Home > Articles by: admin

Author: admin

By

St. Louis Forensic Treatment Center

The St. Louis Forensic Treatment Center (FTC) is comprised of two campuses, one a 180 bed site located in the South City, and the other a 75 bed site located in the North City, also known as Forensic Treatment Center South (FTC-S), and Forensic Treatment Center North (FTC-N), respectively. The FTC-N location provides inpatient competency restoration and outpatient forensic evaluation. The FTC-S location provides inpatient services for the NGRI, PIST, and VBG populations. Clients admitted require intensive treatment, a medication regimen, and psychosocial rehabilitation services either to be restored to competence, or to achieve the psychiatric stability and relapse prevention plan necessary for discharge from hospital-based care and for safe and successful reintegration into the community. In addition, those who have been adjudicated as NGRI can only be released by meeting specific legal standards as approved by a judge.

https://dmh.mo.gov/ftc

By

Braeburn

Braeburn is dedicated to transforming the management of opioid use disorder (OUD) to help people begin and sustain their recovery. At Braeburn, we challenge the status quo and champion transformation of the management of OUD. We partner with the community to create a world where every person with OUD gets the best possible care and opportunity to reach their full potential. Our product, BRIXADI, is the first and only weekly and monthly subcutaneous injection for moderate to severe OUD and is the only buprenorphine injectable that utilizes FluidCrystal®* Injection Depot Technology. For more information, visit https://braeburnrx.com/wp-content/uploads/brixadi-prescribing-information.pdf

website: https://braeburnrx.com

By

Banyan Treatment Centers

Banyan Treatment Centers is a nationally recognized leader in behavioral healthcare, offering comprehensive residential treatment for primary mental health disorders and substance use disorders. With facilities located across the country, Banyan provides individualized, evidence-based care in a supportive environment, helping clients achieve lasting recovery. Our nationwide network ensures access to high-quality treatment close to home, while our dedicated team of professionals delivers compassionate care at every stage of the recovery journey.

website: banyantreatment.com

By

Somatic Therapies and Trauma: Healing through the Wisdom of the Nervous System

Room Paradise B

Speaker(s): 

Gargis, Heather, MA, LPC, SEP

Description: 

Step into a compelling exploration of somatic therapies and trauma, where healing goes beyond traditional cognitive approaches. This presentation dives deeply into the wisdom of the nervous system, unraveling the complexities of trauma responses and embracing the body’s vital role in recovery. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of the innate threat response cycle and its pivotal role in fostering resilience. This approach highlights the body’s profound capacity to heal and restore, offering a more holistic view of trauma recovery.

Through experiential exercises, participants will explore interoception, exteroception, and proprioception, cultivating a deeper connection to the landscape of sensation and movement. This lecture provides a roadmap to understanding the language of the body and integrating its wisdom into therapy. By learning how to attune to the nervous system and guide clients toward redefining their relationship with their bodies, practitioners will leave equipped to facilitate self-discovery, resilience, and holistic healing that extends beyond the boundaries of traditional talk therapy.

Objectives

1. Define “somatic” therapies: Establish a professional understanding of the conceptual framework within trauma treatment
2. Identify the neurobiological impact of trauma on the nervous system and its role in healing
3. Analyze the phases and methods for completing the threat response cycle to enhance resilience and healing

By

When Client becomes Colleague: The Peer Movement and Ethical Considerations

Room Paradise A

Speaker(s): 

Cooley-Bennett, Terri, BSW, MSW, LCSW, LSCSW, CCDP-D, TTS

Description: 

Individuals who are former or current clients are obtaining jobs or roles as peers on a more regular basis (Krumm et al., 2022). As clinicians, educators, and supervisors, it is important to be aware of ethical considerations regarding peers in the workplace, who may be former clients. Ethical dilemmas may arise due to the potential for dual relationships. As clinicians, it is important to be compliant with applicable laws and ethical codes, cooperate with agencies and boards, and be ethically responsible. A critical aspect is being client-centered and not harming clients. This workshop will provide an overview of ethical obligations as they pertain to colleagues or peers, ethics, boundaries, and confidentiality. Issues such as vicarious liability will be discussed and potential ethical conflicts that may occur will be examined. Finally, strategic ways of managing ethical conflicts will be examined.

