Youth Mental Health Specialist Certification Training

Stephen W. Porges, PhD, is a distinguished University Scientist at Indiana University, where he is the founding director of the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium within the Kinsey Institute. He holds the position of Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina and Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland, and is a founder of the Polyvagal Institute. Dr. Porges served as president of both the Society for Psychophysiological Research and the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences and is a former recipient of a National Institute of Mental Health Research Scientist Development Award. He has published approximately 400 peer-reviewed scientific papers across several disciplines including anesthesiology, biomedical engineering, critical care medicine, ergonomics, exercise physiology, gerontology, neurology, neuroscience, obstetrics, pediatrics, psychiatry, psychology, psychometrics, space medicine, and substance abuse. His research has been cited in more than 50,000 peer-review publications. In 1994, Dr. Porges proposed the Polyvagal Theory, a theory that links the evolution of the mammalian autonomic nervous system to social behavior and emphasizes the importance of physiological state in the expression of behavioral problems and psychiatric disorders. The theory is leading to innovative treatments based on insights into the mechanisms mediating symptoms observed in several behavioral, psychiatric, and physical disorders.

He is the author of The Polyvagal Theory: Neurophysiological foundations of Emotions, Attachment, Communication, and Self-Regulation (Norton, 2011), The Pocket Guide to the Polyvagal Theory: The Transformative Power of Feeling Safe (Norton, 2017), Polyvagal Safety (Norton, 2021), co-author with Seth Porges of Our Body Polyvagal World (Norton, 2023), and co-editor with Deb Dana of Clinical Applications of the Polyvagal Theory: The Emergence of Polyvagal-Informed Therapies (Norton, 2018). Dr. Porges is also the creator of a music-based intervention, the Safe and Sound Protocol™, which currently is used by approximately 3,000 therapists to improve spontaneous social engagement, to reduce hearing sensitivities, and to improve language processing, state regulation, and spontaneous social engagement.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Stephen Porges is a Courtesy Professor with the University of Florida College of Medicine, a Distinguished University Scientist of Indiana University, and a Professor with the University of North Carolina. He receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Porges is co-owner of Polyvagal Music, LLC. He receives a speaking honorarium, book royalties, and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. He receives royalties and is a stockholder with integrated Learning Systems/Unyte.
Non-financial: Dr. Stephen Porges is an emeritus member of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Society for Psychophysiological Research. He holds a patent on Televagal equipment.

Mona M. Delahooke, PhD, is a clinical psychologist who’s worked with multi-disciplinary teams for over 30 years. A senior faculty member of the Profectum Foundation, she’s the author of the national bestseller Brain-Body Parenting, How to Stop Managing Behaviors and Start Raising Joyful, Resilient Kids,. and the award-winning Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children’s Behavioral Challenges.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Mona Delahooke maintains a private practice and has employment relationships with the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, Profectum Foundation. and Villa Esperanza Services. She receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Delahooke 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. Mona Delahooke is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Zero to Three Foundation, the Infant Development Association of California, and the Partnership for Awareness.

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.

Lisa Weed Phifer, DEd, NCSP, is a nationally certified school psychologist, certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist, and author who has a well-established career supporting school-based mental health and social emotional learning for children and adolescents. Phifer's work has focused on integrating cognitive-based therapy (CBT) and core social emotional competencies into practical, child-focused activities. She has presented across the U.S. and internationally to educators, clinicians, and parents on topics of CBT, trauma-informed practices, and social emotional learning. She is the lead author of the CBT Toolbox for Children & Adolescents (PESI, 2017), Parenting Toolbox (PESI, 2018 and the Trauma-Informed Social Emotional Toolbox for Children & Adolescents (PESI, 2020). Additionally, she is published in the School Mental Health Journal and contributed to both editions of Supporting and Educating Traumatized Children (Rossen, 2020).

