3 Hours / 3 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Sickness Behavior 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.

Sickness behavior is a coordinated set of behavioral changes (e.g., depression, cognitive impairment, irritability, fatigue, sleep disturbances, social withdrawal, and decreased appetite) that can occur in physically ill individuals. 

Although considered an adaptive response, persisting symptoms may negatively impact overall health and wellness. Intended for professionals, this program is designed to increase awareness of sickness behavior, including its implications for screening and intervention through a behavioral health lens. Empirically based research findings are highlighted throughout this program. 

Relevant topics covered will include:

  • Comorbid unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, 
  • Psychopathology, 
  • Trauma and psychological distress, 
  • Burnout, cognitive dysfunction, 
  • Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction, 
  • Problematic coping strategies, 
  • Inflammation, 
  • Somatization, 
  • Chronic pain syndromes, 
  • Sleep disturbances, 
  • Emotional dysregulation, 
  • Loneliness and social isolation, 
  • Substance misuse 

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe sickness behavior and other related constructs
  • 2 Identify the symptoms and red flag indicators of sickness behavior
  • 3 Describe the role of sickness behavior in co-occurring cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physical health conditions
  • 4 Describe screening and intervention techniques and approaches for sickness behavior through a behavioral health lens
  • 5 Describe relevant and up-to-date research findings

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for psychologists, social workers, counselors, and allied mental health professionals who want to deepen their understanding of sickness behavior and its effects on overall health and wellness. The program is ideal for those working with clients experiencing both physical and mental health challenges, and is especially relevant for professionals in behavioral health, clinical psychology, counseling, and integrated care settings. The training is suitable for practitioners at any stage of their career, from early-career to experienced professionals, and is applicable across a variety of clinical, community, and research environments.

  • Experience Level

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

    • Early-career professionals (including recent graduates and those new to the field)
    • Mid-career practitioners seeking to expand their expertise
    • Experienced clinicians and supervisors
    • Professionals transitioning into behavioral health or integrated care settings

  • Practice Setting

    • Psychologists (clinical, counseling, health, and related specialties)
    • Social workers (clinical and community-based)
    • Licensed professional counselors
    • Marriage and family therapists
    • Allied mental health professionals (e.g., psychiatric nurses, case managers)
    • Behavioral health specialists
    • Integrated care providers
    • Researchers in behavioral health or psychosomatic medicine
    • Mental health clinics
    • Hospitals and medical centers
    • Community health centers
    • Private practice
    • Research institutions
    • Integrated care teams

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:

  • Comorbid unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, sleep disturbances, and problematic coping strategies

  • Psychopathology

  • Trauma and psychological distress

  • Burnout and cognitive dysfunction

  • Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction

  • Inflammation and chronic pain syndromes

  • Somatization

  • Emotional dysregulation

  • Loneliness and social isolation

  • Substance misuse

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.
View Certificates

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.