Friday, October 3, 2025
Friday, January 30, 2026
9:00am-12:30pm

This interactive, strength-based training provides an orientation to ESFT, FBMHS, and the training program. It is designed to set the stage for bonding with the job and growing into an effective FBMHS therapist.  The training begins with a description of the population served, describes the history of the program in PA, and reviews recent research demonstrating its effectiveness in keeping youth out of hospitals and RTFs. The second part of the workshop provides an overview of CFBT’s approach to training and normalizes the challenges therapists often face when stretching their skill sets. The third part of this workshop introduces ESFT, discusses videotapes of well-done ESFT treatment sessions, and differentiates relational from behavioral approaches to treatment.  The last 75 minutes of this workshop is experiential.  Everyone gets an opportunity to role play joining with family members and conducting a family session.

Objectives:

1. Explain why your work in FBMHS is so important.
   
2. Identify expected challenges in learning to be a family therapist.
   
3. Introduce the ESFT model and how it differs from nonrelational, behavioral approaches.
   
4. Practice joining with family members and conducting a family session.

Agenda
9:00am-11:00am: Objectives 1-2
11:00am-11:30am: Break
11:30am-12:30pm: Objectives 3-4

This is a beginner level workshop. The target audience is behavioral health professionals working within an Ecosystemic Family Therapy Model. For those taking part in the Zoom Webconference option, this is a live synchronous distance learning activity conducted in real time, allowing for simultaneous participation of participants and instructors from different locations.

Frequently Asked Questions
Visit our FBMHS Policies & FAQs for additional information regarding the CFBT online learning center, accommodations for disabilities, reporting problems with the course, instructions for viewing webinars, etc.

Friday, May 8, 2026
8:30am-1:00pm

This workshop is designed to increase therapists’ awareness of themselves in sessions and strengthen their ability to avoid induction into individual family members’ emotional field. Self-awareness is a tool that helps therapists attune to their personalities, strengths, beliefs, thoughts, emotions, and motivation in treatment sessions. It also helps therapists to understand how different family members may perceive them, which is very important to maintaining a balance therapeutic alliance. Family therapy is particularly challenging because there are competing agendas, strong emotions, and histories of trauma and pain, all of which can activate sensitive issues within the therapist’s personal life. This workshop is informed by Harry Aponte’s ideas about “signature themes” and the person-of-the therapist, as well as Peter Rober’s ideas about fast and slow thinking. Case presentations, videotape analysis, and small group discussion are used to deepen the conversation about therapist’s self-awareness in day-to-day practice.

Objectives 

As a result of participating in this workshop, therapists will be able to:  

1. Describe the concepts of signature themes and person-of-the therapist why they are
important
2. Explain the link between therapist personal signature themes, induction, and
isomorphism in family treatment.
3. Describe the concepts of slow thinking and fast thinking and how they apply to
decision-making in family treatment

This workshop counts toward required annual training hours in Family Based Mental Health Services but is not currently available for CE credit.

This is a beginner level course. The target audience is behavioral health professionals working within an Ecosystemic Family Therapy Model. This is a live synchronous distance learning activity conducted in real time, allowing for simultaneous participation of participants and instructors from different locations.

Frequently Asked Questions
Visit our FBMHS Policies & FAQs for additional information regarding the CFBT online learning center, accommodations for disabilities, reporting problems with the course, instructions for viewing webinars, etc.

Friday, March 27, 2026
8:30am-1:00pm

This workshop is designed to help lay the foundations for building a therapy team. Participants will learn the benefits and challenges of team development. Additionally, participants will receive information that pertains to stages of team development and how it applies to developing a family-based co-therapy team. Each stage will include information about steps to take toward team growth. During the workshop, participants will use a combination of large and small group discussions and videotape review to identify team development phases.   

Objectives 

As a result of participating in this workshop, therapists will be able to:  

1. Describe benefits and challenges of working in a 2-person team 
2. Define the stages of team development in FBMHS
3. Identify roles that each therapist can take in session while doing co-therapy.

This workshop counts toward required annual training hours in Family Based Mental Health Services but is not currently available for CE credit.

This is a beginner level course. The target audience is behavioral health professionals working within an Ecosystemic Family Therapy Model. This is a live synchronous distance learning activity conducted in real time, allowing for simultaneous participation of participants and instructors from different locations.

Frequently Asked Questions
Visit our FBMHS Policies & FAQs for additional information regarding the CFBT online learning center, accommodations for disabilities, reporting problems with the course, instructions for viewing webinars, etc.