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Lisa Weed Phifer receives royalties as a published author and has an employment relationship with Fairfax County Public Schools. 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. Lisa Weed Phifer has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Laura K. Sibbald, MA, CCC-SLP, ASDCS, CYMHS, is a nationally-certified speech-language pathologist who has extensive experience supporting the social-emotional and pragmatic language needs of students and families within the Washington, DC, metropolitan region. She works as an instructional specialist for students with autism in Prince George's County Public Schools, Maryland and has developed and implemented a variety of professional learning opportunities surrounding social-emotional competence at the state and national level.

Laura is a coauthor of the Trauma-Informed Social-Emotional Toolbox for Children & Adolescents: 116 Worksheets & Skill-Building Exercises to Support Safety, Connection & Empowerment (PESI, 2020) and the Parenting Toolbox: 125 Activities Therapies Use to Reduce Meltdowns, Increase Positive Behaviors & Manage Emotions (PESI, 2018). Both workbooks provide practical strategies that can easily transfer into clinical and educational professional practices. Most recently, Laura was a guest speaker and moderator at PESI's 2021 Autism Symposium, where she discussed Navigating Autism through a Trauma Informed Lens. Laura also had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Temple Grandin in the key note Different... Not Less. Laura was an expert panelist for the 2020 Parenting Autism Summit, sponsored by The Behavior Revolution, LLP., and is certified as an Autism Spectrum disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS). She is a member of the multicultural affairs committee of the Maryland Speech-Language and Hearing Association, focusing on the promotion of equity practices n diverse communicators. To further support growth and achievement of children with disabilities, Laura earned additional certifications as a Relationship Development Intervention (RDI) Certified Educator and in Educational Leadership and supervision. She graduated from The George Washington University in 2011 with a Master's in speech-language pathology.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Laura Sibbald is the founder and CEO of ND SLP Advocate, LLC., and has an employment relationship with Chestnut Hill College. She receives royalties as a published author. Laura Sibbald receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Laura Sibbald serves on the advisory board for Shrub Oak International School.

Dafna Lender, LCSW, is an international trainer and supervisor for practitioners who work with children and families. She is a certified trainer and supervisor/consultant in both Theraplay and Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) and an EMDR therapist. Dafna’s expertise is drawn from 25 years of working with families with attachment in many settings: at-risk after school programs, therapeutic foster care, in-home crisis stabilization, residential care and private practice. Dafna’s style, whether as a therapist or teacher, is combining the light-hearted with the profound by bringing a playful, intense and passionate presence to every encounter. Dafna is the author of Integrative Attachment Family Therapy (2023) and co-author of Theraplay® - The Practitioner’s Guide (2020).

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dafna Lender maintains a private practice. She is a published author and receives royalties. 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: Dafna Lender has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Ana M. Gómez, MC, LPC, is the founder and director of the AGATE Institute in Phoenix, AZ. She is a world-renowned expert on the treatment of complex trauma, intergenerational trauma and dissociation and the use of EMDR therapy and adjunct approaches with children and adolescents. She is a psychotherapist with over 25 years of clinical experience and an EMDR Trainer of Trainers. Ana has led workshops and keynote presentations in five continents and over 20 countries and is the author of EMDR Therapy and Adjunct Approaches with Children: Complex Trauma, Attachment and Dissociation and several children's books, book chapters and articles on the use of EMDR therapy, dissociation, emotional awareness and literacy.

Ana has developed numerous training programs and protocols that include the EMDR-Sandtray Protocol and The Systemic, EMDR-Attachment Informed Program to Heal Intergenerational Trauma & Repair the Parent-Child Attachment Bond.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Ana Gómez maintains a private practice, is the founder, trainer, and director of AGATE Institute, and is an EMDRIA approved consultant and training provider. She receives royalties as a published author. Ana Gómez receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Ana Gómez has no relevant non-financial relationships.

