Overview:
Many clients with histories of prior trauma, abuse or neglect, or overwhelming developmental stressors lack the ability to engage in appropriate affect regulation. As a result, they can turn to self-destructive behaviors including: acts of self-mutilation; a variety of addictions; and eating disorders to cope and self-soothe. In this workshop we will explore a cycle of self-harm, processing the ways in which triggering events, negative cognitions and affect, dissociation, and anxiety fuel the chronic and cyclical nature of these behaviors. The “Cycle” will also provide us with a concrete template for a variety of creative and effective “intervention sites,” offering treatment strategies designed to reduce and eventually extinguish the behaviors. An emphasis will be placed on strategies that are designed to increase internal and external safety, promote grounding and containment, reduce flashbacks and help clients self-soothe in healthier ways. We will also address how to avoid the power struggles and increased self-harm that often accompanies ineffective “safety contracts”. A more effective, alternative contract, called CARESS, will be presented. Clinical case examples, clients’ writings and artwork will be incorporated into the workshop.
Objectives:
Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:
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Explain the impact of insecure attachment on co-regulation and auto-regulation.
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Describe how the confluence of trauma, dysregulation, and the uniqueness of the adolescent brain make clients vulnerable to self-destructive behavior.
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Explain the concepts of trauma-re-enactment and meta-communication and how they apply to self-destructive behaviors.
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Describe a chronic cycle of self-harm and the ways in which triggering events, negative cognitions and affect, dissociation and anxiety influence the process.
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Describe and implement CARESS, an alternative to standard safety contracts.
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Identify at least three reasons why CARESS is a more effective approach to helping clients navigate the impulse to engage in self-harm.
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Describe and implement REACTS, a journal prompt to address triggers.
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Describe and Implement at least 2 strategies to help clients learn containment for affect regulation.
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Implement at least three strategies for somatic resourcing.
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Explain how to identify and work with the harbingers of dissociation and how to help clients re-ground.
Scope and Limitations Disclosure
This training is intended for licensed mental health professionals who work with clients who have histories of trauma, abuse, or neglect and who engage in self-harm or other self-destructive behaviors, including addictions and eating disorders. The content is educational in nature and does not constitute clinical supervision, medical advice, or a substitute for individualized case consultation, and it does not replace comprehensive suicide and self-harm risk assessment, safety planning, or crisis intervention protocols. CARESS and REACTS are presented as clinical tools to be used alongside, and not in place of, agency policies, standards of care, and appropriate risk assessment, and participants remain responsible for determining whether a given strategy is suitable for an individual client. All assessment approaches, frameworks, and interventions discussed should be applied within each participant’s scope of practice, licensure, and applicable jurisdictional regulations, with recognition that self-harm, eating disorders, and addictions often require interdisciplinary coordination with medical, psychiatric, nutritional, or substance use treatment providers. Participants working with minors or clients at imminent risk should remain attentive to mandated reporting obligations and duty-to-protect requirements, and should practice in accordance with their profession’s ethical guidelines and jurisdiction-specific standards of care.
Commercial Support Disclosure
Lisa Ferentz, MSW, LCSW-C, DAPA, is the founder of The Ferentz Institute and the author of several books on trauma recovery and self-destructive behaviors. References to her publications, training programs, or the CARESS and REACTS tools may be included for educational purposes only. Participants are not required to purchase any materials, books, or services to complete this course. The presenter has no relevant financial relationships to disclose beyond standard speaking compensation.
Course materials are only available to enrolled students.
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Lisa Ferentz, MSW, LCSW-C, DAPA
Lisa is a recognized expert in the strengths-based, de-pathologized treatment of trauma and has been in private practice for over 39 years. She presents workshops and keynote addresses nationally and internationally and is a clinical consultant to practitioners and mental health agencies in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, and Israel. She has been an Adjunct Faculty member at several Universities and is the Founder of “The Ferentz Institute,” now in its seventeenth year of providing continuing education to mental health professionals and graduating several thousand clinicians from her two Certificate Programs in Advanced Trauma Treatment. In 2009, she was voted the “Social Worker of the Year” by the Maryland Society for Clinical Social Work. Lisa is the author of “Treating Self-Destructive Behaviors in Traumatized Clients: A Clinician’s Guide,” now in its second edition, “Letting Go of Self-Destructive Behaviors: A Workbook of Hope and Healing,” and “Finding Your Ruby Slippers: Transformative Life Lessons From the Therapist’s Couch.” Lisa also hosted a weekly radio talk show, writes blogs and articles for websites on trauma, attachment, self-destructive behaviors, and self-care, teaches on many webinars, and is a contributor to Psychologytoday.com.
National Approvals
eCare BHI, as the accredited and approved sponsor, maintains responsibility for all the programs and must abide by each board’s continuing education guidelines.
Professional Counselors — The National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)
E Care Behavioral Health Institute has been approved by NBCC as an approved Continuing Education Provider. ACEP No. 6703. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC are clearly identified. E care Behavioral Health Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Addiction Professionals — NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC)
E Care Behavioral Health Institute is officially on file with NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC) as an Approved Education Provider. They are formally known as NAADAC Provider #139138. Please note that E care Behavioral Health Institute is solely responsible for all aspects of the program.
