This Topic is Close to Our Hearts

Clearly Clinical is located in Thousand Oaks, CA, the site of the Borderline Bar mass shooting and raging wildfires in November 2018. Thank you for your continued support of our community here; we offer our support to your communities during these tragedies. #ThousandOaksStrong

  • Course Description

    Although people have always struggled with disasters, disaster support and mental health needs may be greater now, in what some have called the era of mass violence and natural disasters (Webber and Mascari, 2018; Mascari, Webber, and Kitzinger, 2015). The main purpose of this podcast is to raise awareness among mental health professionals about the unique field of Disaster Mental Health (DMH) - its principles and services. Although DMH is typically for non-private practice clients, many of its principles will seem familiar and you might need to put on a “DMH hat” if one of your existing clients experiences a disaster. This podcast will help you understand what wearing that DMH hat entails; remaining calm, supportive and flexible by attending to your client’s immediate stabilization needs rather than continuing with your pre-existing treatment plan.

    WARNING: Listeners are warned that this presentation contains discussion about trauma and acts of violence.

  • Learning Objectives

    Upon completing this course, participants will be able to: Describe the three priorities that reflect the purposes of Disaster Mental Health and psychological first aid; Identify seven identifiable stages that individuals/ communities experience when impacted by a tragedy/disaster; Name four common goals and matching interventions in disaster mental health encounters


    Target Audience and Instructional Level
    This course is intended for psychologists, therapists, social workers, clinical counselors, and addiction counselors. Instructional level: Introductory/Intermediate

  • How To Take This Course

    In order to receive a certificate of completion reflecting the associated CE credit hour, you must:
    #1: Enroll in this CE course by either creating a free Clearly Clinical account or logging into your existing Clearly Clinical account
    #2: Listen to the corresponding course podcast
    #3: Achieve a passing grade on the post-presentation test (the test has up to ten questions and you must earn a score of at least 80%; you are able to re-test)
    #4: Complete the requested course evaluation.

    Course elements (including the course audio, post-test, and requested course evaluation) can be completed on a computer or mobile device via your Clearly Clinical account.

  • Course Format

    This high-quality and interesting course contains a one-hour, non-interactive audio podcast presentation which is available for free via all major public podcast providers. You can also listen to and download the file via our course player.

  • Commercial Support

    There is no known commercial support or conflict of interest for this CE program, presenter, sponsor, instructor, or content. Presenter Robert Scholz provides support to businesses and universities as they navigate community tragedies, and may benefit from exposure in relation to this presentation.

  • Certificate Access Details

    Once you've completed the course, your certificate will automatically populate in the 'Certificate' section of your account; it will also be emailed to you. Access to completion certificate will expire 365 days after issuance. Course certificates will be on file for ten (10) years from date of course completion.

  • Course Access Expiration

    Please note that you will have access to this free course for 30 days from when you sign up. If your access lapses, you are able to re-enroll for as long as this CE course is available for free.

  • Accommodations

    If you have special needs or need an accommodation, please email us at info@clearlyclinical.com and we will do our best to assist you.

Instructors: Robert Scholz, LMFT & Susan Hall, JD, PhD

Disaster Mental Health Experts

Robert Scholz, LMFT #41601, LPCC #1325

Risk Management and Motivational Interviewing Expert Trainer

Robert Scholz, M.A., LMFT, LPCC, NCC is dually licensed in California as a Marriage and Family Therapist and Professional Clinical Counselor and is a Nationally Certified Counselor. Robert has served in many clinical and leadership roles over his twenty plus years working in university mental health and disability services departments, community mental health agencies, private practice, forensic psychology and school-based settings. He maintains an active relationship with Pepperdine University, having served as an Adjunct Professor and trainer to students and staff for over a decade. His current company, The Change Place, offers psychotherapy, training and consultation services to a diverse group of individuals and organizations. His consultation and training clients include community/ forensic mental health agencies, schools/ universities, churches, and professional organizations across many topic areas, including: motivational interviewing, threat assessment/management, sex offender risk assessment and treatment, crisis intervention and postvention, effective responses to traumatic events, raising resilient teens and adolescent substance abuse. He has authored several publications on the topics of motivational interviewing, addiction, counseling men and boys, disaster mental health and effective systemic responses to sexual violence. Robert is also a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT), an international organization committed to promoting high-quality MI practice and training. Please visit his website for more information about him and his work.

Susan R. Hall, J.D., Ph.D.

Risk Management Expert

Dr. Susan Hall is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Pepperdine University, Graduate School of Psychology. Dr. Hall has published and presented nationally on topics related to positive psychology and trauma, mindfulness and MFT trainees, and psychology, public policy and law, including children/youth exposed to maltreatment. She serves as reviewer for the APA journal, Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. A recipient of Pepperdine’s Howard A. White Award for Excellence in Teaching, she teaches the following MFT courses: theories and techniques of psychotherapy, individual and family development, behavioral principles and theories of learning, and clinical practicum.

Why is Clearly Clinical the nation's premier CE provider?

  • CONVENIENT: All courses are 1-hour podcast episodes, available on all public podcast platforms

  • AFFORDABLE: We offer quality CE courses through a reasonably-priced membership

  • SOCIALLY-RESPONSIBLE: We donate to The Trevor Project for LGBTQIA+ youth suicide prevention

  • WOMEN-OWNED: We are founded and run by Elizabeth Irias, LMFT

  • DIVERSE: We highlight presenters/interviewees from historically-marginalized communities

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