THURSDAY – July 25, 2024

Racism’s Impact on Black Intimacy

Jeannelle Perkins-Muhammad, Ph.D.
July 25, 2024; 11:45am – 1:00pm
(1.25 contact hours)

ROOM: Auditorium

Black couples experience higher divorce rates nationally, in the South, and across religious denominations than any other racial group. This talk explores the intricacies of how the system of racism impacts Black Couples’ mental, emotional health and sexual health, challenging their ability to make genuine connections within the relationship. Then, seeks to provide therapists with culturally appropriate modalities that assist Black couples in overcoming these barriers.

Objectives:

• Based on the content of this session, I am able to understand how systemic, institutional and structural racism impact the Black experience, their relationships and the therapeutic alliance.
• Based on the content of this session, I am able to identify the symptoms of racial trauma, depression, and anxiety in Black couples.
• Based on the content of this session, I am able to see how my own cultural bias and attitudes might inhibit my work with Black clients.
• Based on the content of this session, I am able to use cultural competency skills with culturally appropriate therapy modalities, to mitigate anxiety in the therapy room in an effort to assist Black couples who have experienced racial trauma.

ACT in Action

A Hands-On Actionable Tool Workshop for Clinical Practice

Lauren H. Carter, Ph.D.
July 25, 2024; 11:45am – 1:00pm
(1.25 contact hours)

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is an action-oriented, empirically based behavioral intervention that aims to increase psychological flexibility. ACT leverages tools like metaphors and experiential exercises to increase client motivation and commitment to change. These tools play an important role in client change processes when delivered effectively. In this workshop, we will demonstrate and contextualize six key metaphors and experiential exercises therapists can integrate into their clinical practice to enhance client engagement and change processes. Tools presented in the workshop will span the six core processes of ACT. This workshop does not assume previous ACT theoretical knowledge or experience and is geared toward all clinicians with an interest in integrating actionable tools to enhance their clinical practice.

Objectives:

• ACT is an action-oriented therapy that frequently integrates tools like metaphors and experiential exercises in session.
• These tools can enhance client engagement and change processes when delivered effectively.
• This workshop will demonstrate six actionable tools for clinicians to integrate into their clinical practice.

Pornography Addiction

Assessment and Treatment

Ward V. B. Lassoe, LPC
July 25, 2024; 11:45am – 1:00pm
(1.25 contact hours)

Since pornography addiction is not an official diagnosis in the DSM-V, there’s little public funding for research and treatment. As a psychotherapist who works with teenage boys and adult men, I can attest that porn addiction is real. There is neurological evidence that porn hits the same reward pathway in the brain as cocaine and other drugs. This presentation will a protocol and treatment plan for addressing this issue with clients. The key is stripping away the anonymity of the behavior while building awareness and accountability.

Objectives:

• Learn to identify and assess pornography addiction
• Examine the psychological and physical impacts of excess pornography use
• Review tools for helping clients moderate pornography use

FRIDAY – July 26, 2024

Happiness: Find What You Love and Let it Kill You

A Virtual Conversation and Q & A with James Hollis, Ph.D.
James Hollis, Ph.D.
July 26, 2024; 12:15pm – 1:15pm
(1 contact hour)

ROOM: Auditorium
CAPACITY: 500

We are enjoined to be happy. But what is happiness? Does it ever fall under our control, or are we at the mercy of the unknown
forces within and without us? This talk explores our client’s expectations regarding happiness and the role that not being happy plays in
their experiencing happiness.

This talk will be followed by an extensive Q & A session where we may explore all matters pertaining to psychotherapy.

 Objectives

• Learn how to work with individuals who are unhappy that they are “unhappy.”
• Differentiate happiness from meaning, and learn why meaning provides the path out of unhappiness.
• Strengthen the client’s capacity for personal authority as a means of standing up against the power of cultural roles and expectations.

Invisible Loyalties

Uncovering the Impact of Transgenerational Trauma, Substance Abuse, and Family Dynamics
Aaron Olson, CMHC, SUDC
July 26, 2024; 12:15pm – 1:15pm
(1 contact hour)

This presentation is designed to assist attendees to more fully understand the concept of transgenerational trauma and its impact on substance abuse and family dynamics. Many individuals experiencing a substance use disorder, and their families, have developed coping skills that are likely transmitted from earlier generations. The impact of the trauma associated with a substance use disorder has forced many family systems to find ways to accommodate the disorder rather than directly address it. As a result, these trauma based coping strategies are unwittingly transmitted to the next generation. Attendees will understand the processes that occur that allow this to happen. Most importantly, attendees will develop skills and insights to support their clients in identifying these symptoms of transgenerational trauma in their own systems and how to disrupt this pattern.

 Objectives

• Participants will understand the four modes of transmitting trauma.
• Participants will be introduced to the concept of homeostasis in family systems and how family’s become organized around maintaining these trauma based coping skills.
• Participants will explore ways to assist clients in identifying the transgenerational traumas in their family systems.
• Participants will develop competence in strategies that support their clients to break out of these patterns and re-establish healthy strategies to address the events of their lives.

What if everything you knew about burnout was wrong?

A new look at sustaining a career in the helping professions.
Brian C. Miller, MSW, Ph.D.
July 26, 2024; 12:15pm – 1:15pm
(1 contact hour)

Professional Burnout is a phenomenon that we have talked about and studied in our field for 50 years (Happy Birthday, Burnout!). But a careful look at the research on burnout doesn’t match the way we commonly talk about it nor the most commonly prescribed solutions. This talk will explain those misunderstandings so we can define active approaches that have an evidence-basis for helping us remain healthy and engaged in our important work.

 Objectives

• Participants will describe why “self-care” approaches have not adequately addressed the problem of burnout in behavior health professions
• Participants will explain why “compassion fatigue” is a misnomer
• Participants will list at least three actions that can reduce professional burnout