Recalculating: Exploring Routes for Your Career Journey
2015 TPA Convention Programs and Schedule
Workshops are sponsored by the Tennessee Psychological Association. The Tennessee
Psychological Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to
sponsor continuing education for Psychologists. The Tennessee Psychological Association
maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
All Continuing Education (CE) credits are Type I unless otherwise noted. As a state psychological
association, TPA offers Type II and Type III CE hours in accordance with the Tennessee State Board of
Examiners in Psychology rules and regulation related to continuing education. For an up-to-date list of
the rules and regulations governing CE requirements for Psychologists, Senior Psychological Examiners
and Licensed Psychological Examiners, please refer to the following website:
http://www.state.tn.us/sos/rules/1180/1180-01.20140703.pdf .
Please remember that, in an effort to go green, program “handouts” will be provided in a
digital, rather than a printed version. Presenters have been asked to provide these
materials in advance so that they may be posted on the TPA website approximately one
week before the Convention. After you register you will be given a password to allow you
to access these and to print them or download them if desired.
Accommodation Information
A block of rooms has been reserved at the Nashville Airport Marriott for the 2015 TPA Convention at the
negotiated rate of $131 per night (plus state and local taxes). Reservations should be made on an
individual basis by contacting the hotel at (800) 770-0555, (615) 889-9300, or www.marriott.com and
asking for the Tennessee Psychological Association or TPA rate.
The hotel is located at 600 Marriott Drive, Nashville, TN 37219. It offers free parking, a restaurant,
indoor/outdoor pool, health club, whirlpool, sauna, and more. Check-in time is 4:00 PM and check-out
time is 12:00 PM. The reserved room block rate is available through October 9, 2015. After this date,
reservations will be made by the hotel based on room and rate availability. Currently there is a shortage
of hotel rooms in Nashville. In order to get a room, attendees will need to register very early.
Daily Schedules
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
7:30AM Registration Opens
8:30AM-5:30PM Pre-Convention Workshop
[101] Practice Check-Up Kit
Introductory/6 CE credits (Type I)
(This program is composed of four presentations by separate presenters. Participants must
attend entire program to receive CE credit.)
Assessment of and Response to Suicidal Risk—John Averitt, Ph.D.
Presenter: John Averitt, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Private practice, Cookeville, TN
Description: This program will focus on assessment of suicidal risk and provide information on
the process of involuntary commitment.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will describe the dynamics of disempowerment and loss of meaningful
choice as a basic of suicide.
B. Participants will identify and describe the sections of Tennessee Code Annotated
covering emergency detention: 33-6-401 and following.
Presenter Information: John B. Averitt, Ph.D. has doctoral degrees from Vanderbilt University
and from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. He is a Licensed Psychologist designated as a
Health Service Provider in Tennessee. He is certified in Substance Abuse by the Practice
Directorate of APA and is a Police Psychologist. He is a Sergeant with the Cookeville Police
Department, and also serves on the consulting staff of Cookeville Regional Medical Center. He
served as President of TPA in 1999-2000 and has served in several roles on the TPA board. He
currently serves as the Convention Directorate Officer for TPA.
Clinical Documentation
Presenter: Kerry Holland, Ph.D.
Affiliation: East Tennessee State University
Description: This program will identify common requirements for documentation and will offer
strategies for improving the quality and efficiency of your documentation.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will apply various requirements for documentation unique to their practice.
B. Participants will develop a strategy for complying with those requirements in an
efficient manner that best fits the needs of their practice.
Presenter Information: Dr. Kerry Holland is the current Past-President of TPA. She has been
active in TPA for several years serving as regional Vice President for East Tennessee, a
convention programming co-chair, and President of IMPA (Inter-Mountain Psychological
Association). She is also Past-President of PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and
Gays) TriCities.
Outcome Measurement, Insurance Panels and Risk Adjustment Audits
Presenter: Lance Laurence, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Associate Professor and Director of the Psychological Clinic, The University of
Tennessee-Knoxville; Director of Professional Affairs, TPA
Description: The future of your psychological practice will depend upon your ability to
demonstrate your provision of quality services and value in a cost-effective manner. This
program will provide recommendations for crafting an outcomes program in your practice and
give you the opportunity to join TPA's Pilot Program on Treatment Outcomes.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will describe why outcome measurements are critical for future
reimbursement for practitioner services.
B. Participants will develop a plan of attack for how they will implement an outcome
measurement program in their practice.
Presenter Information: Dr. Laurence is an Associate Professor at the University of TennesseeKnoxville where he has taught extensively in the doctoral program in Clinical Psychology for the
last thirty years (required courses in Ethical/Legal/Professional Practice Issues in Clinical
Psychology; Clinical Psychopathology, Advanced Psychological Assessment). He also is the
Director of that training program’s Psychological Clinic where doctoral students undergo their
applied training. He is the current Director of Professional Affairs for TPA and has worked with
APA and TPA on matters of public and associational mental health policy for over twenty-five
years. In his spare time, he conducts an independent practice in Clinical Psychology.
What Happens After the Medicare SGR Repeal?
Presenter: Kathryn Steele, Psy.D.
Affiliation: Private practice
Description: This program will address two issues related to federal advocacy concerns within
the American Psychological Association Practice Organization:
Practice implications of the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) repeal; and
Merit-Based Incentive Payment System and alternate payment models.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will describe how SGR impacts areas of practice management in a diversity
of settings.
B. Participants will identify how merit-based incentive payment systems are implemented
and learn alternate payment models, generated by insurance payors.
Presenter Information: Dr. Steele received her doctorate of psychology degree at John F.
Kennedy University in California. As a native of Tennessee, she returned to the East Coast to
complete both her internship and postdoctoral training, with a specialization in
neuropsychology. Her private practice serves the Middle Tennessee region, with an office in
Hendersonville, TN. She is a neuropsychology consultant for several HCA affiliated hospitals and
neurology practices. She is affiliated with both the National Association of Neuropsychology and
the International Neuropsychological Society. She has presented on topics relating to
neuropsychology at APA Division 40, affiliated hospitals, Tennessee Bar Association, and local
workshops. Dr. Steele has also served as Federal Advocacy Coordinator for the Tennessee
Psychological Association over the past two years.
10:00AM-10:30AM Break
12:00PM-2:00PM Lunch (On Your Own)
3:30PM-4:00PM Break
5:30 PM Registration Closes
6:00PM-10:00PM TPA Board Meeting
Thursday, October 29, 2015
7:00AM-7:45AM Yoga with Elaine Rodgers
7:30AM Registration Opens
8:30AM-10:00AM Plenary Session
(Participants must attend entire program to receive CE credit.)
[111] Options for Adapting to Healthcare Reform: Alternative Practice Models and Antitrust
Considerations
1.5 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenter: Alan Nessman, JD
Affiliation: Senior Special Counsel for Legal and Regulatory Affairs, APA Practice Directorate
Course Description: This presentation will present a spectrum of alternative practice models
that are viable for psychology. They are designed to foster the delivery of better, more
integrated patient care. At the simpler end of the spectrum are easy steps that most practices
can take. The more advanced collaboration models allow small practices to maintain their
business autonomy, while pooling resources and creating economies of scale that make it easier
to integrate and thrive in the changing health care world. The presentation will close with
guidance from the federal antitrust agencies explaining that sufficient clinical integration allows
a collaboration of independent practices, such as an IPA, to jointly negotiate with payors while
avoiding antitrust risks.
Learning Objectives:
A. Identify simple alternative practice models and the steps to implement them.
B. Identify more advanced collaborative practice models and their potential advantages.
C. Learn the advantages/disadvantages of alternative practice models relative to
traditional practice models such as professional corporations and LLCs.
D. Discuss relevant antitrust compliance considerations for alternative practice models that
seek to jointly negotiate reimbursement.