David Jobes, PhD, ABPP, is the developer of the Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS) treatment method. He began his career in 1987 in the counseling center of The Catholic University of America, where he developed a suicide risk assessment tool for college students that evolved into an evidence-based treatment, CAMS, recognized by The Joint Commission, Zero Suicide, and the CDC. A 2021 meta-analysis of 30 years of research shows that CAMS is a “well supported” intervention for reducing suicidal ideation per CDC criteria. Dr. Jobes is a professor of psychology and associate director of clinical training at CatholicU. He has published seven books and hundreds of journal articles and book chapters focused on suicide-care and has trained thousands of mental health professionals in the United States and abroad in evidence-based assessment and treatment of suicide risk and the use of CAMS.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. David Jobes maintains a private practice and has employment relationships with The Catholic University of America and Uniformed Services University. He is the President of the Board of Directors for Washington Psychological Center. He receives compensation as a consultant and receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Jobes is a stock owner of CAMS-care, LLC. He receives grants from A Four Pines Fund, The University of Washington, The National Institute of Mental Health, and Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. Dr. Jobes receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. David Jobes is an Ad hoc reviewer and editor for several peer review journals, for a complete list contact PESI, Inc. He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and a member of American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).

The late Carmen Jimenez-Pride, was the creative mind behind Focus on Feelings®, an emotional literacy curriculum, a licensed clinical social worker, registered play therapist supervisor, certified AutPlay® therapy provider, certified EMDR therapist, registered children’s yoga teacher, certified IFS therapist, and a certified LEGO® Serious Play® facilitator.

Carmen was a trauma therapist experienced in the clinical treatment of children, adolescents, and adults with culturally diverse backgrounds addressing a wide range of concerns. Carmen’s career in the mental health field spanned more than 15 years.

She was an international speaker, award-winning best-selling author, and business consultant. Carmen was a visionary in the therapeutic community, working to create and develop a wide range of educational tools to assist the clinician, and the client to reach optimum goals. With a focus on cultural humility and cultural diversity, Carmen educated clinical professionals to address racial and cultural trauma within their clinical practices.

Carmen served as the South Carolina Association for Play Therapy President and was the recipient of the 2021 Association for Play Therapy Emerging Leader Award. She also served as the diversity and inclusion director of the Internal Sandtray Therapy Association.

Carmen was the developer of Diversity in Play Therapy Inc.; and the Diversity in Play Therapy Summit. She was also the developer and publisher of Focus on Feelings®.
 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Carmen Jimenez-Pride had employment relationships with Internal Family Systems Institute and Outspoken Counseling and Consulting, LLC. She was a published author and receives royalties. She received a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She had no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Carmen Jimenez-Pride was a member of the National Association for Addiction Professionals, National Association of Social Workers, and Association for Play Therapy.

 

Ashley Rose, LCSW, LSSW, has over ten years of experience providing mental health services to children in a school-based setting, most recently as a school social worker for Metro Nashville Public Schools. Prior to that role, she served as a school-based therapist with Vanderbilt University’s community mental health program and as an in-home therapist who often met with clients at their schools. Ashley earned her Master’s degree in social work from Middle Tennessee State University while simultaneously developing professional trainings for Tennessee Department of Children’s Services through an assistantship program with The Tennessee Center for Child Welfare. Ashley also has 3 years of experience as an adoption specialist for high needs foster children through the Department of Social Services in South Carolina. Ashley currently resides in Nashville, providing full-time care for her young son and promotes social emotional learning and early literacy by selling children’s books with Usborne Books & More.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Ashley Rose receives recording royalties and a speaker honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Ashley Rose has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Nicholas Kardaras, PhD, LCSW-R, is a a best-selling author, internationally renowned speaker and an expert on mental health, addiction, and the impacts of our digital age. He has developed clinical treatment programs all over the country and is the founder and chief clinical officer of Maui Recovery in Hawaii, Omega Recovery in Austin, and the Launch House in New York.

 

Dr. Kardaras is a former clinical professor at Stony Brook Medicine where he specialized in teaching the neurophysiology and treatment of addiction. He has also taught neuropsychology at the doctoral-level and has worked closely in developing clinical protocols with Dr. Howard Shaffer, associate professor at Harvard Medical School and the director of their Division of Addiction.

