Healing in Anxious Times

Richard Schwartz, PhD began his career as a family therapist and an academic at the University of Illinois at Chicago. There he discovered that family therapy alone did not achieve full symptom relief, and in asking patients why, he learned that they were plagued by what they called "parts." These patients became his teachers as they described how their parts formed networks of inner relationship that resembled the families he had been working with. He also found that as they focused on and, thereby, separated from their parts, they would shift into a state characterized by qualities like curiosity, calm, confidence and compassion. He called that inner essence the Self and was amazed to find it even in severely diagnosed and traumatized patients. From these explorations, the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model was born in the early 1980s.

IFS is now evidence-based and has become a widely-used form of psychotherapy, particularly with trauma. It provides a non-pathologizing, optimistic, and empowering perspective and a practical and effective set of techniques for working with individuals, couples, families, and more recently, corporations and classrooms.

In 2013, Schwartz left the Chicago area and now lives in Brookline, MA where he is on the faculty of the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Richard Schwartz is the Founder and President of the IFS Institute and maintains a private practice. He is a consultant with Portage-Cragin Mental Health and has a employment relationship with Harvard Medical School. He receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Schwartz receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Richard Schwartz is a fellow of Meadows Behavioral Healthcare and is a member of the American Family Therapy Academy and the American Association for Marital and Family Therapy. He is a contributing editor for Family Therapy Networker. Dr. Schwartz serves on the editorial boards for the Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, the Contemporary Family Therapy, the Journal of Family Psychotherapy, and the Family Therapy Collections.

Deb Dana, LCSW, is a clinician and consultant specializing in using the lens of Polyvagal Theory to understand and resolve the impact of trauma and create ways of working that honor the role of the autonomic nervous system. She developed the Rhythm of Regulation Clinical Training Series and lectures internationally on ways Polyvagal Theory informs clinical work. She is a founding member of the Polyvagal Institute, clinical advisor at Khiron Clinics, and an advisor to Unyte.

Deb is the author of The Polyvagal Theory in Therapy: Engaging the Rhythm of Regulation (Norton, 2018), Polyvagal Exercises for Safety and Connection: 50 Client Centered Practices (Norton, 2020), Befriending Your Nervous System (Sounds True, 2020), Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory (forthcoming from Sounds True), co-editor of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies (Norton, 2018), and creator of the Polyvagal Flip Chart (Norton, 2020).

To learn more, visit rhythmofregulation.com or polyvagalinstitute.org.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Deborah Dana maintains a private practice and is an advisor with Unyte/iLS. She receives compensation as a International and Keynote speaker and royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. All relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations have been mitigated.
Non-financial: Deborah Dana has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Seth J. Gillihan, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and creator of the Think Act Be online school. He specializes in evidence-based mindful CBT for depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, stress, and insomnia. Seth is a certified therapist and supervisor in Prolonged Exposure therapy for PTSD and a Fellow of the Center for Neuroscience and Society at the University of Pennsylvania. He served on the faculty of the world-renowned Center for Treatment and Study of Anxiety as well as the department of psychiatry, and he also taught full time in the psychology department at Haverford College.

Seth is also best-selling author of several books, including Mindful Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: A Simple Path to Healing, Hope, and Peace (forthcoming); The CBT Deck; The CBT Deck for Anxiety, Rumination, & Worry; The CBT Deck for Kids & Teens (co-author); The CBT Flip Chart; A Mindful Year (co-author). Seth has also co-authored over 40 book chapters and peer-reviewed research articles, and he has presented his research nationally and internationally.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Seth Gillihan maintains a private practice and is a consultant with Bloom Self-Therapy app, Waking Up app, and Everyday Health. He is the host of Think Act Be podcast and receives royalties as a published author. Seth Gillihan receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Seth Gillihan is a member of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies and the International OCD Foundation.

Julie Schwartz Gottman, Ph.D., is the co-founder and President of The Gottman Institute, and Clinical Supervisor for the Couples Together Against Violence study. A highly respected clinical psychologist, she is sought internationally by media and organizations as an expert advisor on marriage, sexual harassment and rape, domestic violence, gay and lesbian adoption, same-sex marriage, and parenting issues. Creator of the immensely popular The Art and Science of Love weekend workshops for couples, she also designed and leads the national certification program in Gottman Method Couples Therapy for clinicians. Her other achievements include: Washington State Psychologist of the Year; Author/co-author of five books, including, Ten Lessons to Transform Your Marriage, And Baby Makes Three, The Marriage Clinical Casebook, 10 Principles for Doing Effective Couples Therapy, and The Man’s Guide to Women; Wide recognition for her clinical psychotherapy treatment, with specialization in distressed couples, abuse and trauma survivors, substance abusers and their partners, and cancer patients and their families.

