Events

Presented By: John Yasenchak, Ed.D., LCPC, LADC

Friday, September 13, 2024

8:30am – 3:30pm EDT

Presentation Information:

This will be a six-hour presentation in which participants will explore how technological advances in artificial intelligence, algorithmic programming, apps, and robotics will have an impact on how we practice helping in the future. Since the introduction of ChatGPT in 2022, news about AI and its many applications have exploded in the media and in our profession. Participants have already been introduced to this culture changing phenomenon. This workshop will be an in-depth follow up to a shorter presentation you may have attended during the past year. In this workshop, participants will further discuss some of the most recent trends, standards, and norms that are being discussed regarding the ethical application of AI in mental health and substance use treatment. Participants will also review the history and philosophy behind the development of AI while keeping in mind a central question: “What does it mean to be a person?” Finally, Participants will reflect on our current relationship with digital technology and imagine what that relationship might look like as AI permeates our field as ethical standards of practice begin to emerge.

This training is worth six (6) continuing education hours (inclusive of six hours of ethics).

Training hours have been approved for six (6) continuing education hours by the Maine Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors.

Agenda for the Day:

8:30am to 10:15am – Welcome, Housekeeping, Introductions and Training

10:15pm to 10:30am – Morning Break

10:30am to 12:00pm – Training Continues

12:00pm to 12:30pm – Lunch Break

12:30pm to 1:45pm – Training Continues

1:45pm to 2:00pm – Afternoon Break

2:00pm to 3:30pm – Training Continues, Open Discussion, and Wrap-Up

About the presenter:

John Yasenchak, Ed.D., LCPC, LADC is currently a contributing faculty in the School of Counseling, Walden University. Previously, he served as Assistant Professor for Graduate Counseling, Husson University. Prior to that, he taught for many years in the Graduate Counselling program at the University of Maine, Orono. John has served as President of the Maine Counseling Association, Chair of the North Atlantic Region American Counseling Association, and as Board Member, Co-occurring Collaborative Serving Maine. He currently sits on the Maine State Substance Use Commission and is active on the editorial board of Counseling and Values. John began his teaching career as a philosophy instructor with a specialty in ethics. His has presented on digital ethics, post-humanism, spiritual/religious issues in the practice of counseling. John has been a student and teacher of yoga for over twenty-five years.

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In this webinar, participants will learn how anxiety develops and acquire practical treatment strategies that can be applied immediately.

Friday, September 22, 2023
8:30 AM – 4:00 PM EDT

About the Training

Anxiety disorders are now recognized as the most common emotional disorder in the U.S. as well as in 16 out of 17 countries surveyed by the World Health Organization. The soaring trend towards anxiety has been accelerated by stress and threats, such as terrorism, natural disasters, economic recession, school shootings, pandemic illness, and divisive politics. These threats to children’s security, which also include divorce, bullying, and violence in the media has produced a “shell shocked” generation suffering from anxiety in many cases. Our challenge is to recognize anxiety in children and help them cope.

In this webinar, participants will grasp how anxiety develops in children and adolescents, and acquire practical treatment strategies that can be applied immediately in their professional work. Seven key anxiety disorders will be addressed: separation anxiety disorder, panic disorder, overanxious disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, social anxiety disorder, phobias, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Emphasis will be on integrative psychotherapeutic interventions involving insight-oriented, cognitive-behavioral, mind-body, solution-oriented and family systems approaches.

This training is worth six (6) continuing education hours.

An application for 6 continuing education hours has been made to the Maine Board of Alcohol and Drug Counselors.

Objectives of the Training:

  • Explain how anxiety develops in children and adolescents using the “three ingredients” blueprint
  • Distinguish between “normal” and “abnormal” anxiety
  • Identify the personality traits and cognitive style of anxious children
  • Describe the key features of six child/adolescent anxiety disorders
  • Apply effective interventions for each of six child/adolescent anxiety disorders

Agenda for the Day:

Morning I: Nature and Causes of Anxiety 8:30-10:15

  • Why, how and when anxiety develops in children
  • Three ingredients in all anxiety disorders (temperament, personality style, stress)
  • The “anxiety personality”—assets and liabilities
  • Foundation skills for managing stress and anxiety

Break 10:15-10:30

Morning II: Treatment Strategies 10:30-12:00

  • Separation Anxiety Disorder: graduated exposure, helping parents let go
  • Panic Disorder/Agoraphobia: “Floating Technique”

