Psychology Lectures, Guest Teaching & Continuing Education

Research-informed. Clinically grounded. Built for audiences who want depth, not just a slide deck.

There’s a particular kind of talk that stays with you. Not the kind that recites textbook definitions or skims across the surface of a topic, but the kind delivered by someone who has lived inside the research, built clinical programs around it, and spent years watching the evidence meet the messiness of real patients and real settings.

Dr. Jon Weingarden, PsyD, has been educating graduate students, clinical professionals, and healthcare teams throughout his career, from the classroom to the hospital system to professional training events. His lectures draw on deep specialty expertise in bipolar disorder, eating disorders, DBT, trauma, and personality, delivered in a way that makes complex clinical material genuinely accessible and immediately useful.

Who Dr. Weingarden Speaks To

Lectures and educational sessions are tailored to the audience and context. Dr. Weingarden has spoken to and taught:

Graduate Psychology & Counseling Programs

Guest lectures, co-instruction, and teaching assistant roles for master’s and doctoral-level programs in psychology, social work, and counseling. Content is adapted to the academic level and course material, with an emphasis on connecting evidence-based frameworks to clinical practice.

Hospital & Healthcare System Staff

Staff education and training for inpatient and outpatient behavioral health teams, including clinical competency development, treatment model instruction, and case-based learning. Dr. Weingarden’s background as Senior Program Director at UPMC’s Western Psychiatric Hospital gives him firsthand experience designing and delivering education in complex healthcare environments.

Mental Health Professionals & Continuing Education

Presentations for licensed therapists, counselors, social workers, nurses, and other mental health providers seeking to deepen their knowledge in specialized clinical areas. Content can be structured to meet continuing education (CEU) requirements depending on the format and organizing body.

Community Organizations & Nonprofits

Mental health education for community-facing organizations, including corporate wellness programs, nonprofit staff training, schools, and advocacy groups. Content is adapted for non-clinical audiences while maintaining clinical accuracy and depth.

Conferences & Professional Events

Keynote presentations, panel participation, and workshop facilitation for mental health and behavioral health conferences, symposia, and professional development events. Available in-person in the Pittsburgh area and virtually for regional and national audiences.

Lecture & Workshop Topics

All topics are tailored to your audience, format, and learning objectives. The following represent core areas of expertise, this is not an exhaustive list, and custom topics are welcomed.

Bipolar Disorder: Current Understanding & Treatment

A deep-dive into bipolar disorder that goes well beyond the diagnostic basics. Drawing from years of specialized research and clinical work, including supervised training in Interpersonal Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT) under Dr. Ellen Frank, Dr. Weingarden covers:

• The biological basis of bipolar disorder and its relationship to circadian rhythms

• Current evidence-based treatment models, including IPSRT and pharmacological approaches

• How daily routines, social rhythms, and life events interact with mood stability

• Clinical challenges: recognizing episodes early, managing ambivalence, and supporting long-term stabilization

• What therapists, prescribers, and care teams need to know about working with this population

Eating Disorders: Current Understanding & Treatment

Informed by Dr. Weingarden’s clinical leadership at UPMC’s inpatient Center for Eating Disorders, where he oversaw treatment programming and developed clinical protocols, this lecture addresses:

• The spectrum of eating disorders including anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, and ARFID

• Evidence-based treatment frameworks: CBT, DBT, Focal Dynamic Therapy, and family-based approaches

• Working with ambivalence: one of the defining clinical challenges in eating disorder treatment

• Coordinating care across treatment teams: therapist, medical provider, nutritionist

• What non-specialist providers should know when a client presents with disordered eating

Therapy Modalities & Theoretical Orientations

A practical, clinically grounded overview of the major therapeutic frameworks, designed to help clinicians and students understand not just what each approach is, but when and why to use it. Topics include:

• Psychodynamic and interpersonal therapy

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and its variants

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and DBT-RO

• Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT) and Interpersonal Social Rhythm Therapy (IPSRT)

• Behaviorism and integrated approaches

• How to think about treatment selection for individual clients

DBT Skills: Training for Clinical Teams

A practical, working-knowledge training on Dialectical Behavior Therapy for clinical staff who encounter DBT-appropriate clients but may not have formal DBT training. Covers the four core skill domains, mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness, with an emphasis on clinical application and recognizing when DBT is and isn’t the right fit.

De-escalation & Behavioral Management

Practical training for clinical and non-clinical staff on de-escalation techniques and behavioral management strategies. Particularly relevant for inpatient settings, community mental health, crisis teams, and any context where staff may encounter clients in acute distress. Grounded in evidence-based approaches to safety and therapeutic engagement.

