Iowa Mental Health Counselors Association 11th Annual Conference
The Well-Rounded Practitioner: Integrating Facets of Mental Health
Holiday Inn Des Moines – Airport Conference Center Hotel; 6111 Fleur Drive, Des Moines, IA 50321 May 4, 2017 – May 5, 2017
This is a brief description of all available breakout sessions at the conference.
For a full description with learning objectives and the biography of presenter(s) Breakouts (full) >>
Please Note: In past years we have given a Legislative Update at our board meeting (during lunch the first day of the conference). This year we are offering a 3-hour Legislative Update Breakout Session (split into two 90-minute sessions). This Legislative Update replaces the update at the board meeting. If you are interested in a legislative update please register for session 2A and session 3A on Thursday.
DAY ONE: Thursday, May 4, 2017
8:45 am – 12:00 pm Breakout Session #1 (3 hours)
Session 1A: Challenges and Changes for Mental Health Counselors in the 21st Century: An Ethical Perspective
Presenter: Darcie Davis-Gage, Ph.D.
Program Description: Mental health counselors are providing services in an ever-changing 21st century. To remain an ethically sound practitioner, counselors must continue to gain knowledge and adapt to these changes. Advances in neuroscience, increase use of social media, changes in technology; emerging specialties, and emphasis on self-care and wellness all impact services provided by counselors. This interactive presentation will explore these advancements and connections to current ACA ethical standards of practice. This counts toward required ethics CE hours for LMHC’s.
Session 1B: Practical Approaches to Treating the Sexual Predator
Presenter: Mathew Royster, MA, LMHC
Program Description: This presentation will focus on the treatment of sexual offenders. It will address aspects of the therapeutic relationship including how it differs from normal therapeutic relationships. The presentation will address offender characteristics of manipulation and how to identify when you, as the counselor, are being manipulated. It will also describe your boundaries as a therapist and what is and what is not appropriate to disclose. The presentation will focus on your interactions with the offender and how to build a healthy therapeutic relationship so together you can prevent future victimization.
Session 1C: An Introduction to Clinical Behavior Analysis
Presenter: Susan Smith, MA, LMHC, BCBA
Program Description:
Clinical Behavior Analysis differs from other approaches to psychotherapy in that it places strong emphasis on the contextual variables which influence human behavior including a functional approach to “private events” such as thoughts, emotions, and urges to active impulsively. This presentation will provide an introduction to clinical behavior analysis including sample activities/strategies from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy/Training (ACT), and Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) that have utility for a wide variety of clinically relevant behaviors. A brief introduction to Relational Frame Theory (RFT) will also be provided, including samples of how therapists could use RFT within sessions.
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm: Breakout Session #2 (90 minutes)
Session 2A: Legislative Update – Part 1
Presenters: Joel Miller, MS Ed; Emily Piper; Kacey Peterson, MS, LMHC; Kenneth Cameron, MA, LMHC
Program Description: This session will highlight legislation and policy issues related to recognition of the mental health counseling profession at the federal and state levels. Participants will be informed of current legislation, discuss the potential impact of that legislation on the profession and future public policy agendas, and identify areas for advocacy action.
Session 2B: Through the Eyes of Our Clients: Creating Safe Spaces for LGBTQ Individuals
Presenters: Joby Holcomb, LMHC, CADC; Jenn Ungs, LMSW; Tricia Yavitz, LMHC, IADC
Program Description: In this interactive workshop, participants will gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences of LGBT+ individuals in different behavioral health settings including mental health therapy. Learners will be provided a history of the unique struggles and victories that LGBT+ individuals have faced throughout the last fifty years in order to gain a better understanding of the ongoing need for emotional and physical safety within the healthcare system, especially from mental health providers. This course will not only provide participants a basic understanding of the formation of subcultures within different LGBT+ populations, but also assist individuals in identifying, understanding and challenging their own values, beliefs and stereotypes that affect therapeutic relationships. From the initial phone call to intake paperwork, learners will understand the “language” of safety for LGBT+ clients.