Lunch 12:00-1:00

Afternoon I: Treatment Strategies 1:00-2:15

  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder: interventions for replacing worry with positive cognition
  • Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders: types of obsessions, purpose of compulsions, exposure and response prevention (ERP)

Break 2:15-2:30

  • Afternoon II: Treatment Strategies 2:30-4:00
  • Social Phobia: self-esteem causes and interventions, group therapy
  • Specific Phobias: Using virtual reality in exposure therapy
  • Trauma- and Stressor-related Disorder: ACE studies, treatment goals and methodologies

About the presenter:

Dr. Paul Foxman is Founder and Director of the Vermont Center for Anxiety Care, a private outpatient practice in Burlington, Vermont. He has over 40 years of professional experience in a variety of settings, including hospitals, community mental health centers, graduate schools in psychology, and private practice. Dr. Foxman is the author of Dancing With Fear (1996) and The Worried Child (2004), the Clinician’s Guide to Anxiety Disorders in Kids and Teens (2017), as well as other publications on the topic of anxiety including a co-authored casebook, Conquering Panic and Anxiety Disorders (2003). His most recent book is Traumas and Triumphs (2022).

Dr. Foxman’s education includes Yale University (B.A. in Psychology), Vanderbilt University (Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology), pre-doctoral internships at the Department of Psychiatry at Mt. Zion Hospital in San Francisco and the Kennedy Child Study Center in Nashville, and training seminars at the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute.

In 1985 Dr. Foxman co-founded the Lake Champlain Waldorf School in Shelburne, Vermont, now flourishing from kindergarten through high school. As a frequent workshop presenter as well as expert on radio and television shows, Dr. Foxman is known for his knowledge and clarity of thought, sense of humor, and engaging speaking style.

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This webinar will provide participants with an overview and in-depth examination of compelling ethical challenges in behavioral health.

Thu, November 10, 2022
Wed, November 30, 2022
8:30 AM – 4:00 PM EST

Refund Policy

No Refunds

About this event

About the Training:

This webinar will provide participants with an overview and in-depth examination of compelling ethical challenges in behavioral health. Dr. Frederic Reamer will explore complex and challenging ethical issues and practical strategies designed to protect clients and practitioners. The webinar will include a series of challenging cases and discuss practical steps professionals can take to manage ethical issues skillfully. Key topics will include boundary issues, dual relationships, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, privileged communication, informed consent, clients’ rights, delivery of services remotely, termination of services, and impaired professionals, among others. Dr. Reamer will discuss relevant ethical standards; national practice standards; and statutes, regulations, and case law. The webinar will focus especially on complex documentation issues. The presenter will make extensive use of case material and provide ample opportunity for audience participation.

This training is worth six (6) contact hours.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Identify challenging ethical issues and dilemmas in behavioral health
  • Apply practical ethical decision-making frameworks and protocols
  • Identify ethical issues that pose malpractice and liability risks
  • Design strategies to protect clients and practitioners

Agenda for the Day:

  • Difficult ethics cases in behavioral health: The anatomy of ethical dilemmas (8:30-9:30 a.m.)
  • Compelling ethical challenges: boundary issues, dual relationships, conflicts of interest, confidentiality, privileged communication, informed consent, clients’ rights, delivery of remote services, termination of services, and impaired professionals (9:30-10:15 a.m.)
  • Break: 10:15-10:30 a.m.
  • Compelling ethical challenges in behavioral health (continued) (10:30 a.m. to noon)
  • Lunch (Noon to 1:00 p.m.)
  • Risk-management strategies to protect clients and prevent ethics complaints and litigation (1:00-2:30 p.m.)
  • Break: 2:30-2:45 p.m.
  • Ethical decision-making strategies (decision-making protocols; codes of ethics; ethics literature; ethics committees; practice standards; relevant regulations, statutes, and case law) (2:45-3:40 p.m.)
  • Questions/answers (3:40-4:00 p.m.)

***This training has been approved for LADCs and CADCs by the Maine Board of Drug and Alcohol Counselors.***

About the presenter:

Frederic G. Reamer is Professor in the graduate program of the School of Social Work, Rhode Island College, where he has been on the faculty since 1983. His research and teaching have addressed a wide range of human service issues, including mental health, health care, criminal justice, public welfare, and professional ethics. Dr. Reamer received his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago (1978) and has served as a social worker in correctional and mental health settings. He has also taught at the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration (1978-1981), and the University of Missouri-Columbia, School of Social Work (1981-1983).