Presenter Information: Mr. Nessman is the Senior Special Counsel in the Office of Legal &
Regulatory Affairs for the APA Practice Organization and the Practice Directorate. He is APAPO’s
lead attorney on mental health parity implementation and other insurance advocacy, as well as
on antitrust issues as applied to alternative practice models and insurance advocacy. His other
areas include alternative practice models and health care reform, Medicaid, HIPAA & patient
privacy, duty to protect, recordkeeping and parenting coordination. He has written numerous
articles on these topics for Practice Update and Good Practice, and has authored book chapters
on some of these issues. He has also presented on these topics at APA and state association
conferences and meetings. Mr. Nessman joined APA in 2000 after 15 years as a law firm
litigator, where he primarily handled matters for and against insurance companies. He received
his J.D. with honors from George Washington University in 1984 and his B.A. with honors from
the University of Chicago in 1981.
10:00AM-10:30AM Break
10:30AM-12:00PM CE Workshops
(Participants must attend entire program to receive CE credit)
[121] Routine Outcomes Monitoring and Measurement Feedback to Improve Outcomes and Promote
Practice Improvement
1.5 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenter: Susan R. Douglas, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Psychology and Human Development, Vanderbilt University
Course Description: Routine outcomes monitoring and measurement feedback systems (MFS)
have been shown to contribute to improved outcomes for youth and adults receiving mental
health services. A MFS consists of (a) psychometrically sound measure(s) of treatment progress
and process administered frequently throughout treatment, and (b) interpreted results
delivered to clinicians as timely and clinically useful feedback. Recognized as a vital component
of evidence based practice in psychology, MFSs are also a useful tool to promote data informed
decision-making throughout an organizational setting. This presentation will capitalize on over a
decade of experience in the development, implementation, and evaluation of a MFS to provide
scientifically rigorous and practical guidance for the adoption, implementation, and utilization of
MFSs with an emphasis on integrated care settings. Specific issues to be covered include:
characteristics of effective MFSs; evidence-based strategies to promote successful
implementation; integration of MFSs as a component of evidence-based screening, assessment,
and intervention; use of a MFS as a technological tool to promote multidisciplinary
communication and continuity of care; and integration of MFS information to promote datainformed supervision and program leadership.
Learning Objectives:
A. Identify at least four evidence-based characteristics of effective measurement feedback
systems.
B. Implement strategies that balance scientific rigor and practical application to promote
high quality utilization of measurement feedback systems.
C. Describe how measurement feedback can support multidisciplinary communication and
continuity of care within integrated care settings.
D. Explain how measurement feedback can support data-informed supervision and
program leadership.
Presenter Information: Susan Douglas, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist and part-time faculty at
Peabody College, Vanderbilt University. For the past decade she has engaged in research and
development efforts to improve practice in health and mental health care settings through
quality improvement initiatives intended to impact provider behavior and promote
organizational learning. She has a strong background in evidence based assessment including
the integration of routine outcome monitoring and feedback technology into clinical routines.
Her passion is collaborating with agency partners to implement innovative practices that are
evidence-based and organically grown to enhance sustainability.
[122] Women of Color: Navigation of Microaggressions and Intersectionality in Your Personal and
Professional Environment
1.5 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenters: Joan Popkin, Ph.D., HSP and Jennifer Kasey, Psy.D., HSP
Affiliations: Tennessee State University and private practice
Course Description: Due to the increasing diversification of women of color in mental health, it is
imperative to gain an understanding of the unique challenges faced in their professional and
personal environments as they navigate career and individual roles and goals. Mental health
providers, in particular, must navigate a unique set of practical and cultural barriers in order to
appropriately assess and treat themselves as well as others seeking mental health
services. Although specific challenges may vary by ethnic group and individual clients, a number of
common barriers have been identified. Through the sharing of narratives in a large and small group
format, the presenters will discuss the meaning of the challenges of microaggressions and
intersectionalities in our current society. Lastly, various coping strategies and recommendations will
be identified and discussed.
This program is designed, at least partially, to meet Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology
continuing education requirements for licensure renewal in the area of cultural diversity. Other
programs may also meet these criteria, but TPA is designating this one. For further information,
please refer to the Rules and Regulation of the TN Board of Examiners in Psychology.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will increase knowledge and understanding of barriers related to
microaggressions and intersectionalities for women of color in current culture.
B. Participants will list unique challenges and barriers related to minority status as women of
color.
C. Participants will apply assessment skills to help themselves as well as others seeking mental
health services.
D. Participants will identify and implement coping strategies and recommendations for
navigating particular challenges identified in the presentation.
Presenter Information: Dr. Popkin is a Licensed Psychologist, Nationally Certified School
Psychologist, and professor. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at
Tennessee State University. Her clinical interests and experiences include anxiety, depression, and
bipolar disorders; women's health; relationship and family issues as well as the implementation of
behavior management/support plans, functional behavioral assessments, and consultation services
for children and families. She conducts individual counseling as well as a variety of psychological
testing. Additionally, she is currently the chair of the diversity committee for the Tennessee
Psychological Association. Joan is actively involved in publishing and presenting research through
inter-disciplinary work and projects at the state, national, and international level with issues related
to children and families, diversity and multiculturalism, women’s issues, service learning/civic
engagement, and biopsychosocial factors related to health and wellness. She is an advocate for
positive mental and physical health as well as the overall well-being for diverse populations ranging
from early childhood through older adulthood and incorporating these aspects in their daily lives.
She believes in the integration of diverse services to enhance optimal interventions for children,
youth, and adults.
[123] Psychologists’ Fitness for Duty: The Competence Question
1.5 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenter: Brian M. Wind, Ph.D.
Affiliation: NOVOS Behavioral Health Solutions, LLC
Course Description: The profession of psychology has both universal and unique occupational
vulnerabilities that may call into question a psychologist’s competence to practice. Factors
potentially impacting competence may include life transitions, aging, medical problems,
psychopathology, cultural insensitivity, and a wide array of forms of impairment. Given that we as
psychologists are ethically obligated to ensure our competence, this program addresses the critical
task of evaluating competence, and plans of action to respond to issues of incompetence.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will define the ethical mandate of competence in the profession of psychology.
B. Participants will describe the developmental continuum of professional incompetence.
C. Participants will identify the types of incompetence commonly seen in the profession of
psychology, and how to recognize these issues.
D. Plans of action for addressing incompetence generally, and certain types of incompetence
specifically, will be identified by the participants.
Presenter Information: Dr. Brian Wind is the Chief Executive Officer of NOVOS Behavioral Health
Solutions, LLC, a clinical consulting company with an emphasis on the treatment of addiction, as well
as the three “pillars of health” – sleep, nutrition, and exercise. In this position, Dr. Wind serves as a
clinical consultant with multiple healthcare facilities, and manages the development of healthcare
related software. Dr. Wind has served as co-chair of the American Psychological Association’s
Advisory Committee on Colleague Assistance, with an emphasis on furthering the national
movement of professional wellness. He is contracted with Tennessee Board of Examiners in
Psychology as the Executive Director of the Tennessee Colleague Assistance Foundation.
[124] Considerations for Multi-Morbidity of Sex Addiction, Eating Disorders and Trauma
1.5 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenters: B. Charles Ihrig, PhD, Karen Brownd, MA, LPCC, CSAT, and Lee Anne Roach, MS, RDN
Ms. Brownd and Ms. Roach are employed by The Ranch, Nunnelly, TN
Affiliations: The Ranch and Athena Consulting and Psychological Services, LLC
Course Description:
Many clients entering residential treatment or outpatient therapy presenting with initial
problems of substance abuse/dependence or mood disorder, then often reveal symptoms of
additional co-existing sexual addiction or eating disorders. The purpose of this presentation is
to provide a broad understanding of the interactions between these various conditions. The
program will focus on the need to understand and identify underlying trauma and grief
reactions in the treatment process and the need to provide clinical interventions that will
address the multi-morbid disorders simultaneously with the client.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will recite 3 symptoms characteristic of co-existing sexual addiction and
trauma.
B. Participants will recite 3 symptoms characteristic of co-existing eating disorders and
trauma.
C. Participants will discuss the importance of treating multi-disorder presentations
simultaneously.
