Jaywalker - Start Up Wellness CEU

Join Jaywalker’s Chief Clinical Officer Dennis Ballinger, LMFT, and Start Up Wellness Clinical program Director Dr. Jody Trager for this in person and live streamed CEU Event.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from two respected leaders who bring decades of clinical expertise, compassionate insight, and a deep commitment to supporting individuals and families in recovery.

Clinicians please use this link to register for a free TPN account and complementary CE

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This course is designed to equip mental health professionals with a deeper understanding of how attachment patterns, early relational experiences, and family-system dynamics directly influence the development and maintenance of substance use disorders and other addictive behaviors.

Participants will examine how insecure attachment styles manifest in clinical presentation, how maladaptive coping strategies become entrenched through addiction, and how these factors shape treatment resistance, motivation, and relapse vulnerability.

Through an exploration of both theory and applied practice, clinicians will learn how to:

• Identify attachment-related behaviors that commonly emerge in individuals with substance use disorders.
• Understand the neurobiological and developmental links between attachment wounds and addiction.
• Recognize how family roles, boundaries, and intergenerational patterns reinforce addictive cycles.
• Integrate attachment-informed interventions into assessment, treatment planning, and family work.
• Strengthen therapeutic alliances using attunement, co-regulation, and structured relational repair.

By connecting the “why” behind client behaviors with actionable clinical strategies, this training empowers clinicians to more effectively support individuals and families on their path to lasting recovery.

Dennis Ballinger LMFT

Chief Clinical Officer - Jaywalker

Dennis Ballinger is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified Addictions Specialist, and serves as Jaywalker's Chief Clinical Officer. He is a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and an Approved Supervisor and Approved Supervisor of Supervision through AAMFT.

Dennis has over 25 years of experience providing counseling to individuals, couples, and families who are struggling with co-occurring disorders. He has been trained and certified in a number of evidence-based practices, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Functional Family Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Hypnosis for the treatment of Trauma, and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, among others.

Dennis has trained over 50 individuals working towards their master's degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and has been a consultant to hundreds of therapists, case workers, and other professionals. He has presented to professionals and community members throughout Colorado and the nation on issues related to co-occurring disorder treatment, family therapy, trauma, and attachment disorders.

Dr Jody Trager, PHD

Clinical Program Director - Start Up Wellness

Dr. Jody Trager, a highly experienced Licensed Psychologist, brings over 30 years of expertise to her role as Clinical Program Director at START UP WELLNESS. Known for her transformative approach, Dr. Trager works intensively with clients to achieve profound and lasting change, enhancing their quality of life and functionality.

Her diverse expertise spans a broad spectrum of issues, including PTSD, depression, anxiety, mood disorders, trauma, grief and loss, substance use, and various life stage concerns. As an Attachment Focused-EMDR therapist, she collaborates with clients on a deep and meaningful level, fostering healing and significant personal transformation.

Dr. Trager earned her doctorate from USC, embarking on a career committed to helping client’s journey towards healing and wellness. With over 15 years of experience in intensive clinical settings, Dr. Trager has contributed her skills to esteemed institutions such as Reiss Davids Child Study Center, Promises Malibu Vista, Bridges to Recovery, and Seasons in Malibu. Her dedication to personalized client care has been instrumental in these roles.

TPN Health

This presentation will be livestreamed through TPN Health, a trusted national platform for continuing education and professional development in the behavioral health field. TPN Health provides secure, high-quality streaming and on-demand access, allowing clinicians to participate in real time or watch the session at their convenience. With its comprehensive CE library and user-friendly interface, TPN Health ensures that this training is accessible to professionals wherever they are.

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Host or Publisher Rachel Miller