Creative and Expressive Approaches to Treating Depression
- Speaker:
- Lisa Ferentz, LCSW-C, DAPA
- Duration:
- 4 Hours 30 Minutes
- Language:
- Presented in EN, subtitles in EN and FR, handouts in EN and FR
- Copyright:
-
Mar 20, 2025
- Product Code:
- NOS096434
- Media Type:
- Digital Seminar
Description
For clients who’ve long struggled with major depression, looking at their diagnosis through the lens of hypo-arousal provides a framework for understanding and treating their cognitive, emotional, somatic, and behavioural symptoms. Adding a psychosocial lens helps them process intrapsychic, interpersonal, and environmental triggers. In the face of these triggers, it’s important to help clients understand the current research around the adverse, long-term effects of “medical marijuana” when used to treat depression—and to offer them a host of creative, non-pharmacological tools so they can get effective relief for their debilitating symptoms. In this workshop, we’ll explore the myriad approaches that can help clients feel more empowered to manage their affective disorders and decrease the negative thoughts, feelings, and uncomfortable somatic experiences that can overwhelm them. You’ll learn:
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Simple interventions to add to your clinical toolbox for treating major depression that positively connect body and mind
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Cognitive reframing through writing and art prompts, visualisation, guided imagery solution-focused strategies, parts work, and self-talk
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Somatic resourcing techniques that offer clients gentle body-based tools that can bring quick relief for symptoms of depression
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How to feel more empowered about the management and treatment of affective disorders
Credit
Program Information
Planning Committee Disclosure - No relevant relationshipsAll members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners. For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.
NOTE: Tuition includes one free CE Certificate (participant will be able to print the certificate of completion after passing the online post-test (80% passing score) and completing the evaluation). Instructional methods will include PowerPoint, didactic lecture, and others.
Continuing Education Information: Listed below are the continuing education credit(s) currently available for this non-interactive self-study package. Program content is reviewed periodically per accrediting board rules for currency and appropriateness for credit. Credit approvals are subject to change. Please note, your licensing board dictates whether self-study is an acceptable form of continuing education, as well as which credit types are acceptable for continuing education hours. Please refer to your licensing board's rules and regulations. If your profession is not listed, please contact your licensing board to determine your continuing education requirements and check for reciprocal approval.
For other credit inquiries not specified below, please contact info@pesi.com or 800-844-8260 before purchase.
Materials that are included in this course may include interventions and modalities that are beyond the authorized practice of your profession. As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your profession's standards.
For Planning Committee disclosures, please see the statement above. For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.
Earn up to 4.5 CE hours. Please see below, for more details, as credit amounts vary by jurisdiction and profession.
PESI, Inc. is approved by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association to offer continuing education for counsellors and psychotherapists. PESI, Inc. maintains responsibility for the program. This self-study activity is approved for 4.5 credit hours.
PESI, Inc. is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. PESI, Inc. maintains responsibility for the program. This program is approved for 4.5 self-study continuing education hours. Full credit statement at: www.pesi.com/cpa-statement

PESI, Inc., #1062, 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: January 27, 2026 - January 27, 2029. Social workers completing this course receive 4.5 Clinical continuing education credits.
Course Level: Intermediate Format: Recorded asynchronous distance. Full attendance is required; no partial credits will be offered for partial attendance.
Canadian Social Workers: Canadian provinces may accept activities offered by providers approved by the ASWB ACE program for ongoing professional development.
This self-study activity qualifies for 4.5 continuing education clock hours as required by many national and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Save your activity advertisement and certificate of completion, and contact your own board or organization for specific requirements.

This self-study course has been approved by PESI, Inc., as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #77553. PESI, Inc. is responsible for all aspects of their programming.
This self-study course offers 4.5 continuing education contact hours in the Counseling Services skill group. Full attendance is required; no partial credit will be awarded for partial attendance.
Handouts
| File type | File name | Number of pages | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual - Creative and Expressive Approaches to Treating Depression (1.4 MB) | 32 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - Creative and Expressive Approaches to Treating Depression - French (1.4 MB) | 32 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - Creative and Expressive Approaches to Treating Depression - Italian (1.4 MB) | 32 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - Creative and Expressive Approaches to Treating Depression - German (1.4 MB) | 32 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - Creative and Expressive Approaches to Treating Depression - Spanish (1.4 MB) | 32 Pages | Available after Purchase |
Speaker
Lisa Ferentz, LCSW-C, DAPA Related seminars and products
Lisa Ferentz, LCSW-C, DAPA, is a recognized expert in the strengths-based, depathologized treatment of trauma and has been in private practice for more than 35 years. She’s a trainer and clinical consultant to practitioners and mental health agencies worldwide. And she’s the author of Treating Self-Destructive Behaviors in Trauma Survivors, Letting Go of Self-Destructive Behaviors, and Finding Your Ruby Slippers.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Lisa Ferentz maintains a private practice and is the founder and president of the Ferentz Institute. She receives royalties as a published author and is a consultant for Northwest Hospital. Lisa Ferentz receives a speaking honorarium and product royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Lisa Ferentz is a member of the National Association of Social Workers and the American Psychotherapy Association.
Additional Info
Program Information
Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)Access never expires for this product.
For a more detailed outline that includes times or durations of time, if needed, please contact cepesi@pesi.com.
Questions?
Visit our FAQ page at https://www.pesicanada.ca/faq or contact us at https://www.pesicanada.ca/contact-us.
Objectives
- Analyse the potential benefits of verbally administering assessment tools for depression.
- Discuss the current research on “medical marijuana” and the limitations it has in the treatment of depression.
- Implement two breath work strategies to effectively address hypo-arousal and enhance client regulation.
- Implement three somatic strategies for depression.
- Explain the role that ‘Parts Work” can play in treating depression.
Outline
Incorporating psychoeducation
- Understanding the window of tolerance and connecting hypo-arousal to depressed mood
- The impact of environment, relationships, and intrapsychic functioning on depression
- The advantages of verbally administering PHQ-9
- Understanding Response Vs. Remission
The dangers of using medical marijuana to treat depression
- Processing the latest research
- Risk factors associated with acute and chronic use
Non-pharmacological strategies to treat depressed mood and cognitions
- The importance of good sleep and the impact of sleep deprivation
- Endorsing the concept of “powering down”
- Incorporating a “parts” perspective- experiential
- Safe place visualisation and externalisation
- Two-handed dialogues-experiential
- Using aromatherapy
Somatic resourcing
- Simple strategies for comfort and soothing
- The benefits of exercise/ gratitude walk
- Poser Poses- experiential
Working with cognitive distortions
- Addressing critical self-talk and enhancing self-compassion
- The Crossroad of a Thought- experiential
Using art therapeutically
- Four quadrant drawing to celebrate accomplishments- experiential
- Crystal Ball art prompt-experiential
Solution-focused strategies
- Miracle question
- Additional self-soothing techniques
Risks and Limitations
Target Audience
- Counsellors
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Social Workers
- Physicians
- Psychologists
- Addiction Counsellors
- Nurses
Reviews
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Total Reviews: 864
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