Dr. Reamer has served as Director of the National Juvenile Justice Assessment Center of the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (1979-1981); as Senior Policy Advisor to the Governor of Rhode Island (1987-1990); and as a Commissioner of the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation, the state housing finance agency (1987-1995). Dr. Reamer served on the State of Rhode Island Parole Board from 1992 to 2016. He also served as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Social Work Education (1990-1994). He serves as Associate Editor of the National Association of Social Workers Encyclopedia of Social Work (Oxford University Press and National Association of Social Workers). Since 2012, Dr. Reamer has served as the ethics instructor in the Providence (RI) Police Department Training Academy.

Dr. Reamer has conducted extensive research on professional ethics. He has been involved in national research projects sponsored by The Hastings Center, the Carnegie Corporation, the Haas Foundation, and the Scattergood Program for the Applied Ethics of Behavioral Healthcare at the Center for Bioethics, University of Pennsylvania. He has published 24 books and 175 journal articles, book chapters, and encyclopedia articles. His books include:

  • Moral Distress and Injury in Human Services: Cases, Causes, and Strategies for Prevention (NASW Press)
  • On the Parole Board: Reflections on Crime, Punishment, Redemption, and Justice (Columbia University Press)
  • Ethics and Risk Management in Online and Distance Behavioral Health (Cognella Academic Publishing)
  • Ethics and Risk Management in Online and Distance Social Work (Cognella Academic Publishing)
  • Risk Management in Social Work: Preventing Professional Malpractice, Liability, and Disciplinary Action (Columbia University Press)
  • Boundary Issues and Dual Relationships in the Human Services (Columbia University Press)
  • Heinous Crime: Cases, Causes, and Consequences (Columbia University Press)
  • The Social Work Ethics Casebook: Cases and Commentary (NASW Press)
  • A Guide to Essential Human Services (NASW Press)
  • Criminal Lessons: Case Studies and Commentary on Crime and Justice (Columbia University Press)
  • Social Work Values and Ethics (Columbia University Press)
  • Tangled Relationships: Managing Boundary Issues in the Human Services (Columbia University Press)
  • Ethical Standards in Social Work: A Review of the NASW Code of Ethics (NASW Press)
  • The Social Work Ethics Audit: A Risk Management Tool (NASW Press)
  • Ethics Education in Social Work (Council on Social Work Education)
  • The Foundations of Social Work Knowledge (Columbia University Press; editor and contributor)
  • Social Work Malpractice and Liability (Columbia University Press)
  • Social Work Research and Evaluation Skills (Columbia University Press)
  • The Philosophical Foundations of Social Work (Columbia University Press)
  • AIDS and Ethics (Columbia University Press; editor and contributor)
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Social Service (Columbia University Press)
  • Rehabilitating Juvenile Justice (Columbia University Press; co-author, Charles H. Shireman)
  • The Teaching of Social Work Ethics (The Hastings Center; co-author, Marcia Abramson).
  • Finding Help for Struggling Teens: A Guide for Parents and the Professionals Who Work with Them (NASW Press; co-author, Deborah H. Siegel)
  • Teens in Crisis: How the Industry Serving Struggling Teens Helps and Hurts Our Kids (Columbia University Press; co-author, Deborah H. Siegel)

Dr. Reamer is also the author of chapters on professional ethics in the Encyclopedia of Social Work, Encyclopedia of Bioethics, Encyclopedia of Global Ethics, Encyclopedia of Applied Ethics, Encyclopedia of Lifespan Human Development, Encyclopedia of Higher Education, and Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion. He has been an essayist on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition (“This I Believe” series), a commentator on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, and a guest on various radio and television broadcasts. From 2007 to 2021 Dr. Reamer served as host and producer of the National Public Radio series This I Believe—New England, broadcast weekly. He is featured in the podcast series Trapped in Treatment produced by Paris Hilton, Warner Brothers, and iHeart Media; Yahoo News national series Unfiltered; and as a commentator in the video documentaries America’s Serial Killers: Portraits in Evil and Rampage: Killing without Reason. He is also a featured expert on the PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) series This Emotional Life.

Dr. Reamer has lectured extensively nationally and internationally (including India, China, Singapore, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Sweden, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Djibouti, Bahrain, Indonesia, Diego Garcia, Spain, Romania, Poland, Greece, and Canada) on the subjects of professional ethics and professional malpractice and liability. He has served as an adjunct professor and visiting scholar at the University of Pennsylvania, Tulane University, Simmons University, Smith College, University of Oklahoma, and Augsburg University. Dr. Reamer chaired the national task force that wrote the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics and served on the code revision task force. He chaired the international commission sponsored by the Association of Social Work Boards to develop Model Regulatory Standards for Technology and Social Work Practice. Dr. Reamer also chaired the national task force sponsored jointly by the National Association of Social Workers, Association of Social Work Boards, Council on Social Work Education, and Clinical Social Work Association to develop Technology Standards in Social Work Practice. He has served as an expert witness and consultant in 130 court and licensing board cases addressing professional ethics.

