The Course

In an era of political turmoil, many clients feel consumed by fear, helplessness, and uncertainty—struggling to stay engaged without burning out. This 2-hour CEU training equips therapists with ACT-based exposure strategies to help clients build psychological flexibility, tolerate distress, and take values-driven action.

We’ll explore practical interventions for reducing avoidance, navigating media overwhelm, and supporting clients in facing political fear with resilience. Through experiential exercises, case studies, and discussion, you’ll gain concrete tools to help clients stay grounded, connected, and engaged in what matters most.


This 2 credit clinical course was developed for social work professionals.

Learning Objectives

  • Define political anxiety and differentiate it from generalized anxiety and OCD.
  • Identify common avoidance strategies clients use to cope with political distress.
  • Integrate mindfulness and defusion techniques to reduce emotional reactivity.
  • Use ACT-based exposure strategies to help clients develop psychological flexibility.
  • Explain how clients can take values-based action amidst uncertainty while preventing burnout.


Course Outline

  • Welcome & intro
  • Understanding avoidance & fusion in political anxiety
  • Adding structure and containment through ACT-based exposures
  • Case studies & clinical applications
  • Closing + Q&A

Target audience: social work professionals; Content level: beginner to intermediate


Pricing

Your Instructor


Grace Dickman (she/her) runs a small private group therapy practice based in Brooklyn, NY that helps queer creatives bring themselves more fully into the world. She has over 10 years of experience providing trauma-informed clinical care in various domestic and international settings, including nonprofits, schools, and hospitals. She specializes in trauma, OCD, identity, and LGBTQ+ concerns. She's fiercely passionate about gender justice, trans rights, and teaching others how to love themselves through complex trauma.


Grace Olivia Dickman, LCSW PLLC, Number 1988, is approved 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: 10/28/24-10/28/25 Social workers completing this course receive 2 clinical continuing education credits.

Trauma informed

Infuse structured exposure therapy with somatic awareness, acceptance strategies, and a variety of choices to emphasize client consent and agency.

Client driven

Exposures are guided by the client's own personal values to increase intrinsic motivation and create meaning through the work.

Transformative

Clients leave with a widened perspective, feeling capable of doing more scary but important things in therapy and beyond.

course interaction

This is a pre-recorded asynchronous webinar and is non-interactive. It was recorded on March 14, 2025.

system requirements:

  • Operating systems: Windows XP or higher, MacOS 9 or higher, Android 4.0 or higher
  • Internet browser: Internet Explorer 9.0 or higher, Google Chrome, Firefox 10.0 or higher
  • Broadband internet connection

course completion + CE info

Course completion requirements: To earn CE credit, social workers must view the entire course recording, successfully pass the post-test, and complete an online course evaluation. Certificates of completion will be emailed within 10 business days of course completion.

*NY-based social workers, please note: our state is the only one that doesn't accept ASWB CEUs 

Refund requests may be submitted to CE Director Grace Dickman at [email protected] and will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

for questions, concerns, or to request special accommodations, email [email protected]