Committee Meeting - Women's Wellness
Prioritize Your Well-Being & Connect with Like-Minded Women
Take a break, tune in, and invest in your wellness. We can’t wait to see you there!
PARTICIPATION: Only SDPA Members (New Attendees Please Contact Chair)
COMMITTEE PURPOSE:
The purpose of the Women's Wellness Committee is to provide members with an opportunity to explore women's wellness both personally and academically. The Committee provides a forum for enjoying the company and shared experiences of other Committee members while also working to raise awareness of women's wellness in San Diego County.
The Committee meets on the second Tuesday of the month 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM.
If you have questions or want to learn more about the committee, don't hesitate to reach out to the:
Dr. Claire Deierhoi-Clark claire@drdeierhoiclarkpsychology.com Women's Wellness Chair
SDPA Committee Meeting: Child, Youth and Family
February 13, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Zoom (Link Will Be Provided to Committee Members)
The purpose of the Child, Youth and Family Committee is to provide members with current, practical, and clinically relevant information and material on issues pertaining to the treatment of children, youth and families. Additionally, the Committee promotes SDPA within the San Diego community by providing useful information to the general public.
The Committee meets on the second Friday of the month 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM.
For more information, please contact the Chair:
Susan Lagasse, Ph.D. susanlagasse@sbcglobal.net
Committee Meeting - Cultural Diversity
PRODUCED BY: Cultural Diversity Committee (CD)
DATE/TIME: February 17, 2026 at 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
LOCATION: Zoom (Link Will Be Provided to Committee Members)
The purpose of the Cultural Diversity Committee is to provide members with consultations, continuing education training, professional development, and resources related to serving clients from diverse and underrepresented groups.
The Committee meets on the third Tuesday of the month 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM.
For more information, please contact the Co-Chairs:
Darlene Townes, Psy.D. dr.dtownes@gmail.com
Donielle Cohen, Ph.D. admin@doniellelmft.com
Forensic Committee Meeting
February 23, 2026
7:00 PM
PARTICIPATION: Only SDPA Members (New Attendees Please Contact Chai
The purpose of the Forensic Committee is to promote high standards for the delivery of forensic services in San Diego County and throughout the state of California. The Committee offers educational workshops and consultations to member psychologists who are interested in this challenging and highly specialized field. The Committee also addresses the promotion of the profession of psychology to multiple forensic arenas.
The Committee meets on the third Monday of the month at 7:00 PM on Zoom.
Glenn Lipson, Ph.D. ABPP drglipson@gmail.com
Abraham Loebenstein, Ph.D. doctorabe@msn.com
A Contemplative Practices Committee Event
Come join us for an introspective Event Journaling Workshop
1:00 PM
Zoom
Felling burned out?
Self Care * Compassion * Love
Email Dr. Benavidez below for the Zoom
RSVP to benavidezjoanna@gmail.com
San Diego Psychological Association (in the United Way Building)
4699 Murphy Canyon Rd. Suite 105 San Diego, CA 92123
Join us after the workshop for a Networking Social 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Appetizers and Beverages
REGISTRATION FEES:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Guilt and shame, like all emotions, have an adaptive function. However, experiencing these emotions in the context of trauma often results in non-adaptive guilt and shame (NAGS), a risk factor for impaired functioning and psychological distress like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, substance use disorder, and suicidality. These associations have been found in research conducted in diverse samples in terms gender, ethnicity, nationality and military status, trauma type, and age. Reductions in NAGS have been found to predict subsequent improvements in symptoms and impairments. However, NAGS are not consistently addressed in gold standard PTSD interventions, which may contribute to the substantial rates of dropout and symptom persistence associated with these treatments. Trauma Informed Guilt Reduction (TrIGR) is a brief (4-6 sessions) transdiagnostic therapy that provides psychoeducation and strategies to help clients transform NAGS into more adaptive thoughts and feelings about the trauma and adversity they experienced, including attachment and moral injury. The self-help version so TrIGR, Transform Your Guilt and Shame, guides readers through the same strategies. TrIGR has been shown to result in statistically and clinically meaningful reductions of posttraumatic distress and impaired functioning. In this training workshop, participants will hear about the empirical support for TrIGR’s underlying rationale and approach, receive an overview of each session, and learn how to implement some of its main strategies through instruction and demonstration using case examples. Active participation by attendees will be encouraged through role plays, and discussions about how to apply the intervention to address specific presentations of NAGS observed in their own clients.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Biography
Carolyn B. Allard, PhD, ABPP, is a licensed, board-certified clinical psychologist; researcher; Distinguished Professor; and APA Trauma Division (56) past President, current journal editorial board member, and upcoming Representative to the APA Council. Dr. Allard has been Program Director of the Clinical Psychology PhD Program at Alliant International University since 2018. Before that, she directed the Military Sexual Trauma & Interpersonal Trauma Clinic and the Advanced Fellowship in Women's Health at the Veterans Affairs and University of California San Diego. For 20 years, she has been providing therapy, training and consultation in empirically supported therapy for posttraumatic distress; and conducting research focused on socio-cultural and contextual predictors of posttraumatic distress and treatment outcomes. She co-developed Trauma Informed Guilt Reduction (TrIGR), the evidence-based therapy that is the basis of her latest book, Transform Your Guilt and Shame, a self-guided workbook. More at www.CarolynAllardPhD.com/about and “Carolyn Allard, PhD” on FaceBook.
