You've built a solid clinical foundation.
You've sat with grief, trauma, addiction, depression. You've guided people through divorces, diagnoses, identity shifts. You know how to hold space for hard things.
And yet — when an older client walks into your office, you recognize something different.
The questions are layered. The family dynamics are complex. The medical realities matter in ways they didn't before. And the stakes? They feel higher.
➤ Is this forgetfulness normal aging — or could it be early dementia? And is depression making it even harder to read?
➤ How do I navigate adult children pushing for control when my client is clear about wanting autonomy?
➤ What does depression, trauma, or substance use actually look like in late life — and how does good therapy need to adapt?
➤ How do I support someone through retirement, chronic illness, or the loss of a lifelong partner?
➤ When the focus shifts to end of life — what does psychotherapy that truly honors dignity, meaning, and choice look like?
Even the most skilled, experienced clinicians feel uncertain with older adult clients. That's not a reflection of your competence — it's a reflection of a real and widespread gap. Specialized training in mental health and aging has simply never been widely available, regardless of how long you've been practicing or how strong your clinical foundation already is.
And the cost of that gap is real.
➤ Cognitive changes misdiagnosed — increasing risk for harm, neglect, and exploitation.
➤ Depression, trauma, and anxiety left untreated, causing needless suffering.
➤ Families locked in conflict, with no one skilled enough to guide them through it.
➤ Older adults navigating life's most profound transitions without the support they deserve.
You don't have to wonder, guess, or go it alone.
The Mental Health + Aging Certificate and Certification give you the clarity, clinical tools, and professional community you need to meet older adults exactly where they are — and build a specialty that is among the most needed, most meaningful, and fastest-growing in mental health care today.
This is the first step in becoming a sought after expert in mental health and aging. The Level 1 Certificate is a comprehensive, 18-credit clinical training that gives you the exact frameworks, assessment tools, and evidence-based interventions you need to work confidently and competently with older adults. Self-paced and immediately applicable, this is the clinical foundation that sets everything else in motion.
Join our most exclusive group of Mental Health + Aging therapists. The final step in the Mental Health + Aging training program, the Level 2 Certification Track results in your designation as a CMHA Certified Mental Health + Aging Specialist — setting you apart as a recognized leader in aging-informed therapy.
This is the first step in becoming a sought-after expert in mental health and aging. A truly inspiring, self-paced 18 CE credit course. This Certificate program will give you new insights into psychotherapy for older adults using research-based assessments and effective interventions.
When you enroll, you're not just getting a course. You're getting the most comprehensive mental health and aging training available anywhere — plus expert mentorship, CEUs, and practical tools you can bring directly into your work with clients.
($1,182 VALUE)
✔️ Lifetime access to 18 hours of pre-recorded CEU training (18 CE Credits; $882 value)
✔️ Online student portal with slides, handouts, assessments, and practice resources ($300 value)
($1,919 VALUE)
These aren't filler extras. Each one was designed to help you grow your expertise, your visibility, and your impact.
✔️ 3 Community Gatherings with Dr. Regina Koepp — Connect live on Zoom with Dr. Koepp and a community of professionals committed to this work. ($900 value)
✔️ The Marketing Toolkit — Your professional Certificate, a digital badge you can display on your website and LinkedIn, plus done-for-you email and LinkedIn templates to announce your new specialty to referral sources and colleagues. ($450 value)
✔️ Exclusive Clinical Handouts & Guides — Ready-to-use therapy tools and client workbooks covering life review, dementia, loneliness, financial exploitation, and more. ($428 value)
✔️ 3 Mini Trainings with Workbooks — Practical, expert-led deep dives you can apply immediately with your very next client. ($141 value)
✨ Total Bonus Value: $1,919 — Included Free with Your Enrollment
Join our most exclusive group of Mental Health + Aging therapists. The final step in the Mental Health + Aging training program, the Level 2 Certification Track results in your designation as a CMHA Certified Mental Health + Aging Specialist — setting you apart as a recognized leader in aging-informed therapy
This is it — the culmination of your training, mastery of evidence-based practice with older adults, and recognition as an expert in your field. Building on everything you've learned and applied through Level 1, you will move beyond knowledge into real clinical mastery — bringing your most complex older adult cases into a small, closed cohort of just 6–10 peers, working through them alongside Dr. Koepp, and meeting a defined standard of professional competency that distinguishes you as the clinician colleagues trust, referral sources seek out, and older adults and their families need most.
