Live Webinar October 9th — With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility: Developing Evidence-Based Treatments for the Patients Who Need Them Most with Lucene Wisniewski, Ph.D., FAED

Friday, October 9th, 2026

11:00 AM–12:30 PM Eastern/ 10:00 AM–11:30 AM Central/ 9:00 AM–10:30 AM Mountain/ 8:00 AM–9:30 AM Pacific/ 7:00 AM–8:30 AM Alaska/6:00 AM–7:30 AM Hawaii

1.5 CE Credits Awarded

$15 Student ABCT Members / $25 ABCT Members / $35 Non-Members

Appropriate for all levels

All prices listed in US currency

Abstract:

When individuals seek psychological treatment, they enter a relationship characterized by an inherent imbalance of knowledge, authority, and trust. This workshop examines the professional responsibility that accompanies that power, including recognizing the limits of one's competence, providing disorder-specific evidence-based treatments when available, referring when appropriate, and responsibly advancing care for patients whose presentations extend beyond existing treatment models. Using the development of Multi-Diagnostic Eating Disorder Dialectical Behavior Therapy (MED-DBT) as a case example, participants will explore a framework for balancing scientific rigor, clinical humility, and thoughtful innovation when existing evidence is incomplete or patients have not benefited from established evidence-based treatments. The principles discussed are broadly applicable across clinical populations and are intended to help clinicians navigate complex treatment decisions while maintaining fidelity to evidence-based practice.

Presenter Biography:

Lucene Wisniewski, Ph.D., FAED, is an internationally recognized leader in eating disorder treatment and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), with almost 30 years of clinical, research and training experience. An Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences at Case Western Reserve University, Dr. Wisniewski has taught hundreds of workshops and continuing education seminars around the world and has authored numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals and invited book chapters.

Dr. Wisniewski has pioneered the use of DBT in the treatment of multi-diagnostic eating disorders (MED) and is a sought-after authority on this empirically founded method of treatment, providing consultation and training to clinics around the globe. She is the co-author of the MED-DBT Treatment Manual, entitled Treating Eating Disorders with DBT: The MED-DBT Protocol, and published in 2026 by Guilford Press.

Dr. Wisniewski has earned some of the highest awards and accreditations in the field. She has been elected fellow by the Academy for Eating Disorders (AED), where she has served on the board of directors and as the co-chair of the borderline personality disorder special interest group. In 2013 the AED awarded Dr. Wisniewski the Outstanding Clinician Award to acknowledge her leadership in the field and her commitment to providing the best solutions for those with eating disorders. In 2023, she was recognized as Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT) Champion for her exceptional dedication, influence, and social impact through the promotion of evidence-based psychological interventions. In 2024 Dr. Wisniewski was honored with the Fulbright Specialist Award, through which she served at Comenzar de Nuevo AC, a non-profit eating disorder facility in Monterrey, Mexico. Most recently, Dr. Wisniewski was awarded the 2025 Cindy Sanderson Educator Award at the 30th annual International Society for the Improvement and Teaching of Dialectical Behavior Therapy Conference (ISITDBT).

Dr. Wisniewski is the founder and Chief Clinical Officer of the Center for Evidence Based Treatment (www.cebtohio.com), which offers therapy, training, and consultation in evidence-based approaches to mental health conditions via traditional and teletherapy platforms.     

At the end of the webinar, the learner will be able to:

1. Describe two professional responsibilities that arise from the inherent power differential in psychotherapy. 
2. Differentiate situations in which referral, consultation, additional training, or treatment adaptation represent the most appropriate evidence-based and compassionate response.
3. Apply a framework for evaluating when adaptation of an evidence-based treatment constitutes responsible clinical innovation versus unsupported departure from the evidence base.
4. Analyze how the development of MED-DBT illustrates the integration of clinical observation, existing evidence, outcome evaluation, and iterative refinement in the development of novel interventions

Recommended Readings:

Lilienfeld, S. O., O'Donohue, W. T., & Masuda, A. (Eds.). (2024). Developing, Implementing, and Disseminating Evidence-Based Psychological Interventions. 

Tasca, G. A., Balfour, L., Kazantzis, N., et al. (2023). Evidence-based practice in psychology: Context, guidelines, and action. American Psychologist 

Rief, W. (2021). Moving from tradition-based to competence-based psychotherapy. Evidence-Based Mental Health, 24, 115–120. 

Ben-Porath, D., Wisniewski, L., Warren, M.  (2009). Outcomes of a DBT Day Treatment Program for Eating Disorders: Clinical and Statistical Significance.  Journal of Contemporary Psychotherapy; 40; 115-123.   

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All attendees will receive a certificate of completion when the course requirements are satisfied.

The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies incurs significant administrative cost related to your registration before a webinar.  Therefore, there are no refunds for live webinars. If you unable to attend a webinar, we will provide you with the recorded version after the live presentation (which is still eligible for CE credit). If you wish to cancel or request to transfer your webinar registration to another webinar please email your request to [email protected]. 

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

The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 5797. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs

The Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies is recognized by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences for Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) to offer continuing education as Provider #4600

Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), 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-0124

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For more information, contact:

Rachel Greeman, ABCT Web Manager
212-647-1890 ext. 208
[email protected]

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