Course Description

Most therapists understand that exercise can be a valuable tool in improving clients’ functioning. However, mental health professionals generally receive little training in the mechanisms by which exercise impacts mental health -- mechanisms that go far beyond the release of endorphins. Unfortunately, many therapists express reluctance to use this tool in treatment because they don’t know how to incorporate exercise in an intentional, skillful way. In this course, you’ll learn the profound ways exercise affects the brain, mood, and behavioral functioning. You’ll also learn practical tools for incorporating exercise into mental health care in a manner that is skillful and consistent with a mental health professional’s scope of practice.

Total running time 194 minutes. 3 Hours CE. Recorded Video Format (non-interactive). 

Learning Objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Describe at least three research-based biological and psychological mechanisms that make exercise a powerful treatment tool

  • Identify at least three diagnosis-specific responses to exercise as an intervention

  • Identify at least three psychological risks and benefits of common types of exercise

  • Implement at least two new methods for exercise screening and intervention into your current treatment flow

Course Outline

1. Setting the framework

a. What therapists say about exercise

b. What therapists do about exercise

c. Why the difference?

d. Scope of practice

2. Research on exercise  

a. Neurobiological benefits

b. Structural benefits

c. Neurocognitive benefits 

d. Stress and inflammation benefits

e. Diagnosis-specific findings

f. Strength of overall research (WHO)

3. Nuances of client needs and types of exercise

a. Anxiety 

b. Depression

c. ADHD

d. Eating disorders

e. Trauma/PTSD

f. Cognitive decline 

g. Yoga vs. HIIT vs. cardio, etc.

4. Incorporating exercise into your treatment flow  

a. Screening questions in intake paperwork

b. Legal and ethical concerns 

c. Cultural/diversity factors

d. Meeting clients where they’re at

e. Psychoeducation, connection to presenting problem, SMART goal setting

f. Exercise as a spectrum of activity

g. Resources for clients


References.pdf

Instructor

Katie Arfa, PsyD

Dr. Arfa has focused her career on bringing psychology, medicine, sleep, exercise, and nutrition together with the goal of simultaneously improving clients’ mental and physical health. Having worked in the health and fitness industry as an NSCA certified personal trainer and numerous health psychology settings, Dr. Arfa has gained expertise in the psychology, physiology, and biology of lifestyle medicine.

Additional Information

Format and Length:

Recorded video format (non-interactive). Total running time 194 minutes. Progress is saved after each lesson section so you can complete the course in multiple sittings. Please note that if you leave the course in the middle of a video, quiz, or survey section you may be required to start that section from the beginning.

Topic Area:

Clinical practice

Instructional Level:

Intermediate  

Completion Requirements:

To obtain your CE certificate, you must progress through all course segments, complete a satisfaction survey, and obtain a score of 80% or higher on a course completion quiz. Learners are expected to complete the quiz within a reasonable number of attempts, and may be blocked from completing the course and receiving their certificate if unable to do so.

Completion Quiz and Course Evaluation:

After watching course videos, the course completion quiz will be available to complete, followed by the course evaluation.

Who Should Attend:

Psychologists, counselors, masters or doctoral level clinical social workers, and marriage and family therapists.

Publication and Review Dates:

Course Publication Date: February 1, 2022 

Financial Support Statement:

SimplePractice pays course presenters for their teaching. There is no other financial support for this course.

Conflict of Interest Statement:

There is no potential conflict of interest or outside commercial support for this course.

Refund Policy:

Click here to see our policies on attendance, refunds, grievances, and accessibility, and other frequently asked questions. Click here to contact us or submit a grievance.

Contact Information:

For any inquiries related to subject matter guidance, correction, grading, comments, or problem resolution please contact us.

System Requirements:

Please ensure your device meets our system requirements.

Continuing Education Approvals:

SimplePractice is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. SimplePractice maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course provides 3 hours of continuing education (3 CE credits) for psychologists.

SimplePractice has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6961. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. SimplePractice is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

SimplePractice has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6961. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. SimplePractice is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

SimplePractice, #1749, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Simple Practice maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 07/06/2021 – 07/06/2024. Social workers participating in this course will receive 3 continuing education credits in the Clinical topic area.

SimplePractice is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LPCCs, LCSWs, and LEPs (CAMFT CEPA provider #145276). SimplePractice maintains responsibility for this program and its content. This course meets the qualifications for 3 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. 

SimplePractice is approved as a Rule/Statute Approved Provider of Continuing Education by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage & Family Therapy, and Mental Health Counseling. Note that we do not automatically report CE completion to CE Broker at this time, so certificates of completion must be manually uploaded. Click here for more information.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0582.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0030.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0091.

SimplePractice LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0206.

This course is not part of our continuing education program approved through NAADAC. Click here to view our complete CE approval information, or check out our collection of NAADAC approved courses.