($2,925 VALUE)
✔️ 5-week small-group case consultation — 90 minutes per session, in a closed cohort of just 6–10 clinicians. You'll bring real cases, work through complex clinical questions, and leave each session with greater clarity and confidence. ($2,625 value) - this is required for Certification.
✔️ Certification and distinction as a CMHA Mental Health + Aging Specialist — A credential that signals to colleagues, employers, and referral sources that you meet a clear, rigorous standard of aging-informed practice. ($300 value)
($1,099 VALUE)
✔️ Provider Directory Profile — We actively feature you in our Provider Directory and market you directly to families and professionals searching for aging specialists in your area. This is a referral engine — and it works for you. ($300 value)
✔️ Quarterly Alumni Gatherings — Stay connected with the community of professionals doing this work, four times a year. ($600 value)
✔️ Initial Certification Application Fee is Included with registration for Level 2 Consultation/Certification ($199 value)
Your certification renews every two years, ensuring your skills stay current and your credential stays credible — a standard that builds trust with everyone you serve.
"Working with Dr. Regina Koepp in Consultation has been one of the most valuable parts of my professional growth. Her knowledge of aging and geropsychology is extraordinary, but what has meant just as much to me is the way she brings that knowledge and experience with such thoughtfulness, clarity, and generosity. Dr. Koepp has helped me think more deeply, see more accurately, and approach complex clinical situations with great confidence and discernment. I have grown tremendously through our work together, and I can say without hesitation that her Consultation has made me a stronger psychologist and has significantly deepened my capacity to serve older adults well."
The mental health needs of older adults have been overlooked for too long. The clinicians who complete this training aren't just better equipped — they're part of something larger: a growing community of aging-informed mental health professionals who are changing what care looks like for older adults across the country.
When you enroll, you step into a network of psychologists, social workers, counselors, therapists, and care managers who share your commitment to this population — and who understand the complexity, the stakes, and the profound meaning of this work.
Through live community gatherings, small group consultation, and quarterly alumni connections, you'll find the colleagues who get it. The ones you can call when a case is complicated, when the family dynamics are overwhelming, or when you simply need to be reminded why this work matters.
This is the first step in becoming a sought after expert in mental health and aging. A truly inspiring, self-paced 18 CE credit course. This Certificate program will give you new insights into psychotherapy for older adults using research-based assessments and effective interventions.
You'll receive 15 pre-recorded modules released over 5 weeks (about 3 hours/week). Each module includes slides, downloadable guides, and a post-test to reinforce learning.
Join us on Zoom to connect with Dr. Koepp and other professionals in the mental health and aging movement.
Join our most exclusive group of Mental Health + Aging therapists. The final step in the Mental Health + Aging training program, the Level 2 Certification Track results in your designation as a CMHA Certified Mental Health + Aging Specialist — setting you apart as a recognized leader in aging-informed care.
Level 2 is only for clinicians who have enrolled in, or completed, Level 1: Mental Health + Aging Certificate Course (18 CE Credits).
After enrollment, you will be asked to complete a brief application. Once received and approved, you will be assigned to a Friday cohort. If you enroll and do not meet eligibility requirements, you will be fully refunded. Please review the eligibility criteria below before enrolling.
Important: To keep cohorts balanced and fair, participants are assigned to a cohort. You'll receive your cohort time and Zoom link after enrollment.
Note: By applying for certification, you agree to adhere to the Center for Mental Health + Aging Professional Code of Ethics and your respective professional licensing board's ethical standards.
Older adults deserve skilled, knowledgeable care—and the clinicians who provide it are in high demand. You’ll gain deep training in aging, cognitive health, and psychotherapy so you become the clinician colleagues trust and clients seek out. Level 1 builds your foundation; Level 2 elevates you as a recognized specialist in mental health and aging.