Dr. Reamer received the “Distinguished Contributions to Social Work Education” award from the Council on Social Work Education (1995); Presidential Award from the National Association of Social Workers (1997); Richard Lodge Prize from Adelphi University for “outstanding contributions to the development of social work theory” (2005); Edith Abbott Award from the University of Chicago for “distinguished service to society and outstanding contributions at the local, national or international levels” (2005); Neil J. Houston, Jr. Memorial Award for “dedicated service and citizen contribution toward the criminal justice profession and the public interest” (2009); International Rhoda G. Sarnat Award from the National Association of Social Workers for significantly advancing “the public image of social work” (2012); Excellence in Ethics Award from the National Association of Social Workers (2015); and inaugural Contributor Award from the Association of Social Work Boards (2019). In 2016 Dr. Reamer was named a Social Work Pioneer by the National Association of Social Workers for his “commitment and dedication to the social work profession and to the improvement of social and human conditions at the local, state, national, and international levels.”

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We explore the common co-occurrence of mental health and substance use conditions in this six-hour training for clinicians.

Fri, September 16, 2022
Fri, September 30, 2022
9:00 AM – 4:15 PM EDT

About this event

About the Training:

This highly interactive six-hour training will review best practices for working with clients who have addictions as well as comorbid psychiatric disorders. The presenter and participants will explore various treatments and treatment issues for clients with addictions and mental health disorders. In addition, participants will learn skills to manage their own reactions to clients who present challenging behavior patterns. Case examples, surveys and group discussion will be used to illustrate key points.

This training is worth six (6) contact hours.

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Identify major diagnoses and diagnostic categories of addictions.

2. Discuss treatment approaches to addiction and psychological disorders.

3. Categorize ethical issues that emerge in working with clients with co-morbid addiction and mental health issues.

4. Increase empathy and personal ability to manage countertransference in dealing with clients who present challenging interpersonal behaviors.

 

Agenda for the Day:

9:00-10:30:

Empathy/sympathy/pity/compassion

Countertransference

Self-care

Neuroscience and addiction

Stages of Change

10:30-10:45: Break

10:45-12:15:

Assessment

Evidence-based treatment Medication-assisted treatment (MAT)

Case #1

12:15-1:00: Lunch on your own

1:00-2:30:

Treatment dilemmas

Who is the client?

Documentation

“Manipulation”/Triangulation

Communication/Collaboration

Scope of practice/expertise

Case #2

2:30-2:45: Break

2:45-4:00:

Ethical issues

Telehealth

Case #3

4:00- 4:15: Discussion/Question/Wrap-up

 

About the presenter:

John M. O’Brien, Ph.D. ACC, NBC-HWC earned his doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Michigan State University in 1996. Since 1998, he has been in private practice in Portland, Maine, providing psychotherapy and consultation services with specialties in addition, trauma, grief and LGBTQ+ clients. He is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Maine at Augusta, teaching courses in psychology and addictions. He served as president of the Maine Psychological Association and is currently co-chair of Continuing Education for the APA Society of Consulting Psychologists.

John is an ICF ACC Certified Coach and NBHWC Certified Health and Wellness Coach. He coaches leaders in a variety of fields, including business, health care and the law.

In his spare time, John enjoys motorcycling, skiing, biking and furthering his ability in German.

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Parts & People: An Overview of the Internal Family Systems Model

Presented by HAM affiliate Karen Hardy, LCPC, CADC 
Six CEUs (contact hours) 

Monday, March 14
Friday, March 25
8:30 am – 4:00 pm 

About This Training:

An evidence-based model of psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems is a way for people to understand themselves in a deeper way and offer insight about their relationships with others.

This interactive workshop will provide an overview of the Internal Family Systems model. Participants will have the opportunity to do some meditative, introspection work using this model, have the opportunity to ask questions, engage in discussion, and observe a recorded session.

If times allows, a live demonstration may be held for a member to experience the model first-hand while others observe.

Training Details:

Location: Online Event
Time: 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Dates: Monday, March 14, 2022 OR Friday, March 25, 2022
Cost: $59; FREE for HAM affiliates


Register here for the Monday, March 14 session!

