Past TICN Presentations

Presenter: Yassi Keshavarz, LCSW

Yassi Keshavarz, LCSW, is a trauma therapist and founder of Aria Mental Health Counseling in California. She specializes in working with complex trauma, dissociation, chronic illness, and medical trauma, integrating approaches such as Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, and Somatic Psychotherapy. Yassi works extensively with high-performing professionals, including medical and mental health providers, engineers, and attorneys, who experience chronic stress and burnout. She is also passionate about supporting individuals from collective cultures, including immigrants, second generation and refugees, bringing culturally attuned, body-based healing into her work.

Presentation: From Overdrive to Regulation – An IFS and Somatic Perspective on Burnout and Resilience

Burnout is often framed as a problem of workload or time management, yet many high-performing professionals find themselves chronically overextended despite recognizing the need for rest. This presentation explores burnout through the lens of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Somatic Psychology, focusing on the role of “manager” parts that drive productivity, perfectionism, and constant functioning in order to maintain safety and control. Participants will learn how these parts can override the body’s natural limits, leading to exhaustion and the eventual activation of more extreme protective responses, such as shutdown, avoidance, or emotional overwhelm. Through a trauma-informed and body-based framework, this workshop offers practical ways to identify and work with these internal dynamics, supporting a shift from forced resilience toward sustainable regulation, balance, and self-leadership.

Presenter: Em Capito, LCSW, MBA, E-RYT

Em has been in practice for 19 years with an emphasis on mind-body resilience as a foundation for depth-oriented narrative therapy and experiential therapy. She specializes in complex trauma, high conflict relationships, and attachment. Em received a master’s degree in social work from the University of Utah in 2007 and is also a certified meditation and yoga teacher. Currently, she works with adult women and couples through therapy, groups, and retreats.

Presentation: When the World is Burning – Restoring Calm Through Meaning

Before the advent of 24/7 news feeds, collective crisis exposure was limited to those in our families and communities, spheres of influence where we can contribute tangibly. Our minds are wired to respond proactively to threats, but this can lead to overwhelm, incapacitation and chronic anxiety when we are exposed to uncertainties, injustices and tragedies far beyond our reach. This experiential dialogue will utilize the hierarchy of resilience as a model for triaging overwhelm, reinforcing protective factors, and restoring capacity for difficult uncertainties.

Presenter: Paul T. Callister, Ph.D., CMHC, CGP

Paul is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Certified Group Psychotherapist who specializes in group therapy. He earned his Ph.D. in Counselor Education from Oregon State University in 2022 and his M.Ed. in Counseling from the University of Utah in 2010. Dr. Callister has extensive clinical experience in diverse settings including the Utah State Prison, community mental health, and private practice. He currently owns and operates Utah Group Therapy Center and Bountiful Counseling in Bountiful, Utah, where he leads weekly interpersonal process groups using a modern group analytic approach. Dr. Callister is training at the Center for Group Studies in New York City, holds the Certified Group Psychotherapist credential, and teaches group counseling in the CMHC program at Utah Valley University. His work is grounded in the belief that the group becomes a living laboratory for life, where learning to engage authentically, navigate conflict, and risk connection creates change that extends far beyond the therapy room.

Presentation: We Don’t Heal in Isolation – The Power of Group Connection in Trauma Recovery

Group therapy is uniquely positioned to support trauma recovery because it offers something individual therapy cannot: real-time relational experience. Yet many clinicians struggle to move groups beyond a series of individual check-ins toward meaningful member-to-member connection. This presentation introduces the bridging technique, a foundational group facilitation skill that helps therapists shift the focus from leader-member dialogue to authentic interaction between group members. Participants will learn how bridging fosters emotional engagement, reduces isolation, and transforms the group into a living interpersonal system where relational patterns can be experienced, understood, and reshaped. Through a live demonstration group, attendees will observe how intentional interventions can deepen connection, invite vulnerability, and support co-regulation in ways that are consistent with trauma-informed principles of safety, trust, and empowerment. The session will conclude with a structured debrief, clinical application discussion, and time for questions, equipping clinicians with practical tools to help their groups become spaces where healing happens in relationship, not in isolation.

Presenter: Carrie Scott, MSC, LCMHC; Tawna Loveless, Assistant Neurofeedback Program Director & Technician

Carrie Scott, MSC, LCMHC, is a trauma-informed licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and the Neurofeedback Program Director at Healing Pathways Therapy Center. She is also the founder and owner of Utah NeuroWellness Clinic, where she specializes in integrating neurofeedback into trauma recovery and mental health care. Carrie brings a wealth of clinical experience and a deep commitment to practitioner training through her work with the Neurofeedback Advocacy Project, equipping practitioners nationwide with practical, outcomes-based neurofeedback tools. Her work bridges cutting-edge neuroscience with practical therapeutic application and reflects a deep commitment to nervous system regulation, trauma treatment, and advancing the field through accessible training and mentorship.

