An Introduction to the Unified Protocol
A Flexible, Practical Approach for Treating Emotional Disorders
Friday, October 23, 2026 | 9 am – 4:30 pm ET
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About this workshop
Discover why clinicians (even those who don’t usually love a structured treatment!) are integrating the Unified Protocol (UP), an evidence-based, transdiagnostic approach, into their practice and how it can strengthen your clinical toolkit.
The UP is a practical, flexible approach that helps people handle strong emotions in ways that fit with their life goals. Instead of focusing on just diagnoses, the UP helps clients change their relationship to their emotions as a whole.
The UP isn’t just another CBT protocol; it’s a unifying framework grounded in the science of why symptoms persist and how to create meaningful change across a wide range of diagnoses and concerns. Over 70 clinical trials have shown that the UP is effective for reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression, decreasing functional impairment, and increasing the use of adaptive emotion regulation strategies.
This training will provide you with the knowledge and skills to start using or to enhance your use of the UP. You’ll learn about all eight UP modules and how they can help your clients develop new beliefs about their emotions, learn skills to manage emotions skillfully, and increase their willingness to experience and navigate their emotions. We will discuss practical ways to flex the UP to fit your client, your clinical style, and the realities of delivering treatment in real-world settings (e.g., navigating the “crisis of the week,” issues with homework compliance, how to know if your client is actually improving).
This workshop is designed to give you both the “why” and “the how,” so you understand the science and rationale behind the UP and also have the scripts, metaphors, and session outlines to feel more confident using it. It will be interactive with skill demonstrations, live polling, and plenty of opportunities for Q&A.
Learning objectives for each session
Meet your instructors
Workshop schedule (ET)
Dr. Robbins received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Boston University where she focused on the development and evaluation of the Unified Protocol (UP) under the mentorship of Dr. David Barlow. As part of her work, she specialized in the application of the UP to dysregulated anger. Dr. Robbins completed a predoctoral internship at the Durham VA and postdoctoral training at the Center for Misophonia and Emotion Regulation at Duke University Medical Center. She is a co-author of the UP and an expert national trainer. Dr. Robbins is a licensed clinical psychologist and currently works at Triangle Area Psychology Clinic in Durham, NC, where she provides clinical services to patients and trains therapists to deliver the UP. She has published numerous peer-review papers on the development, adaptation, and evaluation of transdiagnostic treatments. She is passionate about providing evidence-based treatments to patients and training providers to deliver these treatments.
Rachel J. Ammirati, PhD, ABPP, received her PhD in Clinical Psychology from Emory University, and she is board certified in Behavioral and Cognitive Psychology through the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). She is a licensed, practicing psychologist who specializes in integrated care and providing cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy services, including the Unified Protocol (UP), to adults living with HIV. Dr. Ammirati is an expert UP trainer and therapist and co-author of the most recent version of the UP Therapist Adherence Rating Scale. She routinely gives presentations on the UP, supervises psychology and psychiatry trainees in the UP, and provides UP consultation services to licensed mental health providers. Separate from her work with the Unified Protocol Institute, Dr. Ammirati is an Assistant Professor within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine, and she is based clinically within the Grady Health System in Atlanta, GA. Her scholarly interests include science-practice integration, scientific skepticism, cognitive-behavioral approaches to treatment, integrated care, and brief models of psychotherapy.
- 9:00 am Introduction to the Unified Protocol
- 10:00 am Module 1: Motivational Enhancement
- 15 min break
- 10:45 am Module 2: Psychoeducation
- 11:30 am Module 3: Mindful Emotional Awareness
- 12 pm – 1 pm Lunch
- 1:00 pm Module 4: Cognitive Flexibility
- 1:45 pm Module 5: Emotional Behaviors
- 2:15 pm Module 6: Interoceptive Exposure
- 15 min break
- 2:45 pm Module 7: Emotion Exposures
- 3:30 pm Module 8: Relapse Prevention
- 4:15 pm Q&A
Fidelity and flexibility
Translating the Unified Protocol into a cohesive, skills-based group format
Who is this for?
Mental health professionals and students of varying degrees of experience and backgrounds who want to expand their skills with a flexible, transdiagnostic framework they can use across diagnoses and presentations.
6 CEs available through APA¹
This workshop is eligible to receive up to 6 CE credits for practicing clinicians. Credits are awarded only for verified attendance and successful completion of a quiz with a passing score of at least 75%.
30-day on-demand access
After the live event concludes, you retain access to the workshop recording and accompanying materials for 30 days.
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CE Info and other fine print
¹Offers 6 CE credits for US-licensed psychologists
The Unified Protocol Institute (UPI) is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. UPI maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Offers 6 CE credits for US social workers
ASWB ACE credit is currently not offered for this course. However, many social work licensing boards accept CE hours issued by APA-approved sponsors; acceptance is determined by each state board and you can confirm with your state licensing board in advance of registration. If you are unsure how to do so or have any questions, please reach out to us and we can assist: hello@unifiedprotocol.com.
State Licensing Note:
UPI is an APA-approved CE sponsor; however, some states have additional requirements regarding APA sponsorship. The Unified Protocol Institute is not approved by the New York State Education Department as a CE provider. Please check with your state licensing board to confirm whether APA-sponsored CEs will meet your licensure requirements.
Please contact us at hello@unifiedprotocol.com
There is no known commercial support for this program.