Specialized training in mental health and aging helps you rise above crowded markets—whether you’re in private practice, healthcare systems, or older adult care settings. Level 1 strengthens competence and confidence; Level 2 signals advanced expertise to referral partners, helping you attract higher-quality referrals and position yourself as a leader in the field.
Meet licensure requirements while gaining practical, evidence-based tools you can apply immediately with clients 65+. You won’t just learn frameworks in theory—you’ll leave with strategies and interventions you can use with your very next client.
Level 1 builds trust with clients, employers, and referral sources. Level 2 turns that commitment into visible distinction through consultation, clear standards, and renewal requirements that keep your skills sharp—helping you move from “clinician who sees older adults” to “aging-informed specialist,” with stronger positioning for leadership and speaking opportunities.
The need is urgent: more older adults than ever need mental health support, and most aren’t receiving it. This training equips you to serve older adults and caregivers with evidence-based competence and compassionate care—so you can be part of closing the gap with real clinical impact.
Aging isn’t something that happens to other people—it’s something we’re all moving through. The insights you gain here will support your clinical work and also help you navigate transitions in your own life (and in the lives of people you love) with more clarity, steadiness, and compassion.
Older adults are the most underserved mental health population in the country — and the clinicians trained to meet their needs are in extraordinary demand. Whether you begin with Level 1 or commit to the full Level 2 Certification, you'll leave with the clinical skills, professional distinction, and specialized identity to build a practice you're proud of and serve the clients who need you most.
This 18-credit Certificate Program was designed to fit your life — four parts, released over 5 weeks at about 3 hours per week. Can't follow the schedule? No problem. You'll have lifetime access to return to the material whenever you need it.
This is rigorous, clinically relevant training — delivered on your terms.
For more than 20 years, I’ve worked with older adults in some of the largest healthcare systems in the nation, like Stanford, Emory, the Veterans Health Administration, and seen first hand the barriers older adults face in getting the mental health care they need.
In fact, the majority of older adults with mental health concerns DO NOT get the mental health care they need, resulting in worse medical problems, increased risk of dementia, higher health care costs, family strain, and needless suffering.
This has inspired my mission of ensuring that you, and all mental health and senior care professionals, have the tools you need to treat the mental health needs of older adults.
I'm Dr. Regina Koepp. I'm a Stanford-trained, board certified clinical psychologist, clinical geropsychologist and founder of the Center for Mental Health & Aging, and the presenter of this course. I've dedicated my career to equipping mental health professionals with the skills needed to serve older adults.
With the Level 1: Certificate and Level 2: Certification programs, you’ll learn my exact strategies for providing effective, ethical, and transformative care for older clients.
It's only with your help that older adults will get the mental health care they need. So, thank you for being here and doing your part.
A Certificate recognizes that you've completed a course or series of courses and acquired specialized knowledge and skills. It shows you've done the training and built a strong foundation in a focused area of practice — at a point in time. Certificates typically don't require ongoing renewal or continued requirements.
A Professional Certification goes a step further. It's a time-limited credential that signals you've not only learned the material, but demonstrated you can apply it according to clear, standardized criteria. Those criteria often include things like licensure status, clinical hours in practice, and other professional requirements such as a consultation group. Certification also includes ongoing renewal standards to ensure your skills stay current and you continue to meet the credential's expectations.
In short: a Certificate confirms you completed the training. Certification recognizes you as meeting and maintaining a defined standard of professional competency.
By 2034, there will be more adults 65 and older than children under the age of 18. Mental health providers will be working with more older adults than ever before. With this in mind, mental health providers should tools to meet the presenting needs of older adults from loss of functioning, cognitive changes, grieving, to working with families.
If you've ever felt stuck in therapy with older adults, unsure of how to address memory concerns, grappled with moral dilemmas like balancing the "right to die" with suicidal ideation, and questioned how to include family members in your older clients' care without diminishing their autonomy, this workshop will provide tools for navigating these complexities. After completing this program, you'll not only have more confidence and competence in working with older adults, you'll feel eager and inspired to do so.
