3 Hours / 3 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Psychoneuroimmunology through a Behavioral Health Lens is presented by Jerrod Brown, PhD. 

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.

Emerging in the 1980s, psychoneuroimmunology explores the role of interactions between the mind and neurology, endocrinology, and immunology. This new interdisciplinary field is focused on the interconnectivity of the brain and body along with the influence of each on physical and mental health. Work in this field has advanced our understanding of the brain’s effect on the immune system and vice versa. For instance, research has offered insight into the manifestation and severity of physical (e.g., cardiovascular disease and chronic pain) and mental (e.g., depression and anxiety) health issues. 

Developed for professionals working in mental health settings, this program is designed to increase awareness of the field of psychoneuroimmunology through a behavioral health lens and the promise it holds in improving outcomes for clients. Topics covered will include trauma, toxic stress, sleep, somatic health complaints, chronic low-grade inflammation, HPA axis dysfunction, psychopathology, and screening and intervention considerations to name a few. Practical tips, strategies, and solutions will be shared throughout this training with the goal of improving screening, goal planning, and intervention practices. Empirically-based research findings will be highlighted throughout this training.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe psychoneuroimmunology and other related topics
  • 2 Describe how psychoneuroimmunology can help professionals better understand the causes and trajectories of physical and mental health problems
  • 3 Describe the potential role of psychoneuroimmunology in the screening and intervention of clients receiving services from behavioral health care providers
  • 4 Describe cutting-edge research findings and directions for future research in psychoneuroimmunology with a particular focus on behavioral health care populations

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for professionals working in mental health settings who want to deepen their understanding of how the brain, immune system, and overall health are interconnected. The program is especially valuable for those specializing in behavioral health, clinical psychology, counseling, psychoneuroimmunology, and integrative health approaches. It is suitable for individuals at any stage of their career, from early-career practitioners to experienced clinicians and researchers. Participants typically work in environments such as mental health clinics, hospitals, counseling centers, research institutions, and other healthcare or community-based settings.

  • Experience Level

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

    • Early-career professionals and recent graduates
    • Mid-career practitioners seeking to expand their expertise
    • Experienced clinicians and researchers looking for advanced knowledge in brain-immune-health connections

  • Practice Setting

    • Psychologists (clinical, counseling, health, and research)
    • Social Workers (clinical and community-based)
    • Counselors (mental health, school, and rehabilitation)
    • Behavioral health specialists
    • Professionals in psychoneuroimmunology
    • Integrative health practitioners
    • Researchers in mental and physical health fields
    • Healthcare providers in mental health clinics, hospitals, and community settings

Presented By

Jerrod Brown, PhD

Jerrod Brown, PhD, is the Treatment Director for Pathways Counseling Center, Inc., the lead developer of an online Master of Arts degree in Human Services with an emphasis in Forensic Behavioral Health from Concordia University, St. Paul, Minnesota, the founder and CEO of the American Institute for the Advancement of Forensic Studies (AIAFS), and the Editor-in-Chief of Forensic Scholars Today (FST) and the Journal of Special Populations (JSP).

View More Programs from this Presenter
Jerrod Brown, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Psychoneuroimmunology and other related topics

  • Psychoneuroimmunology and trajectories of physical and mental health problems

  • Psychoneuroimmunology in the screening and intervention of clients

  • Research findings and directions for future research

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.