The Rovinsky Family Lectureship, hosted by the School of Professional and Applied Psychology, features speakers who are experts within the fields of psychology and mental health, and who also provide training for psychologists, social workers, counselors, psychiatrists and healthcare providers.
Wednesday, September 25, 2024 (this event has past)
Speaker: Sofia Pham, PhD, NCSP, Assistant Professor, Department of School Psychology, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic
Medicine
Number of Credits: 1 (APA & NBCC Accreditation)
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Based on the presentation, the participants will be able to:
An increasing number of students in the United States come from culturally and linguistically diverse (CLD) households, a trend reflected across both K–12 education and higher education. Although students attending American colleges and universities are required to demonstrate English proficiency, CLD students who are academically capable frequently report academic challenges, social isolation, and cultural adjustment difficulties.
Drawing on empirical literature and real-world examples, this lecture helps attendees understand how different forms of bilingualism can impact learning, recognize cultural and communication stressors, and develop strategies to create more supportive classroom environments for CLD students.
Sofia Pham, PhD, NCSP, is an Assistant Professor at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, a licensed psychologist, and a nationally certified school psychologist. She earned her MEd and PhD in School Psychology from Temple University and completed a child/pediatric psychology postdoctoral fellowship in developmental disabilities and behavioral interventions at the Westchester Institute for Human Development.
Prior to joining PCOM, Dr. Pham practiced as a school psychologist in New York City, serving as a regional school psychologist for KIPP: NYC and later as a district representative for the New York City Department of Education’s Committee on Special Education. At PCOM, she teaches advanced quantitative research methods and psychometrics and focuses her research and clinical interests on addressing educational disparities through culturally responsive assessment, consultation, and data-driven intervention practices.
Cuadrado, E., Tabernero, C., & Briones, E. (2014). Dispositional and psychosocial variables as longitudinal predictors of acculturative stress. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 63(3), 441–479. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-0597.2012.00531.x
Dong, Y., & Li, P. (2015). The cognitive science of bilingualism. Language and Linguistics Compass, 9(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1111/lnc3.12099
Pelham, S. D., & Abrams, L. (2014). Cognitive advantages and disadvantages in early and late bilinguals. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 40(2), 313–325. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0035224
Suárez-Orozco, C., Motti-Stefanidi, F., Marks, A., & Katsiaficas, D. (2018). An integrative risk and resilience model for understanding the adaptation of immigrant-origin children and youth. American Psychologist, 73(6), 781–796. https://doi.org/10.1037/amp0000265
Wednesday, January 15, 2025 (this event has past)
Speaker: Nic Schmoyer-Edmiston, PhD, NCC, Assistant Professor, Department of Counseling, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic
Medicine
Number of Credits: 1 (APA & NBCC Accreditation)
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Based on the presentation, the participants will be able to:
Single Session Therapy (SST) is conceptualized as a model of psychotherapy delivery grounded in evidence showing that the average number of therapy sessions attended is one, that many individuals find a single session sufficient, and that it is difficult to predict who will attend one versus multiple sessions.
Clinicians operating from an SST mindset approach each session with a “one-at-a-time” perspective, treating each visit as a potentially complete therapeutic encounter. This perspective has significant implications for behavioral health service delivery across settings such as integrated behavioral health, private practice, and community mental health—particularly in the context of ongoing and projected shortages of mental health providers and growing waitlists.
This presentation reviews the core tenets and concepts of SST, provides guidelines for practicing psychotherapy from an SST perspective, and explores unique considerations for applying SST within a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy framework.
Nic Schmoyer-Edmiston, PhD, NCC, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Counseling at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He earned his PhD in Education – Counseling from Old Dominion University in 2024 and his MS in Mental Health Counseling from PCOM in 2021. He is a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) and a Licensed Associate Professional Counselor (LAPC) in Pennsylvania.
Dr. Schmoyer-Edmiston’s clinical experience includes work in community-based mental health, primary care, and general hospital settings, as well as practice as a Behavioral Health Consultant within a Primary Care Behavioral Health model. His teaching, clinical, and research interests include integrated primary care, behavioral health education and supervision, medical trauma, and behavioral medicine. He is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association (CFHA), Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES), American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA), and Pennsylvania Counseling Association (PCA).
Hoyt, M. F., Young, J., & Rycroft, P. (2020). Single session thinking. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 41, 218–230. https://doi.org/10.1002/anzf.1427
Kim, J., Ryu, N., & Chibanda, D. (2023). Effectiveness of single-session therapy for adult common mental disorders: A systematic review. BMC Psychology, Article 11, 373. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-023-01410-0
Young, J. (2020). Putting single session thinking to work: Conceptual, practical, training, and implementation ideas. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Family Therapy, 41, 231–248. https://doi.org/10.1002/anzf.1426
Wednesday, February 26, 2025 (this event has past)
Speaker: Ruta Clair, PsyD, Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Philadelphia College of
Osteopathic Medicine
Number of Credits: 1 (APA & NBCC Accreditation)
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Based on the presentation, the participants will be able to:
This presentation focuses on the emotional symptoms and social impact of concussion in children and adults. Approximately 28% of adults report experiencing a concussion, though nearly half do not seek treatment. Symptoms persist beyond three months for approximately 15–20% of individuals. Mental health difficulties are common following concussion, with newly diagnosed anxiety and depression often emerging in the weeks after the initial injury.
While many adults are familiar with common symptoms such as headache and dizziness, fewer are able to identify the cognitive, emotional, or somatic symptoms associated with concussion. This presentation provides a brief overview of the biomechanics of concussion, demographic risk factors, and outcomes for the 1 to 4 million individuals in the United States who experience concussion annually. The session aims to increase understanding of how frequently social and emotional symptoms emerge after head injury, how these symptoms affect quality of life, and introduces evidence-based interventions to support recovery.
