LifeWorks is deeply committed to ongoing staff training and development. We believe a learning culture helps us as a team to have fun, get to know each other better, meet our practice goals and provide the high quality psychotherapy to our clients. Here are some of the trainers and consultants we have been honored to have with us.
Professional Network
Dr. Arieahn Matamonasa
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In 2021 and 2022, Dr. Matamonasa led LifeWorks in a day long Land Acknowledgement ceremony, and retreat focused on accessing the wisdom of the land and our ancestors. In 2022, Dr. Matamonasa’s book, Cages, Keys and the Chatalaine: A Woman’s Book for Transformation, was published and she began facilitating an External Consultation Group for LifeWorks’ independently licensed clinicians. The focus of this group is on accessing archetypal insight and working from a Jungian perspective.
Dr. Theopia Jackson
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In 2022, began facilitating an External Consultation Group for LifeWorks’ independently licensed clinicians. Dr. Jackson’s work with this group aims to provide excellent client care through the discipline of Humanistic Psychology.
Dr. Yojana Veeramasuneni
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In 2020, led LifeWorks in a month-long, individualized Equity assessment process which culminated in a list of suggestions that the team has been implementing to decolonize mental health practices in the practice and contribute to LifeWorks’ transformative work environment. Dr. Veeramasuneni also facilitated an External Consultation group for LifeWorks independently licensed clinicians in 2020 and 2021. She also taught an 8-week course on Attachment Enactments in the Therapeutic Relationship for the practice in 2020 and 2021.
Kris Larsen
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A longtime teacher and supervisor in Columbia College’s Dance & Movement Therapy program, and colleague of many staff at LifeWorks, Kris has led an External Consultation Group for LifeWorks independently licensed clinicians focused on embodied depth work, and self-of-the-therapist since 2020.
Shayna Goldstein
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Another teacher, supervisor, and colleague of LifeWorks staff, Shayna has facilitated an External Consultation Group for LifeWorks’ independently licensed clinicians since 2020. Shayna has also contributed several CEU hours to LifeWorks’ in-house Supervision Training Program, teaching about the important stages of supervisee development and unique needs of new therapists.
Dr. Chante DeLoach
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Facilitated a 6-week minicourse in 2021 for LifeWorks on Global Trauma for Therapists who may be offering trauma work to clients while moving through the same global traumas themselves. Dr. DeLoach brought a strong focus on self-care and decolonizing mental health practices.
Lena Elkhatib
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Facilitated a 6-week minicourse in 2021 on Sex Therapy with Religious Clients, and an in-service presentation in 2020 Cultural Humility in Clinical Work with Muslim Communities.
Errol Amerasekera
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Coaches the LifeWorks leadership team on cultivating equitable business practices and has facilitated Equity meetings with the entire Lifeworks team. Errol is Director at Bluestone Edge, supporting organizations through cultural transformation and beyond ‘cultural crisis’ through focusing on leadership development and the creation of a high-performance cultures. Errol is currently writing a book on issues and approaches to integrating equity and anti-oppression into organizational culture.
Dr. Susan Branco
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Presented several in-services in 2020 and 2021, both for the full LifeWorks team and in our in-house Supervision Training Program. Based on her research, she educated our staff on working with Microaggressions toward BIPOC clinicians and utilizing Micro interventions in order to further the therapeutic work.
Shadeen Francis
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Is a much-anticipated presenter for 2022! An AASECT certified Sex Therapist with experience treating individuals, dyads, and families, Shadeen will be conducting a mini-course on the fundamentals of relationship therapy in the second quarter of 2022. She and her work have been featured on/in NPR, The New York Times, Playboy, Cosmopolitan, and more.
In-Service Presentations
- Jacqueline Boyd: Cultural Humility 3.0 & Gender Expansive Health Care in Chicago
- Dr. Claudia Mosier: Psychopharmacology for Therapists
- Dr. Todd DuBose: Depth 3.0 Khora-tic Hospitality- Existential-Hermeneutical-Phenomenology Therapeutic Care, or Depth Work on the Surface
- Dr. Scott Pytluk: Depth 3.0: The Frame as a Therapeutic Resource
- Dr. Kira Weidner: Ethical & Legal Considerations for Therapists Working with Youth & Families
- Dr. Susan Zoline: Ethics & Dual Relationships & Ethics of Technology in Small Communities
- Dr. Braden Berkey: Ethical Issues for Kink-identified Therapists
- Carrie Jameson: Professional Boundaries in Small Communities
- Ian Bonner: LGBTQ Identity Development
Special Workshops
Dr. Braden Berkey & Carrie Jameson (2020) on the release of the Guidelines for Working with Kink-identified Clients.
Dr. Eli Sheff (2018) offered a full-day workshop on Working with Issues Related to Polyamorous Clients.
Dr. Julie Diamond, author of Power: A User’s Guide and consultant, (2017) provided a day-long workshop on the Uses, Misuses and Abuses of Power.
Jill Wolf (2015, 2016) provided LifeWorks’ staff an extensive and immersive training on Imago Relationship Therapy and continues to offer trainings to our team.
