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A person sitting cross-legged on a round cushion in a room with two windows. They are wearing a gray sweater, blue jeans, and gray socks.

This training introduces 988 crisis workers to concepts of emotional overcontrol and undercontrol as frameworks for understanding caller behavior. Participants will learn to identify these temperamental styles quickly during crisis calls and apply brief, evidence-based interventions tailored to each style. The training draws on research around temperament and emotional regulation styles, while also incorporating practical skills to enhance caller engagement and crisis resolution.

What You'll Learn

After completing this training, participants will be able to...

  • Identify key characteristics of emotional overcontrol and undercontrol using DSM-5 criteria and real-world examples. 
  • Apply quick assessment techniques to determine a caller's predominant temperamental style during a crisis.
  • Utilize tailored intervention strategies to improve outcomes for callers based on their temperamental and emotional regulation style. 

What You'll Earn

Social workers completing this training will receive 3 clinical continuing education clock hours under ACE.

This training is approved for 3 CE clock hours for counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists, as well as substance use counselors in domain TR1 - treatment field related (renewals only) in the state of Ohio. 

Additional Information

Development Date: February 2025 

Target Audience: 988 crisis call line staff and other human services professionals

Content Level: Beginner

Training Outline

  • Overview of crisis call challenges and importance of temperament-based approaches
  • Emotional temperaments in crisis
    • Definitions of overcontrol and undercontrol
    • Relevant DSM-5 criteria
    • Examples of each temperament on crisis calls
  • Identifying temperamental styles in practice
    • Behavioral and verbal cues for overcontrol vs. undercontrol
    • Role of social signaling and emotional regulation
  • Brief interventions for overcontrol
    • Strategies for reducing rigid emotional control
    • Skills for fostering openness and validity
  • Brief interventions for undercontrol
    • Techniques for de-escalation and emotional containment
    • Enhancing self-regulation and problem-solving

Presenter

Jimmy Portner, LISW-S, LICDC-CS

Community Lecturer, The Ohio State University College of Social Work

Jimmy Portner, LISW-S, LICDC-CS, has been a social worker in mental health and substance use for 20 years, focusing on advancing evidence-based practices. He is accomplished in Motivational Interviewing (MI), clinical settings, teaching and research, bringing over a decade of leadership experience in the national MI VA program. A member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers, Portner has extensive expertise in the core components of MI, fidelity assessment and effective delivery methods. Portner is also a certified trainer and provider of Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO-DBT), a treatment targeting emotional overcontrol. Since 2014, he has practiced and taught RO-DBT, specializing in its application to complex, treatment-resistant cases. For over a decade, Portner has been a community lecturer at The Ohio State University College of Social Work. His professional interests include the intersection of culture and mental health, social signaling and innovative approaches to challenging conditions. Outside of work, Portner enjoys time with his wife, a fellow social worker, and their two children. He is dedicated to fostering connection and understanding, balancing leadership and mentoring with his passion for supporting the next generation of social workers.    

Continuing Education Approvals 

The Ohio State University College of Social Work provides approvals for continuing education for counselors, social workers, and marriage and family therapists that are accepted by the state of Ohio Counselor, Social Work, and Marriage and Family Therapist (CSWMFT) Board.

The Ohio State University College of Social Work has been approved by the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals (CDP) Board as a provider of Continuing Education, approval number: 50-24068.

The Ohio State University College of Social Work, (Provider: 1628), 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. The Ohio State University College of Social Work maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 4/30/25-4/30/28. Social workers completing this course will receive 3 clinical continuing education credits.

Certificates & CE Reporting 

CE certificates will be available for download in your learner portal within 1 business day after submitting the evaluation survey.

Hours for those with Ohio licenses that are submitted with the evaluation survey will be reported to CE Broker every 14 days (twice per month). 

⚠️ Note: You may only complete this training once for CE credit. You may revisit the content, but only one certificate will be issued and credit will only be reported to CE Broker one time.

Cancellations, Refunds, Grievances, Accessibility Requests & Learning 

Please visit the Policies section of our website for more information on our processes for cancellations, refunds, grievances, training completions & certificates, participant conduct, and accessibility requests and learning accommodations. 

We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. If you require an accommodation to participate in this training, please contact CSW Accessibility as early as possible and in advance of the training start date by email at csw-accessibility@osu.edu or call 614-688-1657. Requests received at least 14-days prior to the date you plan to begin a training will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the College will make every effort to meet requests that we receive regardless of lead time. 

Contact Us

For questions about the enrollment process, payment options, technology, or training records, please submit an inquiry and our Enrollment Support team will assist you within 24 hours during business days.

Submit an enrollment inquiry

If you have any questions, concerns or feedback about the training content or delivery format, please contact the CSW Office of Continuing Education at cswce@osu.edu. For questions related to the training content, our office will facilitate communication with the training instructor on your behalf and connect you, if applicable. Presenter contact information will be provided within the training for questions, feedback, or comments. 

The Ohio State University, College of Social Work, Office of Continuing Education, 302 Stillman Hall, 1947 College Road, Columbus, OH, 43210.

Phone: (614) 292-3032

Email: cswce@osu.edu 

Website: csw.osu.edu/continuing-education/  

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Enroll Now - Select a section to enroll in
Section Title
Temperament in Crisis: Understanding Overcontrol and Undercontrol in Emotional Responses
Type
Online
Dates
Jul 01, 2025 to Mar 31, 2026
Delivery Options
Course Fee(s)
Free Course $0.00
Drop Request Deadline
No drop request allowed after enrollment
Transfer Request Deadline
No transfer request allowed after enrollment
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