)_edited.jpg)
The Well Life| Practice Well Q3
Continuing Education Series
Practice Well Q3 includes requested returning topics, documentation encores, and ethics-focused deep dives designed to support ethical, practical, and sustainable clinical work. All sessions are live online and designed for busy clinicians seeking applicable, real-world continuing education.
July
The Jack of All Trades Therapist
How to Integrate Multiple Modalities Without Losing Clinical Clarity
📅 Thur. July 16, 2026
🕛 12:00–2:00 PM CST | $60
2 NBBC Credit Hours
Live Interactive Webinar
Full Description
Many clinicians are trained in multiple therapeutic approaches but struggle to integrate them in a way that feels intentional, clear, and clinically sound. This Practice Well deep dive focuses on helping therapists move beyond “doing a little bit of everything” toward developing a cohesive, flexible clinical approach.
Participants will explore how to organize diverse interventions under a clear conceptual framework, strengthen clinical decision-making, and reduce the internal pressure to “get it exactly right.” This session emphasizes clarity, confidence, and purposeful integration while maintaining responsiveness to client needs.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
-
Differentiate between eclectic practice and intentional clinical integration
-
Identify common challenges associated with using multiple therapeutic modalities
-
Apply a structured approach to selecting interventions based on case conceptualization
-
Demonstrate how to maintain clinical clarity while adapting to client needs
-
Evaluate their own clinical patterns to strengthen consistency and confidence in practice
Clear, Ethical, and Defensible Documentation
Writing Notes That Support Medical Necessity Without Overwriting
📅 Fri. July 17, 2026
🕛 12:00–2:00 PM CST| $60
2 NBBC ETHICS Credit Hours
Live Interactive Webinar
Full Description
This Practice Well ethics deep dive focuses on writing progress notes that are clinically meaningful, ethically sound, and defensible in the event of review or audit. Many clinicians struggle to balance clarity and thoroughness with efficiency, often resulting in notes that are either too vague or unnecessarily detailed.
Participants will learn how to structure documentation that clearly supports medical necessity, reflects clinical decision-making, and aligns with ethical standards without creating additional administrative burden. This session builds on foundational documentation principles and moves toward greater precision, consistency, and confidence in note-writing.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
-
Identify key elements required to support medical necessity in clinical documentation
-
Distinguish between sufficient documentation and excessive narrative detail
-
Apply structured documentation strategies that improve clarity and defensibility
-
Evaluate progress notes for alignment with ethical and clinical standards
-
Demonstrate how documentation supports clinical decision-making and continuity of care
When Supervisees Struggle
Ethical Response, Risk Assessment, and Escalation in Supervision
📅 Thur. July 23, 2026
🕛 12:00–1:00 PM CST| $25
1 NBBC Credit Hour
Live Interactive Webinar
Full Description
This Practice Well supervision session focuses on responding effectively and ethically when supervisees demonstrate clinical, professional, or performance-related concerns. Supervisors are often tasked with balancing support, accountability, gatekeeping responsibilities, and client protection while maintaining the supervisory relationship.
Participants will explore common supervision challenges, including clinical uncertainty, documentation concerns, impaired performance, and escalating risk. Emphasis is placed on ethical response, appropriate documentation, and practical decision-making strategies that support both supervisee development and client welfare.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
-
Identify common indicators of supervisee struggle or impairment
-
Apply ethical decision-making strategies within supervision relationships
-
Demonstrate appropriate escalation and documentation practices related to supervisee concerns
-
Evaluate supervisory responses for alignment with professional and ethical responsibilities
-
Describe strategies for balancing support, accountability, and gatekeeping responsibilities
Ethical Supervision That Holds Up
Documentation, Decision-Making, and Defensibility
📅 Fri. July 24, 2026
🕛 12:00–2:00 PM CST| $60
2 NBBC ETHICS Credit Hours
Live Interactive Webinar
Full Description
This Practice Well supervision deep dive focuses on building supervision practices that are ethically grounded, well-documented, and defensible in high-risk or high-scrutiny situations. Supervisors play a critical role in supporting supervisee development while also maintaining responsibility for ethical oversight and client protection.
