Professional CEU Series

*This presentation is no longer eligible for a CEU.

Why won’t they just change? This webinar is designed to help participants understand ambivalence and ways to help people choose to make healthy changes. Participants will receive a general overview of Motivational Interviewing and practical ways to help people get unstuck.

Continue reading “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” →

*This presentation is no longer eligible for a CE credit

Addiction is often referred to as a disease of isolation because the progressive nature and consequences of one’s addiction eventually result in one being isolated. However, one could contend that addiction is the result of attachment wounds that create relationship patterns that make an individual feel alone, which causes them to lean into substance use and process addictions as a way to connect and regulate their feelings of loneliness. Accordingly, the antidote to addiction is connection. In this presentation, you will learn the theoretical basis for this belief and how to change your practice to address this problem.

Presented by:
Dennis Ballinger – Clinical Director
Momenta Recovery

Dennis Ballinger is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Certified Addictions Specialist in Colorado.  He is a member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT) and an Approved Supervisor and Approved Supervisor of Supervision through AAMFT.

Dennis has over 25 years of experience providing counseling to individuals, couples, and families who are struggling with co-occurring disorders.  He has been trained and certified in a number of evidence-based practices, including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Functional Family Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Hypnosis for the treatment of Trauma, and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, in addition to many others.

Dennis has trained over 50 individuals working towards their master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy and has been a consultant to hundreds of therapists, case workers, and other professionals. He has presented on topics to other professionals and community members throughout Colorado and the Nation on issues that relate to co-occurring disorder treatment, family therapy, trauma, and attachment disorders.

*This presentation is no longer eligible for a CE credit

In this presentation, participants will embark on a transformative journey toward ethics, compliance, and leadership, drawing on the insightful research of Brene Brown. The session offers a robust exploration of strategies to proactively engage staff and mitigate burnout risks. Moreover, it equips leaders with the tools and insights needed to foster a positive organizational culture, emphasizing the importance of ethical practices and compliance within the workplace.

Presented By:

Maeve O’Neill, MEd, LPC-S, CHC, CDTLF
Circa Behavioral Healthcare Solutions

Maeve has worked in behavioral health for 35 years, the first 20 years in the Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia area, in Texas since 2006, and the last 15 years nationally with jobs covering multiple state locations. Her first ten years were in direct clinical service with all populations, ten years in program management with all settings, and the last 15 years in executive leadership with national organizations specializing in Ethics and Compliance. As a former Behavioral Health Surveyor with The Joint Commission and a long career committed to excellence, she has a passion for quality and safe care as well as happy and healthy staff. Combining all her experience and education, she most enjoys facilitating staff, team, and leadership educational support and development programs for behavioral health professionals to engage staff, empower teams, and enhance organizational culture focused on resilience, regulation, and reliability utilizing the research-based work of Brené Brown. Maeve believes this is the roadmap to prevent burnout, detect turnover, and correct cultures to ensure healthy and happy staff who are ethical and compliant to provide quality and safe care.

Most importantly, Maeve is a parent to 2 young adult children, Aidan and Delaney, who are guides and supports on the journey and inspire her the most. She currently serves as the National Compliance Director at Circa Behavioral Healthcare Solutions.

To learn more about Circa Behavioral Healthcare Solutions, visit: www.circabehavioral.com

*This presentation is no longer eligible for a CE credit

Join us to gain insight into the US’s Justice System and how we respond to mental illness and substance use disorders. We will consider: What is Justice? And how does this relate to mental illness and substance use disorder? We will inspect the numbers and what they tell us about our responses to mental illness and substance use disorder. Additionally, we will discuss what types of treatment are being integrated into the corrections system, their effectiveness, and the alternatives to incarceration. Continue reading “Justice, Treatment, and Recovery: The Intersection of Behavioral Health and the Justice System” →

*This presentation is no longer eligible for a CE credit

Recent political changes in relation to marijuana are only part of the story. The publicized and politically charged world of drug policy has undergone immense changes over the past several years, and those changes manifest not just in policy but also in the physical makeup of the cannabis plant and products derived from components of the plant. Not only has the perception of the plant changed, but the actual plant itself has undergone dramatic changes as it has been industrialized and brought into a commercial market. As public opinion has softened towards cannabis, the effects of consuming today’s marijuana remain poorly understood. With increasing acceptance, often driven by corporate interests, use has been rising steadily among all demographics. Many have grown up in settings where cannabis use is the norm and cannabis use disorder is accepted as typical behavior. Cannabis use disorder is on the rise, and the changing makeup of the plant and its derivatives makes treatment more complex and challenging. Given these realities, the need for continuing education regarding the evolution of cannabis and new forms of consumption, as well as potential downsides, is extremely important. A more holistic understanding of today’s marijuana will position us to have more relevant and potentially helpful conversations with those we serve. This conversation will be had in a respectful and nonpolitical manner, promoting sound science while considering the practical reality of discussing cannabis in 2020 with a population that genuinely believes “it’s just weed.”