Register here for the Friday, March 25 session!

About the Presenter:

Karen Hardy, LCPC, CADC, worked as a counselor for 20 years at the Connecticut Department of Corrections. Upon her retirement in 2011, she began a Master’s program at Cambridge College in Springfield, MA. She now holds a M.Ed. in counseling psychology.

Much of Karen’s work has been related to addiction and trauma treatments, as she believes there’s a strong correlation between the two issues. She also works with family members affected by a loved one’s addictive behaviors. Her personal experiences offer a unique perspective to her clients; she values each individual as they are and helps them envision an empowered future.

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This class meets the requirements for Domain 3, Ethics & Professional Conduct, of the Maine MHRT/Community curriculum.

About this event Tickets

 

This class meets Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00am-12:15pm from February 1 to March 3, 2022 via Zoom. You must be able to attend all classes.

In this training, we will study the knowledge and application of ethics and professional conduct in your work as an MHRT/C.

The following knowledge competencies will be reviewed:

Knowledge Competencies for Domain 3: Ethics and Professional Conduct

Demonstrate a standard of professionalism and integrity in practice, and confront and resolve ethical challenges by seeking appropriate collaboration and consultation.

  1. Explain ethics and how to conduct practice within the context of a professional code of ethics. Give examples of inappropriate behavior. Define appropriate contexts for dual relationships and how to set and maintain clear, professional, and culturally sensitive boundaries.
  2. Relate the intersection of ethics with state and federal laws.
  3. Define confidentiality requirements and how to communicate these policies to staff, consumers, families, guardians, and others.
  4. Describe the evolution of HIPAA and what constitutes protected health information, including communication requirements within the context of health information technology.
  5. Explain how to secure informed consent from a consumer.
  6. Maintain sound documentation that reflects an adherence to individualized, person-centered care.
  7. Explain a provider’s ethical responsibility to empower consumers.
  8. Identify a number of strategies, consistent with professional practice, to empower consumers.
  9. Collaborate and interact effectively with community members and other professionals.
  10. Describe what it means to be an effective contributing member of an interdisciplinary team.
  11. Model appropriate professional behavior at all times, apply ethical guidelines and demonstrate the effective use of supervision.
  12. Practice using a supervisory relationship to resolve ethical challenges.
  13. Summarize the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of personal practice.
  14. Describe how individuals working in the behavioral health field practice self-care. Utilize supervision effectively to prevent compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatization.

Course Expectations

1. Attendance:

Students must attend each day of class (5 units) and receive an 80% or above on the final exam to earn a certificate of completion. If a student misses a day, they are responsible for arranging to attend the next offering of the missed unit, with either the same trainer or another organization. Unit 5 is optional for students with the required academic preparation.

2. Make‐up work:

Students must attend all five units (or four with a related degree) as stated above, and complete and submit any missed assignments.

3. Class size:

The standardized MHRT/C curricula are interactive. The recommendation is that classes have no fewer than six (6) participants and no more than 20.

4. Class participation guidelines:

  1. Students will arrive on time and stay until the end of the unit (no early dismissals).
  2. Students will demonstrate respect for others. This means:
    • Listening completely before interjecting.
    • Use appropriate pronouns. Respect the pronouns individuals choose for themselves.
    • Use person‐first language. This language puts the individual before the disability. For example, “a person with schizophrenia” or “an individual with bipolar” as opposed to “a schizophrenic” or “bipolar woman” or “mentally ill man.”
    • Use first person language, such as “I” messages. [For example, “I didn’t understand his response to my question” as opposed to “He overreacted to my question.”] This allows students to take responsibility for their feelings and experiences rather than blame them on someone else.
    • Keep personal reflections and stories shared in class confidential.
  3. Cell phone use: Cell phones should be placed on vibrate or silenced at all times during the class. Cell phone calls must be taken in the hallway or in private.
  4. This course requires demonstration of knowledge and skills, therefore, students are expected to participate in all activities.

5. Course evaluations

Participants will receive a link to complete an online evaluation the last day of their training. The Muskie School Center for Learning will summarize the evaluations and share results with the trainers and DHHS/OBH.

About the Presenters:

Marylena Chaisson, LCSW, is a clinical supervisor in the case management program at Health Affiliates Maine. She is a clinical mental health counselor (LCPC) who has worked in rural, under-resourced Maine communities for nearly 20 years both in agency and private practice settings. She also enjoys her work as a Disaster Mental Health contracted trainer for the state of Maine’s Disaster Behavioral Health Team, part of the Maine CDC and Maine DHHS.