D. Participants will discuss the relationship between eating disorders, sexual addictions,
and trauma
Presenter Information: Dr. Ihrig is a Licensed Psychologist and founding partner of Athena
Consulting & Psychological Services, LLC. He provides diagnostic and assessment services to The
Ranch, a dual diagnosis residential facility which focuses on recovery from addictive disorders,
eating disorders, sex and love addiction, and trauma.
12:00PM-2:00PM Lunch - On Your Own
OR
Psychological Examiners’ Annual Meet & Greet Lunch
Networking time with speakers discussing career and legislative updates on what happened in 2015 and
what to expect in 2016.
2:00PM-5:30PM CE Workshops
(Participants must attend entire program to receive CE credit)
3:30PM-4:00PM Break
[131] Parity, Insurance, and Antitrust: Issues and Advocacy
3 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenter: Alan Nessman, JD
Affiliation: Senior Special Counsel for Legal and Regulatory Affairs, APA Practice Directorate
Course Description: This workshop will present the APA Practice Organization’s (APAPO’s)
perspective and initiatives on a cluster of issues involving private insurance and Medicaid. It will
start with an overview of the federal parity law (MHPAEA) and how TPA members can assess
whether there is a viable claim that mental health patients are being discriminated against in
violation of that law. It will then discuss APAPO’s efforts to enforce the law in areas such as
patient access issues caused by reimbursement rate cuts, and transparency of medical necessity
criteria. The workshop will then discuss insurance issues beyond parity, such as the new risk
adjustment audits under the Affordable Care Act, traditional managed care audits, and advocacy
to increase services to neuropsychological patients. It will then cover how psychologists and
their associations can avoid risks under antitrust law when doing insurance advocacy and
discussing insurance and rates.
Learning Objectives:
A. Analyze how to determine if mental health patients are being discriminated against in
violation of the federal parity law.
B. Discuss advocacy to enforce the parity law for the benefit of patients.
C. Identify the HIPAA and state confidentiality issues created by the new risk adjustment
audits under the Affordable Care Act, as well as recordkeeping strategies to protect
patient privacy in light of those audits.
D. Learn the antitrust risks associated with insurance advocacy and listserv discussions of
insurance and how psychologists and their associations can avoid those risks.
E. Identify issues and advocacy related to expanding the provision of psychological services
to underserved Medicaid populations.
Presenter Information: Mr. Nessman is the Senior Special Counsel in the Office of Legal &
Regulatory Affairs for the APA Practice Organization and the Practice Directorate. He is APAPO’s
lead attorney on mental health parity implementation and other insurance advocacy, as well as
on antitrust issues as applied to alternative practice models and insurance advocacy. His other
areas include alternative practice models and health care reform, Medicaid, HIPAA & patient
privacy, duty to protect, recordkeeping and parenting coordination. He has written numerous
articles on these topics for Practice Update and Good Practice, and has authored book chapters
on some of these issues. He has also presented on these topics at APA and state association
conferences and meetings. Mr. Nessman joined APA in 2000 after 15 years as a law firm
litigator, where he primarily handled matters for and against insurance companies. He received
his JD with honors from George Washington University in 1984 and his BA with honors from the
University of Chicago in 1981.
[132] Working Together: Interprofessional Clinical Care in Action
3 CE credits, Intermediate (Type I)
Presenters: Erin L. Patel, Psy.D., ABPP, Jennifer Bean, Pharm.D., BCPS, BCPP, R. Jill Pate, M.D.,
Natalie Heidelberg, Ph.D, Chelsea Rothschild, Ph.D., Shagufta Jabeen, M.D., Sharon Gordon, Psy.D.
Affiliations: VA TN Valley Healthcare System
Course Description: This presentation will begin with a discussion of the Interprofessional Education
Collaborative (IPEC) guidelines as they relate to interprofessional (IP) education and clinical practice.
The four core IPEC competencies will be discussed. Research on the benefits of IP collaboration will
be discussed as it relates to educational programs, employee satisfaction, and patient care
outcomes. We will then present on various IP care models at VA TN Valley Healthcare System,
including Primary Care Mental Health Integration, a general MH IP clinic, a general MH IP clinic
delivered through telehealth, an IP clinic focusing on collaborative care for patients with co-morbid
MH and medical diagnoses, and an IP clinic for older adults. Panel members will discuss the creation
of these clinics, barriers to implementation, development of a quality improvement program within
these clinics, and outcome measures related to patient satisfaction and healthcare outcomes (as
available).
Prerequisite: Participants should have an understanding of the clinical contributions of other team
members (i.e., Psychiatry and Pharmacy).
Learning Objectives:
A. At the completion of this session participants will identify the four core competencies of
interprofessional care and discuss how these can be applied to clinical and educational
programs.
B. At the completion of this session participants will describe research on interprofessional
care as it relates to healthcare outcomes, educational programs, and employee satisfaction.
C. At the completion of this session participants will describe how to develop interprofessional
clinics within their organization, especially within VA healthcare settings.
D. At the completion of this session participants will be able to implement quality
improvement measurement into their IP clinics.
Presenter Information: Dr. Erin Patel is the Assistant Chief of Psychology and the Director of
Training at the VAs in Nashville and Murfreesboro. She has been highly involved in interprofessional
care, from educational, research, and clinical perspectives. She is the co-founder of the
interprofessional training program at her VA which has included the creation of four
interprofessional clinics and funding for three postdoctoral fellowship positions. Dr. Patel is also the
2015 President of TPA.
[133] Cultivating Happiness—The 40% Solution
3 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenter: Dianne Lemieux, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Private practice, Assistant Clinical Professor, University of Tennessee Knoxville
Course Description: Much of the focus of psychological research in the last half of the 20th
century has been on the investigation of psychopathology and the development of
methodologies to reduce or alleviate emotional suffering. Meditative disciplines also
recommend cultivating positive states of mind as well as investigating “the seeds of suffering” as
the antidote to unhappiness and suffering. The advances of positive psychology and the science
of happiness suggest that while there is a genetically determined “happiness set point”, 40% of
our felt sense of happiness can be enhanced by our habits and behaviors. We can, therefore, as
the contemplative traditions have long realized, cultivate a greater sense of happiness, meaning
and well-being in our lives. This workshop will review some of the findings of the science of
happiness from fields of psychology, neuroscience, and evolutionary biology. It will also explore
practices from the contemplative traditions and positive psychology which, if regularly
practiced, increase the experience of happiness and well-being. We can utilize these practices
to enhance our own well-being while weathering the “winds of change” in our personal and
professional lives as well as adapt them to assist our clients in the consulting room. This
workshop will be both academic and experiential in nature.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will define how science conceptualizes and measures happiness.
B. Participants will identify the role that genetics, environmental factors and intentional
choice and behavior play in determining our felt sense of happiness and well-being.
C. Participants will describe empirically validated support practices and activities from the
meditative disciplines and positive psychology which, if practiced regularly, increase our
sense of happiness and well-being.
D. Participants will apply strategies for finding happiness in difficult times that are utilized
by “truly happy people” and can be adapted to clinical practice.
Presenter Information: Dr. Dianne Lemieux is a licensed clinical psychologist who has
maintained a private practice in Knoxville, Tennessee since 1985 specializing in individual adult,
family and marital psychotherapy. She graduated from Tufts University in 1974 and obtained
her PhD from the University of Tennessee in 1984. Dr. Lemieux has had a long time interest in
meditation, and has taught Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction since 1993. She has facilitated
mindfulness retreats as well as presented workshops and professional training in mindfulness
for many years. She also serves as an assistant clinical professor at the University of Tennessee
Knoxville were she is active in supervision of clinical psychology graduate students.
[134] Assessment and Treatment of Multi-Morbidity of Sex Addiction, Eating Disorders & Trauma –
The Trifecta for Relapse
3 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenters: B. Charles Ihrig, PhD, Karen Brownd, MA, LPCC, CSAT, and Lee Anne Roach, MS, RDN
Ms. Brownd and Ms. Roach are employed by The Ranch, Nunnelly, TN
Affiliations: The Ranch and Athena Consulting and Psychological Services, LLC
Course Description:
Many clients entering residential treatment or outpatient therapy presenting with initial
problems of substance abuse/dependence or mood disorder, then often reveal symptoms of
additional co-existing sexual addiction or eating disorders. The purpose of this presentation is
to provide clinical tools and techniques for the identification of both sexual addiction and eating
disorders often fueled by unresolved trauma, and how they are frequently interwoven with one
addiction often masking the other. The presentation will provide an overview of early detection
tools and techniques as well as an understanding of advanced assessment methods. Treatment
is tailored to create a therapeutic approach of interventions and clinical strategies designed to
address the multi-morbid disorders simultaneously. Included in these strategies are the
uncovering of secrecy, power and control similar in both sex addiction and eating disorders.