Social Workers — Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB)
E Care Behavioral Health Institute, #1706, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 06-03-2026 – 06-03-2029
CE Broker
CE Broker is a continuing education tracking system in which licensees track their compliance and report their completed CE hours credit (CE Broker Tracking #50-33336, #50-29024). eCare BHI directly reports CE hours to CE Broker for the following licensees:
- Professional Counselors and Mental Health Counselors — Florida, Kansas, Mississippi, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, West Virginia
- Marriage and Family Therapists — Florida, Kansas, New Hampshire, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee
- Social Workers — Michigan, New Hampshire, Ohio, Texas, West Virginia
- Psychologists — Florida (Home Study Courses), Kansas, Michigan, New Hampshire, Wyoming
- Addiction Counselors — Kansas, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, South Carolina
- Other specialized licensees — Tennessee (Clinical Pastoral Therapist), South Carolina (Licensed Psycho-Educational Specialist), New Hampshire (Pastoral)
Licensees are encouraged to confirm reporting scope with their state board.
State Approvals
States that Accept ASWB-ACE Approved Providers | ||||||
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut |
| Delaware | District Of Columbia | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois |
| Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland |
| Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska |
| Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio |
| Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee |
| Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin |
| Wyoming | ||||||
States that Accepts NBCC Approved Courses: | ||||||
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut |
| Delaware | District Of Columbia | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Indiana |
| Iowa | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Missouri | New Hampshire | New Jersey |
| New Mexico | Ohio | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota |
| Tennessee | Texas | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | Wisconsin | |
Notes:
- Nevada CPC’s and MFT’s accept ASWB-approved training
- North Dakota Board Of Counselor Examiners LAPC and LAPCS accept ASWB approved training
- Rhode Island Board of Mental Health Counselors and Marriage & Family Therapists MHC’s accept ASWB approved training
- Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council LPC and LPCS accept ASWB approved training
- Utah Division of Professional Licensing – CMHC’s accept ASWB approved training
- Washington State Department of Mental Health MHC’s accept ASWB approved training
- Wisconsin Council on Mental Health LPCS accepts ASWB-approved training
States that Accept NAADAC Approved Providers | ||||||
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | Delaware | Hawaii | Indiana |
| Kentucky | Maine | Massachusetts | Minnesota | Montana | Nevada | New Jersey |
| New Jersey | New Mexico | North Carolina | North Dakota | Oregon | Rhode Island | Tennessee |
| Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wisconsin | Wyoming |
States that Accept APA Approved Providers | ||||||
| Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Delaware | District Of Columbia |
| Florida | Georgia | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas |
| Kentucky | Louisiana | Maryland | Massachusetts | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri |
| Montana | Nebraska | New Jersey | New Mexico | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma |
| Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | Tennessee | Utah | Vermont | Virginia |
| Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming | |||
Note: Please note that Individual Board Rules are subject to potential changes. The approval and acceptance details we furnish are accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of documentation.
Should you have any inquiries or uncertainties not addressed by the provided information, it’s advisable to consult your State Regulatory Board. Ultimately, the decision of whether your license renewal credit hours are accepted or denied rests with you.
Georgia Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Certification Board of Georgia as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselors (ADACBGA) #19-12-17-1212.
Florida Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Florida Certification Board as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselor (FCB) #5387-A.
Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy & Mental Health Counseling: The Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy & Mental Health Counseling accepts courses from ASWB & NBCC approved providers. E Care Behavioral Health Institute is an ASWB and NBCC approved provider.
Oklahoma Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Oklahoma State Board of Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselors as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselors (OBLADC) #20220136.
Oklahoma Board of Behavioral Health Licensure: E Care BHI is an approved CE provider for LPC & LMFT
Ohio Addiction Counselor: E Care BHI is recognized by the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board as an approved education provider for Addiction Counselor (OCDP)#50-29024.
Note: eCare’s OCDP-approved courses are for renewal continuing education only and do not fulfill initial CDCA Preliminary or CDCA certification requirements.
The Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board accepts courses from ASWB & NBCC approved providers. E Care Behavioral Health Institute is an ASWB and NBCC approved provider.
VA Mental Health Employee: E Care BHI VA COMMERCIAL VENDOR # 81-3353387-01
California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP): E Care BHI is recognized by the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP) Provider Number OS-22-344-0526
Connecticut Certification Board CCB Approved): E Care BHI is recognized & approved by the Connecticut Certification Board.
Texas Certification Board (TCB): E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by the Texas Certification Board as an approved education provider. Number 2041-19
South Carolina E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by the Professional Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists, and Psycho-Educational Specialists licensing board as an approved education provider Provider #4628
New York (MHC) E Care Behavioral Health is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0277
New York (SW) E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0745 LA-ADRA – E Care Behavioral Health Institute is recognized by Louisiana The Addictive Disorder Regulatory Authority as an approved educational provider AEP #E122




