Counseling & Student Affairs Workshops

2:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. CST via Zoom

This workshop provides an overview of evidence-based approaches to the treatment and intervention of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Building on foundational knowledge of OCD’s presentation and mechanisms, participants will learn how to conceptualize treatment through the lens of cognitive-behavioral and neurobiological models. The program will introduce participants to first-line interventions, including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Inference-Based Cognitive Therapy (ICBT), as well as family-based and developmental models such as Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE). The session will also address pharmacological and neuromodulation options, including commonly recommended medications, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), and Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS). This session is designed to enhance participants’ awareness of available treatment modalities, enabling them to better identify, support, and refer clients in need of specialized OCD care.

Megan Harden, LCSW

Megan Harden, LCSW, is the owner of The Cognitive Refinery, a psychotherapy practice in Bowling Green, Kentucky. She specializes in OCD and anxiety disorders, utilizing evidence-based approaches such as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Inference-Based Cognitive Therapy (ICBT), and Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE).

12:45 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CST in Gary Ransdell Hall Auditorium, Room 1074

This presentation will educate clinicians on an introductory level of the integrative approach to mental health.

Cathy Gamm, MA, LPCC-S

Cathy has been a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor for over 15 years. She received her designation as Supervisor in 2014. In addition to receiving her Masters in Mental Health Counseling & Marriage & Family Therapy, Cathy has gone on to receive a Certification as a Brain Health Coach from the Amen Clinics and certification as a Certified Integrative Mental Health Provider and Mental Health & Nutrition Clinical Specialist. Cathy has experience working with teens, college-age, and adults dealing with depression, anxiety, stress, low self-esteem, relationship issues, self-harm and suicidal thoughts. She works from an integrative mental health perspective for all clients to address the Bio-Psycho-Social-Spiritual aspect of whole mind-body wellness.

4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. CST via Zoom

Dr. Sauerheber, WKU’s CACREP Accreditation Liaison, will share insights into the process of developing and maintaining a CACREP-accredited program. She will explain how accreditation learning standards are integrated into the curriculum and discuss the impact these standards have on students’ clinical practice and professional development. Dr. Sauerheber has extensive experience in accreditation, having served as a CACREP Site Team member, led the department’s most recent successful re-accreditation self-study, and assisted with self-studies for two other institutions.

Dr. Jill Sauerheber, CACREP Liaison and former CACREP Site Team Visitor

Jill Duba Sauerheber is a Professor and Department Chair of the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs at Western Kentucky University. She serves as the Program Coordinator for the MCFC and CMHC programs, CACREP-accreditation liaison, Program Administer for NBCC ACEP; and Coordinator for the Gottman Couples Therapy Method University Outreach. She earned a B.S. in biology at Saint Xavier University (Chicago), a M.A. in Marriage and Family Counseling at Governors State University, and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision, with a cognate in marriage and family counseling at Kent State University. Dr. Sauerheber became a Hilltopper in 2004 when she was hired as a Marriage, Couple and Family Counseling faculty member within the Department of Counseling and Student Affairs. She has taught courses housed in all of the department's program areas.