Current SIGs
SIG membership is open to all current CPA members who meet the listed criteria for the individual SIG. Reach out to the contact(s) below to learn more and join the SIG(s) that fit your interests, needs and areas of expertise.
- Seminary Psychology - Vocational assessment instruments, counseling seminarians and best practice.
Public resource page Members only resource page
Contact: Eric Gudan, PsyD. dr.gudan@integritaspsych.com
- Students & Emerging Leaders - CPA members who are students in, and/or within 5 years post-graduation from a masters or doctoral program in a mental health field.
Contact: Chris Stravitsch, DMin, LPC-S, LMFT-S. c.strav@gmail.com
- Catholic School and Parish Based Counseling - This SIG provides a forum for clinicians and others who are interested in developing counseling services for Catholic Schools (preschool through University level) and parishes as well as those who are already providing services.
Contacts: Joan Huss, LMHP joanh@ccomaha.org and Courtney Miller, PhD cmiller@cssisus.org
- Infant Mental Health - The purpose of this SIG is to offer CPA members who work with or have backgrounds serving children prenatal through age 6 with a shared milieu for professional education, collaborative case analysis, and reflective support drawing from our faith and infant mental health perspectives. This group’s focus will be relationship-based approaches of keeping the baby in mind, rooted in a faith-integrated psychodynamic infant mental health philosophy that we best help infants and young children thrive by supporting the adults who are in their lives.
Contact: Robin Lynn Treptow, PhD, PhD. drrobin@better4babies.org
- Deliverance & Exorcism Ministry - CPA members who are current Academic, Clinical and clergy or religious within other member classifications who are interested in participating in this SIG may send documentation of the listed criteria to the SIG contact below
Because of the sensitive nature of the subject matter, members who apply will be expected to verify the following:
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Current, active participation in a ministry team, diocese, or collaboration with clergy
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Attestation to the Catholic understanding of the demonic as an active creature which can influence the health and well-being of people
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Absolute acceptance of and obedience to the apostolic authority of one's Bishop in combating the enemy
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Ability to work from a trauma-informed perspective with clients
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Current and ongoing reception of spiritual direction or guidance in support of their work in this area
Contact: Frank Moncher, PhD. Frank.Moncher@arlingtondiocese.org
- Applied Discernment of Religious Experience
- Acknowledge/normalize the fact that many people do have religious/spiritual experiences, and that these experiences can be very healing.
- Provide the tools for therapists to discern if an experience is of God or not, and how to proceed either way.
- Begin a conversation about the three ages/stages (purgative, illuminative, and unitive) of the interior life to discern how a deepening relationship with the Lord may be affecting clients.
To inquire about joining contact Becky Ward: bward_313@comcast.net
Members only resource page
- Gospel-based Schema Therapy Special Interest Group
Criteria for membership:
No previous experience in Schema Therapy is needed. This is an introductory Special Interest Group for CPA members only. It is not necessary to attend all of the meetings, but regular attendance is encouraged.
To Join:
Contact: Dr. Chiara Simeone-DiFrancesco by email or telephone: SchemaHealing@gmail.com or (920) 233-2347
- Catholicism and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy - This Special Interest Group is formed to explore and develop the intersections between the Catholic theological and philosophical tradition and various schools of classical and contemporary psychoanalytic thinking. Its purpose is to enhance the knowledge and practice of psychoanalysis and depth psychology to grow the psychotherapist’s mind and heart by means of this exploration.
Criteria to join:
1. A desire and openness to explore intersections, paradoxes, and incompatibilities between Catholicism and psychoanalytic theories.
SIG Leadership
Angelyn Arden, PHD: angelyn.arden@gmail.com
Lisa Fischer, PHD, ABPP: lisafischer@cox.net
Gabriel L.M. Crawford, M. Div; M.A.C.P in process: Gabriel.crawford@theseattleschool.edu
- Peer Consultation - This SIG is intended for clinical and student CPA members with a masters or doctoral degree in a mental health field to consult on patient/client cases. The focus will be exploring various clinical cases through Zoom or in local areas when possible.
(Note: Some CPA Regional Networks and Local Chapters also have established peer consultation groups. Find your Region Representative here)
Contacts: Becky Ward bward_313@comcast.net and Zach Dorsch thezdorsch@gmail.com
Members only resource page