US Journal Conferences

37th Annual Training Institute on Behavioral Health & Addictive Disorders

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What is the Training Institute on Behavioral Health and Addictive Disorders?

It is a premier training event, specializing in the core issues facing the mental health and the addictions field. It is where a unique combination of nationally recognized faculty address a wide variety of today’s most relevant topics. The result is a highly acclaimed national training event featuring customized training opportunities for developing new treatment strategies and the sharing of research advances for clinicians and counselors.

Program Focus and Goals

US Journal Training, Inc. and The Institute for Integral Development present an exceptional combination of inspiring speakers and trainers, addressing today’s most relevant topics. This year’s Training Institute tackles the issues of behavioral health and addictions using an integrated approach which considers the complex emotional, social and spiritual dimensions of each individual. Trauma, depression, the dynamics of shame, neuroscience and therapy, co-occurring disorders, “post-romantic stress disorder”, the mind-body connection, expertise in therapy, the brain and addiction, domestic violence, dealing with resistance, couples therapy, clients who self-harm, ethics, medical errors and other issues will be explored.

Who Should Attend?

Enjoy networking with those working in the areas of:

• Mental Health
• Addictions Counseling
• Marriage and Family Therapy
• Psychology
• School Counseling
• Registered Nursing
• Courts and Corrections
• Prevention
• Employee Assistance
• Pastoral Counseling
• And Other Fields

Sunday February 21

5:30 - 7:30pm

Early Conference Registration at Hilton

Monday February 22

8:50am    Opening and Welcome

9:00–10:00am

Understanding and Treating Trauma
    Patrick DeChello, PhD

Internationally recognized clinical social worker, clinical psychologist, and chemical dependency treatment specialist with well over 30 years of experience. He is the author of 29 books and numerous articles in the mental health and chemical dependency fields, featured in numerous publications and author of Treating Trauma in Children and Adults, Personality Disorders, and Understanding Self-Injury.

Very few things can affect an individual as much as being a victim of trauma. The results can be changes in neurochemistry, behaviors that are designed to numb or avoid re-experiencing the trauma such as substance abuse, obsessive compulsive behaviors, PTSD, anxiety or a host of other psychological problems. Current research indicates that clients may have experienced a trauma which later becomes manifest in a myriad of  pathologies such as addictions to drugs and  alcohol, food, sex, self-injury and many more. This session will explore this and briefly review  effective treatment strategies

10:00–10:30am       Refreshment Break      

10:30–11:30am    

The Brain Fix: Using  Neuroscience as a  Metaphor for Recovery
    Ralph Carson, PhD

Executive Director of FitRx, Ralph Carson has been involved in the clinical aspects of nutrition, obesity and eating disorders for over 30 years. He is a board member of the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals and author of The Brain Fix: What’s The Matter with Your Gray Matter?.

With a “fixed” brain, you can improve your quality of life by thinking more clearly, enjoying a sharper memory, feeling happier and less stressed and  being in control of your habits. This presentation takes on the challenge of explaining how your diet provides the much needed ingredients for maintenance and repair, and will reveal the latest breakthroughs that nutritional science has to offer in accelerating and providing a more permanent recovery.

11:30–12:30pm

Trust the Process
    Andrea Barthwell, MD, FASAM

Founder and Director at Two Dreams Outer Banks, Dr. Barthwell served as Deputy Director for Demand Reduction at Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).  She received her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Michigan. Following post-graduate training she began her practice in the Chicago area.  Dr. Barthwell served as President of the Encounter Medical Group, is a Past President of The American Society of Addiction Medicine and Chief Medical Officer of The Manor.
NIDA has defined the elements of treatment but many new behavioral health programs resist adoption of these scientifically derived principles. This presentation will compare and contrast two treatment processes that focus on disparate  outcomes. Our goal should be informing a comprehensive bio-psycho-social-spiritual-emotional assessment which is used to develop actionable treatment plans aimed at producing resilient, sustained recovery.

2:00–3:30pm   CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS

Problem Solving Theatre
    Meg Givnish, PhD

A nationally recognized clinician, teacher, trainer and motivational speaker, she was among the first professionals to be certified as a Trainer, Educator and Practitioner by the American Board of Examiners in Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama, training directly under Dr. J. L. Moreno, the founder of psychodrama. From 1981 to 1983, she served as President of the Moreno Institute, an organization that has helped individuals from all over the world learn about Psychodrama. In 1980, she created the Problem-Solving Theater Troupe. She was also featured in “When Hopes Become Despair”, an award-winning documentary on teen suicide, and received an Emmy for her work on the special “What Will We Do about Momma?” of which she was the writer, director and narrator.  She is Executive Director for Clinical Development for Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches.
In this performance of the Problem Solving Theatre our troupe of Therapeutic Thespians will dramatize special challenges inherent in the treatment of “The Celebrity”, “The Sports Star” and “The  Financial Success!”

