Creating a New Normal: A Transgenerational Approach to Helping Families Heal

*This presentation is no longer eligible for the 1 CE credit*

This presentation defines secondary trauma and identifies immediate and long-term systemic changes seen within traumatized families. It will present a transgenerational view of how addiction and trauma can be transferred between generations and how these factors impact family functioning. Finally, attendees will learn simple engagement strategies and techniques to better assess and treat secondary trauma within families.

Presenter: Dr. Michael Barnes

Dr. Mike Barnes studied Psychology at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, receiving his Masters of Education in Rehabilitation Counseling at the University of Pittsburgh. He earned a PhD in Marriage and Family Therapy at Florida State University. Dr. Barnes is a Nationally Certified Master Addiction Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor in Colorado. He is a member of NAADAC: The Association for Addiction Professionals and the International Association of Family Addiction Professionals.

Dr. Barnes’ area of clinical and research interest has been on the impact of traumatic events on family system functioning. At Florida State he completed his dissertation on the “Secondary Trauma of Parents of Children Who Experienced an Injury that Required Critical Care Treatment on a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU).” He has written numerous scholarly articles and chapters in academic textbooks to expand counselor understanding of family trauma and how best to treat this issue. Over the years, Dr. Barnes has recognized that the family members of addicted individuals are required to live through a number of traumatic and life-threatening situations that are so often a part of an active addiction.