Clinical CE Series to Run This Summer! 6 CEs Possible

Clinical CE Series to Run This Summer! 
6 Total CEs Available
Every Wednesday from July 22 - August 26.4-5pm ET

NASW-Alaska is excited to announce the launch of a 2026 summer clinical continuing education series!

The Unconscious in Everyday Life: An Introduction to Psychodynamic Therapy is a six-session virtual lecture series that introduces foundational psychodynamic concepts and their relevance to clinical practice and everyday emotional experience. Drawing from Hannah Curtis’ "Everyday Life and the Unconscious Mind", the courses explore many foundational psychoanalytic concepts such as: unconscious processes, defense mechanisms, internal object relations, transference, resistance, countertransference, projective identification, and more. Participants will examine how these dynamics influence personality development, emotional functioning, interpersonal relationships, and the therapeutic process.

This course addresses a significant gap in current clinical training. Many therapists encounter recurring relationship patterns, strong emotional reactions in sessions, challenges with client engagement, and behaviors that cannot be fully explained by symptoms or diagnoses alone. Yet opportunities for training in psychodynamic and relational approaches are often limited. This series offers an opportunity for understanding what may be happening beneath the surface and how those dynamics show up in clinical work.

Whether you are new to psychodynamic concepts or looking to deepen your clinical understanding, this series will strengthen your ability to reflect on client experiences, navigate challenging clinical moments, and build more meaningful therapeutic connections.

This training series is a collaboration between Alaska Advanced Behavioral Health, the National Association of Social Workers - Alaska Chapter, and The International Psychotherapy Institute.

This training is beneficial for social workers, psychologists, LMFTs, LPCs, psychiatrists, and other helping professionals.

Each session is $15 for NASW members ($10 for students or retired members) or $25 for future members.

See below for registration information for all sessions:

Session 1: Background of the Conscious and Unconscious Aspects of the Mind (1 CE)
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
4-5 pm ET
This introductory session explores the historical development of the concepts of the conscious and unconscious mind and examines how unconscious thoughts, feelings, wishes, and conflicts influence everyday behavior. Participants will be introduced to foundational psychodynamic concepts and consider how unconscious processes shape relationships, emotions, and decision-making in both clinical and non-clinical settings.
Click here to register

Session 2: Anxiety and Defense Mechanisms (1 CE)
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
4-5 pm ET
This session examines how individuals unconsciously manage anxiety through psychological defense mechanisms. Participants will learn to identify common defenses, including denial, projection, rationalization, intellectualization, and repression, and explore how these defenses can both protect psychological functioning and contribute to emotional difficulties.
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Session 3: Why Do People Recreate Painful Relationships?  (1 CE)
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
4-5 pm ET
This session explores the psychodynamic understanding of repetitive relational experiences, including the influence of early attachment relationships, internalized relationship templates, and unconscious expectations. Participants will examine how individuals may unknowingly recreate old emotional scenarios in an effort to master unresolved conflicts and how these patterns manifest in personal relationships and psychotherapy.
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Session 4: Transference and Resistance  (1 CE)
Wednesday, August 12, 2026
4-5pm ET
Transference and resistance are among the most important concepts in psychodynamic psychotherapy. This session explores how clients unconsciously bring expectations, feelings, and relationship patterns from past experiences into present interactions with the therapist. Participants will learn to recognize various forms of resistance and understand them as meaningful communications rather than obstacles to treatment. Participants will gain insight into how transference and resistance can deepen therapeutic understanding and facilitate psychological growth.
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Session 5: Countertransference and Projective Identification  (1 CE)
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
4-5pm ET
This session examines contemporary understandings of countertransference and introduces the concept of projective identification as a powerful interpersonal process. Participants will explore how therapists can use their own emotional reactions as clinical data while maintaining reflective awareness. Special attention will be given to the ways unconscious communication occurs within the therapeutic relationship and how these dynamics can inform treatment.
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Session 6: How Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Creates Change (1 CE)
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
4-5pm ET
The final session integrates concepts from throughout the course and explores contemporary psychodynamic perspectives on therapeutic action. Participants will examine how increased self-awareness, insight, emotional experience, new relational experiences, and the therapeutic relationship itself contribute to psychological growth. This concluding session highlights how psychodynamic psychotherapy helps individuals develop greater freedom, flexibility, and capacity for meaningful relationships.
Click here to register