Case examples will include the components found critical to assessment, treatment, continuing
care, and life recovery planning.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will identify 3 techniques for breaking the secrecy surrounding sexual
addiction, eating disorders, and trauma.
B. Participants will discuss the interrelated nature of sexual addiction, eating disorders,
and trauma.
C. Participants will identify 3 specific therapeutic techniques or interventions helpful in
addressing co-existing sexual addiction, eating disorders, and trauma.
D. Participants will demonstrate knowledge of the importance of addressing multimorbidity issues simultaneously with attention to relapse symptoms.
Presenter Information: Dr. Ihrig is a Licensed Psychologist and founding partner of Athena
Consulting & Psychological Services, LLC. He provides diagnostic and assessment services to The
Ranch, a dual diagnosis residential facility which focuses on recovery from addictive disorders,
eating disorders, sex and love addiction, and trauma.
5:30PM Registration Closes
6:00PM-10:00PM TPA Board Meeting
7:00PM-8:30PM Movie and Discussion
(Participants must attend entire program to receive CE credit)
[151] “Happy”
1.5 CE credits, Introductory (Type II)
Presenter: Dianne Lemieux, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Private practice, Assistant Clinical Professor, University of Tennessee Knoxville
Course Description: Happy is a 2011 feature documentary film which explores human happiness
across cultures through interviews with researchers in positive psychology and individuals from
14 different countries. The film will be followed by a brief discussion including an introduction to
Foster and Hicks’ Happiness Inventory. (Foster, R. & Hicks, G. (1999). How we choose to be
happy, the 9 choices of extremely happy people-their secrets, their stories. New York: Penguin
Group.)
This program is designed, at least partially, to meet Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology
continuing education requirements for licensure renewal in the area of cultural diversity. Other
programs may also meet these criteria, but TPA is designating this one. For further information,
please refer to the Rules and Regulation of the TN Board of Examiners in Psychology.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will identify the role that genetics, environmental factors and intentional
choice and behavior play in determining our felt sense of happiness and well-being.
B. Participants will describe how values impact happiness for both individuals and nations.
Which values are best predictors of happiness? Which values have a low correlation
with happiness? Which values appear to support happiness across culture? Which
values appear detrimental?
C. Participants will identify which neurotransmitter is associated with happiness and what
is the best way to stimulate the production of this neurotransmitter behaviorally?
D. Participants will list the nine choices truly happy people make and rate themselves on
the extent that they are currently making these choices in their own lives.
Presenter Information: Dr. Dianne Lemieux is a licensed clinical psychologist who has
maintained a private practice in Knoxville, Tennessee since 1985 specializing in individual adult,
family and marital psychotherapy. She graduated from Tufts University in 1974 and obtained
her PhD from the University of Tennessee in 1984. Dr. Lemieux has had a long time interest in
meditation, and has taught Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction since 1993. She has facilitated
mindfulness retreats as well as presented workshops and professional training in mindfulness
for many years. She also serves as an assistant clinical professor at the University of Tennessee
Knoxville were she is active in supervision of clinical psychology graduate students.
Friday, October 30, 2015
6:30AM-7:30AM Fourth Annual TPA Group Run
7:30AM Registration Open
8:30AM-12:00PM CE Workshops
(Participants must attend entire program to receive CE credit)
10:00AM-10:30AM Break
[211] Professional Ethics, Law and Regulations Governing Psychologists and Psychological Examiners
in Tennessee
3 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenters: Connie Paul, Ph.D., ABPP and Pam Auble, Ph.D., ABPP-CN, and John B. Averitt, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Memphis Center for Women and Families (Dr. Paul)
Course Description: Psychologists’ ethical decision making and professional conduct are
informed and guided by several important sources and documents, including federal and state
laws, the Tennessee Code Annotated Title 63, Chapter 11, the Rules and Regulations of the
Board of Examiners in Psychology (BOE) and the APA Code of Ethics. This review will include an
exploration of the applicability of the APA “Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of
Conduct” to the practice of psychologist, senior psychological examiners and psychological
examiners. Special focus will include information on new laws pertaining to telehealth, scope of
practice, behavioral analysts and duty to protect reporting as well as rules pertaining to
continuing education.
This program is designed to meet Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology continuing
education requirements for licensure renewal in Law & Ethics. For further information, please
refer to the Rules and Regulation of the TN Board of Examiners in Psychology.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will be able to apply new requirements for duty to protect reporting.
B. Participants will describe detailed information regarding continuing education rules and
regulations.
C. Participant will discuss information regarding scope of practice in the practice of
psychology.
D. After an in depth view of the APA “Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of
Conduct” participants will apply the principles and code to the practice of psychologists,
senior psychological examiners and psychological examiners.
Presenter Information: Dr. Connie Paul is a past member of the Board of Examiners in
Psychology. She is a Past President of the Tennessee Psychological Association and presently
serves as the Administrative Services Officer of TPA. She is a clinical psychologist currently in
practice with the Memphis Center for Women and Families.
[212] Virtue‐Based Leadership: Foundations, Examples, and Obstacles
3 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenter: Daniel L. LeBreton, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Peter Rock Consulting, Inc.
Course Description: Leadership is a profoundly important process in organizations. Great
leadership inspires people to do their best work, creates a sense of connection and shared
purpose, and contributes to a healthy and vibrant work environment. Destructive or
dysfunctional leadership demotivates people, strips them of dignity and respect, and creates
undue stress and tension within the workplace. The current session presents a virtue‐based
leadership (VBL) framework that can help guide leaders along a positive and healthy path that
enriches the work experience for them and the people around them. The session will describe
the historical and theoretical foundations for VBL (found in Peterson & Seligman’s (2005) Virtues
and Character Strengths), provide examples of virtue expressed as leadership behavior, cite
empirical research supporting the core elements of VBL, and confront some real‐world obstacles
to it. The session will be relevant to psychologists with managerial or supervisory responsibility,
those who consult with organizations or leaders, and anyone with an interest in leadership.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will describe Peterson and Seligman’s (2004) High Six virtues.
B. Participants will critique virtue‐based leadership based upon empirical evidence.
C. Participants will apply the core elements of virtue‐based leadership to their professional
environments.
D. Participants will compare virtue‐based leadership to other leadership perspectives.
Presenter Information: Daniel LeBreton is a corporate psychologist and consultant at Peter Rock
Consulting, Inc. He has spent the past ten years providing leadership assessment, leadership
development, and executive coaching services to organizations ranging from small non‐profits
to Fortune 500 companies. He has worked with hundreds of leaders and executives on their
professional growth and development. Daniel routinely advises leaders on how to provide
meaningful, inspiring, and virtue‐based leadership to their teams and on how to overcome the
obstacles to leadership development that so often hinder leaders from meaningful growth. Prior
to pursuing his consulting career, Daniel was a faculty member in the Psychology Department at
the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He graduated with a B.S. from Illinois State
University and earned both an M.S. and a Ph.D. in Industrial‐Organizational Psychology at
Virginia Tech. He is a licensed psychologist and has served as an adjunct instructor at Vanderbilt
University in the Peabody College of Education and Human Development and at Belmont
University in the Massey Graduate School of Business.
[213] Relationship Rx: An Effective, Brief Motivational Intervention for Diverse Couples
3 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenter: Kristina Coop Gordon, Ph.D.
