to-action: For example: Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice PodcastSubscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Exposure-based interventions are some of the most powerful tools that therapists can offer to their clients, especially those who struggle with anxiety. However, there are different models of exposure with different proposed mechanisms and different desired outcomes. In this episode, anxiety disorders and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy expert Mike Twohig exposes us to some useful ways to help clients get better at being with their difficult stuff.

Michael P. Twohig, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist in the state of Utah and a Professor of Psychology at Utah State University, where he co-runs the ACT Research Group (with Dr. Levin). He received his B.A. and M.S. from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, his Ph.D. from the University of Nevada, Reno, and completed his clinical internship at the University of British Columbia Hospital. He is past-President of the Association of Contextual Behavioral Science, the organization most associated with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). His research focuses on the use of ACT across a variety of clinical presentations with an emphasis on obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. He has published over 200 scholarly works, including five books, with the most recent being Innovations in ACT (with Levin and Krafft) and ACT in Steps (with Levin and Ong). His research has been funded through multiple sources, including the National Institute of Mental Health.

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The Just World Belief (JWB), or the notion that good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people, is a fundamental and often problematic assumption for both clients and therapists. Believing that doing all the “right things” will lead to the outcome we want doesn’t match up to the realities of life in many cases and can lead to stress and perfectionism. In this episode, Kevin and Andy chat with Senior Military Behavioral Health Psychologist Carin Lefkowitz about the impact of the JWB on clients and therapists and some practical ways to make all the right moves to address it.

Carin M. Lefkowitz, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist and Senior Military Behavioral Health Psychologist at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Lefkowitz earned her M.A. and Psy.D. in clinical psychology at Widener University, with a concentration in cognitive-behavioral therapy.

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When we think of “sleep problems,” most of the time, our brains go to insomnia – that group of people we work with who have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite adequate opportunity to sleep. But what about the opposite side of the sleep coin… or pillow, if you will? What about the group of folks who desperately want sleep, need sleep, crave sleep, AND could sleep if only given adequate opportunity to do so? In this episode, we sit down once again with one of CDP’s sleep experts, Dr. Diana Dolan, to talk about sleep deprivation and the associated functional impairments. Given sleep deprivation can be a common presenting problem for our military-connected clients, we encourage you to join us to learn some useful tips and strategies when working with sleep-deprived individuals both in survival mode during crisis situations as well as how to help prioritize sleep for those who have more flexibility. We all need sleep to survive so be sure to check out the actionable intel in this episode to maximize sleep for your clients on the sleep deprivation continuum. Spoiler alert: take that nap!

Diana C. Dolan, Ph.D., CBSM, DBSM, is a clinical psychologist serving as a Senior Military Behavioral Health Psychologist with the Center for Deployment Psychology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. In this capacity, she develops and presents trainings on various EBPs and deployment-related topics and provides consultation services.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Sleeping in Crisis Situations: A Survival Guide

Calls-to-action: For example:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Emotionally-Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) is an evidence-based psychotherapy for couples that helps couples get better understanding and accepting their emotions, to be vulnerable in communicating those emotions to each other, and to get better at validating and supporting their partners. A challenge that therapists often face when working with military clients who are in committed relationships is deciding when to address relationship issues in individual therapy and when to refer your client to couples therapy. In this episode, certified EFT therapist Liz Polinksy share some actionable intel related to her work with military couples.

Elizabeth Polinsky, LCSW, RMFT, is a military marriage counselor in Norfolk Virginia. She comes from a military family and is now a military spouse—experiences that have led to her passion for helping military couples navigate the unique challenges of military life.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://deploymentpsych.org/EF-Therapy-Archive
https://www.communicateandconnectpodcast.com/linkinbio.html
https://iceeft.com/what-is-eft/

Calls-to-action: For example:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Have you ever thought, “I want to implement EBP’s effectively with my clients, but I’m running into barriers!”. Well, help is here! Listen in as we sit down with Dr. Lisa Cuccurullo, whose job it is to help solve the problems people face every day in their clinical practice. We dig into some clinical barriers, what mechanisms need to be in place administratively to do these treatments with fidelity, and how to do these treatments in the real world with all of the chaos of day-to-day life. We all need that “clinical family” to support our work, so join us to find out about resources to expand yours! Come hear about common challenges, potential solutions, and Dr. Cuccurullo’s uplifting consultation story!

Lisa-Ann Cuccurullo, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist at the National Center for PTSD, where she works on a team that facilitates the use of empirically supported treatments for veterans in rural areas. Her clinical work has focused on cognitive behavioral treatments for PTSD (and other post-trauma-related symptoms), such as Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy. She is a national Prolonged Exposure consultant in VA. Before joining the staff of the National Center for PTSD, she was the Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator and Assistant Director of Psychology Clinical Training at the Southeast Louisiana Veteran’s Health Care System and a clinical instructor at Tulane University School of Medicine. Dr. Cuccurullo’s current research interests focus on the implementation of empirically supported treatments and posttraumatic symptom presentation. Dr. Cuccurullo received her doctorate in clinical psychology from La Salle University and completed her clinical internship and a PTSD-focused fellowship at the Southeast Louisiana Veteran’s Health Care System.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