Objectives

1. Provide a brief overview of ethical codes and considerations that pertain to Dual Relationships, Boundaries, and Confidentiality
2. Examine the current research regarding peer support services
3. Define Vicarious Liability

By

Pings of Power: The Relationship Between Electronic Device Use, Mental Health, and Relationship Wellness

Room Paradise C

Speaker(s): 

Smith, James, PhD, LPC

Smith, Chrystala, MEd, LPC

Description: 

Facebook was launched in 2004, and the first iPhone was released in 2007. Even before these massive shifts in communication, mental health researchers were interested in the relationship between internet usage, communication technologies, mental health, and relationship wellness. Dr. Smith and Ms. Smith completed a qualitative thematic review of research literature published since 2004 to better understand these relationships. Together, they reviewed over 75 research. In this presentation, they will summarize research published since 2014 and share the insights this research provides.

Objectives

1. Discuss the relationship between electronic device use/social media, mental health, and relationship wellness
2. Review the interactions of personal dispositions, content engaged, and time spent on electronic devices
3. Apply the information to clinical considerations when working with mental health care clients

By

Filtered Realities: Addressing the Impact of Social Media on Body Image and Eating Disorders

Room

Speaker(s): 

Firebaugh, Marie-Laure, MSW

Copeland, Jennifer, PsyD

Description: 

Body image dissatisfaction is a leading factor in the development of eating disorders, which are serious mental illnesses associated with numerous health and psychiatric comorbidities. The use of social media has increased body dissatisfaction among women, men, and teens. Additionally, recent studies suggest that people in rural areas may spend more time on social media making them more susceptible to body dissatisfaction. Media and more recently the use of social media has been shown to contribute significantly to increased body dissatisfaction, thus the importance on training people to become mindful media consumers. Additionally, helping people develop healthier relationships with their bodies is crucial, as improving body image can significantly reduce the risk of developing an eating disorder. In this session, we will discuss strategies to create an environment that promotes healthy body image by focusing on the following areas: 1) introducing the concept of body acceptance and understanding its benefits in fostering an inclusive and positive environment, 2) exploring how diet culture influences societal norms and body image, including reviewing information on the potential harms caused by social media, and 3) providing actionable steps that providers can take in their practice as well as resources in Missouri for eating disorders screening, prevention, and treatment as well as training for professionals help their clients develop healthy body image and reduce their risk of developing an eating disorder.

Objectives

1. Review the concept of body acceptance and its benefits in creating a healthy body image culture
2. Describe the impact of diet culture and social media on societal norms and body image
3. Identify concrete, actionable steps that can be implemented to improve body image

By

Experiential Approaches to Reveal Nine Types of Couples

Room Windgate 60-61

Speaker(s): 

Carpenter, John, MSW, LCSW

Description: 

By using experiential exercises, visual symbolic props, emotional age designations, and metaphors, a therapist can begin to reveal the actual dynamics among relations in a couple and their subsequent family.  It also becomes undeniably clear to the clients and bypasses resistance and unspoken issues.  By making the issues visible and tangible, treatment ideas become clearer as well.  This presentation will demonstrate how these techniques reveal nine different types of couples.

Objectives

1. Describe effective exercises to help assess issues
2. Incorporate visual symbolic props
3. Create a visual display of relationship dynamics

By

A Break from Burnout: A Positive Psychology Approach

Room Windgate 62-63

Speaker(s): 

Goldin, Gabrielle, MEd

Description: 

All professionals experience burnout at some point in their career. In the helping field, it often feels like burnout is part of our job. But is it? Does it have to be?

Take a break from burnout and come together to receive support, encouragement, and education about preventing future compassion fatigue. This presentation will be an interactive, practical session for practitioners to explore self-care strategies beyond deep breathing and “taking a walk.” Working from a Positive Psychology approach, Gabrielle will provide a refreshing take on helping ourselves in order to help others.

Objectives

1. Recognize symptoms of burnout vs. daily stress
2. Learn how strategies to combat clinician burnout have changed over time
3. Develop a self-care plan utilizing the Positive Psychology approach