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Discomfort is Where we Grow: Using Motivational Interviewing and ERP for Treatment of Anxiety, Phobias, and OCD in Kids and Teens

Wednesday, January 13th, 2027   2:00 PM EST -5:00 PM EST
Briana Pfeuffer
$59.99 USD

This interactive 3-hour CEU training is designed for clinicians who might struggle to push their clients outside of their comfort zone- especially when the client is a child or teen with significant fear. Topics will include getting the clients to buy in with Motivational Interviewing (MI) techniques, explaining the anxiety cycle to different developmental groups, and how to use kindness and confidence to appropriately push our clients into not being controlled by their anxiety anymore through Exposure and Response Therapy (ERP) techniques. Clinicians will have the chance to participate in self-reflections with their own case load, and role plays to find their own style and wording. Additionally, therapists will practice the important (but hard) work of guiding caregivers in the therapy office and at home to help maintain the child and adolescent client’s growth in the outside world.  

About the Presenter

Trainer, Briana Pfeuffer, LCSW is a clinical social worker with nearly a decade of experience working with children, teens, and families. Briana specializes in clients- child and adult alike- with complex trauma, OCD, and anxiety disorders. In her previous position she was team lead for a community mental health service that provided on-going therapy and crisis care to clients. Briana has additionally facilitated several therapy groups, including an art-based coping skills group for teens, and a support group for family members of clients with severe and complex trauma.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Objective 1: Be able to list the factors of clients who are appropriate to use ERP interventions with and clients who are not to support with assessment of appropriate intervention.
  2. Objective 2: Be able to summarize at least 3 developmental differences in techniques for using ERP throughout the life span.
  3. Objective 3: Be able to role play conversations with caregivers to include them in a child or teens ERP treatment homework plan outside of the therapy session.

Agenda:

  • (15 Min)- Introduction of trainer. If appropriate size, introduction of participants. 

    • (out loud or in virtual chat) Why is this topic important? Why is it hard for clinicians to follow through with ERP? Why did participants sign up for this course/what do they hope to learn?

  • Start with Lesson/presentation  

    • (20 min) Topic on Screening for ERP- the type of diagnosis ERP is helpful for, and who it may not be helpful for. It is the gold standard of OCD and Anxiety. Consider if Trauma and other diagnoses make it inappropriate. Developmental age considerations. Anxiety vs. OCD. 

      • (10 min) Group discussion (out loud or in virtual chat): Most of us probably learned about ERP in Graduate school- what is our initial impression? What are our barriers to using it. 

        • Trainer shares her initial barrier was not wanting to feel mean or push clients too much. Worried about backlash in rapport. 

        • Getting clinicians to buy into it being an effective model AND that it can be done in a kind way that still saves rapport. 

    • (15 min) Topic on Anxiety cycle and ERP Review: Short review on the Anxiety cycle. How avoidance only strengthens anxiety, and how facing it is important. Anxiety traps clients and this helps them become free in small manageable steps that build their confidence for the long-term. Anxiety is often a lack of feeling capable of handling a “bad thing”. Review of how to use ERP appropriately and effectively. 

    • (10 min) Bathroom break- 1 hour mark 

    • Break out rooms: Case Study- Trainer will bounce between virtual rooms

      • (10 min) Introductions to group members and read through case study example to brainstorm. 

      • (20 min) Formulate how to talk to a case study client about engaging in ERP therapy. Consider age, Motivational Interviewing techniques, and explaining the anxiety cycle and ERP in an age appropriate way. 

    • (20 min) Role play for a larger group. Volunteers from the breakout rooms share their summary. Trainer engages in a role play of how she would explain it to clients of different developmental ages so clinicians can observe options. 

      • See handouts of Fear “staircase”, MI questions, How to involve play. Emotion Thermometer, etc. 

    • (10 min Bathroom Break)- 2 hour mark 

    • (20 min)Topic on Fear Ladder technique: Staff reviews how to brainstorm a fear ladder with clients. In a kind way- getting their buy in on wanting the change in their life. Staff provides research of why including parents for children or teens if appropriate. Imaginal, in-vivo exposures. Exposures in session vs. in real life. Accidental parent anxiety reinforcement at home. 

    • Break out rooms (same group, same case study): 

      • (15 min) Clinicians practice building a fear ladder or “fear staircase” for case study clients, and discuss whether to involve parents or not. 

    • (15 min): Trainer leads final group demonstration for larger group of follow up after a fear ladder has been established, and how to “graduate” young clients from their ERP work. 

This presentation is open to:
  • Social Workers
  • Professional Counselors
  • Therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
  • Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
  • Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services
Course Level: introductory
Level of Clinician: beginner
  • New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
  • Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
  • Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
  • Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives

Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.

Disability Access - If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification. Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling. The grievance policy for trainings provided by NEFESH INTERNATIONAL is available here Satisfactory Completion Participants must have paid the tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire workshop, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate (If this is a pre-recorded program, a post-test with a passing grade of 80% to receive a certificate.) Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion by clicking here.
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
  • CE You! is an approved sponsor of the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for continuing education credits for licensed social workers in Maryland.
    CE You! maintains responsibility for this program.
  • Therapist Express 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 creative arts therapists. #CAT-0122.
  • Therapist Express 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 marriage and family therapists #MFT-0129.
  • Therapist Express 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-0325.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0275.
  • Therapist Express 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 marriage and family therapists #MFT-0129.
  • Therapist Express 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-0325.
  • Therapist Express 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-0774.
Refund Policy:
Full Refund until 48 hours before scheduled date.
48 hours before: full refund less $5.00 processing fee. After event no refund will be given.
*exclusions apply for reasonable need and cause.
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