Tawna has a lifelong passion for health and well-being, believing that optimal health is achieved through a balanced approach to mental, physical, and spiritual health. With a deep commitment to understanding the human experience, she continually seeks new knowledge to enrich her practice.

With a bachelor’s degree in Community Health Education and specialized training as a Neurofeedback Technician in the Othmer Method, Tawna has treated over 4,000 clients in individual sessions. She has developed various training programs and is a strong advocate for cultural diversity, shaped by her global travels and connections with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Tawna works effectively with people of all ages and backgrounds, helping them achieve lasting well-being.

Presentation: Unlock the Power of the Deep Brain – An Introduction to Infra-low Frequency

Are you ready to help yourself or your clients stabilize, heal, and thrive from the foundation up? Join Carrie Scott, CMHC, Neurofeedback Program Director, and Tawna Loveless, Assistant Neurofeedback Program Director, for a dynamic introduction to Infra-Low Frequency (ILF) HD Neurofeedback — a powerful evolution in brain-based therapy. In this engaging session, you’ll discover:

-How ILF HD neurofeedback uses the brain’s slowest rhythms to promote deep physiological calming and stabilization.

-Why infra-low frequencies (0.05 Hz and below) are critical for regulating higher brain functions and restoring homeostasis.

-Why ILF HD neurofeedback plays a critical role in the treatment of trauma.

-Clinical examples showing how ILF HD can help with psychosomatic symptoms, anxiety, chronic pain, emotional dysregulation, stress-related disorders, and more.

Whether you’re brand new to neurofeedback or looking to deepen your skills, you’ll leave with a clear understanding of why infra-low frequency neurofeedback is the foundation for transformational brain training and trauma treatment.

Presenter: Stacy Lund, HPTC Clinical Director, LCSW; Stephanie Sisson, LCSW

Stacy Lund is the Clinical Director of a trauma clinic in Salt Lake City, Utah. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP), a trained yoga teacher, and a certified Eye Movement and Desensitization (EMDR) clinician. Stephanie Sisson is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in Beloit, Wisconsin. She specializes in Grief and Trauma and is EMDR-trained. She has practiced in three states, including Utah, New Mexico, and Wisconsin. Stacy and Stephanie are identical twin sisters raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. They earned their undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Utah College of Social Work.

Presentation: My Wife Told Me to Go to Therapy – Clinical Insights from Our New Book

Join us for an engaging presentation and clinical discussion based on our upcoming book, My Wife Told Me to Go to Therapy: A Guide for Men on How to Love the 21st Century Woman. This resource is designed to support men in cultivating emotional intelligence, dismantling harmful gender norms, and becoming more attuned, accountable partners. As clinicians, we know that gender roles, emotional labor, and relational power dynamics are central themes in therapeutic work with individuals and couples. This presentation offers a practical, research-informed look at how these dynamics play out—and how we can support men in moving from defensiveness to curiosity, from disconnection to relational presence.

Presentation Highlights:

-Understanding the impact of emotional labor and the mental load on relational health

-Exploring how patriarchy contributes to relational and intrapersonal distress in men -Facilitating emotional development and accountability in male clients

-Clinical tools and psychoeducation strategies to foster empathy, equity, and connection

This session is designed to deepen our shared understanding and expand our clinical toolkit when working with men, couples, and anyone navigating the complexities of gender and intimacy in contemporary relationships.

Presenter: Erica Astle

I am a certified facilitator through the Center for Mind Body Medicine and I am pursuing my Master’s Degree in Social Work at New Mexico State University. I have 10 years of experience with case management, program management, and nonprofit leadership and I have facilitated Mind Body Skills groups for over three years with parents, professionals, and teenagers. These skills have helped me stay present and regulated in an emotionally demanding career and as a parent to two young toddlers. I love sharing these skills with others and I love the connection that comes from a group setting.

Presentation: Mind Body Skills Group

Mind Body Medicine is about the integration of our physical and mental health: understanding how stress and trauma affect our brains and bodies and what we can do with our minds and bodies to regulate our nervous systems, move through conflict, and regulate our emotions. The foundation of these skills is breathing and mindfulness. These skills also include meditation, drawing as a form of reflective journaling, guided imagery, movement, autogenics and biofeedback, and mindful eating.