Understanding Personality: Clinical & Applied Perspectives

An accessible but clinically substantive exploration of personality, how it develops, how it shapes behavior and relationships, and how it presents in clinical contexts. Relevant for clinicians, students, and organizational audiences. Can be adapted to cover personality assessment tools (including the MMPI, MCMI, and 16PF) for more advanced professional audiences.

Custom Topics

If you have a specific topic, clinical area, or learning objective in mind, we’re happy to discuss whether it’s within scope. Dr. Weingarden has spoken on a range of topics across his career and welcomes the opportunity to develop content for specific audience needs.

Formats & Availability

Lectures and educational engagements are available in a range of formats depending on your needs:

Guest lectures:

Single-session presentations for graduate courses, clinical team meetings, or professional events. Duration is flexible, typically 60–90 minutes including time for questions.

Half-day and full-day workshops:

More immersive training sessions with time for case discussion, skills practice, and interactive learning. Well-suited for clinical team development days or continuing education events.

Lecture series:

Multi-session educational programs for graduate programs or organizations looking for sustained professional development across a topic area or clinical curriculum.

In-person & virtual:

Available in-person in the Pittsburgh area and via video for regional, national, and international audiences.

Continuing Education (CEU) credit may be available depending on the format, organizing body, and applicable licensing board requirements. Please discuss this with us when you inquire.

Why Dr. Weingarden

Academic and clinical credibility matters: especially when you’re bringing someone in to teach the people responsible for patient care. Dr. Weingarden’s background is a genuine asset here:

• Doctoral-level training in clinical psychology (PsyD)

• Former Senior Program Director at UPMC’s Western Psychiatric Hospital, one of the country’s leading academic medical centers, where he oversaw clinical programming and staff education

• Specialized training in IPSRT under Dr. Ellen Frank, the researcher who developed the treatment model

• Deep clinical expertise in bipolar disorder, eating disorders, DBT, and personality

• Years of experience teaching graduate students, supervising trainees, and educating clinical teams in hospital settings

• Active clinician and practice owner: the material is current, grounded, and connected to the realities of clinical work today

The goal of every lecture and training is the same: leave your audience with something they’ll actually use.

How to Book or Inquire

To discuss a lecture or educational engagement, please reach out with a brief description of:

• Your organization or program and the audience you’re serving

• The topic area or learning objectives you have in mind

• The format, duration, and date range you’re working with

• Whether continuing education credit is needed or desired

We’ll respond promptly and let you know whether the engagement is a good fit & how we’d approach it.

Email: dr.w@weingardenpsychologicalservices.com  |  Call: 412-240-5686

Frequently Asked Questions

What topics does Dr. Weingarden speak on?

Dr. Weingarden’s core lecture topics include bipolar disorder, eating disorders (including ARFID), therapy modalities and theoretical orientations, DBT skills training, de-escalation and behavioral management, and personality. Custom topics are also available depending on your audience’s needs.

Who are the lectures designed for?

Dr. Weingarden has educated graduate-level psychology and counseling students, inpatient and outpatient clinical staff, licensed mental health professionals seeking continuing education, community organizations, and conference audiences. Lectures are tailored to the specific audience and setting.

Is Dr. Weingarden available for virtual or remote presentations?

Yes. While in-person presentations are available in the Pittsburgh area, Dr. Weingarden is also available for virtual lectures, workshops, and training sessions for audiences across Pennsylvania and nationwide.

Can lectures be structured for continuing education (CEU) credit?

Continuing education credit may be available depending on the format, organizing body, and applicable licensing board. Please discuss your specific CEU requirements when you reach out and we’ll advise on what’s possible.

How do I request a custom topic or specialized training?

Simply reach out with a description of your audience, learning objectives, and any specific clinical or organizational focus. Dr. Weingarden welcomes the opportunity to develop content tailored to your specific needs.

What is the typical format and length for a guest lecture?

A standard guest lecture or professional presentation runs 60–90 minutes, including time for questions and discussion. Half-day and full-day workshop formats are also available for more immersive training. We’ll work with your schedule and format requirements.

Ready to Bring Dr. Weingarden to Your Program or Event?

Whether you’re planning a single guest lecture or a multi-session training series, we’d love to hear about what you’re looking for.

Email: dr.w@weingardenpsychologicalservices.com  |  Call: 412-240-5686

Whether you’re looking for a guest lecturer for a graduate psychology or social work program, a continuing education presenter for your clinical team, a speaker for a healthcare conference, or staff training for a behavioral health organization, we’d be glad to talk.