Thinking Outside the Screen: Integrative Therapies in Telemental Health

Description

Your clients don’t stop needing creativity, safety, and healing just because therapy happens on a screen. In fact, telehealth often demands more from clinicians—more presence, more ingenuity, and more connection. This course gives you the tools to bring your full self and a fuller range of interventions to your virtual work.

Explore how to go beyond talk therapy and typical telehealth limitations by using integrative therapies that are evidence-based, ethically sound, and deeply human.

Dr. Christina Strayer, Ed.D., LCMHCS, LCAS-A, AAT-I, CCTP, THTC, CYT-200, brings decades of experience in trauma treatment, mindfulness, and integrative healing to this inspiring course. With a doctorate in Counselor Education and Supervision and extensive work in Animal-Assisted Therapy and nature-based interventions, Dr. Strayer trains clinicians nationally and works actively with clients and therapy animals in her North Carolina-based practice.

Her approach is experiential, compassionate, and grounded in research-informed techniques like Connection Focused Therapy, polyvagal theory, and the therapeutic power of nature and animals. Through rich examples, case illustrations, and creative strategies, Dr. Strayer teaches clinicians how to integrate these methods into telehealth sessions without losing depth or clinical integrity.

You’ll learn how to adapt interventions using yoga, nature, animal narratives, props, bibliotherapy, and expressive arts—all within the ethical framework of telemental health. Topics include how to assess client readiness, ensure appropriateness of integrative techniques, incorporate clients’ own animals ethically, and match interventions to diagnoses like PTSD, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and grief. You'll also gain ideas for trauma-informed play and regulation techniques that work beautifully on-screen.

Key Takeaways:

• Real tools for real connection: Learn how to adapt and deliver sensory-based, mindfulness, and nature-focused therapies in telemental health.

• Stronger ethical decision-making: Understand when and how to ethically incorporate integrative techniques into virtual practice.

• Creative solutions for clinical challenges: Discover versatile interventions that meet clients where they are—especially those dealing with trauma, stress, and isolation.

Why this course?

• A leader in integrative telehealth: Taught by a nationally recognized trainer in Animal-Assisted Therapy and trauma-informed care.

• Practical, not just theoretical: Every technique is paired with real-world application and guidance tailored for telehealth environments.

• Backed by a trusted organization: Telehealth Certification Institute equips clinicians with exceptional CE courses rooted in ethics, innovation, and professional growth.

Learning Objectives:

• Explain the research behind Integrative Therapies and illustrate how to perform Integrative Therapy Interventions via telemental health.

• Discuss the benefits of Integrative Therapies and list Integrative Therapies for different diagnoses.

• Explain how to ethically ensure an Integrative Therapy technique is appropriate for a client.

With just one CE hour, you’ll gain high-impact strategies to reconnect with your purpose as a clinician and reimagine what’s possible through the screen. Let this course be your invitation to bring new depth, safety, and creativity to every session.

Add this course to your cart to begin learning instantly.

Format and Access

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Instruction consists of 1 hour of video instruction and a post-test.

Course Details

Availability: 

From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.

Who Should Attend: 

This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching Methods: 

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

How to Attend: 

Course access and completion instructions.

Instructor and Disclosures

Instructor

About Dr. Christina Strayer, Ed.D, LCMHCS, LCAS-A, AAT-I, CCTP, THTC, CYT-200

Dr. Christina Strayer is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Supervisor, Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist-Associate, Pet Partner Team Evaluator, Animal Assisted Therapist-Interventionist and Life Coach with her coaching practice E.E.C.H.O. (Education and Energy Coaching with Horses and Others, LLC) in North Carolina.  She is trained in a variety of Integrative Therapies including Art, Yoga and Mindfulness. Her theoretical approach is Client-centered and Holistic. Along with her mini goats, avian, equine, canine and crustacean helpers, Christina combines her study of the power of the Human and Animal Bond in healing with proven counseling theories and techniques to guide clients in reaching their goals. 

She has a diverse background in counseling and teaching. She is the Lead Instructor for the Animal Assisted Therapy Interventionist (AAT-I) certification course.  She has served as an adjunct professor at Campbell University in the Counselor Education department. She has traveled and conducted AAT seminars for PESI, a national continuing education organization and conducts Seminars/Workshops/Groups locally on a variety of Mental Health/Wellness topics.   She primarily works in the areas of PTSD, Panic Disorder, Crisis Intervention, Compassion Fatigue, Stress, Trauma, Grief and Loss, Anxiety, Addictions, Depression, Goal setting, Consultation, Self-Esteem, Conflict resolution, Social Skills, Team Building and Life Balance/Transitions.

Christina graduated from the Doctoral program in Counselor Education and Supervision through Argosy University in Sarasota, FL. She obtained both a Master of Science in Counseling and Human Development with a concentration in K-12 School Counseling and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology from Radford University in Radford, Virginia.  She completed her Doctoral dissertation in AAT with Dooli, a rescue English Bulldog/Boxer mix, who was a dear family member and a beloved therapy dog to many over the years.

Disclosure Statement: 

The instructor for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.

CE Hours

Credit Hours:

This course consists of 1 continuing education hour of credit.

Counselors:

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. #MHC-0048.

Marriage and Family Therapists: 

Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations.  You can check with your board to determine if your licensing board would accept this course.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0135, effective May 8, 2025.

Social Workers:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 1 clinical continuing education credit.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC 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-0435.

Addiction Professionals:

This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programming.

Psychologists:

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

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC 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-0128.

Art Therapists: 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.

Other Professionals:

This course qualifies for 60 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations.  Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.

Accommodations and Policies

Close Captioning is available for live webinars and recorded video presentations.

You can click on the following links to view our policies:

• Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
• Cancellation Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Support Options
• Disclosure Statement