Mary Gagnon, LMFT, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the Training and Clinical Development Specialist for Health Affiliates Maine. Mary has worked in private practice as well as a variety of community mental health settings throughout her career. Her most recent work at Health Affiliates Maine includes oversight of clinicians in private practice and development and facilitation of trainings for schools and conferences throughout the state. She is a certified trainer for Domains 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7 for the MHRT/C Non-Academic Curriculum.

Tickets

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Presented by John Yasenchak, Ed.D.

Friday, November 5, 2021 or Friday, November 19, 2021

8:30am-4:00pm

About This Training

There is no doubt that the pandemic has pushed helping professionals toward new levels of technological competence. Every advance in technology raises new levels of ethical awareness. Often, technology seems to outpace the development of ethical standards. Bots, apps, AI, avatars, telehealth—how do we keep up with it all? 



In this workshop, we will look toward the future of the helping professions and examine the impact that technology will have on our practice. We will review basic professional ethical norms, apply them to emerging trends and present a model for ethical decision making. We will also explore the philosophy of transhumanism and how its assumptions impact the fundamental questions our profession has been asking since its inception: “What does it mean to be human? Why should I be ethical?”



Ultimately, this will be an opportunity to reflect on our relationship to technology and its application to mental health and substance use counseling. It will also be an opportunity to reflect on how we view the service we provide in the context of our rapidly changing techno-culture. 

Training Details 

Registration now open!


Location: Online event 

Time: 8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Dates: Friday, November 5, 2021 OR Friday, November 19, 2021 

Cost: FREE for Health Affiliates Maine affiliates
$59 for clinicians not affiliated with HAM

Register here for Friday, November 5 session!

Register here for Friday, November 19 session!

About the Presenter 

John Yasenchak, Ed.D., holds a doctorate in Counselor Education from the University of Maine as well as a masters degree in philosophy, a course he also taught from 1982-1985. He has been teaching graduate counseling courses since 1996 and has been a practicing clinical counselor and supervisor in a variety of clinical settings since 1985. His expertise is in clinical mental health counseling.

Dr. Yasenchak’s experience includes inner city work with co-occurring disorders, university student development, and 20 years as clinical supervisor for a Native American counseling facility. Currently, he provides consultation and training services and is a contributing faculty member of Walden University.

Dr. Yasenchak’s primary areas of interest are in mental health and addictions counseling. He also has specific interests in spirituality and religion in the practice of counseling, as well as in digital ethics.

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This class meets the requirements for Domain 1, Behavioral, Psychological and Rehabilitation Intervention Models of the Maine MHRT/Community curriculum.

  • Tickets: $300
  • Location: Online Event
  • Presented By: Mary Gagnon, LMFT
  • Registration: Register Online
  • Refund Policy: Refunds up to 7 days before event

Do I Need This Training?

The MHRT/C certification is a Maine-based certification for mental health professionals wishing to work directly in patient care. Consider this MHRT/C training if:

  • You wish to work in Maine as a case worker, in a group home, or community support work
  • You currently do not have a college degree that included all accredited coursework
  • You need continuing education credits relating to ethics and professional conduct
  • You are working towards a provisional or full MHRT/C and need priority domain training

About this Event

This course will examine the knowledge, attitudes, and skills Mental Health Technicians need to establish rapport, communicate effectively and respectfully, and work collaboratively with consumers regarding their care to support recovery, with awareness of changing needs across the lifespan.

The following training objectives will be studied:

  1. Explain the concept of community inclusion and the use of natural supports to enhance recovery.
  2. Relate human development theory, including the interaction of social, psychosocial development across the lifespan./li>
  3. Give examples of evidence‐based models and approaches that integrate treatment and rehabilitation.
  4. Demonstrate general knowledge of the current diagnostic manual and be able to name basic diagnostic categories.
  5. Define the treatment complexities for co‐occurring disorders and addictions within vulnerable populations.
  6. Identify community resources to assist in the recovery process for individuals who have co‐occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
  7. Recognize the consumer’s development and life stage, and where they are in relation to the Stages of Change Model, in order to develop individualized treatment plans.
  8. Be aware of common strengths‐based assessments, including instruments that identify or screen for co‐occurring disorders and/or trauma history, and tools that evaluate the level of care needs.
  9. Demonstrate a collaborative, person‐centered, recovery‐oriented, shared decision‐making approach to working with consumers. Identify strengths and challenges and how to incorporate natural supports into individualized treatment plans.
  10. Describe common factors of effective helping strategies when working with consumers, e.g., therapeutic relationship, empowerment, consumer choice, and respect for the consumer.
  11. Demonstrate active listening skills, basic interviewing skills, and demonstrate respect for the consumer at all times.
  12. Illustrate an understanding of crisis planning, advance directives, crisis intervention strategies, and use of a warm line.