 

Dr. Kardaras is the best-selling author of Glow Kids (St. Martin’s Press, 2016), has written for TIME magazine, Scientific American, Psychology Today, Salon, the NY Daily News, and Fox News, and has appeared on ABC’s 20/20, Good Morning America, the CBS Evening News, Fox & Friends, NPR, Good Day New York and in New York magazine and Vanity Fair. He was featured on the 2019 A&E TV Series Digital Addiction and his 2016 NY Post Op Ed “Digital Heroin” went viral with over six million views and shares.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Nicholas Kardaras is the CEO and Chief Clinical Officer of Omega Healthcare Group, and he is the founder of The National Institute for Digital Health and Wellness and the Austin Serenity Recovery Homes. He has an employment relationship with Stony Brook School of Social Welfare and maintains a private practice. Dr. Kardaras receives royalties as a published author. He receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Nicholas Kardaras has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Varleisha D. Lyons (formerly Gibbs), PhD, OTD, OTR/L, ASDCS, is an occupational therapist and author with over 20 years of experience working with children and adolescents diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, sensory processing disorders and neurological disorders. She developed and founded Delaware’s first occupational therapy program and became the first black indigenous American woman to serve as the Scientific Programs Officer at the American Occupational Therapy Foundation. 

Varleisha continues to lecture and provides training on sensory processing strategies and self-regulation to practitioners, parents, and teachers throughout the country and internationally. As co-author of Raising Kids with Sensory Processing Disorders, she has provided families with strategies to understand and care for their children. Dr. Lyons is the developer of the Self-Regulation and Mindfulness program and author of the best-selling book, Self-Regulation and Mindfulness: Exercises and Worksheets for Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder (PESI Publishing & Media). She is the co-author of Trauma Treatment in ACTION: Over 85 Activities to Move Clients Toward Healing, Growth and Improved Functioning (PESI Publishing & Media). Her areas of expertise include neuroanatomy, self-regulation strategies across the lifespan, health inequities, and trauma responsive approaches.

Disclaimer: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this presentation belong solely to the author, and not necessarily to the author's employer, organization, committee or other group or individual. Varleisha D. Lyons PhD, OTR/L is employed by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). This work is independent of her role and not affiliated with AOTA, Inc.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Varleisha Lyons maintains a private practice and is the founder and CEO of Wasut Sanctuary & Education, LLC. She receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Lyons receives a speaking honorarium, recording and book royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Varleisha Lyons is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the National Black Occupational Therapy Caucus. She serves as a board member of the National Association for Hearing and Speech Action.

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.

Stephanie Moulton Sarkis, PhD, NCC, DCMHS, LMHC, is a renowned therapist and leading expert on gaslighting. With over two decades of experience as a clinician, author, and speaker, Dr. Sarkis has become a trusted voice in the fight against gaslighting and related forms of psychological manipulation. Her groundbreaking book, Gaslighting: Recognize Manipulative and Emotionally Abusive People – and Break Free, has become a must-read for anyone seeking to understand the devastating impact of gaslighting and how to heal from its side effects. She was named a Diplomate and Clinical Mental Health Specialist in Child and Adolescent Counseling by the American Mental Health Counselors Association, one of only 20 professionals in the United States with this dual designation. Dr. Sarkis is also a national certified counselor, licensed mental health counselor, and a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family and Circuit Mediator. She has been in private practice for over 20 years. Dr. Sarkis is a senior contributor for Forbes online and is also a contributor to Psychology Today. Her Psychology Today posts have been viewed over 70 million times. Her Psychology Today article “11 Red Flags of Gaslighting in a Relationship” went viral, with over 15 million views. She has taught the graduate-level classes Diagnosis and Assessment of Mental Health Disorders in addition to Law and Ethics of Counseling at the University of Florida and Florida Atlantic University. Dr. Sarkis earned a PhD, EdS, and MEd in Mental Health Counseling from the University of Florida, named by US News and World Report as the top counselor education program in the country. Dr. Sarkis has appeared on CNN, 10% Happier with Dan Harris, Sirius XM Doctor Radio, ABC (US), ABC (Australia), in USA Today, The Washington Post, Newsweek, and many more media outlets. Her research on comorbid ADHD and its impact on pediatric executive function was published in the Journal of Attention Disorders. She hosts the Talking Brains podcast and is based in Tampa, Florida. Her latest book Healing from Toxic Relationships is available now. Visit her Website at www.stephaniesarkis.com.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Stephanie Moulton Sarkis maintains a private practice. She serves as a contributor to Forbes, The Huffington Post, and Psychology Today and is an advisory panel member for Evergreen Certifications. Dr. Sarkis is a facilitator for Collaborative Divorce. She receives royalties as a published author. She receives a speaking honorarium, recording, and book royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Stephanie Moulton Sarkis is a professional expert for Understood.org, part of the National Center for Learning Disabilities. She is a member of the Attention Deficit Disorder Association, American Mental Health Counselors Association, Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder, and the National Board for Certified Counselors.

