Live Virtual Training via Zoom

Ashley Batastini, PhD, and Ashley Jones, PhD, present a live virtual professional training program on In the Act Train-the-Trainer Session: Teaching Correctional Staff to Recognize Criminal Thinking Errors.


This live virtual training takes place over two days from 1:00 pm - 4:30 pm PST.

  • Monday, November 2nd
  • Tuesday, November 3rd


This training prepares staff to effectively deliver the ITA program by building foundational knowledge, strengthening facilitation skills, and supporting successful implementation within their institutions. The first portion of the training focuses on establishing a shared understanding of the program and the training environment. Participants review ITA's goals and discuss how the program may fit within their roles and institutional contexts. Trainers explore common challenges when working with incarcerated individuals and reflect on their role as agents of change who facilitate learning rather than simply instruct. Activities, knowledge checks, and discussion help reinforce key concepts from the ITA materials and identify questions or areas participants would like to explore in more depth.

This training covers the core facilitation strategies, including how to engage trainees, manage group dynamics, handle challenging situations, and use constructive feedback to improve their training approach. Trainers are then guided through the ITA modules, highlighting key learning objectives, activities, and potential implementation challenges. Through discussion, case examples, and role-play exercises, participants consider how to adapt the material to their specific settings while maintaining program fidelity. The training concludes with a focus on sustaining implementation, including reflecting on preparedness, using trainee feedback productively, and understanding how program evaluation can inform ongoing improvements to training delivery and outcomes.

This training is ideal for senior staff or educational instructors preparing to roll out In the Act in their agencies.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe the purpose, goals, and learning frameworks of ITA
  • 2 Describe group dynamics and determine appropriate management techniques
  • 3 Describe delivery of training content, working through case study exercises, and integration of supplemental material
  • 4 Describe and integrate trainer feedback to improve implementation strategies

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for individuals who are responsible for facilitating educational programs within correctional environments and are committed to fostering effective learning experiences for staff and trainees. Participants are those who play a key role in guiding group interactions, delivering structured content, and continuously enhancing training outcomes through reflective practice and feedback integration.

    • Correctional Staff
    • Training Coordinators
    • Program Facilitators
    • Educational Instructors
    • Supervisors
    • Mental Health Professional

  • Experience Level

    This training is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals with varying levels of experience in group facilitation and program implementation.

    • Beginner: New to delivering group-based interventions or correctional staff training; seeking foundational knowledge of the ITA program, group dynamics, and facilitation strategies.
    • Intermediate: Some experience facilitating trainings or implementing structured programs; looking to strengthen skills in managing group dynamics, adapting materials, and integrating feedback.
    • Advanced: Extensive experience in training delivery and program implementation; interested in refining advanced facilitation techniques, supporting program fidelity, and contributing to ongoing evaluation and improvement efforts.

  • Practice Setting

    Professionals participating in this training typically work within secure correctional facilities, such as prisons, jails, or detention centers. These environments are highly structured, with strict security protocols and limited access to outside resources. Training and educational sessions often take place in designated classrooms, multipurpose rooms, or staff training centers within the facility. The setting requires adaptability, clear communication, and an understanding of the unique challenges posed by the correctional environment, including managing group dynamics among staff or trainees, navigating institutional policies, and maintaining safety and confidentiality.

    • Staff training rooms within correctional institutions
    • On-site classrooms or multipurpose spaces in prisons or jails
    • Secure conference rooms used for professional development
    • Designated areas for staff orientation and continuing education
    • Meeting spaces for interdisciplinary team training within correctional facilities

Presented By

Ashley Batastini, PhD Associate Professor in the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science at Swinburne University of Technology

Ashley Batastini is an Associate Professor in the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science at Swinburne University of Technology. She earned her Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology at Texas Tech University in the United States in 2015. Her work focuses on developing novel intervention strategies for higher-risk populations, improving access to appropriate interventions at various stages of criminal legal involvement, and addressing systemic factors within the carceral setting that can diminish the efficacy of interventions. Her research often considers ways to integrate technology into forensic and correctional mental health services. Beyond her research interests, Dr. Batastini has clinical expertise in conducting forensic mental health evaluations.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Ashley Batastini, PhD

Presented By

Ashley Jones, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Counseling Psychology program, University of Southern Mississippi

Ashley Jones is an assistant professor in the Counseling Psychology program at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. She earned her Master of Science degree in Psychology from Arizona State University and her doctorate in Counseling Psychology from the University of Southern Mississippi. She completed both her predoctoral internship and forensic postdoctoral fellowship at Utah State Hospital in Provo. Her research focuses on the use of technology to increase access to forensic and correctional services and understanding its impact on treatment and court proceedings. She was the recipient of two competitive dissertation grants from the American Psychological Foundation and the American Academy of Forensic Psychology, as well as the APA Division 18 (Psychologists in Public Service) Criminal Justice Section Outstanding Graduate Student Award.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Ashley Jones, Ph.D.

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

    • PART I: Laying the Groundwork (~ 75 mins)
      • Group introductions
      • Navigating the virtual learning environment (e.g., expectations for video, breaks, Zoom engagement features)
      • Brief knowledge check (based on ITA Knowledge Quiz)
      • Gaining trainer buy-in
      • Clarifying the trainer vs. trainee role (tailored based on trainers’ reported experiences delivering trainings)
      • Assessment of training implementation preparedness before today’s training session (using the pre-training preparedness scale in Chapter 6)

    • PART II: Being an Effective Trainer (~ 45 mins)
      • Core facilitation skills
      • Managing group dynamics
      • Making good use of constructive feedback

    • PART III: ITA Delivery (~ 165 mins)
      • Orientation to training materials and tips to get organized/prepare for the training day
      • Discuss ITA module highlights
      • Review ITA implementation recommendations and challenges (using role play and case study exercises throughout)

    • PART IV: Making it Work (~ 60 mins)
      • Assessing the need for broader adjustments and modifications (e.g., integrating a different special population; cutting content)
      • Feedback and reflection
      • Program evaluation
      • Elicit feedback from trainers on today’s training day

Live Event Policy

Registration for our live events is covered for one (1) person per purchase. If you would like to purchase for a group, please contact our group training team.

  • Event Communications

    When registering, use an email that is active and that you check regularly. We are not responsible for communications not being received; if you do not add [email protected] to your email safe sender list, our emails are likely to end up in your spam or junk folders.

  • Cancellation Policy

    Have a sudden change of plans and are unable to attend live? No worries; you will be given access to the on-demand version of the program once available. Please note that if you attend live, no access to the recording will be given.

  • Event Conduct

    Professional conduct is expected during our live programs. Our goal is to make our events as interactive as possible for all participants. We reserve the right to remove any participants who are disruptive, act unprofessionally, or who we are unable to verify their purchase.

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.