This comprehensive workshop is designed to provide clinicians with both an in-depth training in best practices as well as experiential activities and practical skills to improve your ability to meet the mental health needs of older adults.
In this dynamic, culturally inclusive workshop, you'll journey across the full arc of aging from typical aging to end of life care. You'll discover how negative stereotypes about aging impact health and wellbeing as we age, learn tools for addressing the most common mental health concerns, and best practices for navigating cognitive changes in therapy. You'll gain confidence in working with older families living with illness, including dementia disorders.
PART 1: FOUNDATIONS OF ADULT DEVELOPMENT
Module 1: Aging, Ageism & The Importance of Belonging (110min)
Module 2: Relationships (60min)
Module 3: Common life issues and transitions for older adults (60min)
PART 2: COGNITIVE CHANGES AND ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Module 4: Cognition and Aging (2 hours)
Module 5: Caregiver Family Therapy with families with dementia and life altering medical conditions (90min)
Module 6: Ethical Principles and Common Ethical Dilemmas (60min)
PART 3: MENTAL HEALTH AND OLDER ADULTS
Module 7: Evidence-Based Recommendations for optimal aging (60min)
Module 8: Anxiety Disorders (60min)
Module 9: Depression and Older Adults (75min)
Module 10: Insomnia and Older Adults (30min)
Module 11: Trauma and Older Adults, including Post Traumatic Growth (90min)
Module 12: Suicide and Older Adults (40min)
Module 13: Substance Use & (75min)
PART 4: END OF LIFE PSYCHOTHERAPY & GRIEF – WEEK 5
Module 14: End of life psychotherapy (75min)
Module 15: Grief (60min)
With successful completion of course requirements, this course is eligible for 18 Continuing Education (CE) Credit/18 CMC Contact Hours for therapists, counselors, social workers, psychologists, care managers, and more.
Registrant is responsible for ensuring that CE credits meet the criteria for their own jurisdiction requirements.
This program focuses on disability, disability rights, LGTBQ identities, BIPOC older adults, and older adults with intersecting identities and asks participants to identify their own biases and assumptions related to these identitie. This program will help participants identify ways that they may be consciously and unconsciously reinforcing ableism, ageism, homophobia, transphobia, sexism, and other forms of oppression. The program provides tools and recommendations for dismantling these systems of oppression and promoting inclusion and equity for all people as well as recommendations for protecting human rights and dignity within mental health care.
Dr. Regina Koepp is a Stanford-trained, board certified clinical psychologist, geropsychologist, and founder and CEO of the Center for Mental Health & Aging. Dr. Koepp is a sought-after speaker and educator, and provides staff training and continuing education courses to professionals on topics surrounding mental health and aging.
She was formerly a lead psychologist at University of Vermont Medical Center, Assistant Professor at Emory University Department of Psychiatry, and psychologist at the Atlanta VA Health Care System, where she provided direct patient care and consultation on the Geropsychiatry Outpatient Mental Health team for more than a decade. During this time, Dr. Koepp also served on the VA Central Office's Geriatric Mental Health Field Advisory Committee.
She is formerly Vice Chair of the Georgia Psychological Association Ethics Committee and served on the Atlanta VA Medical Center's Ethics Committee, the Clinical Advisory Workgroup, and as chair of the Psychology Professional Standards Board for several years.
Dr. Koepp has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, Chicago Tribune, Next Avenue, AARP, and other national media outlets. She is a contributing writer at Psychology Today and Psychotherapy Networker, where she discusses mental health and aging.
Dr. Koepp earned her doctorate at the PGSP-Stanford PsyD Consortium and completed her post-doctoral fellowship at Emory University Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences where she won the Richard W. Morrell Community Commitment Award.
Financial: Regina Koepp, PSYD, ABPP is founder and owner of the Center for Mental Health & Aging (CMHA) and co-director of the CMHA CE Training Program. She serves on the board of GrayHawk Health. She received royalties from courses published with PESI, Inc.
Non-financial: Regina Koepp is a member of ASA.