Inspiring, empowering, respectful, and kind, Julie’s leadership of The Gottman Institute has made it possible to identify and integrate the expertise of her staff, therapists, and the wider research and therapeutic community. Her commitment to excellence and integrity assures that as The Gottman Institute grows, it continues to maintain the highest ethical and scientific standards.

She is in private practice in the Seattle area, providing intensive marathon therapy sessions for couples. She specializes in working with distressed couples, abuse and trauma survivors, those with substance abuse problems and their partners, as well as cancer patients and their families.

Drs. John and Julie Gottman currently live on Orcas Island, near Seattle, Washington. They conduct weekly and intensive couples therapy sessions, provide small group retreats, teach workshops and clinical trainings, and give keynote presentations around the world.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman is the co-founder of the Gottman Institute and Affective Software, Inc. She is the clinical director of The Relationship Research Institute, and she maintains a private practice. Dr. Schwartz Gottman is the owner of Gottman Couples' Retreat. She receives compensation as an international speaker. She is a published author and receives royalties, and she receives a speaking honorarium, recording royalties, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman is a member of the American Psychological Association.

Lynn Lyons, LICSW, is an internationally-recognized psychotherapist, author, and speaker with a special interest in interrupting the generational patterns of anxiety in families.

She is the author of several books and articles, including (with Reid Wilson) Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents and the companion book for kids Playing with Anxiety: Casey's Guide for Teens and Kids. She is the co-host of the popular podcast Flusterclux and has several online programs for professionals, parents, and children.

She maintains a private practice in Concord, New Hampshire where she sees families whenever she's not on the road teaching.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Lynn Lyons maintains a private practice and receives royalties as a published author. She receives compensation as an international presenter. Lynn Lyons receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Lynn Lyons has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Bessel A. van der Kolk, MD, is a clinician, researcher and teacher in the area of post-traumatic stress. His work integrates developmental, neurobiological, psychodynamic and interpersonal aspects of the impact of trauma and its treatment.

Dr. van der Kolk and his various collaborators have published extensively on the impact of trauma on development, such as dissociative problems, borderline personality and self-mutilation, cognitive development, memory, and the psychobiology of trauma. He has published over 150 peer-reviewed scientific articles on such diverse topics as neuroimaging, self-injury, memory, neurofeedback, Developmental Trauma, yoga, theater, and EMDR. 

He is founder of the Trauma Center in Brookline, Massachusetts and President of the Trauma Research Foundation, which promotes clinical, scientific, and educational projects. 

His 2014 #1 New York Times best seller, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Treatment of Trauma, transforms our understanding of traumatic stress, revealing how it literally rearranges the brain’s wiring – specifically areas dedicated to pleasure, engagement, control, and trust. He shows how these areas can be reactivated through innovative treatments including neurofeedback, somatically based therapies, EMDR, psychodrama, play, yoga, and other therapies.

Dr. van der Kolk is the past president of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and professor of psychiatry at Boston University Medical School. He regularly teaches at conferences, universities, and hospitals around the world.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Bessel van der Kolk is a professor at Boston University School of Medicine, the Director of the Trauma Center, and the National Complex Trauma Network. He receives royalties as a published author. Dr. van der Kolk receives a speaking honorarium, recording royalties, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Bessel van der Kolk has no relevant non-financial relationships with ineligible organizations.

Deany Laliotis, LICSW, is a world-renowned trainer, consultant, and clinician in EMDR therapy. She's authored several book chapters and articles on EMDR therapy and is the Founder and Director for The Center for Excellence in EMDR Therapy, Inc., in Washington, DC.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Deany Laliotis is the founder and director of The Center for Excellence in EMDR Therapy, Inc. and maintains a private practice. She is an EMDR trainer and consultant and receives compensation. She receives royalties as a published author, and she receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Deany Laliotis is a member of the DC Metro Area Society of Clinical Social Work; the Trauma Recovery, EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Programs; the EMDR International Association; and the National Association of Social Workers (NASW).

Jonah Paquette, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist, speaker and author. He is the author of Real Happiness (PESI Publishing, 2015), a research-based self-help book in which he distills the key findings in the fields of happiness and offers user-friendly tools to achieve lasting well-being. His second book, The Happiness Toolbox (PESI Publishing, 2018), offers readers an array of easy-to-use handouts and exercises designed to enhance happiness in a lasting way. His latest book, Awestruck, explores the psychological and health benefits of awe and wonder.

