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

Room

Speaker(s): 

Gargis, Heather

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

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When Client becomes Colleague: The Peer Movement and Ethical Considerations

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Speaker(s): 

Cooley-Bennett, Terri

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

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

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Speaker(s): 

Smith, James

Smith, Chrystala

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

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

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Speaker(s): 

Firebaugh, Marie-Laurie

Copeland, Jennifer

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

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Experiential Approaches to Reveal Nine Types of Couples

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Speaker(s): 

Carpenter, John

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

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A Break from Burnout: A Positive Psychology Approach

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Speaker(s): 

Goldin, Gabrielle

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

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The State of Cannabis – 2025

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Speaker(s): 

Craighead, Levi

Description: 

This presentation will cover cannabis use as it pertains to public mental health.  The goal of this production is to improve understanding of how cannabis affects behavioral functioning and how to address cannabis use in clinical settings.

Objectives

1. Outline diagnostic features of Cannabis Use Disorder and Withdrawal
2. Develop understanding of cannabis use prevalence and means of consumption
3. Conceptualize pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

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Supporting Clients Impacted by Loved One’s Addiction: Developing Clinical Skills, Strategies, and Compassionate Care

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Speaker(s): 

Theison, Marissa

Description: 

This presentation will be reviewing an introduction, addiction and family dynamics, diving deeper into the impact on clients/consumers, and provide information re: skills and strategies to use.  Dr. Theison will use a published workbook as a guide while also incorporating additional skills and therapeutic approaches, such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), as treatment options.

Objectives

1. Describe the unique challenges clients face when they have loved ones or family members who are addicted to substances
2. Identify the broad impact of addiction and addiction-related losses clients/consumers experience
3. Explore practical strategies for support and compassionate care