VA’s Consultation Service: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/consult/index.asp
CDP’s Consultation Service: https://deploymentpsych.org/resources/consultation-services
NCPTSD Patient Education tools: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/publications/print/index.asp
Get EBP training from CDP: https://deploymentpsych.org/training

Calls-to-action:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

Take one of CDP’s EBP’s (PE, CPT, CBT-SP, CBTi, ACT and more!): https://deploymentpsych.org/training

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Why are pronouns important when working with your clients? Well, as this week’s guest, Dr. Jacob Eleazer, explains, misgendering clients is a form of medical harm, especially for members of the Trans community. As we all move toward greater awareness and competency when it comes to working with Trans clients, mistakes will be made. In this episode, Dr. Eleazar provides some practical advice for responding compassionately and directly to examples of misgendering. Also, in a P4P first, Dr. Eleazar and the crew demonstrate a few key techniques through candid role plays!

Dr. Jacob Eleazer (he/him) served in the Kentucky Army National Guard for 12 years and was among the first actively serving transgender soldiers to come out publicly in 2014. He completed his doctorate in counseling psychology at the University of Louisville and a postdoctoral clinical fellowship in LGBTQ+ Health and Psychosocial Rehabilitation at the Connecticut VA Healthcare System (VACHS). He is currently an Advanced Fellow in Health Services Research and Development at VACHS and the Yale School of Medicine and serves as the LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator for VACHS. Jacob’s research investigates the experiences of actively serving transgender military personnel, health disparities for LGBTQ+ Veterans, and patient-centered interventions to improve access to care for transgender Veterans. Jacob also advocates for an inclusive military policy as the Director of Advocacy for SPARTA, A Transgender Military Advocacy Organization.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Ruben MA, Kauth MR, Meterko M, Norton AM, Matza AR, Shipherd JC. Veterans' Reported Comfort in Disclosing Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. Med Care. 2021 Jun 1;59(6):550-556. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0000000000001543. PMID: 33797509. [8:34]
practicewithpronouns.com [32.23]
CDP Presents: Psychological Practice with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Service Members and Veterans [36:00]

Calls-to-action:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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As behavioral health providers, our jobs often are primarily helping patients heal when their worlds are in turmoil. But we don’t often talk about doing that work while our own world or even the whole world is in turmoil. What can we learn from efforts to support mental health providers working in the heart of real-time geopolitical aggression? Join us as we discuss the experience of CDP’s own Drs. Bill Brim and Andrea Israel partnering with UNM’s ECHO project providing just-in-time training in psychological first aid and provider resilience to providers in Ukraine.

William Brim, Psy.D., is the director of the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. He joined CDP in 2007, initially as a deployment behavioral health psychologist at Malcolm Grow Medical Center and served as deputy director until 2017. Prior to joining CDP, Dr. Brim served on active duty as a psychologist in the United States Air Force from 1997 to 2007. The focus of Dr. Brim's clinical work, supervision and training is on deployment and redeployment- related mental health issues, specifically assessment and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder and insomnia. Additionally, Dr. Brim focuses on health psychology clinical practice, the integration of mental health services in primary care and offers forensic psychology expert consultation and witness services.

Andrea Israel, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist serving as a Military Behavioral Health Child Psychologist at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. In this role, she supports a study to assess the feasibility and to identify best practices for enhancing and expanding capabilities to deliver telehealth services to youth (dependents of active duty military) with neurodevelopmental and behavioral health needs across a dispersed geographic area. In addition, she provides Evidence-Based Psychotherapy (EBP) training. Dr. Israel graduated with her doctorate in School Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and completed her postdoctoral work at Duke University Medical Center. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish, with a minor in Psychology, from the University of Virginia.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://deploymentpsych.org/resources-for-providers-in-wartime

Calls-to-action:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Two active duty psychologists sit down on a podcast and try to set the record straight about some of the ins and outs of becoming and serving as a military mental health provider. What does it take to serve simultaneously as a mental health provider AND an officer? What opportunities exist in areas such as leadership, prevention (individual and systemic), as a clinician, and training? How might YOU collaborate or consult with a military mental health provider? Listen as popular myths are busted, and unique opportunities are discussed!

Maj John A. Blue Star is an active duty US Air Force, board-certified clinical health psychologist. He is the Mental Health Flight Commander at Hanscom Air Force Base. His duties include conducting biopsychosocial evaluations for active duty and their families and retirees with health conditions, coordinating community-level population health program initiatives, providing behavioral treatment to individuals and groups with a focus on the quality of life improvement, and supervising clinical activities and conducting didactics for psychology interns. Maj Blue Star has a specialty focus in implementing interdisciplinary care for Active Duty service members with chronic pain and associated functional impairments, with emphasis on improving military readiness and decreasing risks involving opioid medication.