Session 2C: The Silent Epidemic: Screening for Brain Injury
Presenters: June Klein-Bacon, BSW, CBIS; Geoffrey Lauer, MA
Program Description: Brain Injuries are often referred to as a “silent epidemic”. Symptoms are not always immediately evident and our general public has limited knowledge about the diagnosis. What we know as professionals working in the field is that brain injury appears to be more and more prolific. Awareness of brain injury symptomology, identification of brain injury history and working across multi-disciplinary teams to support survivors, caregivers and professionals to address treatment approaches may be key to increasing success. This session will provide a review of the HELPS brain injury-screening tool. Attendees will hear statistics of women screened at a residential facility in the First Judicial District as the tool is reviewed. Attendees will also learn about services and programs available through the Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa.
3:15 pm – 4:45 pm Breakout Session #3 (90 minutes)
Session: 3A: Legislative Update – Part 2
Duration: 1.5 Hours (1.5 CEs) Note: This is a continuation from session 2A
Presenters: Joel Miller, MS Ed; Emily Piper; Kacey Peterson, MS, LMHC; Kenneth Cameron, MA, LMHC
Session 3B: Risk Assessment for Determining Suicidality
Presenter: Carol Hinman, PhD, LMHC, CCMHC, DCMHS, RPT-S
Program Description: The American Association for Suicidology’s Core Competencies for the Assessment and Management of Individuals at Risk for Suicide is the most researched, most empirically based document for guiding the counselor’s use of Risk Assessment. This presentation will focus on the process of conducting an effective risk assessment considering the American Association for Suicidality’s Core competencies
Session 3C: Healing Adverse Life Experiences Through EMDR Therapy
Presenter: Amy Terrell, MS, LMHC
Program Description: This session will introduce participants to EMDR Therapy and its effectiveness for clients with adverse life experiences. The development of EMDR Therapy along with an overview of the Adaptive Information Processing Model will be shared. A major component will be how EMDR Therapy can help clients with Adverse Life Experiences. Learning will be enhanced through case examples and video demonstration.
Session 3D: Misophonia: The Hatred of Sound
Presenter: Matthew Manz: MDiv, MS, NCC, tLHMC
Program Description: Misophonia (the hatred of sound) is a condition that refers to patients who have a marked sensitivity to certain sounds deemed offensive by the patient. Sounds identified as being offensive vary from patient to patient, but may share some commonalities such as being repetitive and percussive in nature. Patients find themselves getting enraged time and time again at the offenders who may be family members or close friends/coworkers. Limited research has been conducted regarding this fairly new condition; however, some treatments exist similar to those for other sound sensitivity conditions. This seminar will discuss treatments currently in use, progress toward establishing diagnostic criteria and inclusion in future editions of the DSM/ICD, and the experience of self-identified patients.
DAY TWO: Friday, May 5, 2017
8:45 am – 12:00 pm (10:00 am – 10:15 am Break): Breakout Session #1 (3 hours)
Session 1A: Resistance in Psychotherapy: An Integrative Approach
Presenter: Dr. Carlos Canales, Psy.D., CGP
Program Description: The popular concept of resistance is used in psychotherapy to describe any force, conscious or non-conscious, against the idealized path of treatment. Typically, it is the client or group of clients who hold back from accepting truth or from relating in more productive ways but sometimes it is the therapist who is not able to contain, connect, or support an experience. One cannot decide not to be resistant any more than one can decide not to sneeze. Resistance is an inevitable process that must be respected and worked through. This workshop proposes that where secure attachment is cultivated, individual and group resistance to emotional communication and immediacy decrease. Theoretical frames will be presented followed by a group demonstration.
Session 1B: How Grief and Trauma Affect Children
Presenter: Sasha J. Mudlaff, M.A.
Program Description: This session will begin by discussing in general developmental considerations of children who are grieving. We will then look specifically at the unique effects that trauma, violence and other sudden deaths have on children’s grief reactions and how we can best support these grieving children.
Session 1C: SafeZone: Enhancing LGBTQ Alliances
Presenters: Jacalyn McCarville, LMHC; Anita J Van Dyke, LMHC, CADC, NCC
Program Description: The Gay Alliance’s SafeZone program strives to develop, enhance and maintain environments in workplaces, schools and other social settings that are culturally competent and supportive to LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) individuals, as well as straight, cisgender people who care about diversity, equality and inclusion. Creating SafeZones is a proactive step that schools, agencies and corporations can take to create welcoming, inclusive spaces, empowering all people to reach their full potential. This course will help educate, inform and create more welcoming and inclusive communities for LGBTQ individuals.