Ruta Clair, PsyD, is an Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine and a licensed psychologist with clinical experience in neuropsychology and school psychology. She completed a predoctoral internship in neuropsychology at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation.
Dr. Clair completed a postdoctoral fellowship at RSM Psychology and Sports Concussion Center, where her work focused on neuropsychology across the lifespan, concussion recovery, and mental health for children and adults. She previously served as Chair of the Department of Psychology and Social Work at Cabrini University and has worked in both public and private K–12 school settings.
Her research interests broadly center on health-related quality of life, including the interplay between health, development, mindset, and social factors. Her work addresses pediatric quality of life during concussion recovery, understanding concussion risks and symptoms, the impact of social isolation on stress and health, the role of mindset in learning, and coping with stressors and trauma.
Daugherty, J., DePadilla, L., Sarmiento, K., & Breiding, M. J. (2020). Self-reported lifetime concussion among adults: Comparison of 3 different survey questions. The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 35(2), E136–E143. https://doi.org/10.1097/HTR.0000000000000534
Doroszkiewicz, C., Gold, D., Green, R., Tartaglia, M. C., Ma, J., & Tator, C. H. (2021). Anxiety, depression, and quality of life: A long-term follow-up study of patients with persisting concussion symptoms. Journal of Neurotrauma, 38(4), 493–505. https://doi.org/10.1089/neu.2020.7313
Gornall, A., Takagi, M., Morawakage, T., Liu, X., & Anderson, V. (2021). Mental health after pediatric concussion: A systematic review and meta-analysis. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 55(18), 1048–1058. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2020-103548
Izzy, S., Tahir, Z., Grashow, R., Cote, D. J., Jarrah, A. A., Dhand, A., Taylor, H., Whalen, M., Nathan, D. M., Miller, K. K., Speizer, F., Baggish, A., Weisskopf, M. G., & Zafonte, R. (2021). Concussion and risk of chronic medical and behavioral health comorbidities. Journal of Neurotrauma, 38(13), 1834–1841. https://doi.org/10.1089/neu.2020.7484
Waltzman, D., & Daugherty, J. (2018). Concussion knowledge and experience among a sample of American adults. Journal of Concussion, 2, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1177/2059700218769218
Womack, L. S., Breiding, M. J., & Daugherty, J. (2022). Concussion evaluation patterns among U.S. adults. The Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation, 37(5), 303–310. https://doi.org/10.1097/HTR.0000000000000756
Wednesday, March 19, 2025 (this event has past)
Speaker: Scott Browning, PhD, ABPP, Professor Emeritus, Chestnut Hill College
Number of Credits: 1.5 (APA & NBCC Accreditation)
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Based on the presentation, the participants will be able to:
This presentation clarifies several fundamental research findings regarding stepfamily concerns that are often overlooked in treatment. A discussion of the literature and clinical examples demonstrates that family therapy, without an awareness of stepfamily issues, is often insufficient to address the challenges these families frequently encounter.
The presenter shares an effective treatment model developed specifically for stepfamilies that emphasizes a subsystem-based approach. Clinical examples, research findings, and video excerpts are utilized to elucidate the model and its application to participants’ clinical work.
Scott Browning, PhD, ABPP, is Professor Emeritus of Psychology in the doctoral program at Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia. He has published numerous books, chapters, and articles on topics including stepfamilies, addictions, paradoxical interventions, autism, intersectionality, empathy, and measuring treatment outcomes.
Of particular relevance to this presentation is his book Stepfamily Therapy: A Ten-Step Clinical Approach, published by the American Psychological Association and co-authored with Elise Artelt. Dr. Browning has received multiple honors for scholarship and teaching excellence, including the Distinguished Contribution to Family Psychology Award from APA Division 43, the Distinguished Contribution Award from the Pennsylvania Psychological Association, and the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching.
He has also served as a founding member of the Couple and Family Specialty Board of the American Board of Professional Psychology and as an editorial board member for the Journal of Family Transition.
Browning, S., & Artelt, E. (2012). Stepfamily therapy: A ten-step clinical approach. American Psychological Association.
Browning, S., & van Eeden-Moorefield, B. (2022). Treating interpersonal problems in contemporary families: An inclusive approach to engaging evidence-supported practice. American Psychologist.
Ganong, L., Coleman, M., Sanner, C., & Berkley, S. (2022). Effective stepparenting: Empirical evidence of what works. Family Relations: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Studies, 71(3), 900–917. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1111/fare.12624
Jensen, T., & Howard, M. (2015). Perceived stepparent–child relationship quality: A systematic review of stepchildren’s perspectives. Marriage & Family Review, 51(2), 99–153. https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2015.1006717
Lardier, D. T., van Eeden-Moorefield, B., Nacer, C., Hull, R., & Browning, S. (2017). Relationships between (step)parents and adult (step)children: Explaining influences on life satisfaction and marital quality. Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, 58(6), 430–446. https://doi.org/10.1080/10502556.2017.1343551
Papernow, P. L. (2018). Clinical guidelines for working with stepfamilies: What family, couple, individual, and child therapists need to know. Family Process, 57(1), 25–51. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12321
Unless otherwise specified in the program promotional materials, there is no commercial support interest to the sponsor, instructors, content of instruction or any other relationship that could be construed as a conflict of interest. Unless otherwise noted in the promotional materials, all PCOM School of Professional and Applied Psychology CE programs are free of charge. For any program for which a fee is charged, there is a refund/cancellation policy.
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