Lt. Col. David Tubman, an active duty US Air Force clinical health psychologist, is currently serving as the Clinical Psychology Internship Training Director at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. He earned his Psy.D. at Wheaton College, Illinois, and completed both his internship and post-doctoral fellowship in clinical health psychology at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland AFB, TX. He is passionate about delivering evidence-based population health interventions, developing effective and engaging clinical training experiences, the science of behavior change, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

Resources mentioned in this episode:

ACT for Military Special Interest Group https://contextualscience.org/act_for_military_sig [34:00]
Society of Air Force Psychologists https://www.usafpsychologists.com/ [34:30]
CDP’s Military Culture course: https://deploymentpsych.org/Military-Culture-Enhancing-Competence-Course-Description [35:40]

Calls-to-action: For example:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

Take CDP’s free Military Culture Course: https://deploymentpsych.org/Military-Culture-Enhancing-Competence-Course-Description

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A common question posed in our PE and CPT consultation groups is, “What do I do if my client is pregnant and has PTSD… ?” To treat or not to treat? That is the question! In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Yael Nillni to discuss the benefits of trauma-focused treatment for women during the perinatal period. Come join us to learn about how clients who enter pregnancy with PTSD are at higher risk for adverse reproductive health outcomes and what behavioral health providers can (and should) do to help improve those outcomes. Is the perinatal phase a period of increased risk or a window of opportunity? We invite you to listen and learn.

Yael I. Nillni, Ph.D., is a Clinical Research Psychologist in the National Center for PTSD, Women’s Health Sciences Division at VA Boston Healthcare System, and an Assistant Professor at Boston University School of Medicine. Dr. Nillni received her undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Vermont. Dr. Nillni completed her pre-doctoral internship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center/VA Medical Center Consortium in Jackson, MS, and her postdoctoral research fellowship in the Women’s Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD. Dr. Nillni’s research focuses on the intersection of trauma, PTSD and comorbid mental health conditions, and women’s reproductive health with the ultimate goal of improving healthcare outcomes for women. To this end, she has several ongoing studies among both civilians and Veterans focused on trauma, PTSD, and women’s perinatal health.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Survivor Moms Companion: https://survivormoms.org/ [23:15]
https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/86691/improving-reproductive-health-women-ptsd/

Calls-to-action: For example:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

Enroll in an EBP training for PTSD: https://deploymentpsych.org/psychological-training

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In the context of a global pandemic where every one of us lives daily with uncertainty and barriers to connection with others, these challenges and burdens are magnified in the lives of our immunocompromised clients. From expanding our understanding of who is immunocompromised to empathy for their unique challenges to discussing practical strategies in clinical care, join us as we sit in the uncertainty together, discussing showing up, connecting with, and serving these clients.

Amanda Rhodes, Psy.D. is a licensed psychologist and researcher in the Health Psychology and Neurobehavioral Research Group (HPNRG) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) / National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dr. Rhodes received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Lehigh University, a Master of Arts in psychology from Kean University, and a Doctorate in combined school and clinical psychology from Kean University. Her doctoral dissertation investigated acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and opioid use in patients with chronic pain. Dr. Rhodes completed a competitive, APA-accredited internship utilizing mindfulness-based interventions at the Brattleboro Retreat Psychiatric Hospital in Vermont, USA. She then completed a two-year postdoctoral research fellowship in the Pediatric Oncology Branch at NCI/NIH.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

A contextual-behavioral perspective on chronic pain during the COVID-19 pandemic and future times of mandated physical distancing
ACBS ACT for Health SIG & Resources for working with Chronic Health Conditions

If listeners are interested in learning more about this approach, a colleague and I are leading a 2-day (virtual) training in June called ACTivating Health: A Skills Building Workshop to Help People with Chronic Medical Conditions

Calls-to-action: For example:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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What is resilience? What is Psychological Flexibility? What are the points of convergence between these two concepts? Practically speaking (and you know we LOVE practical stuff), it turns out that the Psychological Flexibility model may offer a unique pathway to the direct enhancement of resilience. In this episode, we chat with Dr. Wyatt Evans about his exciting insights and research about the role that psychological flexibility may play in resilience.

Wyatt R. Evans, Ph.D., ABPP, is a board-certified clinical psychologist in the VA North Texas Health Care System and private practice in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. His areas of clinical and research interest include combat and operational stress, moral injury, trauma-focused treatment, and resilience enhancement. Dr. Evans currently supports DoD-, VA-and NIH-funded research into the prevention and treatment of PTSD, moral injury, and other stress reactions among military personnel. His primary area of expertise is in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and he has developed programs for utilizing ACT to treat a moral injury, enhance resilience, and facilitate posttraumatic growth. On moral injury, Dr. Evans has published on definitional distinctions, interventions, religious/spiritual considerations, and associated outcomes. Dr. Evans is a co-investigator on an initial acceptability/feasibility trial of ACT for moral injury and is the lead author of a recently published book titled The Moral Injury Workbook.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

CDP Presents: Engaging Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Processes to Enhance Resilience in Military Personnel with Wyatt Evans, Ph.D., and Andy Santanello, Psy.D. (https://deploymentpsych.org/CDPP-ACT-Archive) [03:20]
Bonanno, G. (2021). The end of trauma: How the new science of resilience is changing how we think about PTSD. Basic Books.[23:16]
Homepage of the ACT for Military Special Interest Group of the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science (https://contextualscience.org/act_for_military_sig)

Calls-to-action: For example:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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In this episode, Andy, Kevin, and Jenna chat with Dr. Carin Lefkowitz about CDP’s Second Life training assets. Unique affordances of virtual worlds (including some funny mishaps) are discussed along with some practical tips for making the best use of Second Life to improve your practice.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Second Life landing page in deploymentpsych.org, https://deploymentpsych.org/virtual-provider-training-in-second-life [timestamp]

Calls-to-action:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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In this episode, we talk about the ways brain injury, sustained in the context of trauma, can have longer-lasting effects than other mTBI’s, and why mental health providers are in an ideal position to help clients focus on cognitive health by teaching strategies to improve functioning. Join us as Dr. Beth Twamley demystifies how the strategies used in Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT) and Cognitive Symptom Management and Rehabilitation Therapy (CogSMART) can help to address impairments in prospective memory, attention, learning and memory, and executive functioning. We hope you check out how this recovery-oriented approach can be incorporated into your practice to empower clients to make functional gains and improve their quality of life.