Presenter:
Ben Cort – CEO
Foundry Treatment Center

Ben’s passion for recovery, prevention, and harm reduction comes from his own struggle with substance abuse. Sober since 6/15/96, Ben has been a part of the recovery movement in almost every way imaginable, from a recipient to a provider to a spokesperson.

In 2007, Ben left his position as an HR director inside of a Denver-based S&P 500 firm to help start the Colorado-based nonprofit Phoenix Multisport, now “The Phoenix”. As an original board member and then their first full-time employee, Ben was instrumental in building this organization that has received frequent national recognition for their innovative approach to building sober communities around sport and healthy activities.

In 2012, Cort joined the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH), where he ran the marketing, business development, and admissions departments for their substance abuse treatment services known as CeDAR. He left that role in 2017 to consult inside the treatment community, athletics, and organized labor. Throughout this time, Ben has remained active in the discussion around marijuana, assisting several state’s efforts to hold back.

Big Marijuana and always advocating for recovery. These efforts keep him close to the national discussion and make him a frequent guest in the media. Ben has earned a reputation as being pro-logic and recovery-oriented rather than anti-anything. Cort is considered a subject matter expert on ethical treatment practices, having written a widely adopted curriculum on the subject and frequently discussing the topic on national platforms and media. He is also utilized by professional sports leagues, clubs, and collegiate athletic programs to determine appropriate treatment for their athletes, coaches, and their families as
well as develop recovery-oriented policies.

Ben is a Jr Fellow at the University of Florida inside of their drug policy institute, a board member for NALGAP (National Association of Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Transgender Treatment Providers, and their Allies), a Board member at SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana) and faculty at numerous institutes. He is a published author (Weed Inc, HCI/Simon and Schuster 2017). His TED talk “Surprising Truths about Legalizing Cannabis” has been viewed over 2 million times. In November 2019, Ben moved from a consulting role with the Foundry Steamboat Springs to interim CEO. When not working or hanging out with his wife and three kids, Ben can be found chasing trout with his flyrod or buried deep in a book.

For More Information about Foundry Treatment Center, visit their website: Addiction & Mental Health Treatment | Foundry Steamboat (forgingnewlives.com)

Ben Cort Ted Talk – 2017

*This presentation is no longer eligible for a CE credit

When addiction wreaks havoc on a family, the entire family system needs to be addressed – not just the individual. In this presentation, Kevin Petersen, MA, LMFT and Founder of the Chronic Hope Institute, shares a step-by-step approach for working with families and helping them heal from addiction and codependency.

Continue reading “Working with Families that are Struggling with Addiction and Codependency” →

*This presentation is no longer eligible for a CE credit

This presentation will overview online forms of sexual abuse, including revenge porn, sextortion, and other forms of tech-enabled abuse. The presentation will discuss the latest trends in abuse technology, the mental health effects of being victimized online, and how psychotherapy can treat PTSD from this unique form of harm. The presenter will overview the legal climate nationwide, current psychological theory and trends, and review important research on the topic.

Presenter:
Kristen Zaleski, Ph.D., LCSW
Clinical Director
The Mental Health Collective

Kristen Zaleski, Ph.D. LCSW is a nationally-recognized author, researcher, and psychotherapist on trauma-related disorders and an expert on sexual trauma within civilian and military cultures. Dr. Zaleski is the author of two books and multiple research articles and is a consultant and trainer on trauma disorders and survivorship to entities such as Meta (Facebook) and the U.S. Department of Defense. She was a featured author and panelist at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books in 2017 & 2020. Dr. Zaleski is the Clinical Director of the Mental Health Collective after a decade-long tenure at the University of Southern California as a Clinical Associate Professor for the Suzanne Dworak Peck School of Social Work. Dr. Zaleski continues to be affiliated with USC as an adjunct professor and Founding Director of the USC Keck Human Rights Clinic, a pro-bono organization offering forensic evaluations for survivors of international human rights abuse.

