Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain (CBT-CP)

March 18-19, 2026

A Live, Interactive Webinar

Description:

This intensive two-day module provides training in the assessment, management and cognitive-behavioral treatment of chronic pain.  The module lays the foundation for working with military connected individuals suffering from chronic pain by reviewing the rates and mechanisms of chronic pain in civilian and military populations, including the role of military culture. Furthermore, theories of chronic pain will be introduced with a focus on biological, psychological and social factors impacting chronic pain. Participants will develop case conceptualization skills grounded by the clinical interview and empirically based assessment tools.  Participants will learn and have the opportunity to practice key intervention strategies.  In addition to learning CBT skills/techniques for working with chronic pain patients, participants will explore the role of motivational interviewing practices in CBT for chronic pain.  The workshop also discusses common challenges to psychological service for pain management and ways to overcome those barriers.  The module is designed for behavioral health providers working with Service Members, Veterans and their families who are seeking in-depth training in empirically supported treatment options they can immediately incorporate into their clinical practice.  Participants are expected to actively engage in class activities and attend both days.

Total CE Credits: 14

Total Contact Hours: 14

Learning Objectives:

Following the training, attendees will be able to:

1. Specify prevalence rates of chronic pain in military and civilian populations.

2. Synthesize treatment considerations specific to a military population when utilizing CBT-CP.

3. Incorporate common co-morbid mental health conditions, including suicide risk, unique to military-connected pain patients into treatment planning.

4. Evaluate the contribution of opioid medication to patient’s experience of chronic pain.

5. Apply the biopsychosocial model to the process of clinical case conceptualization.

6. Perform differential diagnosis using DSM-5-TR diagnoses relevant to the chronic pain population.

7. Perform a psychological chronic pain-focused clinical interview including biological, psychological, physical, and social domains. 

8. Score and interpret relevant pain-related subjective measures into the assessment.

9. Develop treatment goals to address the impact of pain on the patient’s life using the SMART model.

10. Recommend targeted relaxation practice as pain coping strategy.

11. Develop behavioral interventions to target under and/or overactivity patterns that exacerbate chronic pain.

12. Adapt pleasurable activities given realistic pain limitations to increase behavioral activation.

13. Implement cognitive strategies to modify unhelpful pain-related cognitions. 

14. Strategize plan to address common challenges in implementing CBT-CP with patients. 

Target Audience: For behavioral health providers who treat military personnel, veterans, and their families.

Instructional Content Level: Intermediate

Agenda: 

Continuing Education:

Course Completion Requirements: Participants are required to attend the entire training. Partial credits cannot be issued. Attendance is taken through the use of electronic logs, and a post-training evaluation form must be completed in order to receive ACE social work CE credits. For other CE credits, completion of the evaluation is strongly encouraged, but if you do not wish to complete the evaluation, please contact the training event's POC after the training event.  

There is a 30-day time limit post-training to complete all CE requirements. CE Credit Certificates will be distributed to participants within 30 days after all course requirements have been completed. 

American Psychological Association Sponsor Approval:

The Center for Deployment Psychology is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Center for Deployment Psychology maintains responsibility for this program and its content. 

Association of Social Work Boards Approved Continuing Education Provider Approval:

The Center for Deployment Psychology, #1761, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program.  Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers.  State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit.  The Center for Deployment Psychology maintains responsibility for this course.  ACE provider approval period: May 19, 2025 – May 19, 2028.  Social workers completing this course receive 14 Live, Interactive Webinar continuing education credits.

New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology Provider Approval:

The Center for Deployment Psychology is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists (#PSY-0178). 

New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work Provider Approval:

The Center for Deployment Psychology is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (#SW-0744).

Inquiries regarding CE credits may be directed via email to William Tiwari at william.tiwari.ctr@usuhs.edu.

Participate:

Online Platform: Zoom

Date: March 18-19, 2026

Time: 9:00 am – 5:30 pm Eastern 

Registration Information:  https://deploymentpsych.org/training 

Registration Deadline: One week prior to the start of the class or when registration meets capacity. 

Cancellations/Questions: Please contact william.tiwari.ctr@usuhs.edu if you have any questions or need to cancel your registration.

Registration Cost/Refunds: None.

Location Information: Online via Zoom.

Instructional Format: This live webinar is fully interactive. Attendees may ask and answer questions throughout the presentation and participate in instructor-led discussions.

System Requirements:  

Zoom: 

• Internet connection

• Operating System: Windows 7 or higher, Mac OS X with MacOS 10.9 or higher

• Web Browser: Internet Explorer 11+, Edge 12+, Firefox 27+, Chrome 30+, Safari 7+

• Hardware: 1Ghz processor or higher

Special Accommodations: If you require special accommodations due to a disability, please contact William Tiwari at William.Tiwari.ctr@usuhs.edu 4 weeks prior to the training so that we may provide you with appropriate service.

Grievances: For any grievances or concerns with this training including those related to course content, non-receipt of certificate or other occurrences, participants may contact CDP’s Continuing Education Director, Ms. Amanda Stanley, via email at Amanda.Stanley.ctr@usuhs.edu.   

Instructor Biographies: 

Sharon Birman, Psy.D., is a Senior Military Behavioral Health Psychologist working with the Military Training Programs at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland.  In this capacity, she develops and presents trainings on a variety of EBPs and deployment-related topics, as well as providing consultation services.  She has traveled widely across the United States and OCONUS providing continuing education to civilian and military behavioral health providers teaching a variety of courses including Cognitive Therapy for Suicide Prevention, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Pain, Assessment and Management of Opioids in Military Connected Populations, Assessment of PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury, Military Sexual Assault and Military Family Resilience. 

She joined the CDP in 2014 after completing her postdoctoral fellowship at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, where she was actively involved in CBT and DBT intervention, supervision and education.  She completed her predoctoral internship at Didi Hirsch Mental Health Center, focusing her training suicide prevention and evidence-based interventions for the treatment of individuals with severe, chronic mental illness.  Dr. Birman received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Southern California and her master’s and doctorate degrees in clinical psychology from Pepperdine University.

Kristyn Heins, Ph.D., is a Licensed Professional Counselor serving as a Military Behavioral Health Counselor for the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. In this role, she supports the CDP’s efforts of training clinicians in evidenced-based practice focused on suicide prevention. Dr. Heins completed her doctoral degree at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi where her dissertation focused on treatment of moral injury. She received a Master’s degree from Western Michigan University, and a Bachelor’s degree from Central Michigan University.

Prior to joining the CDP, Dr. Heins worked at the Department of Veteran Affairs in various roles including primary care mental health, and suicide prevention telehealth. Dr. Heins is trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy- Suicide Prevention, and Problem Solving Therapy- Suicide Prevention. She also has worked in a Federally Qualified Health Center and in a non-profit setting. Dr. Heins has extensive experience working with presenting problems including insomnia, chronic pain, anxiety, depression, PTSD, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder. Along with suicide prevention, Dr. Heins has a professional interest in integrated mental health services, employee wellness, and education of future clinicians.

**There is no commercial support or conflict of interest to report for these presenters.