Dr. Twamley is a neuropsychologist and a Professor of Psychiatry at UC San Diego. Much of her work is based at the VA San Diego Healthcare System, where she is a VA Rehabilitation Research and Development Research Career Scientist and the Director of the Clinical Research Unit of the Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health. Dr. Twamley’s research has focused on cognitive training and other interventions to improve real-world functioning for individuals with psychiatric disorders, traumatic brain injuries, and other cognitive impairments. She has developed and evaluated Compensatory Cognitive Training (CCT) and Cognitive Symptom Management and Rehabilitation Therapy (CogSMART) with funding from NIH, VA, DoD, NSF, BBRF/NARSAD, and UC San Diego grants. These treatment manuals and other clinical materials are available at no charge on her website, www.cogsmart.com.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

http://www.cogsmart.com/ [18:40]
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIZPMnYv3RDIYFI7CETy7sA [18:45]
https://deploymentpsych.org/COGSmart-Archive [19:50]

Calls-to-action:

Review webinar recording on CogSMART https://deploymentpsych.org/COGSmart-Archive

Access manuals on the CogSMART website: http://www.cogsmart.com/

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Who isn’t stressed these days? Stress seems ubiquitous in ourselves, our clients, and everyone else! The good news? According to our guest this episode, Dr. Gabe Paoletti, stress doesn’t have to mean that things are going wrong. Stress is actually an indicator of the things that matter to us and what we care about. Listen with us as Dr. Paoletti stresses reorienting our approach from “feeling good” to “doing good.”

Gabe Paoletti, EdD, MAPP.

Dr. Paoletti is a Mental Fitness Scientist at the Uniformed Services University’s Consortium for Health and Military Performance (CHAMP). He is a subject matter expert in mental skills, positive and performance psychology, resilience, and leadership. Dr. Paoletti translates basic and clinical research to create culturally appropriate, evidence-based, impactful written and multimedia educational resources and presentations in the Human Performance Resources by CHAMP (HPRC) team.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Human Performance Resources by CHAMP website - https://www.hprc-online.org [14:30]
Create a “Stress Helps Me” Mindset worksheet - https://www.hprc-online.org/mental-fitness/spiritual-fitness/create-stress-helps-me-mindset/ [14:40]
Make Stress Good For You! - https://www.hprc-online.org/mental-fitness/sleep-stress/make-stress-good-you [26:30]
Active Constructive Responding - https://www.hprc-online.org/mental-fitness/sleep-stress/active-constructive-responding-acr-worksheet

Calls-to-action: For example:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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In this episode we are joined by one of CDP’s suicide prevention experts, Dr. Sharon Birman, to talk about means safety counseling and how to work collaboratively with a person in suicidal crisis to more effectively mitigate harm. Come join us as we talk about how this public health initiative has become a key one-on-one intervention. We’ll review common myths and barriers to the use of means safety counseling as well as resources to shore up providers’ skills in this area. Come get more comfortable with what can be an uncomfortable topic.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) Training developed by SPRC: https://www.sprc.org/resources-programs/calm-counseling-access-lethal-means
Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (BCBT) for Suicide Prevention resources:
- Manual: https://www.guilford.com/books/Brief-Cognitive-Behavioral-Therapy-for-Suicide-Prevention/Bryan-Rudd/9781462536665
- Youtube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GSo1np_LUY&t=2s
- CBT for Suicide Prevention Manual: No longer being sold; needs to be updated.
- Means Matter Website by Harvard: https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/
- Not Mentioned in Podcast - Mountain MIRECC website: https://www.mirecc.va.gov/visn19/

Calls-to-action:

Know the legislation in your State (Means Matter website breaks down legislation from state to state)

Recognize that this is a collaborative effort - develop skills to have the conversation

Attend CDP’s Suicide Prevention training and check out additional resources listed

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Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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While disrupted sleep is one of the number one presenting concerns for military-connected clients, it remains under assessed and mis- or undertreated. In this episode, we pull the covers back to reveal the most common pitfalls for providers when it comes to addressing sleep disorders with CDP’s own sleep guru, Dr. Diana Dolan. There are a lot of ways sleep can go wrong and often sleep problems take on a life of their own and become a primary diagnosis. Come join us for a discussion on how to improve your assessment of sleep problems and hear actionable intel to strengthen your treatment approaches.