For More Information about The Mental Health Collective in Newport Beach, CA, please visit: www.themhcollective.com

*This presentation is no longer eligible for a CE credit

As the co-founder of The Retreat, John Curtiss will provide a brief overview of addiction in America. He’ll provide a historical context of the founding of the Minnesota Model of Treatment and describe the trends in the addiction treatment field that ultimately led to the creation of The Retreat Model of Care 25 years ago. John will outline the key principles of The Retreat’s Caring Community model and the robust Twelve Step community that has been crucial to its success. Recovery happens in the community, and John will share how The Retreat has been shaped by the “love & service” spirit of a recovery community that exists throughout the United States and abroad. Continue reading “A Community-Based Approach to Recovery” →

*This presentation is no longer eligible for a CE credit

What would happen to our treatment outcomes if we were to treat addiction like the chronic disease we say it is? This presentation will apply lessons learned from how chronic disease is treated in integrated medical environments through the lens of medical family therapy and transgenerational and family system trauma theory. The goal will be for attendees to consider the need for a paradigm shift in how families are incorporated into the addiction treatment process. Attendees will learn about the phases of the chronic disease process and the developmental tasks for families in each phase. Dr. Barnes will discuss clinical implications and briefly introduce a family system, a family-centered clinical program for treating families struggling with addiction. The ultimate goal of this model will be to include the client in family services to create family healing and improve treatment outcomes.

Presenter:
Michael Barnes, Ph.D., MAC, LPC
Foundry Treatment Center & Michael Barnes Family Institute

Throughout the past 35 years, Dr. Michael Barnes has served as an addiction professional, program administrator, family therapist, and counselor educator. For the past three years, he has served as the Chief Clinical Officer at Foundry Treatment Center in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Before working at Foundry, Dr. Barnes was the Manager of Residential Services and Clinical Educator at the Center for Dependency, Addiction, and Rehabilitation (CeDAR) at the University of Colorado Hospital. Before that he was on the MA Program in Counseling faculty at the University of Colorado in Denver. Dr. Barnes earned his Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy at Florida State University, his M.Ed in Rehabilitation Counseling at the University of Pittsburgh, and his BA in Psychology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is a Master Addiction Professional (NAADAC), Licensed Professional Counselor (Colorado), and Diplomate in the American Association of Experts in Traumatic Stress. Dr. Barnes speaks nationally on Families, Trauma, and Addiction, Trauma Integrated Addiction Treatment, and Compassion Fatigue. His publications in books and scholarly journals have focused on secondary trauma and clinical work with traumatized family systems.

For more information about Foundry Treatment Center & Michael Barnes Family Institute, please visit: www.forgingnewlives.com

This presentation is no longer eligible for a CEU.

In this special two-hour webinar, Dr. Joanne Baum will share the benefits of using Brainspotting therapeutically with people in their recovery journey. The idea that emotional pain from traumatic events and unresolved trauma often triggers a person to use or escalate their usage is widely accepted in our field. We often bemoan the idea that we don’t have enough tools to help us help others in their healing work, especially in their trauma healing work. The subcortical area of the brain is where “trauma capsules” are housed and where the amygdala often keeps you in flight, fight, or fear so you can’t think straight. Healing on that level allows people newfound freedom to heal old wounds and develop different, healthier ways of being. We are finding that Brainspotting works on the subcortical area of the brain, and it’s very effective in healing trauma, helping people break through “being stuck,” and changing automatic, unwanted reactions into thoughtful responses title. All of these processes enhance a person’s recovery and work to prevent relapse.

Presented By:
Joanne Baum, Ph.D., LCSW, CAS
Support 4 Families

Joanne Baum, Ph.D., LCSW, CAS, has been in private practice since 1981. She is licensed in Colorado, Florida, and Indiana as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. Her Ph.D. is in Social Welfare, a multidisciplinary approach to Social Work. In addition to clinical work, Dr. Baum has taught at Central Michigan University and two community colleges in California. Joanne was a co-clinical director at the Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic Detox Project from 1981 to 1983. Joanne has written four books on Cocaine, Marijuana and two Parenting books based on her theory, “Respectful Parenting.” Dr. Baum has spoken at conferences and done training for professionals and paraprofessionals throughout the country on various subjects. She believes that all people can heal from the inside out.

Dr. Baum has been trained as a Family Mediator, a Divorce Coach, and a Certified Brainspotting Therapist.

Dr. Baum has been doing Telehealth since 2014 and finds it’s very effective in allowing people to engage in therapy from the comfort of their homes or offices. She works with individuals and couples. During her 40+ years of working, Joanne, who likes variety and learning new things, has developed a range of specialties, including 1) all aspects of Alcohol and Substance Use Disorder, including Assessments/Evaluations, Outpatient Treatment, Aftercare/Continuing Care, and Codependency, 2) Healing Trauma, 3) Brainspotting, 4) Being “Stuck” in life, in relationships, and figuring out what’s next, 5) Stress and Anxiety, 6) Working with young adults who are having trouble making the transition into “adulting” while in college and beyond college, 7) Women’s issues, 8) Various life transition, 9) LGBTQIA+ issues, and 10) Divorce Coaching. Basically, Joanne likes to work with people who want to make meaningful changes in their lives.