👋 Welcome Back!

We are excited to welcome you back for another amazing semester at The Institute! As you continue to experience the healing and restorative aspects of summer, allow yourself to gear up for some wonderful in-person and online workshops that will nurture you personally and add immeasurably to your professional growth.

Lisa Ferentz, LCSW-C, DAPA

Founder & Clinical Director

From Lisa's Blog

You don't have to heal alone. Therapy can offer a safe space to gain perspective, break free from shame and isolation, and receive the support and encouragement we all need, especially when hope feels difficult to find. In her latest blog post, Lisa Ferentz explores the value of the therapeutic relationship and the many ways therapy can support healing, growth, and self-compassion.

Dive into Lisa’s latest blog post to discover why the therapeutic relationship can be such a powerful part of the healing journey.

🍂 Ready to deepen your trauma-informed practice this fall?

September is just around the corner, and there’s still time to join Lisa Ferentz for the Level I Certificate Program in Advanced Trauma Treatment.

Designed for clinicians who want more than theoretical knowledge, this nine-session live Zoom program combines evidence-based trauma education with practical tools you can bring directly into your work with clients.

You’ll gain skills to help you:

• Recognize and respond to the impact of trauma more effectively
• Strengthen your therapeutic relationships
• Incorporate practical trauma-informed interventions into your practice
• Build confidence when working with complex trauma
• Create healthier boundaries that support both you and your clients

Classes begin September 8. If strengthening your trauma-informed skills is one of your goals this fall, now is the time to join us.

✨ Ready to Take Your Trauma Treatment Skills Deeper?

You’ve built the foundation. Now it’s time to expand what’s possible in your trauma-informed practice.

The Level II Certificate Program in Advanced Trauma Treatment gives Level I graduates the opportunity to explore expressive and experiential approaches that help clients access healing in ways beyond traditional talk therapy.

Through hands-on, clinically relevant training, you’ll learn how to thoughtfully integrate creative modalities into your work, including:

✔︎ Movement, Play & Music

✔︎ Art, Clay & Collage

✔︎ Spirituality, Focusing & Guided Imagery

These approaches can help you meet clients where words may not be enough, create new pathways for processing trauma, and support deeper therapeutic work.

Level II begins September 3, and registration is now in its final days.

If you’re ready to expand your clinical toolkit and bring new possibilities for healing into your practice, this is your opportunity to take the next step.

(Click the right tab marked "2026 Level II Details")

🔎 Discover workshops that give you practical skills you can put to work right away.

From trauma and clinical issues to ethics, diversity, expressive modalities, and more, our Fall 2026 workshops are designed to help you strengthen your practice, earn CEUs, and address the challenges your clients are facing today.

Browse the upcoming workshops below. Find the topics that speak most directly to your practice.

August - September 2026

In-Person Training

Understanding and Working with the Fawn Response

Fri, Aug 28 | 8:45 am - 4:15 pm (ET)

6 CEUs

Explore the connection between the fawn response and insecure attachment, and gain a deeper understanding of why fawning often develops as an adaptive survival response to childhood trauma, abuse, or neglect.

Learn More & Register Here.

Virtual Training on Zoom

The Risks and Dangers of "Medical' and Recreational Marijuana: Ethical Considerations for Mental Health Providers

Wed, Sep 9 | 8:45 pm - 12:00 pm (ET)

3 Ethics CEUs

Gain practical, evidence-based insights into the short- and long-term effects of medical marijuana, helping you better assess its impact on clients' physical and mental health and make more informed treatment decisions.

Learn More & Register Here.

Virtual Training on Zoom

(NEW) When Antisemitism Enters the Therapy Room: Therapist Experiences, Clinical Responses, and Anti-Oppressive Practice

Mon, Sep 14 | 12:45 pm - 4:00 pm (ET)

3 Anti-Oppressive Content CEUs

Examine therapist narratives and clinical case examples to deepen understanding of the emotional and professional challenges associated with addressing antisemitism in practice.

Learn More & Register Here.

Virtual Training on Zoom

(NEW) Expressive and Narrative Approaches to Process Grief

Fri, Sep 18 | 8:45 pm - 4:15 pm (ET)

6 CEUs

Explore how personal and professional experiences of grief influence the therapeutic process, and develop greater confidence in helping clients navigate the grief they express—as well as the grief they are not yet ready to share.

Learn More & Register Here.

In-Person Training

(NEW) Helping Trauma Clients Recognize and Navigate Healthy Relationships

Thu, Sep 24 | 8:45 am - 4:15 pm (ET)

6 CEUs

Deepen your understanding of healthy relationships—both with yourself and with others—while exploring healthy attachment and relational patterns. Also, learn practical, evidence-based strategies to help clients cultivate greater self-awareness, self-compassion, and healthier ways of relating.

Learn More & Register Here.

Searching for a specific type of workshop?

Explore the different categories of classes we offer.

* In-person trainings are held at The Hilton Garden Inn, 4770 Owings Mills Blvd.,

Owings Mills, MD 21117

Online workshops are held live in real time on Zoom. Participants have the opportunity to interact with and ask questions of the presenters and will receive

Category I CEUs.

Go Beyond the Institute

Join Lisa for a variety of trainings and speaking engagements.

Learn when Lisa will present an in-person speaking engagement or virtual training.

Click Here Now.

Making a Difference

The Ferentz Institute, Inc. is an approved sponsor of the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for continuing education credits for licensed social workers in Maryland. CEU approval for all trainings is also granted to Psychologists, LCPC's and MFT’s and approved by the Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists and the Board of Examiners for Psychologists in Maryland. Reciprocity has also been granted for clinicians in Washington, DC, Virginia, West Virginia, Indiana, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan and Texas.

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