Conflict of Interest Statement
I receive royalties from the published therapy manual and the self-help book that are the basis of this training workshop:
Allard, C. B. (2024). Transform Your Guilt and Shame: Evidence-Based Strategies to Heal From Trauma and Adversity. American Psychological Association.
Norman, S. B., Allard, C. B., Browne, K., Capone, C., Davis, B., & Kubany, E. (2019). Trauma Informed Guilt Reduction Therapy: Treating Guilt and Shame Resulting from Trauma and Moral Injury. Academic Press.
For more information about this event, contact Diana at sdpa@sdpsych.org
Conflicts of Interest: As an APA-approved sponsor of continuing education, San Diego Psychological Association is committed to the identification and resolution of potential conflicts of interest in the planning, promotion, delivery, and evaluation of continuing education. Please review the conflict of interest guideline below.
APA Guidelines Regarding Potential Conflicts of InterestConsistent with concepts outlined in the APA Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct, potential conflicts of interest occur when an individual assumes a professional role in the planning, promotion, delivery, or evaluation of continuing education where personal, professional, legal, financial, or other interests could reasonably be expected to impair his or her objectivity, competence, or effectiveness.
CE Grievance ProcedureSDPA is fully committed to conducting all activities in strict conformance with the APAs Ethical Principles of Psychologists. SDPA will comply with all legal and ethical responsibilities to be non-discriminatory in promotional activities, program content and in the treatment of program participants. See CE Grievance Procedure. Attendance Policy: CE Credit and Certificates will not be issued to those who arrive later than 10 minutes or leave early from any course scheduled time. This policy is strictly enforced to ensure compliance with APA Guidelines.
Cancellation Policy: No refund will be given to any registered individual who is a no-show to a course. Any individual canceling within 72 hours of a course will be refunded 50% of the course fee.
American Psychological AssociationThe San Diego Psychological Association (SDPA) is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. SDPA maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
LCSW, LFMT, LEP & LPCC In California, APA approved CE’s are valid for licensed psychologists, licensed school psychologists, LCSW, LMFT, LEP & LPCC licensees. Though APA is a national organization, the out of state licensee should check with their state governing board to make sure that APA approved CE's are valid in their state for their license.
See SDPA Website Continuing Education Policies.
March 13, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
DATE/TIME: March 17, 2026 at 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
March 23, 2026
SDPA Contemplative Practices Event
Nature Walk at Mission Trails Regional Park
March 28, 2026 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Joanna Benavidez, Ph.D. benavidezjoanna@gmail.com
April 10, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Artificial Intelligence and the Practice of Psychology: Ethical and Clinical Considerations
Speaker: Rochelle Perper, PhD 4 APA CE Credits
April 11, 2026 8:00 AM - 12:30 PM
Registration 7:15 - 8:00 am light Breakfast
Note Graduate student registration - No CE's are included
Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are shaping both our daily lives and the way mental health care is delivered. As psychologists, we are often intrigued by new advancements, yet understandably concerned about client privacy, data security, and ethical use. Additionally, the rapid pace of innovation can make it challenging to evaluate which tools are evidence-based, reliable, or appropriate for clinical practice.
This course provides an accessible and clinically grounded overview of how AI tools are currently being used in mental health care, with particular attention to applications in private practice. Based on findings from an overview of the literature on the current empirically supported AI applications in clinical practice, this training will facilitate discussion about the accuracy and reliability of existing AI tools, as well as their current limitations.
Case studies will be used to illustrate specific risks and potential harms associated with AI use in practice, such as breaches of confidentiality, erosion of clinical judgment, and unintended ethical consequences. These examples will serve as a foundation for thoughtful discussion about how and when AI tools may be used responsibly, and when their use may be contraindicated.
Ethical and safety considerations will be examined throughout the presentation through the lens of APA Ethical Guidelines, with attention to informed consent, competence, risk management, and professional responsibility.
This course emphasizes ethical discernment and critical thinking, supporting psychologists in making informed, values-aligned decisions about if and how AI tools may serve as a supportive adjunct to clinical practice. Designed for practitioners who want to stay informed without feeling overwhelmed, the training offers a balanced, evidence-informed foundation for understanding both the potential benefits and the current limitations of AI in mental health care.
List three examples of how AI technology is utilized in mental health care
Describe two reasons why psychologists should develop a foundational understanding of AI and its applications in clinical practice
Identify and explain key ethical concerns related to use of AI in clinical practice
Analyze the potential benefits and risks of AI applications in mental health care
For more information about the conference, contact Diana at sdpa@sdpsych.org
DATE/TIME: April 21, 2026 at 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
April 27, 2026
May 8, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
DATE/TIME: May 19, 2026 at 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
May 25, 2026
June 12, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
DATE/TIME: June 16, 2026 at 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
June 22, 2026
July 10, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
DATE/TIME: July 21, 2026 at 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
July 27, 2026
August 14, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
DATE/TIME: August 18, 2026 at 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
September 11, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
DATE/TIME: September 15, 2026 at 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
August 28, 2026
October 9, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
DATE/TIME: October 20, 2026 at 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
October 26, 2026
November 13, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
DATE/TIME: November 17, 2026 at 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
November 23, 2026
December 11, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
DATE/TIME: December 15, 2026 at 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
December 28, 2026
Contact Us:San Diego Psychological Association4699 Murphy Canyon Rd. Suite 105San Diego, CA 92123
Diana GarzaOffice Manager Office (858) 277-1463 Fax (858) 277-1402 E-Mail sdpa@sdpsych.org
