6 Hours / 6 CEs

On Demand | Self-Paced Professional Training

This on-demand professional training program on Zimbardo Systemic Engagement is presented by Philip Zimbardo, Ph.D.

This program exposes participants to cutting-edge, evidence-based perspectives on well-being, diversity and inclusion, systemic engagement, social justice heroism, resilience, prejudice, the power of unjust situational forces and how to resist them, values congruence, growth mindset orientation, and socio-centrism. The program builds on a rich fund of literature, primarily social psychology perspectives reliant on Professor Philip Zimbardo’s life work, as well as many other lines of research. These perspectives have been adapted to a friendly psycho-educational format in order to facilitate new insights about well-being, our shared sense of humanity, and the nature of systemic engagement. This is not a clinical program, and it is not psychotherapy. Rather, lessons in this program are presented in the format of psycho-educational lessons to increase intellectual understanding of topic matters, as well as one’s sense of resilience, self, and social awareness, care for yourself and for those around you, and recognition and acceptance of our shared humanity. This program strives to facilitate further exploration of opportunities to connect more deeply and more effectively with various people in your personal and professional social spheres.

Learning Objectives

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

  • 1 Describe empathic listening into systemic engagement
  • 2 Describe fixed, static mindsets versus dynamic growth mindsets, with your goal of cultivating a growth mindset
  • 3 Describe our environment and how situational forces can power over us, so the key is learning to hold our ground
  • 4 Describe social conformity by delving more deeply into group conformity, ways to avoid submission to unjust authority, and cultivation of heroic agency
  • 5 Describe the merit of bystandership, the importance of bringing it into our lives, and the ways to do it wisely and effectively
  • 6 Describe bias, its impact, and how to address it in order to reverse it into understanding and acceptance
  • 7 Describe how we fall into seeing ourselves in negative fashions and how to respond effectively
  • 8 Describe what have we taken from this program, how have we grown, and how it will impact our life

  • Intended Audience

    This training is designed for mental health and allied professionals who wish to deepen their understanding of social psychology, resilience, and diversity-related concepts. It is suitable for those specializing in psychology, social work, counseling, marriage and family therapy, and related fields, as well as individuals and organizations interested in promoting well-being, social awareness, and systemic engagement.

    • Mental Health Professional
    • Psychologist
    • Social Worker
    • Counselor
    • Marriage and Family Therapist
    • Allied Mental Health Professional
    • Individuals and organizations interested in resilience, diversity, and inclusion

  • Experience Level

    This program is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals at all experience levels seeking to deepen their understanding of evidence-based perspectives on well-being, diversity, systemic engagement, and social justice.

    Beginner:
    New to psycho-educational approaches in social psychology; seeking foundational knowledge of concepts such as growth mindset, systemic engagement, and the impact of situational forces.

    Intermediate:
    Familiar with basic social psychology principles; looking to expand skills in applying concepts like bystandership, values congruence, and addressing bias within diverse social contexts.

    Advanced:
    Experienced in integrating social psychology and systemic engagement into practice; aiming to refine strategies for fostering resilience, heroic agency, and deeper systemic change in professional and community settings.

  • Practice Setting

    Practice settings for participants in this program are diverse, reflecting the broad application of social psychology, resilience, and diversity concepts across mental health and allied professions. These professionals typically work in environments that prioritize client well-being, social awareness, and systemic engagement, often serving individuals, families, groups, or communities. Their settings may range from clinical and community-based organizations to educational institutions, private practices, and advocacy groups. The work environment is often collaborative, interdisciplinary, and focused on fostering inclusive, supportive, and growth-oriented spaces for both clients and professionals.

    • Outpatient mental health clinics and counseling centers
    • Private psychotherapy or counseling practices
    • School-based mental health programs - Community health organizations and non-profits
    • Hospitals and integrated healthcare systems
    • University counseling and student support services
    • Employee assistance programs (EAPs)
    • Social service agencies and family support centers
    • Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) offices within organizations
    • Advocacy groups focused on social justice, resilience, and systemic change

Presented By

Philip Zimbardo, PhD

Dr. Philip Zimbardo is internationally recognized as the “voice and face of contemporary American psychology” through his widely seen PBS-TV series, Discovering Psychology, his classic research, The Stanford Prison Experiment, authoring the oldest current textbook in psychology, “Psychology and Life”, in its 18th Edition, and his popular trade books on shyness. He is also the past president of the American Psychological Association, the Western Psychological Association and served as the Chair of the Council of Scientific Society Presidents (CSSP) representing 63 scientific, math and technical associations (with 1.5 million members). Zimbardo is currently an Emeritus Professor at Palo Alto University. He is also Emeritus Professor at Stanford University (professor since 1968) and taught previously at Yale, NYU, Columbia University, and the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA.

View More Programs from this Presenter
Philip Zimbardo, PhD

Training Outline

Key topics covered in this training include:

  • Program introduction and empathic listening

  • Learning about fixed and growth mind

  • Situational awareness

  • Social conformity

  • Bystander

  • Prejudice and discrimination

  • Misattributions and stereotype threat

  • Consolidation

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.