You will be able to identify interesting adaptations of defense mechanisms as well as to uncover your own“counter transference”as each scene develops.  The Problem Solving Theatre is an audience participation adaptation of the therapeutic techniques of Psychodrama which was developed by Dr. J. L. Moreno, and is an  important therapeutic modality in the treatment of addictions and other behavioral health problems. This is therapeutic, improvisational drama with a purpose and a solution.

Progress, Not  Perfection- Principles of Process-Driven Care
    Andrea Barthwell, MD, FASAM

If one searches online for treatment, or for any number of treatment-related keywords, the modern consumer will see intense competition for the public’s attention.  This workshop will focus on what the licensed clinician can do on the “NOW” (no other way) within the treatment setting. Elements include declaring your intention, setting your direction, and putting truly individualized treatment plans into action, allowing clinicians to work with personal integrity and expect progress, though not perfection, in efforts to provide excellent clinical care. The workshop will highlight those best practices with a focus on assessment for treatment planning, delivery of treatment services for outcomes, transition management for stability and resilience, and monitoring for success.

Advances in Treating Co-occurring Disorders
    Patrick DeChello, PhD

Skills in both the mental health and the substance abuse areas are required to be able to successfully navigate the treatment arena of dual diagnosed clients. Systems issues, program design, clinician orientation and client motivation all play a significant part in treatment.

Food and Mood: When Food and Eating is a Problem in Life
    Ralph Carson, PhD

Many emotions and behaviors are tied into the eating disorder patient’s relationship with food. This presentation deals with the neurophysiological basis of how trigger foods control a persons life to the point it takes on characteristics of an obsession or even an addiction. A recommended intervention plan will be covered as well.

What’s your measure?
Understanding The Importance of KPI’s (Key Performance Indicators)
(This session is not offered for CE Credit)
    William McCormick, MBA

Chief Executive Officer of Medivance Billing Service based in Ft Lauderdale, FL. He is a highly experienced healthcare professional with comprehensive skills in strategic planning, sales, operational management and implementation.

Throughout the Behavioral Healthcare industry, treatment providers and successful organizations are not only finding ways to ensure they have robust finances, they’re also attracting the interest of investors looking to help them grow their operations. Staying on top of your key performance indicators will be an important factor to your program’s success.
Join Medivance Billing Service CEO, William McCormick as he  discusses KPI’s  and other relevant issues facing providers of all stripes in mental health, substance use, and eating disorder treatment organizations: residential treatment centers, IOP settings, sober living homes, and private practices, among others.

3:30 -4:00pm    Refreshment Break  

4:00–5:30pm     CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS

Eating Disorders— Separating the Person from the Disease
    Vicki Berkus, MD, PhD

Remuda Ranch at The Meadows Medical Services Advisor. She serves as a consultant, supervisor, program developer, speaker, and general advocate for Remuda Ranch. Dr. Berkus specializes in adolescent and adult psychiatry, eating disorders full spectrum, and sports psychiatry. She has served as president of the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (iaedp), holds eating disorders certification (CEDS) through iaedp and is a current board member and head of the iaedp education committee.

We will examine the state-of-the-art treatment options and biggest challenges with eating  disorders. Participants will learn what to do with their “dual diagnosis” patients and learn that there is seldom just one diagnosis. The “hands-on”  approach to therapeutic options will give participants some tools to use in their practice.

The Heart Connection—Relationship Medicine Bag
    Mary Faulkner, MA

A pioneer in the field of mind and body healing as a teacher and psychotherapist in private practice for the last 25 years. Currently, Mary is Director of Women’s Programming at Integrative Life Center in Nashville. She has published several books in the field of religion and spirituality.

    Lee McCormick

Lee McCormick is co-founder of Integrative Life Center, and founder of Spirit Recovery Inc., which produces recovery conferences, Sacred Journeys, workshops and other personal growth experiences. Author of Spirit Recovery Medicine Journal and Spirit Recovery Medicine Bag (with Mary Faulkner). He is executive director of Dreaming Heaven, a documentary on spiritual awakening, and co-creator of Dreaming House in Teotihuacan, Mexico, a group retreat center at the foot of the pyramids.