Note: The CMHA CE Training Program advisory committee independently reviews Dr. Koepp's CE presentations to ensure that Dr. Koepp's presentations meet CE program requirements.
There is no commercial support or conflict of interest for this CE program, content, or sponsor.
Social Workers
Center for Mental Health + Aging, #1801, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 3/25/2026-3/25/2029. Social workers completing this course receive 18 clinical continuing education credits.
Psychologists
Center for Mental Health & Aging is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Center for Mental Health & Aging maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Counselors
Center for Mental Health and Aging (CMHA) has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7230. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Center for Mental Health and Aging (CMHA) is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
Nurses
CMHA is an approved provider by the American Psychological Association, which is recognized by the ANCC for behavioral health related activities.
Care Managers
CMHA is approved by the National Academy of Certified Care Managers (NACCM) as a continuing education provider, #21-905CMHA. This activity approved for 18 CMC contact hours
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFTs)
Center for Mental Health & Aging (CMHA), Provider #1032775, is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for California LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. CMHA maintains responsibility for this program/course and it’s contents
Center for Mental Health & Aging is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. In many state licensing jurisdictions, APA approved continuing education programs qualify for LMFT CE credits. See what your state requires here.
Great question! This certificate program is designed to elevate your expertise and open new doors of opportunity in your career as a mental health professional. Here's how:
As one of the most insightful and influential voices in mental health and aging, Dr. Koepp's unique and pro-aging approach to therapy has created a global phenomenon. As a practicing psychologist, thought leader and one of the leading experts on mental health and aging, Dr. Koepp takes you on a learning journey that will reshape how you think about aging and treat your clients. You'll be able to take away an approach that supports clients through the many complexities common with aging in a human-centered, pro-aging, and non-pathologizing way.
This 18-hour course will be released over a 5-week period. On each Monday at 9am EST, you'll receive 2-4 recorded trainings. This course will not be offered live. But, there will be 3 live Community sessions during this 5 week period.
No, this course is a hybrid bringing you the benefits of both recorded video and live components. Since training LIVE with a world-renowned expert for over 20 hours could cost thousands of dollars, this format allows you to join Dr. Koepp at a price that's accessible. The modules labelled 1 through 15 are pre-recorded video trainings. PLUS, you'll have access to 3 LIVE Community sessions where you can join Dr. Koepp and your classmates LIVE to ask questions and go deeper into the work. See schedule for video availability schedule and LIVE Community session dates.
Following purchase, you'll receive an email from "Dr. Regina Koepp- Center for Mental Health & Aging" with your receipt and another email with links to your courses (don't forget to check your spam folder).
You can always log in to your account and access all of your courses this way as well.
Any bonus courses will be available instantly.
This 18-hour course will be released over a 5-week period. On each Monday at 9am EST, you'll receive several recorded trainings. This course will not be offered live.
Great news — once you enroll, you'll have lifetime access to all course materials, so you can learn at your own pace!
The live Community Gatherings will happen via Zoom and will occur on the following Wednesdays. Live attendance is NOT required to earn CE credits, but is strongly encouraged to gain full benefits from this program.
Zoom link will be emailed to you following course purchase.
No problem. Live attendance is NOT required to earn CE credits. Each live gathering will be recorded and uploaded into your student portal, so you can watch them when convenient.
This is a limited time offer. To get access to this course and the free bonuses, you must purchase by the deadline. If you miss the deadline, we open this program 2-3 times per year.
Participants will have their participation registered through the Center for Mental Health & Aging. To earn continuing education (CE) credits you must complete the following steps for on demand/pre-recorded courses:
Certificates of completion will be emailed immediately following submission of electronic survey and also available for download in the course platform. It's that simple!
Please note: CE credits are only available following successful completion of the ENTIRE program; they are not available following each module.
All registrants will receive a displayable certificate of completion and a digital badge upon completion of course and post-test. Please note that the displayable certificate of completion indicates that you have finished the training; it does not verify your level of expertise, competency, or proficiency in the subject matter.
