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• Healing Adolescent Heartbreak: Addressing the Core of Complex Trauma and Addiction

  • When
    10/13/2023
  •  
    11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Children's Services Council 2300 High Ridge Road Boynton Beach, FL 33426

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  Healing Adolescent Heartbreak: Addressing the Core of Complex Trauma and Addiction

  Mike Giresi, CAC, CTP, ICADC, NMP
  

  This presentation offers a comprehensive overview of adolescent mental health and substance use issues from the lens of complex trauma, including evidence-based interventions for assessment, clinical conceptualization, and treatment. Attendees will participate in self-guided, as well as group exercises to practice trauma-informed skills. This presentation will also provide demonstrations on how to apply clinical skills specifically oriented to addressing adaptive patterns of both nervous system dysregulation and shamed-based identity distortions. Attendees will be introduced to specific assessment tools that will aid in their ability to conceptualize complex trauma symptoms and behaviors through the lens of attachment theory, interpersonal neurobiology, and developmental affective neuroscience.

  Learning Objectives:

  1. Define the term complex trauma

  2. Describe the impact of early attachment, relational, and developmental trauma on adolescent mental health

  3. Identify complex trauma themes that underly symptoms and behaviors associated with (chemical and behavioral) addictive processes

  2.0 General CEU Hours
  

  Mike Giresi, CAC, CTP, ICADC, NMP
  Chief Development Officer
  Family First Adolescent Services
  

  Mike found his passion for helping others through his own journey of healing and recovery. He started his career in the mental health field working with adult clients who suffered from complex trauma and PTSD, as well as chemical and process addictions. He has since traveled to India to study and become certified in Yoga and Meditation. Mike is a Florida Certified Addiction Counselor and an Internationally Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor through the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium (IC&RC). Mike is also a nationally Certified Trauma Professional through Spirit2Spirit Trauma Healing and a NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM®) Practitioner. 

  In addition, Mike is a national speaker and educator on the topics of developmental trauma, addiction, and adolescent treatment. Mike utilizes his extensive training and experience in the field of trauma, somatic psychology, interpersonal neurobiology, and addiction treatment to inform the creation of individual, group, and family programming for our clients and their loved ones at Family First. 

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• Assertive Community Treatment: A Paradigm Shift in Treating Severe Mental Illness

  • When
    11/17/2023
  •  
    11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Children's Services Council 2300 High Ridge Road Boynton Beach, FL 33426

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  Assertive Community Treatment: A Paradigm Shift in Treating Severe Mental Illness
  

  John Puls, LCSW
  

  It is estimated that nearly 6.3% of the population nationally is suffering from severe mental illness (SMI), which equates to approximately 14.8 million people in the United States (NIHM). Severe mental illness is simply defined as someone with a moderate to severe psychiatric disorder, with significantly impaired social and occupational functioning, that requires long term care. SMI is often associated with individuals suffering from a psychotic disorder such as schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, schizophreniform, delusional disorder, and substance induced psychotic disorder. Bipolar disorder, other mood disorders, and personality disorders can also be considered severe mental illnesses depending on the severity and the care required.  

  The vast majority of those suffering from SMI will never receive proper treatment due to the lack of available resources. As a result, many people living with SMI will end up incarcerated and have repeated involvement in the criminal justice system. This issue was exacerbated by the deinstitutionalization movement in the 1970's that sought to close down "asylums" and other long term psychiatric facilities with the intention of integrating people into the community. Regrettably, this community integration plan fell significantly short of the desired outcome. 

   Developed in the early 1970s, assertive community treatment (ACT) was developed to be the gold standard for working in the community with individuals with severe mental illness. ACT challenges the conventional model of patients going to inpatient facilities for an acute stabilization period and then being expected to attend outpatient care on their own. Alternatively, ACT seeks to bring treatment to patients in the community. Services include wrap around case management services, counseling, and medication management with psychiatric care. 

