Connected Therapies Summit: Essential Skills for Attachment, Development, and Effective Treatment

Julia Hood

Ph.D., BCBA-D, NCSP Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Psychology

Dr. Julia Hood is a licensed psychologist and board-certified behavior analyst dedicated to helping clients achieve meaningful personal growth across a range of challenges. With a master’s and doctorate from the University of Utah, Dr. Hood brings extensive experience in outpatient, residential, and day treatment settings, specializing in evidence-based treatments for clients of all ages, particularly those with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She is also one of the published authors of Superheroes Social Skills, a social skills program researched and used internationally.

Dr. Hood combines the strategies of Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) with other evidence-based therapeutic modalities to enhance outcomes for a wide variety of behavioral health needs. Her background includes ABA for children and adults with autism, behavioral health services as a school psychologist supporting both general and special education students, and treatment for substance use disorders, ADHD, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). She is well-versed in working with individuals experiencing severe symptoms, such as aggression, self-injurious behaviors, and intellectual impairments, as well as those with more moderate needs.

Debi Gilmore

Marriage & Family Therapist, DMFT, LMFT

Dr. Debi Gilmore is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, published author, public speaker, professional educator, and co-owner of The EFT Counseling and Education Center, a mental health clinic specializing in couples therapy and clinical training and professional development. She established a business model for her clinic, which is conducive to successful expansion and independent ownership. Her clinic is focused on therapy for couples, families, and individuals, and serves as a therapist training center for students, associates, and fully licensed therapists seeking certification in EFCT, EFIT, BLC, AAMFT Supervisor certification, and skill-building in multiple areas of the counseling profession.

Debi achieved her doctorate in Marriage and Family Therapy which is considered a clinical and business degree, with a special focus on program and curriculum development, clinical skills, clinical supervision, business leadership and business development. She is author and co- developer of Building A Lasting ConnectionTM which is a relationship program being taught and used by therapists and leaders of major religions and cultures across the world.

Juergen Korbanka

Ph.D., Executive Director of Wasatch Behavioral Health

Dr. Juergen Korbanka has served as the Executive Director of Wasatch Behavioral Health, a community mental health center in Provo, Utah, since 2007. His research interests focus on evidence-based, outcome-oriented, and time-limited treatment programs, with particular emphasis on program effectiveness and treatment efficiency. Dr. Korbanka is a frequent presenter at local, statewide, and national conferences, including the Mental Health Corporations of America conference, American Counseling Association Conference, National Conference for Behavioral Health, and Utah Domestic Violence Conference. His publications include articles in Psychological Reports, the Journal for Interpersonal Violence, and Sleep. In addition, he co-authored the introductory statistics text Research and Statistics for the Social Sciences and a workbook for treating individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder and substance abuse issues.

In his clinical practice, Dr. Korbanka has extensive experience working with perpetrators of domestic violence and individuals diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. Alongside his administrative and clinical roles, he served as the Chair of the Utah Behavioral Healthcare Committee from 2007–2010 and again since 2020. His contributions to the field have earned him numerous recognitions, including the Who’s Who in America listing, the Outstanding Practitioner Award from Chi Sigma Iota, the Lifetime Achievement Award from UMHCA, and, most recently, the Utah County Person of the Year award in 2020.

Daniel J. Siegel

M.D., Founder and Director of Education at the Mindsight Institute, Founding Co-Director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA, Co-Principal Investigator of the Center for Culture, Brain and Development and clinical professor at the School of Medicine, UCLA.

Daniel J. Siegel received his medical degree from Harvard University and completed his postgraduate medical education at UCLA with training in pediatrics and child, adolescent and adult psychiatry. He served as a National Institute of Mental Health Research Fellow at UCLA, studying family interactions with an emphasis on how attachment experiences influence emotions, behavior, autobiographical memory and narrative.

Dr. Siegel’s unique ability to make complicated scientific concepts exciting and accessible has led him to be invited to address diverse local, national and international groups including mental health professionals, neuroscientists, corporate leaders, educators, parents, public administrators, healthcare providers, policy-makers, mediators, judges, and clergy. He has lectured for the King of Thailand, Pope John Paul II, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Google University, and London’s Royal Society of Arts (RSA). He lives in Southern California with his family.