Treating co-occurring generalized anxiety disorder and depression: Expert tips to keep your clients from getting stuck

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) are highly co-occurring disorders, with rates of comorbidity often cited at 60%. Both disorders are typically treated with cognitive-behavioral therapies. While the aim in treatment for GAD is to reduce anxiety and worry, MDD treatment emphasizes reducing depressive rumination and boosting behavioral activation to increase routines and rewarding activities. The overlap between the treatments is often poorly articulated, causing clinicians and patients to struggle with what to target and in what sequence. One common clinical...Read more dilemma occurs when patients are asked to activate their behavior in the service of positive rewards, but they become overly anxious and abandon their efforts. Likewise, patients are sometimes too depressed to activate enough to engage in exposure therapy or become quickly hopeless and demoralized.

Designed for intermediate-level practitioners, this live, interactive webinar will address some of these common clinical dilemmas. We will discuss psychopharmacological and therapeutic strategies to help clinicians and patients conceptualize and sequence treatment in a way that will optimize their chances of success. A moderated Q&A session will be held at the end of the presentation to address audience questions. Less...

Register for this Webinar
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from CE-Go (support@ceactivities.com), not Rogers. Please be sure to check your junk/spam folder for this email.

Learning Objectives

  • Summarize two risk factors common to both GAD and MDD.
  • Identify at least two psychopharmacological strategies that can be used to help patients with co-occurring anxiety and depression.
  • Describe two ways to incorporate elements of exposure and behavioral activation treatments strategically to help their clients with co-occurring anxiety and depression.

Learning Levels

  • Intermediate

Thursday, March 25, 2021

Live Interactive Webinar

01:00 PM EDT - 02:30 PM EDT

Register for this Webinar
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from CE-Go (support@ceactivities.com), not Rogers. Please be sure to check your junk/spam folder for this email.
EARN 1.5 CE Credit Hours
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email from CE-Go (support@ceactivities.com), not Rogers. Please be sure to check your junk/spam folder for this email.

About the speakers

Brett Johnson, MD

Brett Johnson, MD

Psychiatrist, San Diego
Dr. Johnson is board-certified in both child and adolescent and adult psychiatry. He is trained and has treated many patients with both cognitive-behavioral therapy and exposure and response prevention; he firmly believes in combination treatment, integrating both therapy and medications, when indicated. Dr. Johnson has trained residents and fellows, including leading the advanced psychopharmacology seminar for trainees for many years.
Stacy Shaw Welch, PhD

Stacy Shaw Welch, PhD

Clinic Director, Seattle
Dr. Welch provides clinical leadership and direction for Rogers Behavioral Health’s Seattle area location. She is a clinical psychologist and works with children, teens and adults. Her research and clinical interests include treatments for anxiety, exposure and response prevention, and complex mental health challenges. She co-founded a large center for anxiety in the Seattle area and is also an adjunct assistant professor at the University of Washington.

Agenda

1 pm ET Welcome and speaker introductions

1:05 pm Co-occurring generalized anxiety and depression: Common elements and challenges

1:25 pm Using medicines to support therapeutic targets

1:50 pm Weaving exposure and behavior therapy together

2:15 pm Moderated Q&A 

2:28 pm Where to get additional information; closure

CE Information - Earn 1.5 CE Credit Hours

CE Approvals

American Psychological Association
Rogers Behavioral Health is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Rogers Behavioral Health maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Rogers Behavioral Health designates this live program for X continuing education credits; no partial credits will be awarded.
Association of Social Work Boards
Rogers Behavioral Health, provider number 1101, is approved as a provider for social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB), www.aswb.org, through the Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory board have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Rogers Behavioral Health maintains responsibility for this course. Approval period: October 18, 2023 – October 18, 2026. Social workers completing this course receive X clinical continuing education credits.
National Board for Certified Counselors
Rogers Behavioral Health has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6192. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Rogers Behavioral Health is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. X instructional clock hours will be awarded.
Other Professionals
Rogers Behavioral Health will issue a certificate of attendance for your participation in this activity.

CE Process Info

Each professional is responsible for the individual requirements as stipulated by his/her licensing agency. Please contact your individual licensing board/regulatory agency to review continuing education requirements for licensure renewal.

Participants must be logged in for the entire program to be eligible to receive CE credit. Participants who complete the webinar will receive an email with the link to the evaluation form – this will be sent to the email account used to register. Once the evaluation form is completed, participants will be able to download their certificate. 


A Continuing Education Certificate for this program will be obtained using the website CE Go. After the event, you will receive an email with a link to CE Go. This link will be emailed to the account you used to register for this event.

Upon accessing the CE-Go website, you will be able to:

  • Complete the mandatory evaluation forms for the event
  • Download your CE Certificate in PDF form

Pre-registration is required. Because we are offering this webinar for free, there is no promo code – simply click the “Checkout” button to begin registration. A new screen will appear with the registration form. Note: You must fill in all the information requested on the form (using the scroll bar to access) and check the box to agree before the “Place Order” button will function. After placing your order, a new screen will appear to confirm your successful registration, and you will receive an email from CE-GO with your personal Zoom link (if it’s not in your inbox, please check your junk/spam folder).