Course Expectations

1. Attendance:

Students must attend each day of class and receive an 80% or above on the final exam to earn a certificate of completion.

2. Make‐up work:

Students must attend all classes as stated above and complete and submit any missed assignments.

3. Class size:

The standardized MHRT/C curricula are interactive. The recommendation is that classes have no fewer than 6 participants and no more than 20./p>

4. Class participation guidelines:

  1. Students will arrive on time and stay until the end
  2. Students will demonstrate respect for others.
  3. Use first person language, such as “I” messages. [For example, “I didn’t understand his response to my question” as opposed to “He overreacted to my question.”] This allows students to take responsibility for their feelings and experiences rather than blame them on someone else.
  4. Cell phones should be placed on vibrate or silenced at all times during the class.
  5. Students are expected to participate in all activities.

5. Course evaluations

Participants will receive a link to complete an online evaluation the last day of their training.

About the Presenter:

Mary Gagnon, LMFT, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the Training and Clinical Development Specialist for Health Affiliates Maine. Mary has worked in private practice as well as a variety of community mental health settings throughout her career. Her most recent work at Health Affiliates Maine includes oversight of clinicians in private practice and development and facilitation of trainings for schools and conferences throughout the state. She is a certified trainer for Domains 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 for the MHRT/C Non-Academic Curriculum.

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Katelyn Baxter-Musser

Working Successfully with Personality Disorders in Therapy

Deepen your knowledge of personality disorders with this one-day virtual training. We’ll discuss diagnosis, myths, biases, tools, and more.

About this Event

Working Successfully with Personality Disorders in Therapy: Decreasing Myths, Increasing Clinical Effectiveness and Tools to Use in Your Practice

Clients who present with personality disorders can be some of the most difficult and challenging clients that mental health providers engage with. These clients present with disrupted interpersonal relationships, self-harming and suicidal crises, difficulties regulating their emotions and an unstable sense of self. Without the right skills and support clinicians often find themselves feeling exhausted and frustrated when working with these diagnoses. Through this training clinicians will deepen their knowledge of personality disorders and discuss differential diagnoses. Clinicians will be able to challenge their preconceived notions and myths regarding this population. Clinicians will be provided with tools to enhance and freshen their skills set when working with personality disorders in a therapeutic setting.

Objectives

  • Understand myths, biases and judgments related to personality disorders
  • Review diagnostic criteria, differential diagnosis and co-occurring disorders
  • Learn therapeutic interventions to use in clinical practice to increase therapeutic effectiveness and client engagement
  • Develop an understanding of healthy and effective boundaries to set in an effort to decrease therapist burn-out

Outline

8:30 What do we know about personality disorders: Exploring biases and myths
9:00 Understanding personality disorders in clinical practice
10:15 Break
10:30 Evidence-based treatments and personality disorders
11:15 Exploring ways to implement clinical interventions
12:00 Lunch Break
1:00 Exploring ways to implement clinical interventions
2:15 Break
2:30 Case Conceptualization
3:00 Maintaining professional boundaries: decreasing therapist burnout and practicing self-care
4:00 Conclusion

About the Presenter

Katelyn Baxter-Musser is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in private practice in Gorham. There she provides individual therapy, couples and family therapy and consultation to mental health professionals.

Katelyn has been in the field for over ten years and has worked in a variety of different roles including as a case manager, child and family therapist, trauma therapist and clinical coordinator. Prior to being in private practice Katelyn has worked for several agencies as well as Native American reservations.

In her private practice Katelyn specializes in working with domestic violence, abuse, trauma, PTSD, depression, anxiety, grief and relationship issues, dissociative disorders and personality disorders. Katelyn is a Certified Dialectical Behavior Therapist and a Certified EMDR therapist. Katelyn is trained in a variety of therapeutic modalities including DBT, EMDR, CBT, mindfulness and motivational interviewing.

She sits on the EMDRIA Standards and Training Committee and is the co-regional coordinator for the EMDR Southern Maine Regional Network.