Affiliation: University of Tennessee-Knoxville
Course Description: Despite the prevalence of relationship distress, the vast majority of people
suffering from relationship difficulties do not seek help (Johnson, Stanley, Glenn, et al., 2002),
and those who do usually seek assistance in physicians’ offices rather than mental health clinics
(Searight, 2010). Consequently, this presentation describes an innovative program, called
Relationship Rx, that is designed to overcome barriers to treatment and engage couples in a
relationship checkup to improve their relationship health. Relationship Rx’s primary objectives
are to (a) reach couples with a wide range of relationship functioning and connect them with
needed community resources, (b) improve couples’ relationship health, financial stability, and
decrease risk of divorce , and (c) reduce the stigma for relationship help-seeking. Data analyses
for the approximately 450 couples in the program who have completed one-month follow-ups
to date show statistically significant increases in ratings of: marital strengths, couple
satisfaction, willingness to seek help for relationships, motivation to work on relationships; and
positive communication. The couples also report significantly decreased ratings of marital
concerns, steps toward divorce, and psychological and physical aggression.
This program is designed, at least partially, to meet Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology
continuing education requirements for licensure renewal in the area of cultural diversity. Other
programs may also meet these criteria, but TPA is designating this one. For further information,
please refer to the Rules and Regulation of the TN Board of Examiners in Psychology.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will be able to describe the theoretical underpinnings of the Relationship
Check-up.
B. Participants will be able to identify at least 3 challenges to implementing this
intervention with diverse populations and corresponding strategies that can address
these barriers to treatment.
C. Participants will apply three strategies to facilitate greater connection and intimacy for
couples in a brief intervention.
D. Participants will describe the empirical evidence for the Check-up and data regarding its
effectiveness with diverse populations.
Presenter Information: Dr. Gordon received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from UNC-Chapel
Hill after completing an internship at the Brown University Consortium. She is Full Professor in
the Department of Psychology at the University of Tennessee, where she directs the couple
therapy clinical practicum. Currently, she is the Primary Investigator on a $2.8 million dollar
federal grant designed to implement a brief marital intervention in a primarily low income
population. She also is serving as President of the Society for Family Psychology, (APA Division
43) for the year 2015.
[214] Advances in Mind-Body Therapies: Yoga Nidra, Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback, and
Neurofeedback
3 CE Credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenters: Pamela D. Drury, Ph.D., BCN, Adriana Kipper Smith, Ph.D., Lori Simms, Ph.D., BCN
Affiliations: Drury: Private practice - Neurobehavioral Associates of Nashville; Smith- Vanderbilt
University Psychological and Counseling Center; Simms- Tennessee Valley Healthcare System
Course Description: Mind-body therapies are used by mental health professionals to help clients
learn to self-regulate psychophysiology, which in turn can improve physiology, behavior,
emotion regulation, and cognition. Biofeedback has been used in clinical settings more than 45
years, but technological advances in the past couple of decades have led to an expansion of
techniques and improved efficacy. Another recent innovation has been the integration of yoga
nidra or mindfulness meditation into mental health clinical settings, including the regulation of
anger. This presentation first will provide an overview of recent advances in a number of mindbody therapies, including yoga nidra, heart rate variability, and neurofeedback. Second,
empirical support will be reviewed for these therapies to address a number of clinical
presentations, including mood disorders, anxiety, anger, cognitive deficits associated with brain
injury, and developmental disorders such as ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, and learning
disorders. Finally, training requirements and ethics related to provision of these therapies will
be presented.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will describe current applications of biofeedback that have been made
possible with recent technological advances.
B. Participants will describe applications of yoga nidra in the treatment of anger problems
and overall emotion regulation.
C. Participants will identify which clinical presentations can benefit from mind-body
therapies, based on empirical support, either as a complimentary or stand-alone
approach.
D. Participants will evaluate credentials and training of individuals providing mind-body
therapies, and learn steps for attaining competency in these therapies.
Presenter Information: Pamela Drury is a licensed clinical neuropsychologist with a private
practice in Brentwood, Tennessee. She began her career as an experimental neuroscientist
before respecializing in clinical psychology. In addition to neuropsychological evaluations, she
provides neurofeedback as a means to train self-regulation of brain activity and improve overall
cognitive and emotional functioning.
10:00AM-12:00PM Graduate Student Poster Session
Graduate students from colleges and universities across the state will be on hand to present
research results in poster format. You are invited to encourage the students in this professional
development opportunity, by taking a few minutes to read some of the posters and interact
with them during your program break. Poster session winners will be announced during the TPA
Business Meeting and Luncheon.
12:00PM-2:00PM
TPA Business Meeting and Luncheon
2:00PM-5:30PM CE Workshops
(Participants must attend entire program to receive CE credit)
3:30PM-4:00PM Break
[231] The Neurodevelopmental Impact of Trauma and the Hope of Epigenetics
3 CE credits, Intermediate (Type I)
Presenter: Timothy A. Urbin, PhD., MBA, HSP
Affiliation: East Tennessee State University
Course Description: Early life trauma encompasses a wide range of external behaviors that
affect the developing brains of infants and children. Prenatal and postnatal neurodevelopmental
concepts along with well-established long-term effects on physical and psychological functioning
of adults will be presented. The important role of psychologists in both the prevention and
treatment of trauma related effects across the lifespan will be discussed. Basic concepts of
epigenetics will be presented. Previous expectations of “genetic contributions” to adult
psychopathology are being rapidly modified by the field of epigenetics, which provides an
important opportunity for psychology. The “hope of epigenetics” identifies opportunities for
both assessment and intervention to reduce the long term impact of childhood trauma on adult
behavior.
Prerequisite: A general understanding of basic processes of neurodevelopment and of the role
of genetics in the development of psychiatric disorders will be beneficial to attendees.
Learning Objectives:
A. Upon completion, attendees will identify two basic neurodevelopmental processes that
play key roles in long term psychotherapy outcomes.
B. Upon completion, attendees will briefly define and explain the role of epigenetics in the
development and treatment of anxiety disorders.
C. Upon completion, attendees will briefly explain the difference between a “genetic” vs.
an “epigenetic” contribution in the development of psychopathology.
D. Upon completion, attendees will identify at least three adult medical conditions that can
be directly linked to a toxic environment experienced during childhood.
Presenter Information: Dr. Urbin has been in the healthcare field for 36 years and has been a
licensed clinical psychologist for the past 27 years. His primary clinical focus during his career
has been on assessment and treatment specifically related to the areas of neuropsychology and
behavioral health. Currently, he is full time teaching faculty in the Department of Family
Medicine at the Quillen College of Medicine where he teaches and supervises both medical
students and graduate Family Medicine residents.
[232] Through the Looking Glass: Psychologists in the Corporate Environment
1.5 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenter: Les Kertay, Ph. D., ABPP
Affiliation: Behavioral Medical Interventions, private practice, University of Tennessee at
Chattanooga
Course Description: Most psychologists come into the profession because of an innate curiosity
about human nature and with intent to help others. Traditional models, including fee-for-service
private practice and work in mental health facilities, are changing with the gradual
transformation of health care delivery systems and the growth of other professions competing
for that market. As alternative avenues emerge, one that deserves additional attention is the
clinical psychologist in corporate management. This workshop explores the changing nature of
the corporate workplace, and presents an understanding of the ways in which psychologists may
be uniquely positioned to take on additional leadership roles.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will describe features of the global economy that are forcing a reevaluation
of traditional corporate structure.
B. Participants will describe those features of the work environment most critical to the
generations now forming the majority of the workforce.
C. Participants will list connections between training in psychology and the demands being
placed on leaders in modern corporate structure.
D. Participants will enumerate some of the challenges that will be faced by psychologists
entering corporate leadership positions
Presenter Information: Dr. Les Kertay is a husband, dad, psychologist and geek who has
reinvented himself often over the course of a nearly 40 year career in mental health. He has
worked in community mental health, private practice, and corporate settings, applying his
knowledge of behavioral principles to the increasingly diverse number of areas in which
psychologists can play an important role. With expertise in disability medicine, health &
productivity, and psychotherapy, he currently works independently as a consultant, therapist,
and guide, and he is Chief Medical Officer with Behavioral Medical Interventions.