No. A certificate is a document issued upon the completion of a training program. It signifies that you have trained on specific skills, have knowledge in a particular subject, or as in this case, have trained with a particular individual. Certification on the other hand is a formal recognition of your expertise and competence. Certification often requires you to meet specific standards, pass rigorous exams, and many even include additional practice, consultation, supervision, and evaluations. While you will need to pass an exam, this course does not include many of these elements, nor a personal assessment of your abilities by Dr. Regina Koepp — making this a "certificate" program.
So while there are a lot of "certifications" out there — including some that are not endorsed by an actual certifying body — you need to be the judge of what adds value to your work and your ability to help your clients. This certificate does distinguish you as one of the small number of mental health and aging professionals who've trained extensively with Dr. Regina Koepp…and it's an acknowledgment that can set you apart in the eyes of clients and peers.
This 18-hour CERTIFICATE program was reviewed by licensed mental health professionals and subject matter experts who, following in-depth review of this program, agreed that this program possesses the quality, depth, and breadth of training to merit certification in the stated topic.
This program was reviewed by the following subject matter experts:
Jennifer Smith, PsyD
Dr. Jennifer Smith is a Geropsychologist and Geriatrics Psychology Program Manager. She is also an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine. She trains mental health professionals in the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Dr. Smith trains Psychology Interns and Postdoctoral Fellows in the use of Psychological Assessment. She is a graduate of the American Psychological Association Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology. Dr. Smith is a former President of the Georgia Psychological Association and a current Board Member of both the Georgia Psychological Association and the Georgia Psychological Foundation. She is the Georgia Representative for the American Psychological Association Council of Representatives. She believes being a psychologist is the best job in the world.
Vonetta Dotson, PhD
Dr. Dotson is a Professor of Psychology and Gerontology at Georgia State University, Senior Project Scientist for Behavioral Health at NASA (KBR), and Founder and President of CerebroFit Integrated Brain Health. She completed her doctoral training in clinical psychology at the University of Florida with a specialization in neuropsychology and a certificate in gerontology. She completed her postdoctoral training at the National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program. Dr. Dotson's research and clinical activities focus on positive and negative modifiers of brain health, including the intersection of depression with cognitive and brain aging.
Jennifer Steiner, PhD, ABPP
Dr. Jennifer Steiner is a board certified clinical health psychologist, founder of Beyond the Body Health Psychology Services, LLC, Co-Director of Center for Mental Health & Aging's Continuing Education Program, Adjunct Faculty at Emory School of Medicine, Board Member of the Georgia Psychology Association Board of Directors, Co-Chair of the Continuing Education Committee for Georgia Psychological Association, and Member of the Committee on Health Psychology and Integrated Practice. Dr. Steiner's research and clinical practice focuses on chronic pain and interventions for chronic pain.
Endsley Real, LCSW, MPH
Endsley Real is a licensed clinical social worker. She has over 10 years of administrative experience in directing programs for those with substance use disorders, mental illness, and those living with HIV. Ms. Real is currently Chair of the Nominating Committee for Association of Social Work Boards charged with selecting the slate for the ASWB Board of Directors. She served for 5 years on the State of Georgia Composite Board for Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapist including 2 years as the board chair. Ms. Real obtained her MSW from Clark Atlanta University in 1997 and obtained an MPH from Emory University in 2014.
Great question — and an important distinction!
The Level 1 Certificate is awarded upon completing the 18-hour continuing education training.
The Level 2 Certification is a formal professional credential that goes significantly further, requiring completion of Level 1, participation in a 5-week small group Clinical Case Consultation series, verified clinical experience with older adults, a formal application, and agreement to the Center's Professional Code of Ethics.
Think of Level 1 as building your knowledge foundation, and Level 2 as validating your clinical expertise.
This Level 2: Certification program was reviewed by subject matter experts who, following in-depth review of this program, agreed that this program possesses the quality, depth, and breadth of training to merit certification in the stated topic.
