A Seminar Series with Master Therapists
Helping you build a meaningful & fulfilling career.
This introductory seminar series is designed for psychologists and mental health clinicians eager to learn from some of the most highly regarded therapists in our communities. These five speakers, representing 5 major cities across North America, have been described by their colleagues as some of the “best of the best” in their communities. While these therapists themselves are known for their humility & modesty (& likely wouldn’t describe themselves as the “best of the best”), their colleagues regard them as setting a gold standard in their communities.
In an engaging interview format, these experts will share their perspectives on the evolving field of psychotherapy, key lessons from their careers, and the advice they believe is most valuable for clinicians at the start of their professional journeys.
Each speaker will select a topic they view as essential for early-career therapists, providing focused teaching on the subject and illustrate their insights with a case example. Following the presentation, participants will have the chance to engage directly with the speakers during a live Q&A session.
To support continued reflection and growth, participants will receive guided worksheets following each session to help them integrate the teachings into their own practice and identify areas for professional and personal development.
The series will begin with an introductory lecture reviewing the foundational literature on master therapists and therapist expertise.
Dr. Allyson Smith This initial seminar, led by Dr. Allyson Smith, provides a comprehensive review of the literature on master therapists & the development of therapist expertise. Drawing from evidence-based research, this seminar will focus on identifying the traits & skills found to be most critical for clinical excellence. The presentation includes practical strategies to help attendees develop these key skills & integrate them into their practice. A live Q&A will follow. Attendees will receive structured at- home worksheets to support reflection & self-assessment, guiding them in identifying areas for continued professional & personal growth.
Empathy: The Royal Road to the Client’s Unconscious I will be highlighting what I consider to be the critically important distinction between “empathic attunement” to the client and “authentic engagement” with the client. There is a place for both stances – at different times – in the therapeutic relationship; but they do involve a different “positioning” of the therapist in relation to the client. The “empathic” therapist “decenters” from her own experience and “takes on” the client’s experience but only “as if” it were her own – because it never actually “becomes” her own. In contradistinction to this is the “authentic” therapist, who “remains centered” within her own experience and “takes on” the client’s experience “as” her own. I will be presenting a clinical case that involves my “empathic attunement” to the client’s gut-wrenching “guilt” about having been responsible for the tragic death of her young friend (decades earlier).
This seminar begins with an interview where Dr. Melvyn Segal reflects on the evolving field of psychotherapy, shares key moments from his career, & discusses insights he believes will help early-career clinicians build a strong foundation for their practice. This is followed by a lecture on shaping professional identity, covering the transition from student to psychotherapist, its impact on the therapeutic relationship, & practical applications for clinical work. A case presentation and discussion will illustrate common challenges in this transition and strategies for managing them. The seminar concludes with an open Q&A, allowing participants to engage with Dr. Segal and reflect on the material.
In this interview and presentation, an empirically validated model of therapeutic presence will be introduced as a map to build and strengthen the skills of presence with clients and how to create safety using neurophysiological principles based on concepts such as co-regulation and neuroception of safety stemming from Polyvagal Theory (Geller &; Porges, 2014). Evidenced based practices from Dr. Geller’s books, A Practical Guide for Cultivating Therapeutic Presence’ (2017) and ‘Therapeutic Presence: A Mindful Approach to Effective Therapeutic Relationships’ 2nd Edition (2022) co-authored with Leslie Greenberg, including mindfulness, self-compassion, and experiential practices will be introduced. We will also discuss challenges to TP and how to stay open and engaged when working with challenging clients and working through therapeutic ruptures. Experiential practices for cultivating presence during therapy and in life will be introduced.
In this lecture, Dr. Richard Harrison explores the evolving field of psychotherapy and the therapist’s use of self in the therapeutic relationship. The session begins with an interview, where Dr. Harrison reflects on key experiences from his career, discussing formative moments & sharing perspectives that can support early-career clinicians. The lecture then examines into the role of self-disclosure and authenticity in therapy, exploring how these elements contribute to both effective clinical work and therapist sustainability. Special attention is given to the prevention of vicarious traumatization and practical considerations for integrating the therapist’s self into practice. A case presentation further illustrates these concepts, demonstrating how intentional use of self can enhance both therapist well-being and the therapeutic alliance. The session concludes with an open discussion, providing participants the opportunity to ask questions and share reflections.
The seminar begins with an interview where Dr. Wachtel shares insights into the evolving field of psychotherapy, discusses pivotal career moments, and offers advice for early-career clinicians. Dr Wachtel will explore the challenges & opportunities in integrating the best elements from different therapeutic orientations. It examines common obstacles, such as misunderstandings about what it means to be evidence-based & the difficulty of bridging different theoretical vocabularies. Key points of convergence will be highlighted, including how psychodynamic interpretation can align with behavioural exposure and how acceptance plays a vital role across humanistic, cognitive-behavioural, and psychodynamic therapies. The discussion will also address the importance of considering context in therapy and how systemic, psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioural, and humanistic approaches all contribute to this understanding. Finally, the talk will introduce cyclical psychodynamics, shedding light on how interpersonal dynamics reinforce psychological struggles.