Building Resiliency for Exposure Therapists
Date: February 12, 2026
Time: 10:00am to 12:00pm EST
Cost: $130.00 per person
Location: Zoom
Workshop Description:
Exposure therapy is a powerful, evidence-based intervention that can dramatically improve the lives of patients suffering from anxiety-related disorders, including PTSD and OCD, and related conditions. However, the emotional and cognitive demands of delivering this treatment can place unique burdens on therapists. In this experiential and skills-based workshop, Drs. Diane Dallal and Lily Brown will explore the personal and professional challenges exposure therapists face and provide concrete, research-informed strategies to build resilience and sustain well-being in clinical practice. Participants will examine how the broader context of recent sociopolitical changes, characterized by economic uncertainty, cultural avoidance of distress, and systemic under-resourcing, impacts both therapist functioning and patient engagement. Special attention will be given to therapists’ heightened cognitive load, frequent exposure to traumatic material, and the constant need for therapists to manage their own distress tolerance and avoidance behaviors. This 2-hour workshop will guide therapists in identifying therapist risk factors for ineffective exposure, setting boundaries, practicing mindfulness, and reconnecting with their values and purpose. Case examples will illustrate the transformative power of exposure therapy and the meaning it can provide for both patients and therapists.
This course is ideal for mental health professionals and therapists in training seeking to deepen their resilience, sharpen their clinical approach, and reconnect with the fulfillment that brought them to this work.
About the Presenters
Dr. Lily Brown is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry and Director at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety. Dr. Brown received her Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology at Drexel University and her Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology and Learning and Behavior Psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In graduate school, Dr. Brown researched mechanisms of change in fear conditioning and extinction, with a particular focus on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), in the Anxiety and Depression Research Center. She completed her predoctoral internship at Brown University in the Psychosocial Research Department where she completed research on the rate of suicidal behaviors in patients with PTSD. Dr. Brown’s current research focuses on treatment development and implementation to mitigate suicide risk in patients with anxiety disorders and PTSD. She specializes in cognitive-behavior therapy for anxiety disorders, including Exposure and Response prevention (EX/RP) for obsessive compulsive disorder, and has been trained in the treatment of borderline personality disorder.
Dr. Diane Dallal is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Dallal completed her undergraduate degree in psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles and earned her master and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology at Drexel University. In graduate school, Dr. Dallal researched mechanisms of change in cognitive behavioral and acceptance-based therapies for individuals with eating pathology and obesity. She has experience implementing evidence-based treatments with adults, adolescents, and couples in outpatient and intensive outpatient settings. At the CTSA, Dr. Dallal specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders and eating pathology, including Exposure and Response Prevention (EX/RP) for OCD, Prolonged Exposure (PE) for PTSD, and cognitive behavioral treatments for social anxiety, panic disorder, generalized anxiety, specific phobias, and eating disorders.
Target Audience
This presentation is intended for mental health professionals, researchers, and graduate students. The instructional level of this presentation is intermediate.
Continuing Education
THE PHILADELPHIA BEHAVIOR THERAPY ASSOCIATION (PBTA) IS APPROVED BY THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION TO SPONSOR CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS. PBTA MAINTAINS RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROGRAM AND ITS CONTENT. THIS PRESENTATION PROVIDES 2 HOURS OF CE CREDITS FOR PSYCHOLOGISTS.
PBTA IS ALSO AN AUTHORIZED PROVIDER FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS FOR PROFESSIONAL COUNSELORS, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS, AND CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKERS LICENSED IN THE STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA - THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES 2 HOURS OF CE CREDITS.
In order to receive continuing education credits, participants must:
- attend each hour of the workshop (no late arrivals or early departures)
- complete a CE Need Form
Full attendance with video display is required to obtain CE credit for this program. APA guidelines do not permit PBTA to issue partial CE credits. No exceptions allowed.
If all of these requirements are met, you will receive a continuing education certificate after the conclusion of the workshop.
Learning Objectives:
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Identify the unique psychological and emotional challenges faced by exposure therapists, including compassion fatigue, high cognitive load, and frequent exposure to distressing clinical material.
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Describe the broader systemic and cultural factors that contribute to risk of ineffective therapeutic delivery and emotional strain in mental health professionals.
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Apply evidence-based strategies from the literature to enhance personal resilience.
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Demonstrate mindfulness and distress tolerance techniques that can be used both personally and in-session to manage therapist discomfort during exposure work.
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Reconnect with professional values and mission through reflection and case examples, fostering a sense of meaning and purpose in exposure-based therapy.
Webinar workshop requirements:
- You must have utilities, internet service, phone service, and an appropriately private location at your home or office in order to ensure HIPAA compliance.
- The private location should be free of noise and distractions. (If you are the parent of young children, appropriate child care arrangements must be in place.)
- You must agree to attend each hour of the video conference and agree to use video of yourself during the video conference in order to track attendance.
- You must agree not to copy or distribute workshop materials provided to you in the course of the workshop.
- Since authentic patient audio/video may be utilized during the training, you must agree to abide by all applicable rules of confidentiality and HIPAA compliance, including but not limited to no audio or video-recording of the workshop in any form.
You will be asked to affirm the previous conditions and your agreement to them prior to the commencement of the workshop.
Instructions for Registration
Registrations are due one week in advance and must be completed in full.
To register, complete the online registration.
If you need to withdraw your application for any reason, please email Dr. Sandy Capaldi. Note that workshop fees are non-refundable after the application due date (one week before the start of the workshop).
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