1:00 pm – 2:30 pm: Breakout Session #2 (90 minutes)
Session 2A: Iowans With Disabilities: An Impossible Reality
Presenters: Tracy Keninger, MS, CRC, ATP; Joe Hogan
Program Description:
Iowans with disabilities experience an increased rate of mental health concerns exacerbated by barriers to health and wellness. The rate of co-occurring diagnosis of physical, intellectual, and emotional disabilities has been recognized as a disparity; it will require an approach that is both collaborative and individualized to positively impact this disparity. This presentation will review the national and state level data demonstrating the disparity. The presenters will share results of the Community Health Inclusion Index (CHII), conducted by Easter Seals Iowa. In response to the barriers, two organizations will share their collaborative efforts to impact the existing disparity.
Session 2B: Expanding Your Tool Kit with Four Essential Screening Instruments
Presenters: Jenny Wagstaff, PhD, LPC; Dr. Eran Hanke, PhD, LMHC
Program Description: The process of screening is essential to identify individuals who are at risk for substance use disorders. This presentation will introduce participants to four essential screening instruments that should be included in their tool kit. Specifically, the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), Drug Abuse Screen Test (DAST – 10), Rutgers Alcohol Problem Index (RAPI) and CAGE will be reviewed. In addition, the process of conducting a brief intervention and making a referral to treatment will be modeled. Those who attend this presentation can expect a highly interactive session and access to resources that can be utilized in their work setting.
Session 2C: Multicultural Hot Topics
Presenters: Krista M. Brittain, Psy.D. and Evan Cameron, B.A.
Program Description:
This is an engaging, highly interactive presentation experience to review and explore issues of diversity in our work as mental health professionals. First, the presenters will address literature by reviewing ethical standards for competency across various disciplines. Presenters will also introduce and discuss intersectionality, privilege, systemic barriers to treatment, and how we navigate these as clinicians and professionals. Next, we will engage in exploration of the process of Location of Self (Watts-Jones, 2010), and participants will be guided through exercises aimed at encouraging them to engage in self-reflection and introspection. In the final phase of the presentation experience, participants will engage in small- and whole-group conversation related to topics generated by participants, to practice rich, vulnerable conversations related to diversity with other professionals.
2:45 pm – 4:15 pm Breakout Session #3 (90 minutes)
Session 3A: Finding Your Purpose as the Pathway to Successful Addiction Treatment
Presenters: Tracy Keninger, MS, CRC, ATP; Joe Hogan
Program Description:
Iowans with disabilities experience an increased rate of mental health concerns, often exacerbated by addictions. The recidivism rate is high suggesting that many existing drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs are not as successful as we desire. This presentation will discuss a unique, individualized peer to peer approach to assist individuals to find their passion and purpose for life and when doing so, how this purpose and passion becomes the cornerstone of their rehabilitation treatment plan. Joe Hogan will share his personal journey to recovery and how finding his purpose supports his sobriety.
Session 3B: Integrating Peer Support Specialists in Mental Health Recovery
Presenters: Joel Lightcap, CC, LMHC, LPC; Todd Noack; Michelle Zuerlein, BSW, MPA, CPRP
Program Description: This presentation will describe Peer Support from training to implementation. It will be an overview of the importance of having a Peer Support Specialist integrated into your treatment /Recovery team. Todd Noack provides Peer Support training and will discuss the Roles and Responsibilities of this profession. Michelle Zuerlein will present the essentials of integrating the Peer Workforce into any service including therapy. Joel Lightcap will present the advantages of Peer Support when linked with therapy including the team development during monthly counseling sessions where the patient and PSS use part of the session to review the peer support interactions.
Session 3C: Iowa Child Welfare: A Critical Partnership
Presenter: Wendy Rickman, MSW, LISW
Program Description: This session will outline core practices, policies, and procedures approved by the Iowa Department of Human Services related to safety, permanency, and the general well-being of children and families served throughout Iowa. Emphasis will be placed on enhancing the participant’s awareness of changes happening within the department and on opening the lines of communication to further any collaborative efforts among DHS and child welfare partners. Status updates on 2017 legislative efforts and any departmental or programmatic changes that could potentially impact the mental health delivery system and/or Iowa’s regional design will also be discussed.