Addiction is a disease of isolation, characterized by damaged belief in self and a long string of broken relationships. It is identified as a primary cause of addiction. Recovery begins by learning how to love one’s self. While that is a noble intention, few of us have a good plan for assisting clients  in accomplishing it. Healing requires a careful  exploration of relationship patterns. Our heart holds the key. The Relationship Medicine Bag becomes the container for our heart’s truth transforming relations with self, others and with life. Through the use of symbol and ceremony participants will experience the transforming power of their Relationship Medicine Bag to heal the heart —a helpful tool for your healing work.

Rules and Values— Essential Elements of the Blue Print of Success!
    Dug McGuirk

Dug McGuirk is an accomplished entrepreneur, musician, producer and inspirational speaker. Having run his own production company for 10 years, he toured the United States as musician and a top speaker/trainer for Tony Robbins.  He was a contributing author in the book Multiple Streams of Inspiration and is a Master Practitioner and Trainer of NLP (neuro linguistic programming) and certified in Neo Ericksonian Hypnosis.  He is Vice President of Training and Development for Palm Healthcare in Delray Beach, Florida.  

This workshop will involve participants in a discussion in what a “blue print” is in reference to the human model of the world.  We will discuss and elicit issues regarding “Toward” and“Away”values while having the group generate their own hierarchy of these values.  The group be able to list and compare rules for achieving these values and write new rules congruent with desired outcomes.

Assessment of Risk, Self-Destructive Behaviors and Suicidality
    Patrick DeChello, PhD

This workshop will provide clinicians with an overview of the necessary tools to perform accurate and effective mental status examinations and suicide  assessments. A review of four major mental status  assessment methods—observations, conversation, exploration and testing—will be covered.

Developing a Comprehensive  Digital Marketing Plan: Avoiding Ethical Pitfalls, Generating Valid and Relevant Research Data, and Creating a Transparent Marketing Mix (This session is not offered for CE Credit)
    Ruchi M. Sanghani, MA

Holds a Master’s degree in Bioethics with a concentration in health care research ethics. Her previous work includes research at The Cleveland Clinic Department of Bioethics, as well as research at Harvard University, where she served as a Research Ethics Fellow. She is an expert in quantitative methodologies with extensive experience in utilizing survey tools to increase  efficiency. She currently serves as Director of Research at Recovery Brands, She oversees the development and implementation of research investigations to synthesize meaningful and relevant analyses for public consumption to aid in the decision-making process of those seeking addiction treatment.

    Melanie Haber, MA
Vice President of Brand Development at Recovery Brands, where she develops and executes strategic projects and partnerships with industry collaborators in order to elevate the caliber of digital resources available to professionals and individuals seeking addiction treatment information. Prior to joining Recovery Brands, she developed and ran The Helpline for TheFix.com, where she supported thousands struggling with addiction in their quest to find help, and worked as a therapist for several years at Trenton Psychiatric Hospital.  She holds a Master’s degree in Creative Arts Therapy.

In this workshop, attendees will learn how to develop a robust and comprehensive digital marketing strategy. Attendees will first learn to identify ethical dilemmas in digital marketing, and how to avoid these pitfalls. Then, the speakers will provide a detailed overview on how to collect high quality research data to be used as part of your marketing mix. Finally, strategies for combining research findings with other traditional, high-impact marketing techniques will be shared for  attendees to learn to create their own marketing mix.

5:30pm    Monday Evening

Reception and Networking Overlooking the Beach

7:00pm –8:30pm

Film Showing and Lecture   (Not offered for CE Credit)
An American Epidemic— Kids are Dying
    Michael DeLeon Director/Producer

Founder of ‘Steered Straight,’ which offers drug intervention and education services, has received national acclaim for documentaries chronicling drug addiction across the nation. He will present vignettes and stories from his latest work, “American Epidemic,” which chronicles his interviews with hundreds of addicts across the nation.
Parts of this film were shot on location in Florida, featuring Floridian families who are suffering the consequences of physician narcotic overprescribing that has included opioid poisoning (OD) and death. Following the segments, Barbara Theodosiou, President of “Addict’s Mom,” will provide powerful personal testimony.

Finding Me—The Art of Coming Home
    Temple Hayes

Spiritual trailblazer for our time. After a traumatic youth filled with alcoholism, drugs and fear, she built a seemingly successful professional career in the corporate world. Temple joined the ministry in 1991, and is now the spiritual leader at Unity Campus in St. Petersburg, Florida, revered internationally, and a key member of the Leadership Council of the Association of Global New Thought. Her most recent book, When Did You Die? (HCI Books) is anchored in her work to accelerate people of all ages, who she deems to be ‘dying’  every day, to the impassioned and energized living they want and deserve.