This program was reviewed and approved by the following subject matter experts:
Jennifer Smith, PsyD
Dr. Jennifer Smith is a Geropsychologist and Geriatrics Psychology Program Manager. She is also an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine. She trains mental health professionals in the use of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Dr. Smith trains Psychology Interns and Postdoctoral Fellows in the use of Psychological Assessment. She is a graduate of the American Psychological Association Leadership Institute for Women in Psychology. Dr. Smith is a former President of the Georgia Psychological Association and a former Georgia Representative for the American Psychological Association Council of Representatives. She believes being a psychologist is the best job in the world.
Vonetta Dotson, PhD
Dr. Dotson is Chief of Neuropsychology at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Research Professor of Psychology and Gerontology at Georgia State University, and Founder and President of CerebroFit Integrated Brain Health. She completed her doctoral training in clinical psychology at the University of Florida with a specialization in neuropsychology and a certificate in gerontology. She completed her postdoctoral training at the National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program.
Dr. Dotson's research and clinical activities focus on positive and negative modifiers of brain health, including the intersection of depression with cognitive and brain aging and the impact of health disparities on brain health.
To be eligible for the 5-week clinical consultation and certification, you must have earned a minimum of a master's degree in a therapy profession AND hold a state or national license as listed below:
Applicants must attest that they have completed a minimum of 100 contact hours of clinical work with older adults (age 65+) over the course of their professional career. This experience may include individual therapy, group therapy, assessment, consultation, or other direct clinical services.
The certification has four core requirements:
(1) Complete the Level 1: Mental Health + Aging Certificate Course (18 hours of didactic training)
(2) Enroll in and Apply for the Level 2 Clinical Case Consultation series — a brief application will be emailed to you following enrollment and required in order to ensure that you meet the criteria to participate in Clinical Case Consultation + Certification
(3) Successfully complete the Level 2 Clinical Case Consultation series — a 5-week, small group experience totaling 7.5 hours. Participants must attend a minimum of 4 out of 5 sessions (one absence permitted with advance notice).
(4) Submit a formal application for Certification that includes your current professional license, training completion certificates, attestation of 100+ clinical hours with older adults, and agreement to the Professional Code of Ethics.
The Clinical Case Consultation series is the heart of the Level 2 Certification — and one of the most professionally enriching aspects of this program.
You'll join a small cohort of 6–10 fellow clinicians for five consecutive 90-minute live Zoom sessions, facilitated by experienced geriatric mental health specialists. Here's an overview of the structure, expectations, and requirements.
Structure
Expectations and Requirements
All participants are expected to:
We're excited to announce our upcoming Consultation Group dates! All sessions are held on Fridays via Zoom:
📅 Session Dates: Fridays: May 15 • May 22 • May 29 • June 5 • June 12
🕐 Available Cohort Times:
To keep cohorts balanced and ensure a meaningful small-group experience, participants are assigned to a cohort based on availability. You will receive your cohort time and Zoom link after enrollment.
Participants are required to attend a minimum of 4 out of 5 sessions for Certification. One absence is permitted with advance notice. We strongly encourage full attendance, as the peer learning and case discussion that unfolds across sessions builds meaningfully over time. All sessions are held live via Zoom.
CE credits are not provided for the consultation group. However, for some disciplines in some states, consultation hours may count toward licensure requirements. A certificate of completion will be provided with successful completion of consultation which some jurisdictions may accept. You are responsible for investigating the licensure requirements for your license(s).
We recommend that you finish the Level 1 Certificate Course prior to starting the consultation.
Each participant is expected to formally present at least one clinical case involving an older adult (age 65+).
Your presentation should include background information, presenting concerns, assessment findings, diagnostic formulation, your treatment approach, and any clinical challenges or questions you're navigating. You will not need to provide a written case formulation. Simply a case for discussion.
You'll also be expected to actively participate in peer discussions, offer thoughtful feedback, and maintain strict confidentiality regarding all case material shared in the group.
The $199 application fee to obtain your Mental Health + Aging Certification is included when you enroll in Level 2 Certification/Consultation.
Wonderful — you're already well on your way! Since you've completed the Level 1 Certificate, you've fulfilled the didactic training requirement for certification. To continue your journey, you'll need to register for the Clinical Case Consultation series.