Register Online:
Fri, March 12, 2021 – 8:30am – 4:00pm
Fri, March 19, 2021 – 8:30am – 4:00pm

 

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This class meets the requirements for Domain 3, Ethics & Professional Conduct, of the Maine MHRT/Community curriculum.

  • Tickets: $275
  • Location: Online Event
  • Presented By: Marylena Chaisson, LCSW & Mary Gagnon, LMFT
  • Registration: Register Online
  • Refund Policy: Refunds up to 7 days before event

About this Event

In this training, we will study the knowledge and application of ethics and professional conduct in your work as an MHRT/C.

The following knowledge competencies will be reviewed:

Knowledge Competencies for Domain 3: Ethics and Professional Conduct

Demonstrate a standard of professionalism and integrity in practice, and confront and resolve ethical challenges by seeking appropriate collaboration and consultation.

  1. Explain ethics and how to conduct practice within the context of a professional code of ethics. Give examples of inappropriate behavior. Define appropriate contexts for dual relationships and how to set and maintain clear, professional, and culturally sensitive boundaries.
  2. Relate the intersection of ethics with state and federal laws.
  3. Define confidentiality requirements and how to communicate these policies to staff, consumers, families, guardians, and others.
  4. Describe the evolution of HIPAA and what constitutes protected health information, including communication requirements within the context of health information technology.
  5. Explain how to secure informed consent from a consumer.
  6. Maintain sound documentation that reflects an adherence to individualized, person-centered care.
  7. Explain a provider’s ethical responsibility to empower consumers.
  8. Identify a number of strategies, consistent with professional practice, to empower consumers.
  9. Collaborate and interact effectively with community members and other professionals.
  10. Describe what it means to be an effective contributing member of an interdisciplinary team.
  11. Model appropriate professional behavior at all times, apply ethical guidelines and demonstrate the effective use of supervision.
  12. Practice using a supervisory relationship to resolve ethical challenges.
  13. Summarize the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of personal practice.
  14. Describe how individuals working in the behavioral health field practice self-care. Utilize supervision effectively to prevent compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatization.

Course Expectations

1. Attendance:

Students must attend each day of class (5 units) and receive an 80% or above on the final exam to earn a certificate of completion. If a student misses a day, they are responsible for arranging to attend the next offering of the missed unit, with either the same trainer or another organization. Unit 5 is optional for students with the required academic preparation.

2. Make‐up work:

Students must attend all five units (or four with a related degree) as stated above, and complete and submit any missed assignments.

3. Class size:

The standardized MHRT/C curricula are interactive. The recommendation is that classes have no fewer than six (6) participants and no more than 20.

4. Class participation guidelines:

  1. Students will arrive on time and stay until the end of the unit (no early dismissals).
  2. Students will demonstrate respect for others. This means:
    • Listening completely before interjecting.
    • Use appropriate pronouns. Respect the pronouns individuals choose for themselves.
    • Use person‐first language. This language puts the individual before the disability. For example, “a person with schizophrenia” or “an individual with bipolar” as opposed to “a schizophrenic” or “bipolar woman” or “mentally ill man.”
    • Use first person language, such as “I” messages. [For example, “I didn’t understand his response to my question” as opposed to “He overreacted to my question.”] This allows students to take responsibility for their feelings and experiences rather than blame them on someone else.
    • Keep personal reflections and stories shared in class confidential.
  3. Cell phone use: Cell phones should be placed on vibrate or silenced at all times during the class. Cell phone calls must be taken in the hallway or in private.
  4. This course requires demonstration of knowledge and skills, therefore, students are expected to participate in all activities.

5. Course evaluations

Participants will receive a link to complete an online evaluation the last day of their training. The Muskie School Center for Learning will summarize the evaluations and share results with the trainers and DHHS/OBH.

About the Presenters:

Marylena Chaisson, LCSW, is a clinical supervisor in the case management program at Health Affiliates Maine. She is a clinical mental health counselor (LCPC) who has worked in rural, under-resourced Maine communities for nearly 20 years both in agency and private practice settings. She also enjoys her work as a Disaster Mental Health contracted trainer for the state of Maine’s Disaster Behavioral Health Team, part of the Maine CDC and Maine DHHS.

Mary Gagnon, LMFT, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the Training and Clinical Development Specialist for Health Affiliates Maine. Mary has worked in private practice as well as a variety of community mental health settings throughout her career. Her most recent work at Health Affiliates Maine includes oversight of clinicians in private practice and development and facilitation of trainings for schools and conferences throughout the state. She is a certified trainer for Domains 1, 2, and 3 for the MHRT/C Non-Academic Curriculum.

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