Therapeutic Applications of Neuroscience, Psychoneuroimmunology and Epigenetics
This seminar presents the sea change occurring in psychotherapy. Just as the field of medicine has been recently transformed by Functional and Integrative Medicine, psychotherapy in the 21st Century is moving toward integration. Given that psychotherapy will increasingly address health factors, with epigenetics and psychoneuroimmunology at the forefront, this integration brings those fields of research that had previously been compartmentalised into a robust vision of psychotherapy. Therapeutic Applications of Neuroscience, Psychoneuroimmunology, and Epigenetics applies this approach to psychological problems such as anxiety and depression.
Recently a wide variety of feedback loops have been identified that when disrupted contribute to poor health and psychological disorders. This seminar addresses this challenge by synthesizing the groundbreaking research in psychoneuroimmunology and epigenetics, combining them with the neuroscience of emotion, interpersonal, cognitive research, with psychotherapeutic approaches to offer an integrated vision of psychotherapy.
We begin by addressing the term “mind” because, though we use the term all the time, we had not agreed what it is. Now we know through research in neuroscience and psychology that the mind is not one thing but is composed of ongoing feedback between the mental operating networks. Our minds contribute to “self”-organisation as we co-evolve within families and interpersonal interactions.
What we encounter and how we take care of ourselves can change our brains, immune systems, and even turn on or off genes, resulting in mental health or ill health. Inflammation and autoimmune disorders are strongly associated with depression and anxiety. Therefore, the seminar offers a primer on the fields of psychoneuroimmunology and epigenetics, combining it with the neuroscience of emotional, interpersonal, cognitive, dynamics, with psychotherapeutic approaches to offer an integrated vision of psychotherapy.
We explore the disrupted neural, immune system, and gene expression feedback loops to make sense of the causal relationships between stress, depression, and anxiety. The interaction between all these factors has been illuminated studies examining the effects of life style factors on the incidence of health and psychological problems.
There are significant relationships between disruptions in immune system function, stress, insecure attachment, anxiety, depression, poor nutrition, poor quality sleep, physical inactivity, and neurophysiological dysregulation. We can now understand how the immune system, diet, brain structure, and even gut bacteria profoundly affect mental health through leaky gut syndrome and the inflammatory spiral. This complex spectrum of health conditions effects millions of people who seek psychotherapy.
Learning Objectives:
- Contrast: The overly compartmental field of psychotherapy of the 20th Century to the integrative vision of psychotherapy in the 21st Century
- Distinguish: Between various health conditions and psychological disorders and their overlap
- Explain: Explain how poor health contributes to poor mental health as well as visa versa
- Analyse: How an overactive immune system contributes to depression and anxiety
- Evaluate: How adverse childhood experiences contributes to long-term chronic health and mental health conditions and what to do about it.
- Plan: Where to encourage lifestyle changes that improve health and mental health
- Measure: The effect of poor sleep, diet, and lack of exercise contributions to changes in mental health
- Choose: What psychotherapeutic intervention to use for various psychological conditions
- Assess: The effects of various psychotherapeutic interventions
- Select: Brain-based and evidence-based approaches with the most practical outcomes
- Formulate: A treatment plan most appropriate for the individual based on her/his ethnicity, socio-economic position, and LGBTQ identification.
CPD Information For Mental Health Professionals
Enjoy complete flexibility with 100% self-paced learning you can access anytime, anywhere, and on any device. Pay once for lifetime access.
Course Duration: 12 learning hours
Certificate and CPD hours: On completion you’ll receive a Certificate of Completion to support your CPD records.
Assessment: Complete a short quiz at the end (80% pass mark), which you can resit as many times as needed.
Lifetime Access: Your access to the course does not expire, so you can revisit key concepts anytime you want a refresher for practice.
CPD Eligibility: This program may be suitable for CPD for professionals such as:
- Psychologists
- Counsellors and Psychotherapists
- Social Workers
- Community Workers
- Mental Health Nurses
- General Practitioners (GPs)
- Occupational Therapists
CPD requirements vary between professional bodies, so please check with your association or credentialing body to confirm you can claim CPD hours/OPD points for this program and what evidence they require.
Course Content
Meet Your Instructor
Practitioners seeking to deepen their understanding of why therapeutic interventions create lasting change - and those curious about the neurobiological mechanisms underlying successful therapy - can enhance their clinical effectiveness by integrating neuroscience with established therapeutic approaches. John Arden has spent over 40 years pioneering the integration of neuroscience and psychotherapy, becoming one of the world's leading authorities on an integrative approach and helping thousands of practitioners understand how to leverage neuroplasticity and neurogenesis for more effective treatment outcomes.