Jonah is also the assistant regional training director for Kaiser Permanente in Northern California, where he helps to manage a large mental health training program spanning over 20 medical centers. In addition to his clinical work and writing, Jonah offers training and consultation to therapists and organizations on the promotion of well-being and regularly conducts professional workshops around the country. He is also a frequent media contributor, having been featured in print, online, and radio outlets. He has a passion for imparting the key findings related to happiness and wellbeing with a broader audience, and he is honored to share these with you.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Jonah Paquette has an employment relationship with The Clinic and receives compensation as a consultant and trainer. He receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Paquette receives a speaking honorarium, recording royalties, and book royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Jonah Paquette is a member of the American Psychological Association, the California Psychological Association, and the Marin County Psychological Association.

Gabor Maté, MD (pronounced GAH-bor MAH-tay) is a retired physician who, after 20 years of family practice and palliative care experience, worked for over a decade in Vancouver’s Downtown East Side with patients challenged by drug addiction and mental illness. The bestselling author of five books published in nearly 40 languages, including the award-winning In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction, Gabor is an internationally renowned speaker highly sought after for his expertise on addiction, trauma, childhood development, and the relationship of stress and illness. For his groundbreaking medical work and writing he has been awarded the Order of Canada, his country’s highest civilian distinction, and the Civic Merit Award from his hometown, Vancouver. His most recent book, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture is a New York Times and international bestseller. 

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Gabor Maté receives compensation as a presenter. He receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Maté receives a speaking honorarium and recording and book royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Gabor Maté has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Christopher Willard, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist, author and consultant based in Massachusetts. He has spoken in over 31 countries and has presented at two TEDx events. He is the author of 20 books, including Alphabreaths (2019), Growing Up Mindful (2016). and Feelings are Like Farts (2024). His thoughts on mental health have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, mindful.org, cnn.com, and elsewhere. He teaches at Harvard Medical School.
 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Christopher Willard maintains a private practice, receives compensation as a consultant and has employment relationships with Harvard Medical School, Cambridge Health Alliance, and the Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy. He receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Willard receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Christopher Willard is the president and board member of the Mindfulness In Education Network. He is on the advisory boards of Mindfulness First and Peace in Schools. Dr. Willard is a member of Institute for Meditation and Psychotherapy.

Peter A. Levine, PhD, holds doctorates in both medical biophysics and psychology. The developer of Somatic Experiencing®, a body-awareness approach to healing trauma, and founder of the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, which conducts trainings in this work throughout the world and in various indigenous cultures, with 26 faculty members and over five thousand students. Dr. Levine was a stress consultant for NASA on the development of the space shuttle project and was a member of the Institute of World Affairs Task Force of Psychologists for Social Responsibility in developing responses to large-scale disasters and ethnopolitical warfare. Levine’s international best seller, Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma, has been translated into 22 languages. His recent interests include the prevention of trauma in children, and he has co-written two books, with Maggie Kline, in the area: Trauma Through a Child’s Eyes and Trauma-Proofing Your Kids. His most recent book: Trauma and Memory: Brain and Body in a Search for the Living Past, was recently released to rave reviews. Levine’s original contribution to the field of body psychotherapy was honored in 2010 when he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the United States Association for Body Psychotherapy (USABP). Levine was also honored as the recipient of the 2020 Psychotherapy Networker Lifetime Achievement Award.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Peter Levine is the founder and president of the Ergos Institute of Somatic Education, the president and editorial director of Ergos Institute Press, and receives a consulting fee from the Meadows Addiction Center. He receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Levine receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Peter Levine is a senior clinical fellow and advisor to the Meadows Addiction Treatment Center. He is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Humanistic Psychological Association, and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

David D. Burns, MD, is an emeritus adjunct clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine. His best-selling books, Feeling Good and the Feeling Good Handbook, have sold over five million copies worldwide. His latest book, Feeling Great, is now available on Amazon.com.

Although he was a pioneer in the development of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), in the past 10 years he has created a more powerful approach called TEAM-CBT. Individuals who attend this workshop will be eligible for Level 1 TEAM certification by the Feeling Good Institute in Mt. View, California.

More than 50,000 therapists have attended his training programs over the past 35 years. His website, www.feelinggood.com, offers many free resources for therapists and clients alike, including his tremendously popular Feeling Good Podcast.

 

Speaker Disclosures:

Financial: David Burns receives royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: David Burns has no relevant non-financial relationship to disclose.