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Digital Seminar
Real-World Therapy in Action

Real-World Therapy in Action

Standard - $69.99 $37.09 Anniversary Sale 2026 - 47% off!

This dynamic session explores how cultural pressures, social media, and self-diagnosis shape clients’ expectations and anxiety in therapy. Through interactive reflection, role plays, and practical tools, you’ll learn how to unmask identity struggles, address misinformation, and guide clients toward authentic self-understanding.

You'll learn:

  • Client misconceptions from self-diagnosis, social comparison, and cultural pressure. 
  • Practical strategies to gently confront unrealistic therapy expectations while maintaining rapport. 
  • Integrate cultural, generational, and media literacy perspectives into treatment to deepen insight and engagement. 

Here's What You'll Learn


Introduction & Framing   

  • Opening reflection: the cultural drive toward toxic productivity and constant striving 
  • Quick interactive poll: “What unrealistic expectations of therapy have you heard from clients?” 
  • Set the stage: differences between therapy and coaching, what therapy can and cannot do 
  • Brief cultural lens: AI vs human therapist, calling out myths, stigma, and culturally shaped expectations of treatment 

Psychoeducation & Misinformation   

  • Facts vs. Myths about therapy, treatment outcomes, and “quick fixes” 
  • The problem with self-diagnosis: pre-packaged labels from influencers/social media 
  • Overuse of technology, constant comparison (“compare & despair”), and the role of imposter syndrome 

Unmasking & Identity Struggles  

  • Why “unmasking” is terrifying: the facades people put forward to meet unrealistic expectations 
  • Striving and busyness as avoidance of self-reflection 
  • The hidden cost: loss of personal awareness and self-understanding 

Interactive Learning   

  • Role Play Sequence: 
    • Therapist-client dynamic addressing self-diagnosis 
    • Overfunctioning and avoidance of self-awareness 
    • Imposter syndrome and compare/contrast spirals 
  • After each role play: ask guiding questions, encourage reflection, highlight clinical takeaways 
  • Video Clips (1 & 2): examples of client misconceptions and therapeutic correction  

Practical Applications  

  • Tools for teaching critical thinking skills as part of psychoeducation 
  • Strategies to gently confront unrealistic expectations of therapy 
  • Integrating cultural and generational considerations into treatment 
  • Using humor, metaphors (e.g., “apple cider vinegar cures”), and media literacy to build rapport and insight 

Q&A: “What strategies resonate most with your clinical work?” 

Everything You're Getting


  • More than 1 hour of video content
  • Up to 1.5 CE credits
  • Certificate of completion
  • Handouts and resources

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Real-World Therapy in Action
Digital Seminar
$37.09
$69.99

Meet Your Experts


Janine E. Oliver, PhD, MSW, LCSW, RYI200, CH, CCATP

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Janine Oliver, PhD, MSW, LCSW, RYI200, CH, CCATP, is a psychologist, author, and licensed clinical social worker with over 20 years’ experience counseling in the mental health field. She has researched social media and reality television’s impact on critical thinking for over 10 years and has been studying generational changes for two decades. Her specific area of research focused on how these mediums, reality TV & social media, have impacted critical thinking ability in America.

Dr. Oliver is trained in cognitive psychology and uses cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy and logotherapy as primary interventions in treatment to help with grief, loss, anxiety and depression. Dr. Oliver is a certified yoga instructor, acknowledging the connection between body, mind and spirit as a holistic approach to overall health and well-being. She is also a certified hypnotherapist, meditation instructor and EFT practitioner; using these modalities to focus on the subconscious and emotion centers as a means of treating a variety of issues, such as habits, phobias, inner child work, pain and regression. In addition, Dr. Oliver is a certified clinical anxiety treatment professional, using the most current interventions to treat anxiety and enhance the lives of those suffering with crippling anxiety to lead healthy active lives. She is a psychology professor and presenter for continuing education credits for mental health professionals.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Janine Oliver has employment relationships with Estadt Psychological and Delaware Country Community College. She receives compensation as a yoga and certified hypnosis instructor. Dr. Oliver receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Janine Oliver has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Sharon Saline, PsyD, ADHD-CCSP

Toggle speaker biography
Sharon Saline, PsyD, ADHD-CCSP, clinical psychologist and author of the award-winning book, What Your ADHD Child Wishes You Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids for Success in School and Life and The ADHD Solution Deck, specializes in working with children, teens, and families living with ADHD, learning disabilities, twice exceptionality and mental health issues.

With decades of experience as a clinical psychologist, educator and consultant, she guides people towards a greater understanding about neurodivergence and to live with more productivity and connection. She lectures and facilitates workshops internationally on topics such as ADHD ad neurodivergence, executive functioning, the anxiety spectrum, motivation, perfectionism and working with different kinds of learners.

Dr. Saline is on the advisory panel, serves as a contributing editor at ADDitudemag.com and hosts their monthly Solve My Problem live webinar sessions. She is an instructor in the department of psychiatry, University of Massachusetts-Baystate, T.H. Chan School of Medicine, Springfield, MA. She also blogs for PsychologyToday.com, appears as a featured expert on MASS Appeal on WWLP-TV and is a part-time lecturer at the Smith School for Social Work. She has been featured in numerous online and print publications including The New York Times, MSN, The Washington Post, The Psychotherapy Networker, Smith College Studies in Social Work, Attention Magazine, Attitude Magazine and more.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Sharon Saline maintains a private practice and has employment relationships with Smith College School for Social Work and Additudemag.com. . She receives royalties as a published author. She 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: Dr. Sharon Saline is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Massachusetts Psychological Association, the Children and Adults with ADHD, and the Attention Deficit Disorder Association.

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Media Type:
Digital Seminar
Product Code:
POS150548
Duration:
1 hour, 31 minutes
Copyright:
Feb 26, 2026
Closed Captions:
Available
Format:
Audio and Video

ADA Needs


We would be happy to accommodate your ADA needs; please call our Customer Service Department for more information at 1-800-844-8260.

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