[233] Introducing the MCMI-IV
3 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenter: Gloria Maccow, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Dr. Maccow is employed by Pearson, publisher of MCMI-IV.
Course Description: This presentation will introduce the fourth edition of the Millon Clinical
Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI-IV). The presenter will provide an overview of changes, including
updates to constructs, scales, standardization, and interpretive features. A comprehensive
overview of Millon’s Evolutionary Theory will be included, along with its application in the
MCMI-IV. Particular attention will be placed on the theory’s utility in constructing the
instrument, and in creating a basis for an enhanced, empathic therapeutic dialogue and
understanding of the individual, as well as an interface for generating effective personalized
interventions.
Learning Objectives:
A. Describe the structure, scales, and constructs of the MCMI-IV
B. Discuss the influence of Millon's evolutionary theory on development of the MCMI-IV
C. Apply underlying theory to interpretation of MCMI-IV scales
D. Link MCMI-IV data to therapeutic interventions
Presenter Information: Dr. Maccow is an Assessment Training Consultant with Pearson. Trained
as a school psychologist at Texas A&M University, Dr. Maccow has worked in academia, private
practice, and school settings. She has conducted research on assessment, early intervention,
and response to intervention and has presented on different topics at national and state
conferences.
[234] Guidelines, Maps and Competencies for Clinical Supervision in Health Service Psychology
3 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenters: Leticia Flores Ph.D., Jerry Buchanan, Ph.D., Janice Pazar, Ph.D.
Affiliations: Flores- University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Buchanan- James H. Quillen VA Medical
Center, Mountain Home, TN; Pazar- The West Cancer Center, Memphis, TN
Course Description: During this three hour session, panel members will use a developmental
model to explore clinical training from graduate level practicum to internship and post-doctoral
supervised experience. The new 2014 APA Guidelines for Clinical Supervision in Health Service
Psychology will guide discussion of competency based supervision focused on multicultural
issues at each training level. Dr. Buchanan will lead an experiential component in the use of
supervisory maps to develop strategies for supervisory sessions. Discussion of case examples
will assist participants in integrating the presented material into their current practice.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will list and describe three key components of the 2014 APA Guidelines for
Clinical Supervision in Health Service Psychology.
B. Participants will compare and distinguish among the developmental needs of
practicum, internship and post-doctoral students regarding multicultural competencies.
C. Participants will describe the use of supervisory maps in the application of the Clinical
Supervision Guidelines.
D. Participants will practice the application of multicultural competencies using the
supervisory map.
Presenter Information: Dr. Flores is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and
the Associate Director for the UT Psychological Clinic. Dr. Flores received her bachelor’s in
psychology from Duke University in 1991 and her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at UT
Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas in 1996. She completed a 2-year post-doctoral fellowship
in chronic pain research at the University of Washington in Seattle. Dr. Flores has taught both
undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology and has supervised graduate students for
over 10 years. Her specialty is working with adults on ethnic, sexual and gender identity issues.
Dr. Flores is a member of the American Psychological Association (Division 44); the national
Register for Health Service Providers in Psychology; the Association for Psychology Training
Clinics; and the Appalachian Psychoanalytic Society.
4:00PM-5:30PM CE Workshop
(Participants must attend entire program to receive CE credit)
[242] Your Practice and TeleBehavioral Health- Insights and Innovations for Behavioral Health Service
Providers
1.5 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenter: Tamela Sadler, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Telebehavioral Healthcare Consultant and Provider, Private Practice, Manchester, TN
Dr. Sadler consults with several telebehavioral health companies including WeCounsel Solutions,
RealTime Telehealth and Forefront TeleCare. WeCounsel is financially supporting her presentation.
Course Description:
This presentation will provide essential information to the membership on emerging trends in
telemedicine and the role that behavioral healthcare providers can have in that process.
Telemedicine is a multi-billion dollar a year industry and offers applications for every field of care
including behavioral health. Telebehavioral health applications are gaining traction in the
telemedicine field by partnering providers with care sites and by integrating telebehavioral health
services into private practice which is a win-win for patients, providers and care partners.
The program will discuss:
1. The logistics of starting telebehavioral health services in your practice;
2. Partnering with a platform provider to meet your needs;
3. Understanding your State’s rules and regulations regarding Telebehavioral Health;
4. Educating your audience;
5. Application of this tool within your practice.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will describe the relevant laws and ethics code related to using telehealth
options for behavioral health practice.
B. Participants will be able to identify HIPPA compliant products and reduce high risk
contacts via social media.
C. Participants will explain how telebehavioral health can expand their professional reach.
D. Participants will describe a rapidly emerging professional area and its impact on clinician
well-being.
Presenter Information: Dr. Tamela Sadler is a Licensed Psychologist who was raised and has chosen
to make her life in Middle Tennessee. Throughout her career, Dr. Sadler has provided therapeutic
and consultation services throughout the Middle and Southeast Regions of Tennessee. She has
worked with the Southeast Center of Excellence, the Department of Children’s Services and with
private industry partners to develop programming and serve at-risk and high-risk populations. Dr.
Sadler has 22 years of experience in the development and provision of innovative community
mental health services in both urban and rural settings.
Dr. Sadler earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Middle Tennessee State University,
a Master’s Degree in Counseling from Trevecca Nazarene University and she completed her PhD in
Counseling Psychology at Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN. She speaks frequently on
applications for telebehavioral health in private practice. She lives in Middle Tennessee with her
family and their dog named Puppy.
5:30PM Registration Closes
5:45PM-10:00PM
The Last Halloween Party
(Costumes encouraged, but not required)
You may have noticed that for the past few years our convention has fallen around the
Halloween weekend. This schedule has not been popular. The convention will move to the first
weekend in November next year after our current contract with the convention hotel expires.
To say good-bye to our Halloween scheduling problem, we have planned the Halloween party to
end all Halloween parties, at least for TPA.
So pull together your best, wackiest costume, complete with your dancing shoes, and join us for
the celebration. Even if you don’t want to do the costume thing, join us anyway. We will have
props at the door for those who want to dabble in costumery.
What to expect:
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Music and a dance floor
Plenty of kicked-up hors d’oeuvres (forget dinner reservations)
Cash bar
Prizes
Silent auction to benefit Tennessee Psychological Foundation (TPF) (see below)
A chance to relax with your colleagues after a hard day of CE
What is the Tennessee Psychological Foundation and why should I support it?
The Tennessee Psychological Foundation (TPF), established in 2012, was formed to promote both the
practice and science of Psychology and, in so doing, contribute to the general welfare of the citizens of
Tennessee. Funds received , including contributions made to honor or memorialize a friend, family
member, or colleague, will be used to support education, research and distribution of information of
Psychological information for the common good. Activities of the Foundation may include, but are not
limited to, public education, public service projects for the community, support of psychology student
training through awards, promotion of psychological research, and recognition of outstanding
contributors to the profession.
TPF is a 501(c)3 organization. Donations are
tax deductible to the full extent allowed by
state, local, and federal law. 2014-2015
Board of Directors: Ray Gentry, President;
Mark Phillips, Treasurer; Robin OatisBallew, Secretary; Nicky Ozek, Member at
Large.
Inquiries and contributions can be
addressed by writing to TPF, P.O. Box
218301, Nashville, TN 37221. Or, you may
email roballew@gmail.com. Inquiries
about Silent Auction, held at TPA
convention, can be addressed to nicky-ozbek@utc.edu.
Saturday, October 31, 2015
7:00AM-7:45AM Yoga with Elaine Rodgers
7:30AM-5:30PM Registration Open
8:30AM-12:00PM CE Workshops
(Participants must attend entire program to receive CE credit)
10:00AM-10:30AM Break
10:00AM-12:00PM Undergraduate Student Poster Session
Undergraduate students from colleges and universities across the state will be on hand to
present research results in poster format. You are invited to encourage the students in this
professional development opportunity, by taking a few minutes to read some of the posters and
interact with them during your program break.
[311] Ethics and Law Review 2015
3 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenters: Jim Brown, Ph.D. and Les Kertay, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Behavioral Health Associates and private practice, respectively
Course Description: This presentation is intended to meet the Ethics and Jurisprudence
component of the BOE continuing education requirements. We will discuss the ethical and legal
decision-making process, focusing on behavioral approaches and the use of guiding principles.