   Learning objectives:

  1 - Comprehend the history of treatment of clients with severe mental illness in the United States

  2 - A through understanding of the scope and frequency of severe mental illness 

  3 - Understanding the deinstitutionalization movement and the related consequences 

  4 - Develop an initial understanding of the assertive community treatment model and the benefits of using ACT with severe mental illness 

  5 - Understand the available resources for client's with severe mental illness 

   2.0 General CEU Hours

  John Puls, LCSW began working with individuals suffering from substance use disorder and acute mental illness in 2013 in a support staff role. During this time, John completed his bachelor’s degree in social work from Florida Atlantic University while working as a case manager. John was accepted to the advanced standing master’s in a social work program at Florida Atlantic University and is currently a licensed clinical social worker. While working as a primary therapist in a residential substance use disorder facility, John became a master's level certified addiction professional (MCAP) through the Florida Certification Board. John is passionate about educating social work students and serves as an adjunct professor at the School of Social Work at Florida Atlantic University. Additionally, John works closely with legal professionals as a forensic social worker, providing case reviews and expert testimony involving addiction and addiction treatment facilities. John owns a private psychotherapy, crisis intervention, and case management practice in Boca Raton, FL.

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• Whose Story is it Anyway? Individual Development across Family Systems

  • When
    12/08/2023
  •  
    11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Children's Services Council 2300 High Ridge Road Boynton Beach, FL 33426

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  Whose Story is it Anyway? Individual Development across Family Systems

  Rebecca Nelson, MA, LMHC, EMDR-C, QS and 

  Dr. Secquay Gordon, Ph.D., LMFT

  Stories from the family system of origin influences individual personalities and beliefs across the lifespan. If not examined, these transgenerational messages can interfere with developing a secure and true sense of self. In the counseling space, we often find that individuals hold these family messages as truths and as such live their lives and execute decisions according to this gospel. The need to live out this family narrative can compromise the individual’s happiness, esteem, and experience of satisfaction. This discussion seeks to examine how these messages are learned, how they may interfere, and how counselors can help to deconstruct and adapt this belief system to better fit individual life circumstances.

  Learning Objectives:

  1. Explain how family systems shape individual personality, attachment style, and core beliefs

  2. Understand the function of defensive or manipulative behaviors as creative survival strategies to manage attachment and safety needs

  3. Understand how survival strategies within the family of origin manifest in adult relationships 

  2.0 General CEU Hours

  Rebecca Nelson, MA, LMHC, EMDR-C, QS

  Primary Therapist at Caron FL's Ocean Drive

  As a Primary Therapist, Rebecca Nelson helps patients increase personal insight and develop new skills that support greater fulfillment and purpose. She believes that everyone deserves a life filled with purpose, joy, and peace.

  Rebecca uses warmth and authenticity to create a safe, consistent, and non-judgmental space. She enjoys helping patients engage in self-exploration so they can shift focus from struggle to creating a life filled with meaning.

  Before coming to Caron in 2022, she worked as a therapist in a range of settings, including hospital inpatient, acute emergency room, residential, outpatient, and private practice clinical settings. This range of experience enables her to work with patients through any obstacles with compassion, empathy, and unwavering support. Her hope is to develop a strong alliance where trust, vulnerability, and commitment to personal growth will lead to resilience, hope, and healing.

  Rebecca believes in individualized care and works with patients to identify specific areas of growth to foster their ability to be their best selves. Rebecca has a passion for addressing emotional and behavioral challenges using advanced intervention techniques. She is a certified provider of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) and the safe and sound protocol (SSP), and she is intensively trained in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). She specializes in the treatment of trauma-related mood and anxiety disorders and her practice is rooted in trauma-informed care.

   She has a Master of Arts in clinical mental health counseling and a Bachelor of Arts in communications, human development, and applied psychology from Boston College. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in counseling at Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton.

  Dr. Secquay Gordon, Ph.D., LMFT

  Family Therapist at Caron FL's Ocean Drive

  Dr. Secquay Gordon is a licensed marriage and family therapist at Caron Ocean Drive.

