Providing Therapy During COVID-19
Taught by Dr. Robin Ballard, Ph.D. Psychology and Josh Cutler, MSW, LICSW
(3 CE units)
This course was most recently offered in June 2020.
This two-part workshop addresses the challenges of providing therapy during a pandemic when clients and providers are experiencing shared vulnerability. This course explores the impact of distress on the human brain, including common executive functioning deficits. Participants can reflect on their own experience and explore the complications of guiding clients through a shared trauma. The workshop explores the grief process and teaches coping strategies including ACT for both clients and providers to practice self-care during these unprecedented times.
This program has been approved for 3 CEUs by the SASW Washington State Chapter. Licensed Social Workers, Marriage and Family Therapists and Mental Health Counselors are eligible. Provider number is #1975-459.
Robin Ballard is a psychologist with experience assessing and treating children, adults, and families facing a broad array of psychological problems. She provides individual and family therapy, psychological assessments, and consultation services to other providers. She specializes in treating internalizing disorders (anxiety, depression, and stress)
I received my clinical training at the University of Washington’s (UW) top-ranked School of Social Work and completed my practicum work at Sound Mental Health. I have worked in the mental health field since 2004 in outpatient, residential, and healthcare settings. In addition to my experience as a therapist, I have also served in leadership positions at several non-profit organizations in roles including program director and clinical supervisor. I have been active in policy advocacy as a past Governor appointed member of the Washington State Developmental Disabilities Council. I am currently on the medical staff of Swedish Medical Center and hold a leadership position with Providence Telehealth. I am also the founder and clinical director of Gemini Clinical Associates, an innovation-focused behavioral health startup.
The recent focus of my training has been Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I have completed hundreds of hours of intensive courses with the creators of this model as well as other master trainers. Grounded in rigorous science, I find this approach to be very effective in helping people to make and sustain meaningful change.