Presenters: Melissa Johnson, PhD and Ashlee Reid, PhD
CE Units: 2.0
When: Friday, July18th, 2025
Time: 9:00am – 11:05am
Brief Description: As mental health and medical professionals, many of our child and adolescent clients and their parents share difficult stories about a breadth of health concerns. These may include health worries and fears, allergies, stress-related physical symptoms as well as health conditions that include chronic pain and/or uncomfortable medical procedures.
Using an integrative developmental, systemic, and anti-oppressive approach, Dr. Reid and Dr. Johnson will address the questions we often hear from mental health and medical practitioners colleagues.
Location: Zoom – Live Virtual Workshop
Course Level: Intermediate
Cost: $120 early bird cost for the training, $150 after July 11th
Please go to the registration page on the Institute for Girls’ Development website to register.
Clicking on
this link will
take you to
the Institute
for Girls’
Development
website.
OBJECTIVES:
At the conclusion of this course, participants will be able to:
1. Identify 3 ways that health concerns and conditions can impact mental health.
2. Describe 3 science-backed, culturally responsive developmental interventions that can help families (children and/or caregivers) navigating health concerns and conditions.
3. Explain 2 ways to help children and caregivers advocate for comfort during pokes and other procedures.
SCHEDULE / AGENDA:
9:00 – 9:15 WELCOME
Welcome, Introductions, Our WHYS
9:15 – 9:30 COLLABORATIVE STORY:
Client, Caregiver, Staff
Our Lens – Developmental, Systemic, Anti-Oppressive
9:30 – 9:50 MENTAL HEALTH IMPACT (Poll or chat comments to kick off this section)
Client
Parent/caregiver
Medical staff
And the intersection of all of the above
9:50 – 9:55 BREAK
9:55 – 10:25 SCIENCE BACKED CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE BEST PRACTICES (Keep building on collaborative story)
10:25 – 10:45 PAIN MANAGEMENT OPTIONS (apply to collaborative story)
10: 45 -11:05 RESOURCES AND YOUR TAKE-AWAYS (discussion or add to chat)
PRESENTERS
Melissa J Johnson, PhD (she/her) (PSY 13102), is the
founder & CEO of the Institute for Girls’ Development in Pasadena, CA. An expert on child and teen development with a Masters in Education and Doctorate in Counseling Psychology, Dr. Johnson has worked with children and teens for over 35 years. At the Institute, Dr. Johnson and her team deliver strength-based therapy, inspiring educational programs, and consultation with schools and districts to help create positive school climates. Dr. Johnson’s approach to raising and mentoring girls draws together contemporary research in neuroscience, mind/body health, and evidence-based interventions in mindfulness and social and emotional intelligence. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her work with girls, a prolific writer and an inspiring public speaker and trainer. The book Stand Up! Speak Out!™ Empowering Skills for Girls’ Friendships: The Essential Guide for Educators and Others Who Work with Girls is available to provide practical tools for those who mentor girls.
Ashlee Reid, PhD (PSY35059) is the Director of Early Childhood and Maternal Mental Health Services at the Institute for Girls’ Development. She specializes in supporting young children, their families, and neurodivergent individuals across developmental stages. Dr. Reid’s approach is rooted in relationally focused and developmentally informed principles, and she is dedicated to helping individuals and families thrive through a deep understanding of themselves and the power of meaningful relationships.
Dr. Reid is also a trauma-informed provider and is trained in evidence-based trauma treatments including Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) and EMDR. Her work supports healing from early adversity, attachment disruptions, medical trauma, and other distressing experiences that impact emotional development and relationships.
Previously Dr. Reid has held professional positions at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA),
USC’s Fetal Maternal Center (FMC) and USC’s University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD).
SAMPLE REFERENCES
Collins A.B. (2023) Chronic Pain in Children: Interdisciplinary Management.
Pediatric Clinics of North America, 70(3):575-588. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2023.01.010. Epub 2023 Mar 21. PMID: 37121643
Geagea D, Tyack Z, Kimble R, Polito V, Ayoub B, Terhune D.B. and Griffin B. (2023) Clinical Hypnosis for Procedural Pain and Distress in Children: A Scoping Review.
Pain Medicine. 24(6):661-702. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnac186. PMID: 36448690
Rajindrajith S, Boey CC, Devanarayana NM, Niriella MA, Thapar N, and Benninga MA (2024) Navigating through 65 years of insights: lessons learned on functional abdominal pain in children. European Journal of Pediatrics, 183(9):3689-3703. doi: 10.1007/s00431-024-05667-4. Epub 2024 Jul 8. PMID: 38972964
CE APPROVALS
Illuminated Education is approved by the American 
Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Illuminated Education maintains the responsibility for this program and its content.
The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts APA approval for CE units for MFTs, LCSWs, LPPCs and/or LEPs.
Outside of California, please check with your licensing board to see whether APA approval is accepted for CE units in your state. Please call Dr. Cooper if you have further questions (626-744-9472).
REFUNDS: To withdraw from a course, your request must be in writing and emailed at least 5 days prior to the day of the course. A refund (minus a $20 handling fee) will be issued within 10 days – or you may be able to transfer your entire registration fee to another upcoming course. If you cannot attend because of illness or emergency and are unable to notify us 5 days prior to the course date, you may be able to transfer your registration fee to an upcoming course.
ACCOMMODATIONS AND SPECIAL REQUESTS
Please feel free to call 626.585.8075 ext. 121 or e-mail Paige Hobey at PHobey@IFGD.care for requests for accommodations or other special needs.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Please call 626.585.8075 ext. 121 or e-mail Paige Hobey at PHobey@IFGD.care, with questions about the program and for registration information. For questions about Continuing Education units, please call Dr. Chris Cooper (626-833-4450) or email at cdcooperphd@earthlink.net .
If you email, please refer to this workshop in your subject line.