Tuesday February 23

8:00–8:45am        Continental Breakfast

9:00–10:00am

Do You Believe in  Post-Traumatic Strength?
    Pat Love, EdD

Known for her warmth, humor, and practical, research based wisdom. Distinguished professor, licensed marriage and family therapist and long-standing clinical member and approved supervisor in American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and served as President of the International Association for Marriage and Family Counseling. Pat has authored/co-authored six books including Never Be Lonely Again: The Way Out of Emptiness, Isolation and a Life Unfulfilled, and her most recent book You’re Tearing Us Apart: Several Ways to Wreck a Relationship and Strategies to Fix Them, and numerous professional articles.

Do you believe in the power of post-traumatic strength as well as post-traumatic stress? Either way, your clients are likely to prove you right. Helping clients move beyond their history is vital to positive therapy outcome. Learn to identify and encourage healthy coping strategies in the clinical setting.

10:30–11:30am

Brief Strategic  Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
    Reid Wilson, PhD

Director of the Anxiety Disorders Treatment Center and Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine; author/co-author of Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents: 7 Ways to Stop the Worry Cycle and Raise Courageous and Independent Children; Don’t Panic: Taking Control of Anxiety Attacks; Facing Panic and Stop Obsessing: How to Overcome Your Obsessions and Compulsions. Recipient in 2014 of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America’s Jerilyn Ross Clinician Advocate Award.

The cutting-edge anxiety treatment is now pushing further into the confrontational. You will learn a persuasive strategy, built out of whole cloth within the first session, which will help clients find the courage and motivation to purposely seek out anxiety as their ticket to freedom from crippling fear. Practical methods enable clients to ignore the content of their worries and to explore the feeling of uncertainty rather than fleeing from it.

11:30–12:30pm

Resisting Change,  Changing Resistance: Techniques from the  Precursors Model
    Fred Hanna, PhD

Professor in the Department of Counseling at Adler University, Chicago, Illinois and also currently serves as a Faculty Associate at Johns Hopkins University. He has held positions on the editorial boards of six scholarly journals and has published a wide range of professional articles. His research interests have focused on developing the Precursors Model of Change. Fred has also developed and published many innovative clinical techniques aimed at positive change for aggressive adolescents, addicted clients, suicidal clients, victims of personal and cultural oppression, and criminal personalities. Author of the book, Therapy with Difficult Clients: Using the Precursors Model to Awaken Change.

Graduate schools typically do not teach courses that address how to approach involuntary, highly resistant and defiant clients. The Precursors Model offers a host of innovative and immediately applicable techniques that soften resistance and converts unwilling clients into those who willingly engage in counseling. This can often be done in one session. Over a dozen strategies and techniques are offered. You know about the  defense mechanisms. The precursors are the  offense mechanisms of change.

2:00–3:30pm     CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS

If Einstein Did Psychotherapy
    Pat Love, EdD

How would one of the most brilliant minds approach the process of psychotherapy? Would he “spend 55 minutes thinking about the problem and only 5 minutes thinking about solutions?” And if he did, might this process lead to more positive outcomes in therapy?  Clearly Einstein would not try to “solve the problems in the state in which they were created,” so should we make sure we are not doing the same? This workshop presents a succinct model for defining desired client goals and strategies for creating problem solving states.

 
Resilience and the Healing Power of Story
    Kathleen Parrish, MA, LPC, and Tanya Lauer, MC, LPC

Kathleen is Clinical Director at Cottonwood de Tucson with 20 years of experience, including seven years of professional service in the areas of clinical supervision and administration; Tanya is a primary therapist for the Adult Unit at Cottonwood de Tucson where she facilitates individual and group therapy sessions.

Many clients suffer from the effects of trauma and PTSD. At any age, PTSD can also co-occur with many other problems, including depression, low self-esteem, substance use disorders, struggles with interpersonal relationships and self-harm behavior. Clinicians must understand the underlying negative beliefs that often complicate trauma  recovery in clients. This workshop will review  recent changes to diagnostic criteria for PTSD and will examine evidenced-based interventions in the treatment of trauma. Further, it will provide strategies to support trauma survivors in telling and transforming their story as they reclaim personal identity and integrity.

No Worries! Strategies for Generalized Anxiety
    Reid Wilson, PhD

This session will explore the fundamental structure of worry—how it ignores data that isn’t negative, how it squeezes out room for corrective information, and how it gives rise to erroneous  beliefs. Stemming from this knowledge, participants will learn a set of therapeutic strategies based on the latest research.