Participants will explore practical approaches to supervision documentation, feedback processes, risk management, and decision-making within the supervisory relationship. Emphasis is placed on creating systems and practices that support consistency, accountability, and ethical clarity over time.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
-
Identify key ethical responsibilities within clinical supervision
-
Apply documentation practices that strengthen supervision defensibility
-
Demonstrate effective supervisory decision-making in complex situations
-
Evaluate supervision processes for alignment with ethical and professional standards
-
Describe strategies for maintaining accountability and consistency within supervision systems
Hard Conversations in Supervision
Clarity, Confidence, and Ethical Communication
📅 Thur. July 30, 2026
🕛 12:00–1:00 PM CST| $25
1 NBBC Credit Hour
Live Interactive Webinar
Full Description
This Practice Well supervision session focuses on helping supervisors navigate difficult conversations with supervisees with clarity, confidence, and ethical grounding. Participants will explore common challenges related to giving corrective feedback, addressing performance concerns, and managing tension within the supervisory relationship.
The session emphasizes practical communication strategies that support accountability while preserving professionalism, respect, and appropriate boundaries. Participants will also examine the role of documentation, consistency, and follow-through in ethically managing difficult supervisory interactions.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
-
Identify common challenges associated with difficult supervisory conversations
-
Apply communication strategies that support clarity, accountability, and professionalism
-
Demonstrate approaches for providing corrective feedback ethically and effectively
-
Evaluate supervisory responses for alignment with ethical and professional responsibilities
-
Describe the role of documentation and follow-through in difficult supervisory situations
The Clinician as a Human Instrument
Self-Care, Emotional Impact, and Ethical Use of Self in Clinical Practice
📅 Fri. July 31, 2026
🕛 12:00–2:00 PM CST| $60
2 NBBC ETHICS Credit Hours
Live Interactive Webinar
Full Description
This ethics-focused session explores the role of the clinician as an active instrument in the therapeutic process. Clinical work requires not only technical skill but also emotional presence, self-awareness, and the ability to manage the personal impact of the work.
Participants will examine how their internal experiences influence clinical decision-making, therapeutic relationships, and professional sustainability. This session emphasizes ethical use of self, appropriate boundaries, and practical strategies for maintaining effectiveness while navigating the emotional demands of clinical practice.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
-
Describe the concept of the clinician as an instrument within the therapeutic relationship
-
Identify ways personal experiences and emotional responses can influence clinical work
-
Apply strategies to manage the emotional impact of clinical practice
-
Demonstrate ethical use of self while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries
-
Evaluate current self-care practices in relation to clinical effectiveness and sustainability
August
Imposter Syndrome Across the Therapist Career Span
Recognizing, Reframing, and Responding with Clinical Confidence
(Requested Topic)
📅 Thur., August 13, 2026 | 12 PM CT | $25
1 NBBC Credit Hour
Live Interactive Webinar
Full Description
This Practice Well Lunch & Learn focuses on understanding and addressing imposter syndrome across the therapist career span. While often associated with early-career clinicians, experiences of self-doubt, uncertainty, and internal pressure can persist throughout professional development.
Participants will examine how imposter experiences show up in clinical work, including their impact on decision-making, confidence, and therapeutic presence. The session introduces practical strategies for recognizing these patterns, reframing internal narratives, and responding in ways that support both clinician effectiveness and ethical practice.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
-
Identify common manifestations of imposter syndrome across different stages of a therapist’s career
-
Describe the impact of imposter experiences on clinical decision-making and therapeutic presence
-
Apply strategies to reframe self-doubt and increase clinical confidence
-
Differentiate between reflective self-awareness and performance-based self-criticism
-
Demonstrate approaches to maintain clarity and effectiveness in clinical work
Documentation That Supports Medical Necessity: Clear, Ethical Notes Without Overwriting (Encore Presentation)
📅 Thursday, August 27, 2026 | 12:00–1:00 PM CT | $25
🎓 1.0 NBCC Credit Hour
Live Interactive Webinar
Session Description This live Lunch & Learn provides foundational guidance on writing clear, concise clinical documentation that supports medical necessity and ethical practice. Participants will review core elements commonly required in progress notes and learn how to distinguish clinically sufficient documentation from over-documentation.
Learning Objectives After this session, participants will be able to:
-
Identify core elements required to support medical necessity in clinical documentation.
-
Differentiate between clinically sufficient documentation and over documentation.
-
Apply practical strategies to write clear, defensible progress notes.
-
Recognize common documentation risks that may require additional safeguards.
Integrating Spirituality in Counseling
Clinical Integration, ethical Boundaries, and Cultural Sensitivity
(Encore)
📅 Fri., August 28, 2026 | 12:00–2:00 PM CT | $60
🎓 2 NBCC ETHICS Credit Hours
Live Interactive Webinar
Description
This 2-hour Practice Well Deep Dive explores ethical, clinically appropriate ways counselors can integrate spirituality into counseling practice. Participants will examine how spiritual beliefs and values may present in clinical work and learn structured approaches for addressing these themes while maintaining professional boundaries, cultural sensitivity, and ethical clinical judgment.