Bios for your guests

Dr. Diana Dolan is clinical psychologist serving as Assistant Director, Training and Education with the Center for Deployment Psychology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Dr. Dolan’s professional interests include behavioral treatment of health conditions, in particular sleep disorders and within brief-natured primary care settings, clinical psychology training and program evaluation, and military psychology. She is Veteran of the USAF and certified in Behavioral Sleep Medicine by the American Board of Sleep Medicine. She is also a diplomate in Behavioral Sleep Medicine from the Board of Behavioral Sleep Medicine.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Chickens & Eggs: Treatment Order in Cases of Co-Morbid PTSD and Insomnia webinar [22:20] https://deploymentpsych.org/content/cdp-presents-chickens-eggs-treatment-order-cases-co-morbid-ptsd-and-insomnia-via-adobe-connect-Feb.21-2017
27:14 join CBT-I or Circadian Rhythms Training: https://deploymentpsych.org/training
27:40 The Basics of Sleep: What Ever Provider Needs to Know webinar: https://deploymentpsych.org/basics-of-sleep-archive
CDP’s Virtual Sleep Museuam in Second Life 29:20 https://deploymentpsych.org/blog/staff-perspective-cdps-virtual-sleep-museum

Calls-to-action: For example:

Review CDP Presents webinars on sleep and Sleep Spotlight page: https://deploymentpsych.org/cdp-sleep-spotlight

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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The future is now. Technology augmentation of the dissemination and implementation of EBPs has never been more widely accepted, from mobile apps to synchronous telehealth to asynchronous post-workshop support. Join us as we geek out with Dr. Peter Tuerk about the merits of technology adoption in EBPs, thinking creatively about using familiar technologies in new ways, provider-crowd-sourcing, and avoiding the trap of insisting that technology solutions must be replications of the old ways of doing things. Come for the tech talk, stay for the “skewmorphs.”

Guest Bio: Dr. Peter Tuerk is a research psychologist and clinician who specializes in evidence-based treatments for anxiety-spectrum disorders, related research and training, and the integration of technology into clinical care. Currently, he is Director of the Sheila C. Johnson Center for Clinical Services, a multidisciplinary training clinic at the University of Virginia, and he serves as Professor of Education within the Department of Human Services. His current research focuses on novel asynchronous telehealth technologies, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence in service of addressing EBT barriers.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

OC GO: oc-go.org [22:46]
Brian Bunell case report: https://doi.org/10.1177%2F1534650113483357 [26:41]

Calls-to-action: For example:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Almost all clinicians agree that consultation helps us be better at our jobs. Committing to the consultation can be another story. In this episode, Dr. Andrew Sherrill of the Emory University Prolonged Exposure Consultant Training Program shares some actionable intel on facing and overcoming five common barriers to committing to consultation.

Andrew M. Sherrill, Ph.D. is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and a practicing clinical psychologist at the Emory Healthcare Veterans Program and the Emory Healthcare OCD Program. He is also the program manager of the Emory University Prolonged Exposure Consultant Training Program. He received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Northern Illinois University. He completed his predoctoral internship at the American Lake Division of VA Puget Sound Healthcare System and his postdoctoral fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine. Dr. Sherrill’s clinical expertise includes behavior therapies for trauma- and anxiety-related disorders including prolonged exposure for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), exposure and response prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and acceptance and commitment therapy for a range of emotion disorders. His areas of specialization include the use of virtual reality in exposure therapies and the implementation of massed delivered evidence-based psychotherapy. His current research aims to understand the effective dissemination and implementation of exposure therapy and the development of mobile technologies that facilitate exposure therapy through pervasive health strategies in the areas of ubiquitous computing, human-computer interaction, and machine learning.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Emory University Prolonged Exposure Consultant Training Program: https://psychiatry.emory.edu/programs/pe_consultant_training/index.html
Here’s a link to the first study published by the Emory training program, “Creating a national network of community-based consultants in prolonged exposure for PTSD: Outcomes and lessons learned from a consultant training program.”

https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2021-54868-001

Calls-to-action: For example:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a style of communication that can be useful in many different clinical situations. Maintaining the spirit of MI while practicing EBP presents a challenge. In this episode, Dr. Onna Brewer shares some actionable intel that will help you to listen with an ear for connection and change talk and to do what comes naturally (or maybe NOT so naturally) in practicing EBPs.

Dr. Onna Brewer is a clinical psychologist and consultant in private practice. Her research and community-based work have focused on processes of behavior change, behavioral health treatment approaches, and improving access to care for underserved communities. Her post-doctoral training and early career included trauma specialization and providing outpatient care with the Veterans Health Administration where she was also a Motivational Interviewing consultant and regional trainer for the VA’s National Evidence-Based Psychotherapy Initiative. She is a member of the international Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers, theNational Register of Health Service Psychologists, the Florida Psychological Association and APA. Dr. Brewer is licensed to practice psychology in the states of Florida and Illinois, and she provides training and consultation for a diverse array of helping professionals and organizations around the world.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

CDP Presents: Motivational Interviewing and its Synergy with other Evidence-Based Practices
CDP Motivational Interviewing Resources

Calls-to-action: For example:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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When learning a protocol for evidence-based psychotherapy, the question commonly arises about common factors: “Why do I need to learn this protocol if most of the change in psychotherapy can be traced back to common factors?” or conversely “If I follow the steps on this protocol checklist, I don’t have to worry about common factors at all like therapeutic alliance, right?” Join us as we discuss the interplay of common factors and EBP protocols, how they are not mutually exclusive, and how to make sure you are attending most to the real person and the real relationship with you in the room while applying EBP techniques.

