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Bridging the Divide: Practical Tools for Mental Health Practitioners in Polarized Times

Friday, June 12th, 2026   10:00 AM EDT -4:45 PM EDT
Cheryl Dolinger Brown, LCSW
$59.99

We live in deeply polarized times. The anger, fear, and hopelessness we see in the world inevitably show up with our clients--and in our own families and friendships. As mental health professionals, we are not immune.

This three-hour interactive training is designed for practitioners fed up with the division and ready to find a way forward. Through clinical examples, video demonstrations, interviews, and small-group sharing, participants will:

  • Understand how polarization affects therapists personally and professionally
  • Learn strategies to reduce reactivity and foster constructive dialogue
  • Build skills to help clients, families, and communities bridge divides
  • Connect with peers in a supportive, non-isolating environment

More than a workshop, this training strengthens your practice and your role as a “citizen therapist” navigating polarized times with confidence.

About the Presenter

Cheryl Dolinger Brown, LCSW, has been practicing as a psychotherapist in New York City for forty years with individuals, couples and groups in addition to presenting workshops/webinars and supervising therapists. She has trained in Imago Relationship Therapy, Somatic Experiencing, PACT, Doherty Approach including Discernment Counseling and The Tapping Method.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Outline the six roles family members play in political conversations and strategies to use to increase communication with each type.
  2. Employ strategies to develop curiosity in clients and the role it plays in decreasing polarization.
  3. Apply tools and techniques to encourage deep listening when there are flammable issues
  4. Practice and refine techniques aimed at assisting couples and families navigate through political disagreements.
  5. Gain confidence in extending therapeutic skills to address polarization within the wider community.

Agenda:

Part One: Fear of and difficulty in listening to the “other”
Introduction 
1. Tolerating being wrong- video 
2. Seeing the other as dangerous and managing the stress response 
3. Finding your inner polarizer- quiz 
4. Dyads (what did you learn about yourself?) 
5. Group discussion of our own polarizing issues. 
6. Video of Bill Doherty and Tori Olds- difficulty in using our skills
7. Dyads and group discussion 
8. Roles families play in political conversations 
9. Symbiosis, childhood wounds, differentiation
10. Strategies to help families with political differences
11. Natural vs. Ethical Caring- video of Bill Doherty 
12. Strategies to depolarizing 

Part Two: Transferring therapy skills to the clients 
1. Family conflicts - video of Monica Guzman  
2. Techniques to deal with flammable issues  
3. Video of two red/blue couples I interviewed  
4. Break out rooms to discuss what felt and thought about videos
5. Group as expert: fishbowl- skills to bring to couples in videos  
6. Three videos of couples with political differences being coached
7. Group discussion of what learned and what can use in sessions

Part Three: Using skills in the community 
1. Work with Israeli/Palestinian- video of Orli Wahrman 
2. Use in anti-racist, anti-poverty non-profit organization- video of All Stars Project 
3. Use in divided communities- Interview with cofounder of Braver Angels
4. The dream that we can know each other’s human essence- Hedy Schleiffer video 
5 Group conclusion- what is a takeaway

This workshop offers 3 Live Interactive Continuing Education Credits

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.
  • NEFESH International, Inc. 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-0116.
  • NEFESH International 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-0046
  • NEFESH International is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Mental Health Counselor #MHC-0082
  • NEFESH International 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-0048.
  • 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.
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.