15 Hours / 15 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Foundations in Digital Therapy is presented by C. Barr Taylor, MD, in partnership with the Center for m²Health at Palo Alto University. 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 Foundations of Digital Mental Health Certificate and share your new digital credentials with prospective employers and colleagues.

Technology has become an inherent part of modern psychological treatments. This program provides an overview of the use of digital tools and technology in therapy, including a discussion of the evidence base for integrated (“blended”) face-to-face and technology-facilitated therapy, a review of different types of tools available for clinicians, and a discussion of ethical and other concerns about providing and using digital therapies. The program also includes information on the relevance of social media to clinical practice and empirically-supported strategies that can help engage clients in the use of digital therapy tools. Clinicians also learn to identify the best tools for their particular clinical needs and introduce strategies for addressing client disengagement or non-adherence. Finally, the program includes discussions of relevant ethical and legal concerns. This program aims to prepare clinicians to integrate digital tools in their clinical practice successfully and, if desired, seek additional, more specialized training in the use of digital tools.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe 3 benefits and barriers of using technology in clinical care
  • 2 Describe potential challenges and risks of using technology
  • 3 Describe strategies for assessing clients’ digital use and preparing them to use a digital tool
  • 4 Describe the basic principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
  • 5 Describe strategies for choosing the right app or Internet intervention
  • 6 Describe at least 3 mental health apps and Internet intervention programs
  • 7 Describe why using evidence-based programs is important
  • 8 Describe examples of clinical strategies therapists use to engage clients in blended therapy
  • 9 Identify strategies for addressing non-engagement with digital tools
  • 10 Describe key ethical and legal issues in digital therapy

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health and allied professionals who are interested in integrating technology into clinical care to enhance treatment outcomes. It is suitable for individuals specializing in psychology, counseling, social work, or related fields who wish to incorporate digital tools into their clinical practice.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Psychologist
    • Counselor
    • Social Worker
    • Allied Mental Health Professional

  • Experience Level

    This program is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals seeking foundational knowledge in integrating digital tools into clinical practice.

    Beginner:
    Participants are new to or have limited experience with digital therapy tools, seeking to understand the basics of technology-facilitated interventions, ethical and legal considerations, and strategies for client engagement and tool selection.

  • Practice Setting

    Mental health and allied professionals who participate in this training typically work in diverse clinical environments where they provide assessment, therapy, and support to individuals, families, or groups. These settings may range from traditional in-person offices to hybrid or fully virtual practices, and often include multidisciplinary teams. The integration of technology allows these professionals to enhance client engagement, monitor progress, and deliver interventions more flexibly and efficiently. Their work environments are characterized by a focus on client well-being, confidentiality, and adherence to ethical and legal standards, with increasing emphasis on the use of digital tools to support and extend traditional therapeutic approaches.

    • Private practice offices (in-person, hybrid, or telehealth)
    • Community mental health centers
    • Hospitals and integrated healthcare systems
    • School counseling offices
    • University counseling centers
    • Nonprofit organizations providing mental health services
    • Employee assistance programs (EAPs)
    • Residential treatment facilities
    • Correctional or forensic settings
    • Virtual/online therapy platforms

Presented By

C. Barr Taylor, MD, Research Professor at Palo Alto University

Dr. C. Barr Taylor was a Research Professor at Palo Alto University and Director of the Center for m2Health, which focuses on developing, evaluating, and disseminating digital health interventions for preventing and treating common mental health problems. He was also a Professor of Psychiatry (emeritus) at Stanford University. Dr. Taylor did his undergraduate training at Columbia University, his medical training at the University of Utah Medical Center, and his residency in psychiatry at Stanford Medical Center. He has published nearly 400 papers and written or co-written 11 books. He was one of the Principal Investigators on a large, long-term NIMH-funded study designed to evaluate the effects of digital interventions to prevent and treat anxiety, depression, and eating disorders in college students. He had extensive experience as a teacher and clinical supervisor, having, for instance, served as the Adult Residency Training Director in the Stanford Department of Psychiatry for many years and helping to train many psychologists as part of the Department of Veterans Affairs health care system program for disseminating and implementing cognitive behavior therapy for depression.

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C. Barr Taylor, MD

Presented By

Elsa Rojas-Ashe, PhD, Training Director for the iAIM EDU study at Palo Alto University

Dr. Elsa Rojas-Ashe is the Training Director for the iAIM EDU study at Palo Alto University and previously worked as the Associate Director for Service Innovation within the Center for m2Health. In this role she worked to establish a training and research clinic that focuses on developing, evaluating and disseminating digital health interventions for preventing and treating common mental health problems. She is also a Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford University where she works as a member of the Dialectical Behavior Therapy treatment team. Clinically, Dr. Rojas has experience and expertise in the treatment of traumatic stress, personality disorders, eating disorders, and she is certified in perinatal mental health by Postpartum Support International. She has significant experience as a teacher and clinical supervisor both through her work at Stanford and at Palo Alto University. Dr. Rojas completed her training at the University of Akron, with a psychology internship at The Medical College of Georgia and Charlie Norwood VA medical center. She completed her postdoctoral fellowship at Stanford Medical Center.

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Elsa Rojas-Ashe, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • An introduction to digital therapy and strategies for digital tool introduction

  • A review of CBT

  • Using email and texting

  • Apps and Internet interventions

  • Review of research on digital tools

  • Self-Monitoring Apps

  • Clinical Strategies for best practice

  • Ethical and Legal issues

  • Tips for tele-mental Health Counseling

  • Social media and future use

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.