Adverse Childhood Experiences: Models, Mechanisms, and Empirical Evidence CE Webinar for therapists, counselors, psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists

 
  Enroll in Course

Adverse Childhood Experiences: Models, Mechanisms, and Empirical Evidence - 2 hours


When & Where:

  • Date: Friday, October 2, 2026
  • Time: 12:00pm - 2:00pm Eastern Time
  • CE Hours Included: 2 (please see below for details)
  • Location: Live Interactive Webinar ("Synchronous") on Zoom
  • Investment: $59 before Friday, September 18th at 5:00pm Eastern Time, $69 after
  • Presented by: Melanie M. Wilcox, Ph.D., ABPP (see bio below)
  • Workshop Recording: A recording of this workshop is available to review for 60 days after the presentation. However, participants must attend live to receive the "Synchronous" CE Certificate.
  • Instruction Level: Introductory
  • Target Audience: Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers, Marriage & Family Therapists

Learning Objectives:

After completing this workshop in its entirety, you will be able to:

  • Identify and define adverse childhood experiences
  • Describe the psychological and physical consequences of adverse childhood experiences
  • Demonstrate assessments and intervention strategies when working with Adverse Childhood Experiences in therapy

Workshop Description:

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are almost always in the therapy room, regardless of whether we or the client(s) are aware of it. Research suggests that ACEs are incredibly common; and, they are empirically linked to numerous deleterious psychological and physical outcomes such as depression, anxiety, traumatic stress, and a higher risk for numerous chronic and acute health conditions. To date, several models have been developed beyond the original 10 ACEs identified by Felitti and colleagues (1998); ACEs have been expanded to include more subtle familial experiences, neighborhood and community experiences, and oppression-based adversity and trauma. Despite the substantial evidence and the base rates of ACEs, mental health training programs often do not address ACEs or, sometimes, even trauma at all.
In this session, we will define and describe ACEs, the existing models, and the evidence about the effects of ACEs. Some mechanisms of action by which ACEs lead to poorer outcomes will be presented. Assessing for ACEs and working toward healing in counseling and psychotherapy will be discussed.

Workshop Agenda:

  • Discuss Adverse Childhood Experiences (75 mins)
    • Original definition and 10 identified experiences
    • Expanded models of ACEs
    • Psychological and physical consequences of ACEs
    • Mechanisms of action of ACEs
  • Prepare to Assess and Work With Adverse Childhood Experiences in Therapy (45 mins)
    • Assessments and Limitations
      • Informal assessment and therapeutic interviewing
      • Existing Adverse Childhood Experience Questionnaires
      • Consequences of trauma (e.g., the Trauma Symptom Inventory—2)
    • Importance of Stages of Change in Trauma-Informed Care
    • Working toward Healing
      • Interpersonal Neurobiology: Psychoeducation and self-compassion raising
      • Targets of change vis-à-vis client readiness and phase of treatment (i.e., environmental changes; symptom reduction; insight-oriented change)
      • Understanding the change process in trauma treatment
      • Trauma-informed, neurobiology-informed, and attachment-informed relational methods for longer-term intervention

Presented by: Melanie M. Wilcox, Ph.D., ABPP

Melanie M. Wilcox, Ph.D., ABPP is a licensed psychologist and board-certified specialist in counseling psychology. Her clinical specialties include trauma, addiction, assessment, and complex diagnosis. Dr. Wilcox has years of experience conducting both psychotherapy and psychological assessment both in person and (now) by telehealth, and is passionate about trauma-informed care. She has increasingly incorporated trauma and adverse childhood experiences into her research as well and has designed graduate-level courses on the topic of trauma.

Workshop Schedule (Eastern Time):

  • 11:30am - 12:00pm | Sign-In and Welcome
  • 12:00pm - 2:00pm | Session
  • 2:00pm | Continuing Education Certificates Available

2 CE Hours Included - Details by License Type Below:

  • PSYCHOLOGISTS: The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company maintains responsibility for this program and its content. For more detailed information on the current CE ruling in Georgia, or if you are licensed in another state or country, please click here.
  • COUNSELORS: The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company has been approved by the National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) as an Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP), ACEP No. 7153. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Knowledge Tree, A Summit Professional Education Company is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
    • GA: Counselors in GA will receive 2 Core Hours for completing this course. Please click here for more detailed information.
  • SOCIAL WORKERS: The Knowledge Tree, a Summit Professional Education Company, provider #2470, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 1/14/2026-1/14/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 2 general continuing education credits.
    • GA: Social Workers in GA will receive 2 Core Hours for completing this course. Please click here for more detailed information.
  • MARRIAGE & FAMILY THERAPISTS: TKT has applied for approval for this workshop through the Georgia Association for Marriage & Family Therapy (GAMFT). If you are licensed in another state or country, please click here for more detailed information.

Registration: To register for individual workshops, you may use our online payment option, or to pay by check you may print and complete the Registration Form and mail or fax it to our office. The registration form is available on our website: www.theknowledgetree.org. Registration is permitted until the time the workshop begins, unless otherwise specified.

Multiple Workshop Special: There is a 10% Discount with registration for two workshops. There is a 15% Discount with registrations for three or four workshops. There is a 20% Discount with registration for five or more workshops.

Refund/Cancellation Policy: If you can no longer attend a workshop you have registered for, you can either receive a credit for another workshop or receive a refund if you are within the refund policy period. Refunds will be given for cancellations received at least five days prior to the workshop. More information about refund/cancellation can be found here.

Attendance Policy: 100% attendance and completion of a course evaluation is required at any CE program in order to receive credit for that CE program. No partial credit is given. Certificates of completion will be available in each attendee’s account once the broadcast has ended and the course evaluation completed.

ADA Requests: We will make every effort to accommodate any reasonable ADA request. Please call or email us at least two weeks prior to the event. Payment and registration are required to fulfill an ADA request.

No Conflict Policy: Neither The Knowledge Tree nor its speakers have received any commercial support for this program or its contents and will not receive any commercial support prior to or during this program. 

System Requirements: Live Interactive Webinars are facilitated via Zoom. System requirements for the Zoom platform are linked at our FAQ page.

We are an approved vendor for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for easy reimbursement of educational expenses for VA employees.


Get Started!



 


For information about our Continuing Education Workshops, please contact our Customer Service team at:

404.913.2005

theknowledgetree@summit.zendesk.com

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Stay up to date with the latest courses, announcements, and articles.

The Knowledge Tree, a Summit Professional Education Company, offers courses that provide continuing education hours as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and holds Approved Continuing Education Provider/Sponsor status with professional organizations including APA and NBCC. Each licensee should check our detailed CE information page and ensure courses taken meet their specific state board requirements.