LACPA's 80th Anniversary Celebratory Conference
May 3rd, 2025
Featured Speaker
Laurel Mellin, Ph.D.
Joy: Resetting Psychotherapy for the Age of the Emotional Brain
Intermediate Level 3 CEs
Program will not be recorded

Laurel Mellin, Ph.D. is a health psychologist and founder of emotional brain training (EBT), which she developed during her 43 years as a professor in the School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco. She is a New York Times bestselling author, the executive director of the non-profit "Solution Foundation", and a researcher who trains health professionals in clinical skills to rewire the stress response.

Abstract: Optimal functioning is characterized by access to adaptive, flexible decision-making and a state of balance and joy. Stress and increased emotionality limits access to these aspects of ourselves. Emotional brain training is a neuro-informed process of identifying dysregulated emotional states, and returning us to a homeostatic state. You will learn neurophysiologic resilience techniques to derail stress-induced extremes, process negative emotions and thoughts into positive ones, and promote clarity, intentionality and joy.

Course Goals and Educational Objectives:
At the end of this workshop, the learner will be able to:
1. Explain stress and joy based on neurophysiology and neuroplasticity and their application in psychotherapy.
2. Identify two changes in the therapeutic application of interpersonal neurobiology based on the emotional brain dominance of patients.
3. Describe the effective use of two emotional brain training techniques for positive emotional neuroplasticity and joyous states.

Outline:
Objective #1. Explain stress and joy based on neurophysiology and neuroplasticity and their application in psychotherapy.
10:00 a.m. Introductions and awards
10:15 a.m.
Joy As Our Natural State: The Neurophysiology of the Stress Resilience
The neurophysiology of stress and joy and their complex relationship.
Physiologic brain states and their characteristics
The sciences of allostasis, allostatic load, neural circuit, and set points
The impact of rising stress levels on stress and joy

11:00 a.m.
Reimagining Psychotherapy Based on the Physiologic Rules of the Emotional Brain
Changes in psychotherapy based on increasing levels of physiologic stress
Shift from diagnoses to brain-based descriptions of circuits
Educating patients on brain states, circuits, and set points
Training patients in self-regulation and reconsolidation of circuits

11:15 Discussion and Questions

Objective #2. Identify two changes in the therapeutic application of interpersonal neurobiology based on the emotional brain dominance of patients.

11:30 a.m.
Psychotherapy as Joy Training: The Psychotherapist and Interpersonal Neurobiology
The brain circuits, set point and joyous states of the psychotherapist as treatment|
Changing expectations, states and responses to boost patient resilience and joy

11:45 a.m. Discussion and Questions

Objective #3. Demonstrate the effective use of a core emotional brain training technique for positive emotional neuroplasticity and joyous states.

12:00 p.m.
Review the Neurophysiologic Algorithm of EBT in Clinical Practice
General concepts of changing the emotional brain circuitry
A clinical process using interoceptive awareness of physiologic responses
Situational stress, core circuits, survival circuits, and fear memories.

12:15 p.m.
Positive Emotional Neuroplasticity: Clearing the Stress Blockade and Switching Circuits
A technique for turning situational stress overload into joyous states
A process for creating joy through discovery of maladaptive neural circuitry

12:50 p.m.
The Best of Both Worlds: An Integrated Approach for the Age of the Emotional Brain
Review of rethinking psychotherapy in the age of the emotional brain.
Integrating joy into clinical practice: One skill or concept to apply immediately.
Discussion and Questions
Close