Workshops for Professionals

I am available for presenting any of the following workshops for your professional group. All these workshops have been CEU approved.

When the Therapist Becomes the Medical Patient:
Courageously Engaging with Illness and Mortality

We have all known therapists who have experienced an acute, chronic, progressive or terminal illness. These existential crises touch our deepest vulnerabilities and fears.

What allows some therapists to transverse this well?

When our core mission is to facilitate healing, and a reason why clients come into therapy, how can we “do no harm” when we are in the midst of an illness and perhaps radical change?

We will work with experiential exercises, video vignettes (one with a therapist and another with her client), group discussion, as well as didactic learning synthesized from over 100 therapist and client interviews.  This workshop will stimulate participants to be with the unthinkable – to courageously engage with all our parts and create a contactful and meaningful spaciousness within ourselves and within the therapeutic relationship. We will unpack “Principles of Contextual Self-Led Disclosure”, utilize therapeutic trailheads and learn how it is possible to be a healing presence as we live with an illness.

I provide Consultation on this topic. Also see an article I wrote.

Past Workshops:

  • IFS Great Lakes Retreat, Frankfort, Mi, October, 2019
  • Westchester Group Psychotherapy Association, White Plains, NY March, 2019
  • NYSSCSW, Rockland County, Rockland County, NY, November, 2018
  • IFS NYC Metro Series, NYC, September 2018
  • IFS Home Group, Boston, Ma, March 2018 – all day workshop
  • Marriage and Family Therapist, NYC February 18, 2018
  • New York State Society for Clinical Social Workers, Queens Chapter, October, 2017
  • Annual IFS Conference Saturday, October 28, 2017, Providence, RI
  • Gestalt Center of Long Island, Huntington, NY May, 2017
  • NYSSCSW, Westchester Chapter, May, 2017
  • IFSNE, Boston, Ma, March, 2017
  • NYSSCSW, Westchester Chapter, May, 2016

The Professional Will

As psychotherapists, we are loathe to think about or give attention to the possibility of an untoward event in our lives that can negatively impact our professional lives. The Professional Will is an ‘insurance policy’ for just that. It is a well thought out, pre-conceived document that puts a plan into place if an unexpected catastrophic accident or illness occurs or we were to suddenly die.

Through experiential exercises, we will get to know the parts of us that avoid and resist considering a Professional Will as well as aspects of us that are available to come to the fore.. We will learn the elements of such a will, see sample letters for clients, as well as see a sample will. Then we will begin the process of writing our Professional Will.

Past Workshops:

  • New York State Society for Clinical Social Workers, Westchester Chapter, April, 2017

Aging is an inevitable one way journey  “You can’t help getting older….but you don’t have to get “old.”  ~ George Burns

Embodying Our Experience of Aging:
Embracing our Elderhood

We are mature therapists. Most of us don’t fit the cultural stereotype of being old. Yet, we are experiencing our aging. At times, we have lots of Self energy with all the confidence, resilience, heart and wisdom that aging brings, and at other times, we hear our critics chastising us for not quite being who we were or that our bodies have a mind of their own, despite our best efforts. While we have more consciousness, awareness and presence, we cannot escape the sorrow, pain and losses of many kinds that come with growing older.

How do we navigate both worlds that are part of this developmental stage?

Let’s share this experience with a group of fellow travelers. How do we bring our courage, curiosity and compassion to this stage of our life? Through meditation, experiential exercises and visualizations along with group participation, we will discover and deepen our insight with what moves us and shakes us in this latter part of our journey.

Past Workshops:

  • IFS Annual Conference, Denver, September, 2019

Testimonials

When the Therapist Becomes the Medical Patient

“Roberta has the most warm and natural “way” about her and it was very easy to comprehend and digest this very difficult topic.  Amazing and engaging.”

“It is clear that this is a very important topic that most of us push to a dark corner, and you, Roberta, are shining the light of day on it.  A very important contribution!”    -Susan McConnell

“With such a delicate subject matter, Roberta, your caring, your acknowledging and your presence was so evident and so holding….And with what you had to say and how you led us – your expertise was totally evident.” -ML

Professional Will

“Excellent, excellent, excellent.  Thanks for “kicking my ass and getting it done.”  With this workshop I will refine it.” ~ PL

“Pushing us past the discomfort and helping us to face this issue.  The necessity of pushing past emotional resistance and just doing it. Made me realize how much doing a professional will would take the burden off my family. Full of expertise” ~ JP

Embodying our Experience of Aging, Embracing our Elderhood

“This was a gentle loving experience.  The facilitator set this up and held the space so it always felt comfortable and yet so much new learning.” 

“Roberta’s interactive style was supportive and inviting.  She was knowledgeable in presenting the material and held the experiential learning so it felt safe. This is a valuable presentation.”