We will also review elements of Tennessee law, Board of Examiners rules and regulations, and
federal law relevant to the practice of psychology in Tennessee. Emerging areas of practice,
including secure electronic communication, current status of ICD 10, and "embedded"
psychological services in primary care settings will be addressed.
This program is designed to meet Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology continuing
education requirements for licensure renewal in Law & Ethics. For further information, please
refer to the Rules and Regulation of the TN Board of Examiners in Psychology.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will identify and describe the latest requirements for implementation of
ICD-10.
B. Participants will describe ethics code requirements on public statements regarding
academic credentials, training, and experience.
C. Participants will apply the specifics of HIPAA-compliant e-mail.
D. Participants will list record-keeping options related to ACA "Risk Adjustment Audits."
Presenter Information: Jim Brown is the chair of the TPA ethics committee. He is a graduate of
Auburn University and the University of Alabama. He has been in private practice since 1982 and
a member of the ethics committee since 1985 (approximately!).
[312] Facing Fears with Fun and Playfulness: Issues in the Evidence Based Treatment of Childhood
Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorders
3 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenter: John Paul Abner, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Milligan College
Course Description:This presentation will cover issues in diagnosing anxiety and obsessive
compulsive disorders in children including a brief discussion of PANDA’s. Current Evidence Based
Treatments of childhood anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorders will be explored. There will be
an emphasis on how to use humor, playfulness, and creativity in devising appropriate and effective
exposure and response prevention tasks.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will describe symptoms of anxiety disorders that are commonly misdiagnosed
as other disorders.
B. Participants will create a CBT intervention for a child with an anxiety disorder using the
Coping Cat curriculum.
C. Participants will discuss how to use humor and creativity in CBT in devising exposure and
response prevention exercises for children.
D. Participants will identify methods to increase the efficacy of creating exposure and response
prevention exercise with children.
Presenter Information: John-Paul Abner graduated from the University of Florida with a Ph.D. in
Clinical Psychology (Child and Adolescent emphasis) in 1996. A professor in psychology at Milligan
College, he is one of 20 people in the world who has been designated as a Parent Child Interaction
Therapy (PCIT) Trainer.
[313] Best Practices for Social Security Disability Determination Services Childhood Consultative
Evaluations
3 CE credits, Introductory (Type II)
Presenters: Rebecca Hansmann, Psy.D Tommie Slayden, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Consultants for the Tennessee Disability Determination Services
Course Description: The Social Security Administration is a government-funded agency that pays
benefits to individuals who have a medical/psychological condition that can be expected to
result in death or is expected to prevent an individual from working for at least 12 months. A
child under 18 may be eligible to receive benefits if he or she has a medically determinable
impairment(s) that causes marked and severe functional limitations, and that can be expected
to cause death or that has lasted or can be expected to last for at least 12 months. Disability
Determination Services (DDS) is responsible for developing the medical information and
rendering initial disability decisions. The DDS typically attempts to obtain medical information
from the claimant’s treating sources, however if there is inadequate information available, or
the information does not include an “acceptable source” (M.D. or doctoral level psychologist),
the DDS will arrange for an independent consultative examination (CE). Medical and mental
health professionals who perform CEs must have a good understanding of SSA’s disability
programs and requirements in order to provide DDS with a comprehensive review of the
claimant’s impairments and limitations. CE panelists who evaluate children will receive a
general review of best practices for evaluating children of different ages.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will describe the DDS childhood disability determination process.
B. Participants will identify “best practices” to use when conducting a childhood evaluation
for DDS.
C. Participants will identify and analyze conflicts in the medical evidence, presentation of
claimant or guardian, and psychological testing.
D. Participants will list the criteria for the required medical source opinion (MSO).
Presenter Information: Dr. Hansmann is a clinical psychologist who has been involved with the
Social Security Tennessee Disability Determination Services for 19 years. She is a psychological
consultant for the Tennessee Social Security Disability Determination Services (DDS) and has
been a psychological expert for the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review. Her
responsibilities at DDS have included assessing adult and child disability claims, training new
doctors and other DDS employees, and consulting on various types of cases and quality
assurance concerns. She is also a contract psychologist for the Tennessee Valley Authority for
which she conducts nuclear plant Fitness for Duty Evaluations and personnel
interviews/evaluations for TVA police candidates.
[314] Negotiating with the Male Avatar; Reconsidering Our Inestimably Complex Relationship with
Hardness, Aggression, Stoicism and Other Stereotypic Symbols of Masculinity
3 CE credits, Intermediate (Type I)
Presenter: Mark O’Connell, Ph.D. Sponsored by the Appalachian Psychoanalytic Society
Affiliation: Private practice, Chestnut Hill, MA
Co-sponsored by the Appalachian Psychoanalytic Society
Course Description: Postmodern, social constructivist views of gender teach us that while our
genders may be hard wired, our masculinities, our femininities - our mind-based gendered
identities - are the product of our relationships with our relational and social environments.
Modern, social constructivist views on gender, however, at times seem to imply that we are
subject to a forced, even traumatic identification with surrounding cultural caricatures. This
view lacks a dynamic understanding of the enormously complex inter-relationship between
mind and environment. This paper will use this relational understanding of our popular images
of masculinity to explore the meaning and role of stereotypic symbols of maleness. It will be
argued that these stereotypic constructions are products of enormously complex cultural
reactions towards male aggression and sexuality. It will include discussion of the implications of
this understanding for our clinical work, and an examination of the way that our complicated
relationship with stereotypic maleness and femaleness informs our relationships to our
attitudes towards empathy, attunement, disruption, difference and confrontation.
Case material may be confidential or sensitive in nature.
Prerequisite: It would be helpful if participants have had some experience working as
psychotherapists, at least on the internship/practicum level, and some graduate training in
social work/psychology/psychiatry.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will define social constructivist views on gender and masculinity.
B. Participants will assess social constructivist views on gender and masculinity through a
relational lens.
C. Participants will identify ways that stereotypic images of masculinity are the products of
both idealized and defensive reactions to stereotypically male qualities.
D. Participants will explain how our complicated relationship with stereotypic maleness
informs our relationships to such important clinical attitudes as empathy, attunement,
disruption, difference and confrontation.
Presenter Information: Mark O’Connell is a clinical psychologist with a private practice in
Chestnut Hill. He is a graduate of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, a member of
Division 39 of the American Psychological Association, and he serves on the faculty of the
Massachusetts Institute of Psychoanalysis and The Psychoanalytic Couple and Family Institute of
New England. In addition to being the author of two books, “The Good Father; On Men,
Masculinity and Life in the Family” (Scribners 2004) and “The Marriage Benefit” (Springboard
2007), he has written and spoken about marital and family life, couples therapy, adolescent
sexuality. His interest in bringing psychoanalytic thinking to a wider audience has also led him to
appear on numerous radio and television programs.
12:00PM-2:00PM Lunch (On Your Own)
2:00PM-5:30PM CE Workshops
(Participants must attend entire program to receive CE credit)
[331] Disability Models, Stereotypes, and Clinical Implications
3 CE credits, Intermediate (Type I) Some prior basic knowledge of disability stereotypes or having
worked with individuals with disabilities is beneficial.
Presenter: Erin N. Armour, Psy.D.
Affiliation: James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Mountain Home, TN ;
Private Practice; Gray, TN
Course Description: This program will discuss the various demographics, definitions, models,
and stereotypes of disability. These topics will be further illustrated with a voluntary privilege
exercise, as well as various TED talks and the presenter's personal experiences as a woman with
a physical disability. Audience members will be challenged to consider how their awareness of
disability stereotypes and stigma may impact their case conceptualization and clinical work. At
least one case example will be provided.
Prerequisite: Some prior basic knowledge of disability stereotypes or having worked with
individuals with disabilities is beneficial.
This program is designed, at least partially, to meet Tennessee Board of Examiners in Psychology
continuing education requirements for licensure renewal in the area of cultural diversity. Other
programs may also meet these criteria, but TPA is designating this one. For further information,
please refer to the Rules and Regulation of the TN Board of Examiners in Psychology.