Consultation Groups are offered a couple of times per year, generally in the Spring and Fall. The best way to stay informed is to keep an eye on your email and check the Certification Overview page for upcoming group dates and enrollment windows. Spots are limited to ensure small, intimate cohorts — so when a group opens, we encourage you to enroll promptly!
Once you've completed both the Level 1 Certificate and the Level 2 Consultation series, you'll complete and submit your application through the online applicant portal.
Your application will include:
Applications are reviewed within 2–3 weeks of submission.
Upon approval, you will receive:
Your certification is valid for 2 years. To maintain it, you'll complete a straightforward recertification process that includes 8 hours of continuing education specifically related to mental health and aging, a current unrestricted professional license, a completed recertification application, and a $199 USD recertification fee.
You can find answers to all of your questions about Certification and Recertification here: https://courses.mentalhealthandaging.com/p/mha-certification-overview
You can find answers to all of your questions about Certification and Recertification here: https://courses.mentalhealthandaging.com/p/mha-certification-overview
The Mental Health + Aging Certification positions you as a recognized specialist in one of the fastest-growing and most underserved areas in mental health care. It enhances your professional credibility, distinguishes you among peers, expands your referral networks, and opens doors in healthcare settings actively seeking geriatric mental health expertise. Perhaps most meaningfully, it equips you to provide higher-quality, age-affirming care to older adults — a population that deserves nothing less.
You have 2 years from the date of completing your Level 1: Mental Health + Aging Certificate to participate in the Level 2 Clinical Case Consultation series. If more than 2 years have passed since completing Level 1, you would need to retake the certificate course before applying for certification. We want to ensure that the knowledge you bring into consultation is current, evidence-based, and fresh in your mind!
We so appreciate your dedication to serving older adults — and your experience is exactly the kind of wisdom that enriches our consultation groups! Unfortunately, completion of the Level 1: Mental Health + Aging Certificate is required before enrolling in the Level 2 Consultation/Certification series. This ensures that all participants share a common evidence-based framework, which makes for richer, more connected clinical conversations.
The good news? Many seasoned clinicians find that Level 1 both validates what they already know and fills in meaningful gaps. We think you'll find it well worth your time.
We appreciate your commitment to specialized training! Unfortunately, at this time we are only able to accept the Level 1: Mental Health + Aging Certificate Course as the qualifying didactic requirement for certification. This ensures a shared learning foundation across all certification candidates. We may revisit this policy in the future, and we'll communicate any changes through our newsletter and website. In the meantime, we invite you to explore the Level 1 course — we think you'll find it a genuinely enriching experience.
We'd love to hear from you!
Reach out to the Center for Mental Health + Aging at support@cmhaging.com or learn more about certification here:
We've actually moved away from early bird pricing so that every student gets the same fair rate from day one — no more waiting or watching for a deal!
Yes! Enrolling 3 or more people? We'd love to help. Reach out to us at support@cmhaging.com and we'll take great care of your group. 🎉
Center for Mental Health & Aging is committed to accessibility and non-discrimination in continuing education activities and will conduct all activities in conformity with the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles for Psychologists, NASW, NBCC, CAMFT, NACCM. If participants have special needs, reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate them. Please contact support@cmhaging.com with questions, concerns or to request special accommodations.
CMHA will respond to grievances in a reasonable, ethical, and timely manner. Grievances may be submitted by course participants in writing to support@cmhaging.com. CMHA's complete Grievance Procedure will be provided upon request. You may request Grievance Procedure by emailing support@cmhaging.com.
The following system requirements help to reduce tech problems:
All on demand/pre-recorded courses are backed by a 7-day money back guarantee. Please note that payments made via Credit Card have certain fees associated with them, some of which are non-recoupable and are therefore non-refundable by Center for Mental Health & Aging. Therefore, payments made by Credit Card will have a three percent (3%) credit card fee deducted from the refund. Should you have any questions regarding our refund policies, please contact support@cmhaging.com.
For additional questions email support@cmhaging.com.
Registrant is responsible for ensuring that CE credits meet the criteria for their own jurisdiction requirements.
Content and materials in this course may include interventions and modalities that are beyond the authorized practice of your profession. As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your profession's standards.