Peg Dawson, EdD, NCSP, is a school psychologist and for over 20 years has worked at the Center for Learning and Attention Disorders in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, where she specializes in the assessment of children and adults with learning and attention disorders. She is co-author of the best-selling books on executive dysfunction, Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents: 2nd Edition (Guilford, 2010), Smart but Scattered (Guilford, 2009) and Smart but Scattered Teens (Guilford, 2013).

Peg is a past editor of Communiqué, the newsletter of the National Association of School Psychologists, and has published numerous articles and book chapters on a variety of topics, including retention, ability grouping, reading disorders, attention disorders, the sleep problems of adolescents, the use of interviews in the assessment process and homework.

Peg has many years of organizational experience at the state, national and international levels and served in many capacities, including president of the New Hampshire Association of School Psychologists, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and the International School Psychology Association. She has also participated in many of NASP’s leadership initiatives, including the Futures Conference and the development of both the second and third Blueprint for the Training and Practice of School Psychology. She is the 2006 recipient of NASP’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Peg received her doctorate in school/child psychology from the University of Virginia.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Margaret (Peg) Dawson receives a speaking honorarium, book royalties, and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. Peg Dawson is a published author and receives royalties. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Margaret (Peg) Dawson has no relevant non-financial relationships.

Dr. Dan Siegel is the founder and director of education of the Mindsight Institute and founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA, where he was also co-principal investigator of the Center for Culture, Brain and Development and clinical professor of psychiatry at The School of Medicine.

An award-winning educator, Dan is the author of five New York Times bestsellers and over fifteen other books which have been translated into over forty languages. As the founding editor of the Norton Professional Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology (“IPNB”), Dan has overseen the publication of over one hundred books in the transdisciplinary IPNB frame which focuses on the mind and mental health.

A graduate of Harvard Medical School, Dan completed his postgraduate training at UCLA specializing in pediatrics, and adult, adolescent, and child psychiatry. He was trained in attachment research and narrative analysis through a National Institute of Mental Health research training fellowship focusing on how relationships shape our autobiographical ways of making sense of our lives and influence our development across the lifespan.

Speaker Disclosures
Financial: Dr. Dan Siegel serves as the Medical Director at the Lifespan Learning Institute and is the Co-Founder and Director of Education at the Mindsight Institute. He is also the founding editor of the Norton Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology. Dr. Siegel receives royalties as a published author and serves as a scientific advisor for the Inner Development Goals initiative and as an advisor for the Center for Child Well-Being. Additionally, he receives honoraria and recording royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. Dr. Siegel has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Dan Siegel is an honorary member of the Austrian Federal Association for Mindfulness. He also serves on the Board of the Garrison Institute and as an advisory board member for both Gloo and Convergence.