Dr. Michael Jones has 18 years of experience working with the military as a psychologist. During this time, he has deployed overseas twice, he has held a variety of roles as a clinician, as a consultant, educator/supervisor and researcher. Dr. Jones has spent the majority of his career working with the Army and Air Force, but has spent time with the other military branches and multiple federal agencies. During his time as a medical residency faculty member, he supervised multiple years of incoming army psychologists, social workers and medical residents on clinical skills and mental health treatment. During the height of combat operations during the late 2000’s, he developed and managed multiple population-focused mental health resiliency programs, including peer suicide prevention training and peer resiliency training. Much of his later career has been embedded in military units, where he developed a passion for making mental resiliency skills accessible to service members.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

10:28 - Common Factors Research, The Dodo Bird Verdict
- Rosenzweig, Saul (1936). "Some implicit common factors in diverse methods of psychotherapy". American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 6 (3): 412–15. doi:10.1111/j.1939-0025.1936.tb05248.x
- 28:29 - Duncan, B.L., Miller, S.D., Wampold, B.E.,and Hubble, M.A. (Eds.) (2009). The Heart and Soul of Change: Delivering What Works in Therapy. Washington: American Psychological Association Press.
- 28:34 - Lambert, M.J. (Ed.) (2013). Bergin and Garfield’s Handbook of Psychotherapy and Behavior Change, Sixth Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, NJ.
- 29:07 - Outcome Rating Scale, by Scott Miller and Barry Duncan
- Miller, S.D., Duncan, B.L., Brown, J., Sparks, J.A., and Claud, D.A. (2003). The Outcome Rating Scale: A Preliminary Study of the Reliability, Validity, and Feasibility of a Brief Visual Analog Measure. Journal of Brief Therapy. 2(2): 91-100.
- 32:35 - Outcome Questionnaire: OQ-45.2 -- https://www.oqmeasures.com/oq-45-2/

Calls-to-action:

Use outcome measures in therapy, including measures of therapeutic alliance and symptom improvement.
Consider your client’s readiness for change and work collaboratively at their current level of readiness.
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Anger is the most highly reported challenge, across disorders, for Servicemembers and Veterans, especially post-deployment. In this episode, we get fired up talking about anger, aggression, and the role of other secondary emotions such as guilt, shame, and fear. Our guest, Dr. Shannon Miles, helps us distinguish between impulsive and premeditated aggression and walks us through the main components of her protocol Managing Emotions to Reduce Aggression. Need to get more comfortable with anger and help clients with aggression? Take a listen. You won’t regret it.

Dr. Miles is a clinical psychologist at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital and Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL. Her research and clinical work explore ways to assist Veterans and Service Members recovering from Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and challenging comorbidities such as emotion dysregulation, aggression, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). She is the principal investigator (PI) on a multi-site VA Clinical Science Research and Development study that is examining a 3 session aggression treatment and a VA Health Service Research and Development grant that seeks to determine if the VA’s mild TBI screen leads to more appropriate service utilization and better quality of life for post 9-11 Veterans. She is also a Site Multiple-PI on the Long-Term Impact of Military-Relevant Brain Injury Consortium (LIMBIC-CENC).

Resources mentioned in this episode:

Impulsive-Premeditated Aggression Scale (IPAS) https://cdn.ce21.com/documents/fixiit1yjkickq1mlknesq.pdf [17:57]
PTSD Coach App https://mobile.va.gov/app/ptsd-coach [21:45]
MERA manual https://cdn.ce21.com/documents/z5osm1an6uicltedhq3adw.pdf [24:45]

Calls-to-action:

View Understanding and Managing Anger and Aggression in PTSD: https://deploymentpsych.org/Anger-And-Aggression-Archive

Download and utilize the MERA manuals

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Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Microaggressions are subtle, covert forms of discrimination that impact marginalized populations. In this episode, Dr. Ryan Warner shares his insights on the importance of recognizing and responding genuinely to microaggressions in a clinical context as well as some of his own experiences of microaggressions.

Ryan C. Warner Ph.D., CRC is a licensed psychologist, researcher, speaker, and consultant. Dr. Warner has conducted talks and trainings at both national and international levels. Additionally, Dr. Warner has held leadership positions across the nation, has been published in various peer-review journals, and has served as a graduate-level instructor.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://www.rcwarnerconsulting.com/
8:34: Reference to “Unmasking Microaggressions in Clinical Practice” https://deploymentpsych.org/Microaggressions-Archive
22:00 LET UP Model https://cdn.ce21.com/documents/pkfz2numoeewujk0h_zdgg.pdf

Calls-to-action:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Provider self-care is an important and ethical responsibility for all providers. Our training as behavioral health providers does not render us immune from stress and even symptoms of mood or anxiety difficulties. Many of us found that some of the self-care behaviors we relied on prior to the COVID-19 pandemic were suddenly unavailable. What can be done? Consider creatively applying the advice we give to our clients to ourselves. Listen as Andy discusses with Dr Carin Lefkowitz practical adjustments we can make to our self-care routines in the current environment.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

13:50 : Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D. “Don’t Feel Motivated? Play the Impossible Game”: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/get-out-your-mind/201903/don-t-feel-motivated-play-the-impossible-game
18:40 : Guided meditation by Kristin Neff -- Self-compassion exercise for therapists : https://self-compassion.org/guided-self-compassion-meditations-mp3-2/
28:55 : Self-care for Practitioners free e-booklet by New Harbinger : https://www.newharbinger.com/blog/professional/a-guide-to-self-care-for-practitioners-a-free-e-booklet/

