Spring Ceu Workshop Series 2023
All spring PDN workshops will be offered live online via Zoom.
Discounted prices are available if you register for multiple workshops. All workshops are approved for continuing education hours for social workers and counselors through the LCA and the LABSWE.
Thursday, February 9th, 2023
Workshop 1
8:30am - 11:45am
Ethics in Practice: Ethical Diagnosis and Treatment of Challenging and Complex Clients
Dr. Mark Skellie, Psy.D
Friday, March 10th, 2023
Workshop 2
8:30am - 11:45am
Tandem Couples Counseling: Practical Applications of Theory and Practice
Justin Levitov, LPC & Kevin Foose, LPC
Thursday, April 27th, 2023
Workshop 3
8:30am - 11:45am
Working with Adults Raised in Narcissistic Family Systems
Mimi Ryan, LPC
Workshop 1
"Ethics in Practice: Ethical Diagnosis and Treatment of Challenging and Complex Clients"
Presented by: Dr. Mark Skellie, Psy.D.
3 CEUs – Ethics
Thursday, February 9th, 2023
8:30am – 11:45am – Workshop
Live Online Webinar via Zoom
About The Workshop
This workshop will cover common errors that lead to misdiagnosis of clients and ways to avoid these problems. Dr. Skellie will provide wide ranging information useful to behavioral health service providers based on current research, practice, and case study focusing on accurate diagnosis and dangers of misdiagnosis for our clients. We will work to develop strategies to reduce the risk of problematic misdiagnosis and to work with challenging clients in an ethical manner.
Learning Objectives
- Develop an understanding of how our ethical codes apply to the diagnosis and treatment of challenging and complex clients
- Define and elaborate on the concept of clinical misdiagnosis in adults and children
- Explore common mistakes that can lead to incorrect diagnosis: differential diagnosis problems, ruling out medical and/or medicine related explanations, malingering, cultural mistrust/paranoia, cultural differences in reality testing/psychosis, problems with changes related to the DSM-5/ICD-10 transition, and challenges of diagnosing personality disorders
- Develop awareness of the challenges of working with difficult populations in an ethical manner
About The Presenter
Dr. Mark Skellie, Psy.D. earned his BA in Psychology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and his Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Georgia School of Professional Psychology. He currently serves as a clinical psychologist offering individual and group psychotherapy, psychological evaluations, forensic and bariatric surgery evaluations and consulting with numerous behavioral health organizations. He also provides psychosocial assessments, evaluations and professional consultations for Daughters of Charity Services of New Orleans providing services for underserved families in Orleans Parish. Dr. Skellie has offered a wide range of professional presentations since 2012 including A DSM Primer, Personality Disorders, Ethics, Working with Men, Healing Grief and Working with the Elderly. He is a member of the following organizations: Louisiana Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, Georgia Psychological Association, Atlanta Group Psychotherapy Society.
Workshop 2
"Tandem Couples Counseling: Practical Applications of Theory and Practice"
Presented by: Justin Levitov, LPC and Kevin Foose, LPC
3 CEUs – Clinical/Diagnosis
Friday, March 10th, 2023
8:30am – 11:45am – Workshop
Live Online Webinar via Zoom
About The Workshop
This three-hour offering represents the results of nearly two years of work offering TCC to couples with varying levels of conflict and assorted personal histories. To effectively work as a team, we relied upon hours of consultation time as we prepared for each session and as we debriefed one another following sessions. This training offers participants the results of that two-year effort in the form of what we understand as a valuable collection of insights, conclusions and methods applicable to all types of couples’ work.
Learning Objectives
- Review of the protocol for using Tandem Couples Counseling (TCC).
- Using TCC in Teletherapy settings: Advantages and Disadvantages.
- Results of 24 months of regular teletherapy TCC sessions.
- How TCC has created new insights into the way couples counseling should be offered.
- What can TCC teach us about ourselves and the work we do to help couples in conflict.
About The Presenters
Justin Levitov, LPC is an LPC in private practice now working via tele-therapy in Louisiana, North Carolina, New Mexico and Florida. He retired from his position as tenured professor in Loyola’s Mental Health Counseling Program after teaching for more than 35 years. He has published numerous articles and papers most of which deal with clinical concerns in counseling and counselor training. He also published four books including his most recent co-authored work, “Tandem Couples Counseling: An Innovative Approach to Working with High Conflict Couples” which is available on Amazon and from Routledge.
Kevin Foose, LPC is a professor at Loyola University teaching in the graduate Counseling Program. He’s authored several papers and dozens of presentations at local, state and national conferences. He is licensed as a Mental Health Counselor in two states where he practices via Telehealth.
Workshop 3
"Working with Adults Raised in Narcissistic Family Systems"
Presented by: Mimi Ryan, LPC
3 CEUs – Clinical/Diagnosis
Thursday, April 27th, 2023
8:30am – 11:45am – Workshop
Live Online Webinar via Zoom
About The Workshop
The impact of childhood experiences on adults and their behavior provides a lens for looking at human behavior and personal development. Therapists have long understood the importance of exploring families of origin and the roles clients played in those systems. In healthy family systems, the needs of the child(ren) are secondary to those of the parent(s). What is the impact when the opposite occurs? This workshop will provide a comprehensive overview of the Narcissistic Family System, a term first identified by author Stephanie Donaldson-Pressman, MSW, and will address how a clinician can identify and treat an adult client raised in such a family system.
Learning Objectives
- Brief overview of family systems theory
- Definition, elements and characteristics of the narcissistic family model, including overt vs. covert narcissism and the roles in the family system
- How the narcissistic family system relates to narcissistic personality disorder, Emotionally Immature (EI) parents, and adult children of alcoholics (ACOA)
- Therapeutic techniques and treatment of adult children from narcissistic families, including case examples
About The Presenter
Mimi Ryan, LPC is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), longtime secondary school educator and served as a middle and upper school counselor at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans. Mimi has taught Human Development to 11-18 year-olds for many years, and has a keen understanding of the ways in which media use impacts family life. She helps families negotiate the opportunities and risks surrounding digital media use in the home and at school. An engaging speaker, Mimi presents to a wide variety of audiences and has provided workshops to organizations like the Play Therapy Association and the National Association of Independent Schools. Mimi currently holds a private practice in New Orleans.