Learning Objectives
After this session, participants will be able to:
Explain ethical considerations related to integrating spirituality into counseling practice and avoid value imposition.
Identify appropriate points in the counseling process to assess client readiness and informed consent for spiritual exploration.
Apply culturally responsive and ethically sound frameworks when addressing spiritual beliefs across diverse client populations.
Integrate spiritual themes into case conceptualization and treatment planning while remaining within ethical and professional scope of practice.
September
Effective Treatment Planning That Holds Up
Linking Assessment, Goals, and Clinical Decision-Making
📅 Thur., September 10, 2026 | 12-1 PM CT | $25
1 NBBC Credit Hour
Live Interactive Webinar
Full Description
This Practice Well Lunch & Learn focuses on strengthening treatment planning skills to improve clarity, consistency, and clinical effectiveness. Many clinicians struggle to develop treatment plans that meaningfully guide care while also aligning with documentation requirements and medical necessity.
Participants will learn how to connect assessment findings to goal development, prioritize treatment focus, and ensure that interventions align with identified needs. The session emphasizes practical strategies for creating treatment plans that support both clinical work and documentation expectations without becoming overly complex.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
-
Identify key components of effective and clinically relevant treatment plans
-
Demonstrate how to link assessment findings to goal development
-
Apply strategies for prioritizing treatment focus when multiple concerns are present
-
Evaluate treatment plans for alignment with clinical decision-making and intervention strategies
-
Describe how treatment planning supports documentation and continuity of care
Treat the Client, Not the Diagnosis
📅 Thurs., September 24, 2026 | 12 PM CT | $25
1 NBBC Credit Hour
Live Interactive Webinar
Session Description
This Practice Well Lunch & Learn explores how clinicians can move beyond rigid diagnostic labels while remaining ethically and diagnostically sound. Participants will examine how over-reliance on diagnosis can limit clinical judgment and learn structured approaches to centering the whole client—context, presentation, and lived experience—while still meeting documentation and professional standards.
Learning Objectives
After this session, participants will be able to:
Explain clinical risks associated with over-reliance on diagnostic labeling.
Differentiate between diagnosis-driven treatment planning and whole-person conceptualization.
Apply strategies that support individualized care while maintaining diagnostic accuracy.
Use documentation language that supports medical necessity and ethical clinical practice.
Bridging CBT and Faith-Based Practice Ethically
Clinical Integration, Ethical Boundaries, and Cultural Sensitivity
📅 Fri, September 25, 2026 | 12-2 PM CT | $60
2 NBBC ETHICS Credit Hours
Live Interactive Webinar
Full Description
This Practice Well ethics deep dive focuses on the clinical integration of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with faith-based perspectives in a manner that is ethically grounded and culturally responsive. Clinicians often encounter client values, beliefs, and spiritual frameworks that influence their experience of distress and healing.
Participants will explore how to thoughtfully and ethically incorporate these elements into treatment without overstepping boundaries or compromising clinical integrity. The session emphasizes ethical decision-making, respect for client autonomy, and the development of interventions that are both clinically sound and aligned with client worldview.
Learning Objectives
Participants will be able to:
-
Describe ethical considerations related to integrating faith-based perspectives into clinical practice
-
Identify appropriate boundaries when incorporating spiritual or religious content in therapy
-
Apply CBT-based interventions in ways that are responsive to client belief systems
-
Evaluate clinical decision-making for alignment with ethical and cultural standards
-
Demonstrate strategies for maintaining client autonomy while integrating values into treatment
What to Expect
Format: Live online via Zoom
Length: 1 hour (unless specifically indicated as otherwise)
CE Credit: Live attendance is required for NBCC credit
Handouts: Provided to registered attendees
Presenter Info
Dorothy McDermott, MS, LPC-S, NCC
Dorothy McDermott, owner of A Fresh Start Counseling and The Well Life, is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor in Alabama (LPC-S #3559), a Licensed Professional Counselor in Georgia (LPC #010741), and a National Certified Counselor. She holds a Master of Science in Counselor Education and a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Jacksonville State University. Dorothy has served diverse client populations in the mental health field since 2007 and is the author of Get Well: A Fresh Perspective on Mental Wellness.
She is also a wife and mother of three.
Dorothy is committed to helping counselors practice with clarity, confidence, and ethical grounding through accessible, real-world continuing education.
Please Note
The Well Life has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7942. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Well Life is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
NBCC continuing education hours are awarded for live attendance only.
Replays may be offered for select trainings later for learning purposes but do not include CE credit.