Calls-to-action:

Choose one or two self-care behaviors you can prioritize for self-care

Try the Impossible Game to enhance your motivation

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Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Robyn Walser for a rich discussion on how clinicians can get better at conceptualizing cases on the fly. We talk about moving from technical to functional, from fidelity to competence, the importance of contextual factors, and most importantly, balancing the need to be present with our clients with our hearts as well as our heads. Come hear Dr. Walser’s actionable intel about improving case conceptualization through understanding the purpose of behavior (the clients and ours), the client’s desired trajectory and the importance of understanding the psychological inflexibility processes that keep clients stuck.

Robyn D. Walser, PhD, is a psychologist and Staff, National Center for PTSD, Dissemination and Training Division, at the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System.

Dr. Walser is currently developing innovative ways to translate science-into-practice and is responsible for the dissemination of state-of-the-art knowledge and treatment interventions in her position at the VA. She is an expert in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and has been doing ACT trainings both nationally and internationally since 1998. Dr. Walser is also involved in several research projects investigating use of mindfulness and ACT in Veteran populations.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

(33:25) contextualscience.org (ABCS) “case conceptualization” https://contextualscience.org/search/node/case%20conceptualization
The Heart of Act: https://contextualscience.org/publications/the_heart_of_act_developing_a_flexible_processbased_and_clientcentered_prac

Calls-to-action: For example:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Physical pain can be tough to address when it is a focus of psychotherapy, and it can be even tougher when it “shows up” unexpectedly like an unwanted guest. In this podcast, our colleague Dr. Sharon Birman shares some practical, evidence-based tips for responding to comorbid physical pain during the course of therapy for other presenting issues. Dr. Birman’s take-home message… don’t be afraid to engage with chronic pain!

Sharon Birman, Psy.D., is a Military Behavioral Health Psychologist working with the Military Training Programs at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. In this capacity, she develops and presents training on a variety of EBPs and deployment-related topics, as well as providing consultation services. She has traveled widely across the United States and OCONUS providing continuing education to civilian and military behavioral health providers teaching a variety of courses including Cognitive Therapy for Suicide Prevention, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain, Assessment and Management of Opioids in Military-Connected Populations, Assessment of PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, Military Sexual Assault and Military Family Resilience.

She joined the CDP in 2014 after completing her postdoctoral fellowship at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where she was actively involved in CBT and DBT intervention, supervision, and education. She completed her predoctoral internship at Didi Hirsch Mental Health Center, focusing her training on suicide prevention and evidence-based interventions for the treatment of individuals with severe, chronic mental illness. Dr. Birman received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Southern California and her master’s and doctorate degrees in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://www.va.gov/painmanagement/docs/cbt-cp_therapist_manual.pdf [20:22]
https://www.va.gov/painmanagement/ [20:30]
https://www.abct.org/Information/?m=mInformation&fa=fs_CHRONIC_PAIN [21:03]

Calls-to-action:

Attend an upcoming CDP training on Understanding and Treating Chronic Pain https://deploymentpsych.org/training
Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast
Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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The recent events in Afghanistan have left many military-connected clients (and providers!) reeling, creating a sense of anxiety in clinics about how to best provide support. In this episode we bring lead EBP consultants from VA and DoD together to talk about the importance of examining our own reactions, making room for our client’s grief, anger and other emotions and how to be fully present in the room as our clients struggle to (re)create balance and meaning. We explore how validation serves as the essential substrate across EBP’s, as well as ways providers can support clients to examine values and move with intention through these historical events. Don’t miss this special episode as your colleagues discuss “doom scrolling,” the “EBP police” and much more!

Sonya Norman, Ph.D. is Director of the PTSD Consultation Program through the Executive Branch of the National Center for PTSD, an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), and in the Psychotherapy Unit of the VA Center of Excellence for Stress and Mental Health. She earned her doctorate in Counseling Psychology at Stanford University and completed trauma-focused postdoctoral research fellowships at UCSD. Dr. Norman previously directed the San Diego VA's OEF/OIF/OND PTSD clinic and has served as a consultant on the VA's prolonged exposure therapy roll-out. Dr. Norman's primary areas of research are in psychotherapies that treat co-occurring PTSD and substance use disorders and in treating PTSD in recently deployed Veterans. Dr. Norman has over 50 publications related to trauma and PTSD.

