1 Hour / 1 CE

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Fear Management is presented by Kelly A. Watt, Ph.D., in partnership with Protect International Risk and Safety Services.

Managing the fear experience by potential victims and targets of violence is an important and often overlooked task when conducting violence risk assessment and management. Fear experiences by potential victims or targets may be problematic in two ways: It may be viewed as “too low” or “too high” by the professional or team conducting the violence risk assessment. The hope is that the level of fear will be “just right” and consistent with the scenarios of future violence that a professional or team think are plausible, useful, and consensual.

This program discusses the possible implications of victim fear that is viewed as “too low” or “too high,” both of which could lead to increased risk and decreased safety. For instance, some research suggests that up to 50% of women who were killed by their current or former intimate partner were not fearful of lethal violence. In addition, this program reviews factors that may be contributing to perceptions of fear as well as possible strategies that can be used to manage fear at both an individual and institutional level.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the implications of victim fear when conducting violence risk assessments
  • 2 Describe factors that may contribute to perceptions of fear
  • 3 Describe strategies that can be used to manage fear
  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health and allied professionals seeking to deepen their expertise in managing fear responses during violence risk assessment and management. It is relevant for practitioners at all career stages—beginner, intermediate, and advanced—who work in settings where evaluating and addressing potential violence is essential. The training is particularly suited for those specializing in forensic psychology, clinical psychology, or related disciplines, and who operate in environments such as forensic units, mental health clinics, social service agencies, and law enforcement consultation teams.

  • Experience Level

    This training is applicable for all career stages: entry-level, mid-career, and experienced professionals.

  • Practice Setting

    • Mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, social workers)

    • Allied professionals involved in risk assessment and management

    • Forensic psychologists and clinicians

    • Professionals working in:
      • - Forensic settings
        - Mental health clinics
        - Social service agencies
        - Law enforcement consultation teams
        - Legal or correctional environments

Presented By

Kelly A. Watt, PhD

Dr. Kelly A. Watt works as a Threat Assessment Specialist at Protect International and is a member of the Mental Health, Law, and Policy Institute at Simon Fraser University in Canada. Dr. Watt is the editor of the Intelligence newsletter which is disseminated on behalf of threat assessment professional associations in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia Pacific, and that provides recent advances in research, practice, and the law related to threat assessment around the globe.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Kelly A. Watt, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Potential victims and targets of violence

  • Implications of victim fear

  • Perceptions of fears

We are proud to partner with

Protect International Risk and Safety Services

Protect International Risk and Safety Services

We are proud to partner with Protect International Risk and Safety Services for this training. Protect International's threat assessment professionals are internationally recognized experts that have developed some of the world's most widely used and best-validated threat assessment tools. Protect International provides services and products related to violence risk assessment and management, also known as threat assessment and management. Protect International services and products include threat assessment training and support, case assessment and management, legal consultation, policy review and development, and program evaluation and research; along with threat assessment manuals, worksheets, licenses, and software applications for those tools.

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.