Presenter: Tawna Loveless,
Assistant Neurofeedback Program Director & Technician

Being in love with health and well-being from the time I was a teenager, I believe that the health of a person is not based on one thing, but on the balance of all things in an individual’s life. As a lifelong learner of mental, physical, and spiritual health you will find me listening to a new book ingesting knowledge, and being deeply passionate about the human experience.

I pursued my bachelor’s degree in Community Health Education as a way to achieve my goals to help others achieve healthy lives. After my degree, I pursued training in Neurofeedback as an Othmer Method Technician using Infra-Low Frequencies to retrain and exercise the brain to gain greater balance and control over itself. I am also double-trained and experienced in both the Alpha-Theta and Synchrony modalities, all using the Cygnet software system. I have extensive experience using neurofeedback training for many concerns including but not limited to; addiction, ADHD, anxiety, autism, behavioral problems, bipolar disorder, depression, mood disorders, headaches/migraines, seizures, impulsivity, low self-esteem, OCD, PTSD, traumatic brain injury, sensory disorders, and sleep problems.

I have been working as a Neurofeedback Technician for almost 5 years now, treating over 4000 Clients in hour-to-hour sessions. I have built an extensive 50-hour Neurofeedback training course with slides and training materials. Taught over 5 of these Neurofeedback courses to dozens of clinicians. I built an extensive symptoms evaluation brain chart with a matching symptoms evaluation packet.

It is amazing and rewarding to witness my clients take on the challenges of their situations and their personal limitations and break their own barriers and heal to degrees they didn’t know they could.

Presentation: Neurofeedback- What it is and What it can treat

Neurofeedback, what is it, how to understand it on a more technical level, and how to explain it.

Presenter: Caro Kellough, CMHC

Caro Kellough, CMHC, has over a decade of backpacking and guiding experience. After receiving her masters in clinical mental health counseling at Lesley University in Cambridge Massachusetts, Caro moved out west to forge a new path that would include mental wellness, the outdoors, and social justice. She is a fully licensed mental health counselor with a specialization in Trauma and Holistic Mental Health. She recently completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training and is certified to teach trauma informed yoga. As a wilderness therapist and guide, Caro has worked for various guiding companies including Outward Bound and Andrew Skurka Adventures and has logged over 300 field days. She uses an eclectic set of clinical skills but focuses predominately on IFS, narrative therapy, and Structural Family Systems.

Presentation Description: Trauma Processing in the Wild- Body Centered Work, Wilderness Metaphor, and Group Dynamics in treating Mood Disorders and (C)PTSD

This presentation will give participants an introduction to wilderness based therapy and will encourage them to think about how they can adapt their current practices to a wilderness setting. We will go over how wilderness metaphor can be used in conjunction with narrative therapy, bi-lateral stimulation, and how group dynamics in wilderness groups can mirror interpersonal relationship dynamics. We will use some experiential modeling to show how you can bring the wilderness into your office and will address things like access to care and gatekeeping in the outdoors.

Presenter: Cassidy DuHadway, LCSW

Cassidy DuHadway, LCSW is a highly sought after therapist and trainer for her understanding and ability to normalize the human experience and help humans through their healing process. She specializes in trauma, early-childhood wounds, and training therapists to become amazing therapists. Cassidy specializes in helping therapists understand and see each of their clients while also utilizing their skills in a way that supports their clients through healing. She has been a therapist since 2009 and has been in the mental health field for 17 years. Cassidy is the Owner and CEO of Purple Sky Counseling and is an EMDR Approved Trainer and Consultant.

Presentation:
Religious and Spiritual Trauma

Throughout Childhood we receive messages and experiences that shape our lives. During this presentation we are going to explore how Religious and Spiritual experiences, messaging and systems can lead to Trauma. This leaves a person struggling with love, worth and belonging or a never-ending sense of Not Enoughness.

Presenter: Liliam Llanos

Liliam Llanos is a certified NeuroCoach who brings together mindfulness techniques and brain research-based tools to show her clients how to overcome trauma, increase their self-esteem, and create greater balance, growth and a meaningful life.  Liliam is also committed to bringing awareness and integration of science-based strategies to counselors, coaches, and holistic practitioners. She is fluent in both English and Spanish and works with clients worldwide.

Presentation: Optimizing Brain Network Function to Promote Psychological Health

This is a presentation on some of the newest discoveries showing properties of each of the three key brain networks, the Default Mode Network, the Salience Network, and the Executive Network along with the most effective strategies to help clients learn how to:

• optimize brain function to increase psychological health and improve social relationships

• reduce anxiety and depression by balancing the brain networks

• stay focused and highly motivated to achieve goals