Kelly Chrestman, Ph.D., is a Senior Military Behavioral Health Psychologist at the Center for Deployment Psychology. She provides training, support, and consultation in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and in the Assessment and Treatment of PTSD. She works with the team at CDP to find new and better ways to link clinicians with both traditional and innovative resources that will help them implement EBPs more effectively. This includes leveraging computer technology and virtual assets to reach professionals that might otherwise have difficulty accessing high-quality training and consultation.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

32:20 Apps mentioned Covid coach, mindfulness coach, ptsd coach: https://mobile.va.gov/appstore/mental-health
32:45 VA NCPTSD website
- For Veterans: https://blogs.va.gov/VAntage/category/afghanistan-series/
- For Providers: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/specific/pro_guide_veterans_reactions.asp
- 33:20 Vet Center Groups and other resources - https://www.va.gov/VE/pressreleases/2021081801.asp

Calls-to-action:

Check out the links to the resources mentioned in this episode to include mobile apps, blogs for veterans and providers, and ways to find Veteran social support groups to supplement your support (see resources above)
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Subscribe to The Center for Deployment Psychology Monthly Email

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Masks, social distancing and hand sanitizer oh my! This week we are joined by Dr. Kelly Chrestman, one of CDP’s Prolonged Exposure mavens, to talk about practical tips for doing in vivo work during the pandemic. We dig into how assigning in vivo items may or may not have changed in the midst of the pandemic and creative ways to maintain momentum. Not doing PE? There is still actionable intel for you on how to collaborate with clients to get them engaged in meaningful activities despite all the barriers of COVID. This is the time to flex new muscles and think outside the box with us as we talk about doing PE (via telehealth) during the pandemic.

Bios for your guests

Kelly Chrestman, Ph.D., is a Senior Military Behavioral Health Psychologist at the Center for Deployment Psychology. She provides training, support, and consultation in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and in the Assessment and Treatment of PTSD.

She works with the team at CDP to find new and better ways to link clinicians with both traditional and innovative resources that will help them implement EBPs more effectively. This includes leveraging computer technology and virtual assets to reach professionals that might otherwise have difficulty accessing high-quality training and consultation.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

https://deploymentpsych.org/system/files/member_resource/In_Vivo_Exposure_While_Sheltering_Final_0.pdf [13:22 ]
https://deploymentpsych.org/system/files/member_resource/Patient_telehealth_checklist_0.pdf and https://deploymentpsych.org/system/files/member_resource/Moving_PE_to_Telehealth_FINAL_0.pdf [21:56 starts to talk about the forms or 23:08 is where she literally says to add the link]
[https://deploymentpsych.org/resources/consultation-services [26:09]

Calls-to-action:

Subscribe to the Practical for Your Practice Podcast

Check out CDP’s COVID-19 Behavioral Health Resources page: https://deploymentpsych.org/covid19-bhresources#NEWBHSD

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All of us have been to multiple day workshops to learn new clinical skills. Although we might leave with some enthusiasm, new skills, and new information, that doesn’t always mean that we are proficient in applying new learning. In this podcast, Drs. Holloway and Santanello chat about some of the strategies that they have used as EBP practitioners to improve their skills.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

7:30 Chow, D. L., Miller, S. D., Seidel, J. A., Kane, R. T., Thornton, J. A., & Andrews, W. P. (2015). The role of deliberate practice in development of highly effective psychotherapists. Psychotherapy, 52(3), 337-345.
15:42 (16:58) The first 20 hours - How to Learn Anything, Josh Kaufman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MgBikgcWnY

Calls-to-action: For example:

Seek out opportunities for consultation (e.g. colleagues, practice groups, consultation calls)
Carve out protected time in your weekly schedule to focus intentionally to practice/develop skills
Be honest with yourself about what you’re good at and what you need to improve using criteria other than your own confidence in your skills (e.g. self-rating competence forms, fidelity forms)
Contact info for Andy and Kevin: andrew.santanello.ctr@usuhs.edu / kevin.holloway.ctr@usuhs.edu

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Three clinical psychologists and trainers from the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University (USU) come together to talk about the good, the bad, and the ugly of actually implementing Evidence-Based Psychotherapies (EBPs). Practical for your Practice is a bi-weekly podcast featuring stories, ideas, support, and actionable intel to empower providers to keep working toward implementing EBPs with fidelity and effectiveness. In this first episode your hosts Drs. Jenna Ermold, Kevin Holloway, and Andy Santenello share the who, what, where, and why behind this podcast and more importantly how these conversations between colleagues can enhance the work you do.

This podcast is produced by the Center for Deployment Psychology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. The views expressed are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Uniformed Services University, the Department of Defense, or the US Government. In addition, reference to any specific company, products, processes, or services does not necessarily constitute or imply endorsement by the Uniformed Services University, the Department of Defense, or the US Government.

Bios:

Jenna Ermold, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist and working as Assistant Director, Training and Education at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU). She is a trainer and subject matter expert in PTSD, Prolonged Exposure therapy for PTSD, military culture, and the innovative application of technology for augmenting training and dissemination. Dr. Ermold received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Vermont, completed her doctoral internship at Malcolm Grow Medical Center, Andrews AFB, and is a Veteran of the United States Air Force.

Andy Santanello, Psy.D. is a clinical psychologist by training and is currently a senior military behavioral health psychologist at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Dr. Santanello is a PTSD, Mindfulness, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy subject matter expert at CDP. In addition to training other clinicians in evidence-based psychotherapeutic protocols and processes, he is passionate about developing new and innovative ways to use technology in training and providing mental health services.

Kevin M. Holloway, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist working as Director, Training, and Education at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) and Assistant Professor of Medical and Clinical Psychology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. He is a trainer and subject matter expert in PTSD, Prolonged Exposure therapy for PTSD, Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy, and the innovative application of technology for augmenting training and dissemination. Dr. Holloway received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Brigham Young University in 2004 and completed his doctoral internship at the Portland, Oregon Veterans Administration hospital.

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The Center for Deployment Psychology