Superhero Therapy
Combining Evidence-Based Therapy with Pop Culture Narratives to Heal Clients
About This Course
Janina Scarlet, PhD, will present game-based and pop-culture-based treatment techniques in this workshop. Adult and adolescent clients have been shown to respond to these techniques—superhero and science fiction/fantasy stories contain powerful narratives and characters that many clients can identify with quickly. These narratives and characters offer a new way in to your client’s deepest fears and values. You’ll leave this workshop with the tools to help your clients map their own heroic journey using ACT, CBT, and NET.
After all, even superheroes need help sometimes.
Prior to registering, please click here to review speaker-planner conflict of interest disclosures and complete CE information.
Schedule
Session 1 | July 12, 2021, 12 PM—2 PM EDT
- Introduction to Superhero Therapy
- Formulation and processing of an origin story
Session 2 | July 19, 2021, 12 PM—2 PM EDT
- Learning to select a heroic role model and establishing heroic core values
- Create a treatment plan using Superhero Therapy
Session 3 | July 26, 2021, 12 PM—2 PM EDT
- Introduction to game-based therapy
- Interactive role-playing game demonstration
Session 4 | August 2, 2021, 12 PM—2 PM EDT
- Recruiting sidekicks and learning social connection continued. Fostering growth through creativity
- Establishing emotional safety through pop culture (Learning the Patronus Charm, introduction to willingness and vulnerability)
Session 5 | August 9, 2021, 12 PM—2 PM EDT
- Fostering growth through creativity
- Writing fanfiction for therapy
Session 6 | August 16, 2021, 12 PM—2 PM EDT
- Introduction to the Superhero Narrative – defusion, restructuring, and empowering
- Using Superhero Narrative to treat PTSD, anxiety, depression
Session 7 | August 23, 2021, 12 PM—2 PM EDT
- Mindfulness as a Jedi Power
- Power-ups – self-compassion, self-soothing, and mindfulness with pop culture
Session 8 | August 30, 2021, 12 PM—2 PM EDT
- Create your own movie – committed action, final narrative
- “Gamifying” homework
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
- Explain the concept of Superhero Therapy.
- Demonstrate how to incorporate pop culture examples into treatment.
- Analyze which pop culture characters might be most suitable for a specific client.
- Create a treatment plan using Superhero Therapy.
- Explain the concept of Therapy Quest and game-based approaches to therapy.
- Discuss research related to game-based and pop-culture-based treatments.
- Demonstrate how to incorporate interactive choice-based game into therapy.
- Demonstrate how to apply Superhero Therapy to clinical cases.
- Demonstrate how to create emotional safety with clients using pop culture
- Explain narrative exposure therapy (NET) techniques using pop culture
- Demonstrate how to apply NET to treat PTSD, anxiety, and depression
- Demonstrate how to help clients create meaningful social connections using Superhero Therapy
- Explain the role and the importance of heroic role models for treatment and recovery
- Discuss how to “gamify” homework practice
- Demonstrate mindfulness and self-compassion practices in Superhero Therapy framework
- Demonstrate the implementation of creativity exercises in Superhero Therapy
Continuing Education
Please review complete CE and conflict-of-interest disclosure information prior to registering. This course is jointly sponsored by Praxis CET and Institute for Better Health (IBH) and is approved for 16 CE Hours by the following:
- NBCC – National Counselors
- NAADAC – Drug & Alcohol Counselors
- WESPSB – Educators
- ACCME – Physicians
- ANCC – Nurses
- NY State: Social Worker, Counselor, & Psychologists
- APA - Psychologist: Institute for Better Health, Inc is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to offer continuing education for psychologists. Institute for Better Health, Inc maintains responsibility for the program and its content.
Prerequisites
Audience
Recommended Reading
Scarlet, J. (2017). Superhero Therapy. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
References
Derrick, J. E., Gabriel, S., & Hugenberg, K. (2009). Social surrogacy: How favored television programs provide the experience of belonging. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 45, 352–362
Garbarino, J. (1987). Children’s response to a sexual abuse prevention program: A study of the Spiderman comic. Child Abuse & Neglect, 11(1), 143-148.
Vezzali, L., Stathi, S., Giovannini, D., Capozza, D., & Trifiletti, E. (2015). The greatest magic of Harry Potter: Reducing prejudice. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 45(2), 105-121.
White, R. E., Prager, E. O., Schaefer, C., Kross, E., Duckworth, A. L., & Carlson, S. M. (2017). The “Batman Effect”: Improving perseverance in young children. Child development, 88(5), 1563-1571.
Young, A. F., Gabriel, S., & Hollar, J. L. (2013). Batman to the rescue! The protective effects of parasocial relationships with muscular superheroes on men’s body image. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 49(1), 173-177.
This training is worth 16 CE credit hours if attended live. While we can only provide CE to those who are present – i.e. logged in – for live presentation(s), all Praxis webinars are recorded for later viewing. Registrants may then access these recordings at any time for up to six months from the conclusion of the training to which they pertain.
Technical Requirements
This is an online learning event. Access to a computer and high-speed internet is required. Refer to our FAQ page for further information on technical requirements for this training.
Disclosures
Refer to our FAQ page for our disclosure information.
All prices listed in US dollars and times in US Eastern time.
Refund and Cancellation Policy
We understand, sometimes things come up!
Praxis will offer a full refund to registrants of both live and live-online trainings who cancel their registration up to 14 days before the course or workshop start date, minus an administrative processing fee of $30 for a 2-day workshop or online course, and a $50 fee for a 4-day workshop. If cancelled within 14 days, no refund will be issued, however, a credit for the same amount will be applied toward another learning product, which expires within 1 year. Please email us at events@praxiscet.zendesk.com to cancel a registration.