As former Northern California Regional Director of Training at Kaiser Permanente for 25 years, where he developed one of the largest mental health training programs in the United States overseeing 150+ interns and postdoctoral residents, Dr. Arden brings unparalleled expertise in training mental health professionals. His 16 books translated into 20 languages - including Mind-Brain-Gene: Toward Psychotherapy Integration, Rewire Your Brain 2.0, and Brain-Based Therapy with Adults - represent the definitive resources for understanding how neuroscience transforms clinical practice. His Choice Outstanding Academic Book Award and recognition as one of the most entertaining and integrative speakers in professional psychology reflect his unique ability to make complex concepts immediately applicable.
Dr. Arden's expertise spans integration, neuroplasticity and neurogenesis applications, metabolic, psychoneuroimmunology, epigenetics, mindfulness-based interventions, and nutritional neuroscience. His approach synthesises evidence-based practice with cutting-edge neuroscience research, showing clinicians how psychotherapy literally rewires the brain. He specialises in anxiety disorders, OCD, PTSD, depression, and memory improvement, with particular focus on how therapeutic relationships activate neuroplastic change and how lifestyle factors influence brain health and therapeutic outcomes.
What sets his training apart is scientific rigor combined with practical application. Arden doesn't just teach neuroscience theory - he shows practitioners exactly how body-brain systems influence therapeutic success and failure. His seminars in all 50 U.S. states and over 30 countries demonstrate his exceptional ability to translate complex neuroscience into immediately usable clinical strategies that enhance existing therapeutic modalities.
For your practice, expect to gain specific integrative interventions that enhance treatment outcomes, tools for educating clients about their neurological processes, and frameworks for integrating neuroscience principles with your current therapeutic approach. His methods particularly benefit clinicians wanting to understand why their interventions work, those seeking to enhance treatment efficacy, or practitioners interested in cutting-edge therapeutic applications.
Quick Win: Arden's "SEEDS" formula (Social connection, Exercise, Education, Diet, Sleep) provides clients with five evidence-based lifestyle interventions that promote neuroplasticity - often creating measurable improvements in mood and cognitive function while supporting therapeutic progress.
Qualifications
- Ph.D., Psychology, University of New Mexico, 1980–1984
- Post-License Training, Neuropsychology, California School of Professional Psychology, 1987–1988
- M.A., Counseling Psychology, Northern Arizona University, 1975–1976
- B.S., Social Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 1969–1973
- Over 40 years experience in psychology
Authored Books (16 total, translated into 20 languages)
- Mind-Brain-Gene: Toward Psychotherapy Integration (2019)
- Rewire Your Brain 2.0 (updated edition)
- Brain2Brain (2015, practical neuroscience for psychotherapy)
- The Brain Bible (comprehensive guide to brain-based approaches)
- Brain-Based Therapy: Adults (co-author with Lloyd Linford)
- Brain-Based Therapy: Children & Adolescents (co-author with Lloyd Linford)
- Conquering Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (co-author with Victoria Beckner)
- The Brain-Based Anxiety Workbook, The Brain-Based OCD Workbook
- Improving Your Memory for Dummies
Professional Experience
- Author 1996–present
- International Trainer & Speaker, Integrative Approaches, 2009–present
- Northern California Regional Director of Training, Kaiser Permanente, 1999–2016 (26+ years)
- Chief Psychologist, Kaiser Permanente (prior to 1999)
- Supervisor, Mental Health Practitioners, Kaiser Permanente
- Seminars conducted in all 50 U.S. states and 30 countries worldwide
Clinical Specialties
- Integration of neuroscience and evidence-based psychotherapy
- Neuroplasticity and neurogenesis applications in treatment
- Psychoneuroimmunology and epigenetic factors in therapy
- Brain-based approaches to anxiety, OCD, PTSD, and depression
- Memory improvement and cognitive enhancement
- Mindfulness and nutritional neuroscience
- Lifestyle interventions for brain health
Ready to revolutionise your therapeutic effectiveness through neuroscience? Discover how Dr. Arden's integrative approach can help you understand exactly why your interventions work and how to leverage neuroplasticity for faster, more lasting client change.
Feedback & Reviews
This course includes:
- Lessons 10
- Topics 0
- Duration 12 hours
- Quizzes 8
- Language English