Learning Objectives:
A. Attendees will identify various risk factors and demographics associated with disability.
B. Attendees will define four models of disability.
C. Attendees will identify at least two disability stereotypes.
D. Attendees will describe at least three clinical implications for working with persons with
disabilities.
Presenter Information: Erin N. Armour, Psy.D. is a psychologist in Primary Care-Mental Health
Integration and the Spinal Cord Injury Clinic at the James H. Quillen Veterans Affairs Medical
Center in Mountain Home, TN. ; where she also completed her internship. In addition, she
maintains an adult psychotherapy practice in nearby Gray, TN. Dr. Armour received her
doctorate in clinical psychology from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. Her interests
include animal-assisted therapy, adjustment to illness and disability, intimate partner violence,
and the impact of nutrition on mental health.
[332] Introduction to Trauma-Focused Treatment for Children and Adolescents
3 CE credits, Introductory (Type I)
Presenters: Mindy Kronenberg, Ph.D. and Giovanni Billings, Psy.D.
Affiliations: Private practice and Department of Children’s Services
Course Description: The impact of trauma across the lifespan has become increasingly
recognized as the financial and health costs of childhood trauma are demonstrated by research.
This is evidenced by the increasing use of as terms such as “toxic stress” and “adverse childhood
experiences” by the media, politicians, and community advocates. Federal initiatives are
encouraging trauma-informed care, specifically trauma-focused mental health treatments.
Furthermore, multiple systems including primary care and child welfare are embracing traumainformed care and are regularly screening for trauma. However, there is a dearth of
appropriately trained mental health clinicians to provide services when trauma is identified.
This presentation will provide an overview of trauma-informed mental health by (1) discussing
core elements of trauma treatment for children and (2) introducing two empirically-based,
trauma-focused treatments, Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and Trauma-Focused Cognitive
Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). These two treatments, CPP (for children ages 0-5) and TF-CBT (for
children ages 3-18), were chosen for discussion in order to demonstrate how the core elements
of trauma treatment may be implemented through a specific therapeutic model based on the
developmental needs of the identified client. Given that this format only allows an overview of
the treatments, participants will be given information on additional resources about the
interventions and on how to receive formal training on the models.
Discussing trauma in children requires emotional regulation and reflective capacity,
especially to cope with the material presented (i.e., examples of cases with neglect, physical,
and sexual abuse). The presenters recognize this, will disclose the issue, and will be reflective
when presenting the information.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will identify core elements of effective trauma treatments for children.
B. Participants will describe how the core elements are implemented across different age
groups.
C. Participants will list the treatment components and intervention modalities of two of
the most commonly used trauma-focused treatments for children, Child Parent
Psychotherapy and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
D. Participants will identify resources gain further information and training on traumafocused treatments and to integrate trauma-informed care into their practices.
Presenter Information: Mindy Kronenberg, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist in private practice in
Memphis, Tennessee, specializes in Infant Mental Health and the assessment and treatment of
trauma across the lifespan. She completed the Harris Infant Mental Health Fellowship at LSU
Health Sciences Center where she served as Assistant Professor until 2010. In addition to her
clinical work, Dr. Kronenberg provides national trainings on evidence-based and evidenceinformed assessments, interventions, and treatments including Child Parent Psychotherapy,
Psychological First Aid, and Relationship-Based Assessment. Dr. Kronenberg is committed to
infant and early childhood workforce development and is able to address this issue as Young
Child Wellness Partner for Tennessee’s Project Launch grant. Dr. Kronenberg is a member of
several professional organizations including the TN Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
Initiative. She is an affiliate member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network where she
serves on the Affiliate Advisory Board and is co-chair of the Zero to Six Workgroup.
[333] Specific Learning Disabilities: Putting New Eligibility Standards into Practice
3 CE credits, Intermediate (Type I)
Presenter: Janet Panter, Ph.D.
Affiliation: Private practice
Course Description: The Tennessee Department of Education recently changed the criteria for
diagnosis and certification of a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). Changes went into effect on July 1,
2014 for elementary students, and are scheduled for 2015/2016 for middle and high school
students. New criteria focus on students’ Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI2), rather
than individualized assessment. This presentation will provide psychologists in private practice with
the information they need to work with students with learning disabilities and their families. We will
examine the RTI2 model and explain the new criteria in detail, including the curriculum-based
measures used by the schools, when and how the data are collected, and how they are interpreted.
The format of psychoeducational reports for SLD will also be discussed, as will the exclusionary
factors relevant to SLD eligibility.
Prerequisite: Participants should be knowledgeable about assessment principles and concepts (e.g.,
validity, criterion-based testing). They also need a basic understanding of instructional methods and
interventions in K-12 classrooms. It is helpful, too, if they know something about special education
policies and services.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will define a Specific Learning Disability (SLD) based on the new state standards
and list the information required to determine whether a student meets those standards,
i.e., is eligible for special education services as a student with a SLD.
B. Participants will describe the Response to Instruction and Intervention model, which is both
the foundation for the new standards and the means by which the standards are
implemented.
C. Participants will compare previous and current SLD standards in light of validity studies,
assessment methods, and intervention requirements/options.
D. Participants will analyze case studies of elementary and middle/high school students to
determine SLD eligibility based on new standards and exclusionary criteria.
Presenter Information: Janet Panter is in private practice at the Memphis Center for Women & Families.
She specializes in working with children, teens, and adults with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders,
Mood Disorders, and Anxiety just to name a few. She taught in the psychology department at Rhodes
College and was also employed as a school psychologist in the Shelby County Schools for six years.
[334] Boiled Frogs or Reflections on How the Private Intimacy of Psychoanalysis and Psychoanalytic
Psychotherapy Leads to Violation and Complacency
3 CE credits, Intermediate (Type I)
Presenter: Mark O’Connell, Ph.D. Sponsored by the Appalachian Psychoanalytic Society
Affiliation: Private practice, Chestnut Hill, MA
Co-sponsored by the Appalachian Psychoanalytic Society
Course Description: The optimally creative privacy of psychoanalysis supports and emphasizes a
powerful, inertial tendency in human relationships to move towards collusive agreement. This
movement causes a collapse of the dialectical structure essential for therapeutic aliveness,
which in turn, leads to complacency and/or violation. Complacency and violation, it follows, are
not anomalous outcomes of our work, rather they are, in the absence of relentless and mindful
opposition, inevitabilities. Preventing this collapse of vital dialectical structure is the bedrock of
our work. Using case examples, examples from popular culture, and theories from a range of
modalities, this paper will examine this built-in therapeutic fault line, and suggest ways of being
and thinking that can mitigate the collapse from privacy and safety to secrecy and insulation.
Case material may be confidential or sensitive in nature.
Prerequisite: It would be helpful if participants have had some experience working as
psychotherapists, at least on the internship/practicum level, and some graduate training in
social work/psychology/psychiatry.
Learning Objectives:
A. Participants will enumerate the pluses and minuses that derive from psychoanalysis’s
emphasis on the construction and maintenance of private spaces for patient and
therapist.
B. Participants will describe the informative relationship between individual and couple
modalities.
C. Participants will recognize the inertial tendency, present in all therapeutic relationships,
to move towards a position of complacency and collusive agreement.
D. Participants will identify ways in which transgression and violation can occur in
seemingly benign therapies.
Presenter Information: Mark O’Connell is a clinical psychologist with a private practice in
Chestnut Hill. He is a graduate of the Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute, a member of
Division 39 of the American Psychological Association, and he serves on the faculty of the
Massachusetts Institute of Psychoanalysis and The Psychoanalytic Couple and Family Institute of
New England. In addition to being the author of two books, “The Good Father; On Men,
Masculinity and Life in the Family” (Scribners 2004) and “The Marriage Benefit” (Springboard
2007), he has written and spoken about marital and family life, couples therapy, adolescent
sexuality. His interest in bringing psychoanalytic thinking to a wider audience has also led him to
appear on numerous radio and television programs.
5:30PM Convention Concludes