NEUROSCIENTIFIC  PATHWAYS TO RECOVERY: Forming New Neural  Pathways for the Purpose of Tuning into Larger Eco-fields  
    Will Taegel, PhD

Dean of the Wisdom Graduate School of Ubiquity University. In his three decades of the practice of psychotherapy, he co-created a model of Wisdom Recovery based on neuroscience, eco-physics, and eco-psychology. Dr. Taegel integrates his Native American tribal background with ancient wisdom and the newer sciences. He is author of numerous books and professional articles, but is best known for down-to-earth experiences of love and transformation.  

In this learning experience we will explore an emerging recovery paradigm based on forming neural pathways through the physical and energetic body/mind/soul. Along the way we will look at a 2.0 understanding of the addictive urge as a neural longing for wholeness. We will then look at cleansing the traumatic and vulnerable aspects of our interiors as initial steps toward a return to the larger system of eco-fields. The first half of our time will be didactic and the second half experiential. Together, we will aspire to a fresh map of recovery and open ourselves to an experience of purification of the toxicity inherent in the therapeutic process.  Fresh neural pathways lead to deep compassion for ourselves and an opening to larger possibility.

Distinguishing Quality  Client-Centric Providers and How that May Play into Payer Behaviors­—in Florida’s Ground Zero and the World
(This session is not offered for CE Credit)

The new legislation presents challenges for certification and accreditation as a basis for distinguishing quality client-centric ethical providers in the unique Florida landscape. In the midst of fast-moving changes in the nation’s healthcare agenda, and with so much tumult in the business machinations of the SUD (substance use disorder) industry, these events at USJT conferences provide an invaluable guide to a world where long-term, sustainable recovery is supported.

4:00–5:30pm CONCURRENT WORKSHOPS

20 Strategies and  Techniques for Counseling Difficult, Defiant Clients
    Fred Hanna, PhD

This program is all about techniques and strategies, delivered to the audience one after the other in a highly useful format. Many memorable, moving stories are included that illustrate the use of the techniques. The emphasis is on what a counselor can do sooner rather than later.

Loneliness: The Hidden Ingredient in Relationships, Recovery and Real-life Contentment
    Pat Love, EdD

Clients rarely come for help citing loneliness as the primary problem yet this issue may just be the true elephant in the living room. Presentation takes a comprehensive look at the underlying issues of loneliness; five different types of loneliness and practical strategies for recovery and life contentment.

The Logic and Power of Self-Talk Cues During Performance
    Reid Wilson, PhD

Taking advantage of our ever-present inner dialogue, we can help clients alter their self-talk in a way that transforms their relationship with any intimidating performance. By activating “approach” emotions and an opportunity-mindset clients can decrease fear and improve performance. This protocol eliminates one significant step in the typical treatment process, since it is arousal congruent: the client does not need to shift their anxiety down before they step forward.

Prevention of Medical Errors in Behavioral Health
(Please note this ME session will extend until 6:00 pm for those who need to meet Licensure Requirements)
    Margot Escott, LCSW

Clinical Social Worker in private practice in Naples, FL with 30 years’ experience in diverse behavioral treatment areas including addiction, psychiatric and forensics.
The purpose of this updated course is to satisfy the requirement of the Florida law and provide all licensed mental health professionals with information regarding the root cause analysis process, error reduction and prevention, and patient safety. Specific topics include “compassion fatigue” and the impaired professional.

Urine Drug Testing in Addiction Medicine Panel Discussion: A New Paradigm to Improve Outcomes and Reduce Costs
(This session is not offered for CE Credit)

This presentation will discuss and recommend guiding principles to best comply with the health care law and focus on best practices in medical, clinical and business guidelines for sustainable drug testing with all essential elements to data analytics. It will also explore the science of various legal doctrines under which a practitioner may face civil and criminal liability for fraudulent practices in Urine Drug Testing (UDT), including the False Claims Act and federal and state anti-referral and kickback laws, and identify—with a focus on recent developments in Florida—on common UDT arrangements of questionable legality.

7:00–8:30pm      Tuesday Evening

ECO-FIELD RECOVERY: Tuning Into Nature’s Resources for Becoming Whole
    Will Taegel, PhD

Is it possible that the eco-systemic fields in which we live are interested in our recovery?  If so, how can we tune into those resources and vested interest in our evolutionary consciousness? Here is where the eco-field scientist and shamanic worker create specific interventions that can assist us.  Within the confluence of Thought Field Therapy, EFT, Heart Reconnection Therapy, Ecodrama, and the primordial medicine wheel is a sea of possibility.  In this learning experience we spend part of our time constructing a map of this possibility and then diving deep into the actual experience of this tuning into these fields as treatment for clients and renewal of ourselves.