1 Hour / 1 CE

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Chronic Low-Grade Inflammation: Implications for Mood, Behavior, Cognition, and Physical Health is presented by Jerrod Brown, PhD, as part of the Integrated Behavioral Health Certificate.

This badge-earning program can be shared digitally on platforms like LinkedIn or your resume and counts towards a certificate. Enroll in this program to earn credit towards the Integrated Behavioral Health Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.

Designed specifically for professionals navigating the realms of integrated behavioral health, this program offers an overview of the intricate mechanisms behind inflammation. This biological response shields the body against infections, toxins, and injuries. While this process is crucial for survival, persistent low-grade inflammation can become detrimental. Indeed, chronic inflammation is implicated in a myriad of adverse health outcomes, such as obesity, accelerated aging, the emergence of a plethora of diseases, and even psychological distress.

This program's primary focus is chronic inflammation's role in mood, behavior, cognition, and physical health. It offers an in-depth look at the interplay between stress and our bodies, illuminating the effects on our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. Furthermore, it provides valuable insights into toxic stress exposure, trauma, and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction, critical factors in understanding chronic inflammation. Empirically based research findings are highlighted throughout this program.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

  • 1 Describe and distinguish inflammation and chronic low-grade inflammation
  • 2 Describe the causes and red flag indicators of chronic low-grade inflammation
  • 3 Describe the consequences of chronic low-grade inflammation on mood, behavior, cognition, and physical health
  • 4 Describe possible treatment and intervention options to address chronic low-grade inflammation through a behavioral health lens
  • 5 Describe relevant and up-to-date research findings

  • Intended Audience

    This training is intended for behavioral health professionals who want to deepen their understanding of the biological foundations of mental and physical health, particularly those specializing in integrated behavioral health and interested in holistic, interdisciplinary, and collaborative approaches to patient care.


    Examples of Relevant Professionals:
    • Mental Health Professionals
    • Psychologists
    • Social Workers
    • Counselors
    • Professionals in integrated behavioral health roles

  • Experience Level

    This training is appropriate for a range of experience levels among licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals working in integrated behavioral health settings.

    • Beginner: Participants new to integrated behavioral health or the biological mechanisms of inflammation will gain foundational knowledge about inflammation, its causes, and its impact on mental and physical health.

    • Intermediate: Participants with some experience in behavioral health or familiarity with stress and trauma will deepen their understanding of chronic inflammation, its clinical indicators, and evidence-based intervention strategies.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals apply these skills in integrated, team-based environments that bridge mental and physical healthcare across clinical and community settings. They collaborate with interdisciplinary medical teams to deliver holistic, trauma-informed care using coordinated workflows and population-health approaches in both in-person and virtual formats.


    Examples of Practice Settings:
    • Primary care clinics and federally qualified health centers
    • Hospital-based outpatient clinics and consult-liaison services
    • Community mental health centers and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics
    • School-based health centers and campus health services
    • Pediatric, family medicine, and OB/GYN practices
    • Specialty medical clinics (oncology, cardiology, pain, endocrinology)
    • Telehealth and collaborative care programs across health networks

Presented By

Jerrod Brown, PhD Pathways Counseling Center, Inc.

Jerrod Brown, Ph.D., M.A., M.S., M.S., M.S., is a professor, trainer, researcher, and consultant with multiple years of experience teaching collegiate courses. Jerrod is also the founder and CEO of the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS). Jerrod has also provided consultation services to a number of caregivers, professionals, and organizations pertaining to topics related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), confabulation, suggestibility, trauma, and other life adversities, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and youth firesetting. Jerrod has completed four separate master’s degree programs and holds graduate certificates in Neuropsychology, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Other Health Disabilities (OHD), and Traumatic-Brain Injuries (TBI). Jerrod has also conducted over 200 workshops, webinars, and on-demand training for various organizations and professional and student audiences. In 2021, Jerrod completed a post-doctoral certificate in Leadership and Organizational Strategy from Walden University and a Professional Certificate in Forensic Psychology from San Diego State University Global Campus. Currently, Jerrod is pursuing a graduate certificate in Neuroscience and Law from Michigan State University. Jerrod has published several articles and book chapters and recently co-edited the book Forensic Mental Health: A Source Guide for Professionals (Brown & Weinkauf, 2018) with Erv Weinkauf. Jerrod is also regularly featured on several national and international podcast programs.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Jerrod Brown, PhD

Earning a Certificate

This is a badge-earning program, which means it will help you earn a certificate that can be showcased on digital platforms like LinkedIn.
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CE Sponsorship Information

Palo Alto University, Continuing & Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by, recognized by, or maintains sponsorship provider status with the following boards and agencies. We maintain responsibility for all content in our CE/CPD programs. For more information, visit here. 

  1. American Psychological Association (APA): Approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists.

  2. Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB): Approved continuing education provider (ACE program, Provider #1480), 11/22/2023–11/22/2026.

  3. Canadian Psychological Association (CPA): Approved to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.

  4. National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP No. 7190).



Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT), SW CPE 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-0356 and 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-0073. Palo Alto University, Continuing and Professional Studies (CONCEPT) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6811. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. CONCEPT Professional Training, #1480, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. CONCEPT Professional Training maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/23-11/22/26. Social workers completing this course receive (clinical or social work ethics) continuing education credits.