  His ability to build rapport and connect with patients and families allows him to create an atmosphere of trust and respect. Dr. Gordon believes that the family is an ecosystem that will adjust to get back to homeostasis, even if that means incorporating unhealthy patterns. Thus, Caron’s emphasis on incorporating the family system is critical to the treatment process.

   Before beginning his work at Caron Ocean Drive in 2022, he had served as a licensed marriage and family therapist at Caron Renaissance since 2018.

  Prior to coming to Caron, Dr. Gordon worked as a clinical director, community-based outpatient therapist, and held a private practice. He is a Florida-approved supervisor. Dr. Gordon also specializes in the effects of internal and external influences on professional athletes. His dissertation explored the career cycle of professional athletes and their families and the difficulties in adjusting to retirement.

  Dr. Gordon has a Ph.D. in marriage and family therapy from Nova Southeastern University. His education as well as structural family training with Salvador Minuchin, founder of structural therapy, gave him a deep knowledge and expertise in family systems and its role in treating substance use disorder.

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• The Search for Meaning: Using Brain Science to Help Heal & Restore the Spirit

  • When
    01/19/2024
  •  
    11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Farmers Table 1901 N Military Trail, Boca Raton, FL 33431

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  "The Search for Meaning": Using Brain Science to Help Heal & Restore the Spirit

  Dr. Antonello Bonci

  
  

  More Details Coming Soon 
  

  
  

  2.0 General CEU Hours

  Dr. Antonello Bonci

  Dr. Antonello Bonci is the President and Founder of GIA Miami. Before moving to GIA Miami, he served for nearly a decade at the National Institute of Health (NIH) as Scientific Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the NIH. Before that, he was Professor-in-Residence in the Department of Neurology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Dr. Bonci is known worldwide for his pioneering studies on the long-term effects of stress and drug exposure on the brain.  Dr. Bonci has received numerous international awards, such as the D. Efron Award at the ACNP, the Jacob P. Waletzky Memorial Award at the Society for Neuroscience, and the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies/ENJ Research Award. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine, the American Academy of Physicians, the American Neurological Association, the Dana Alliance for Brain Initiatives, and a Fellow of ACNP. 

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• Safety Through Action: DBT Skills for Trauma-Based Disorders

  • When
    02/16/2024
  •  
    11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Children's Services Council 2300 High Ridge Road Boynton Beach, FL 33426

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  Safety Through Action: DBT Skills for Trauma-Based Disorders 

  Dr. Vassilia Binensztok, PhD, LMHC, NCC

  Symptoms of trauma-related disorders commonly include emotional dysregulation, negative self-image, hypervigilance, and social withdrawal.  These symptoms interfere with daily functioning and clients often long for actionable skills to manage symptoms. Originally created to treat Borderline Personality Disorder, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) has also been found to be highly effective in helping to ameliorate emotional dysregulation and other symptoms associated with trauma-related disorders.  This presentation will focus on the use of DBT skills when treating trauma-related disorders.  Common symptoms of trauma-related disorders will be outlined, with a differentiation between trauma and complex trauma.  The theoretical underpinnings of DBT and its usefulness in treating trauma will be explored. Use of DBT skills like Radical Acceptance, Coping Ahead, and other emotional regulation skills will be demonstrated.

  Learning Objectives:

  1.     Understand how trauma and complex trauma manifest.
  2.     Understand the theoretical underpinnings of DBT.
  3.     Apply DBT skills for trauma-related symptoms

  2.0 General CEU Hours

  Dr. Vassilia Binensztok is a licensed and board certified mental health counselor in private practice in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Her practice, Juno Counseling and Wellness, employs several other therapists and offers a holistic approach to mental health.

  Dr. Binensztok holds a Bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College, a Master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University, and a Doctorate degree from Florida Atlantic University, as well as numerous certifications in trauma therapy, family therapy, and forensic evaluation. Dr. Binensztok is the author of several academic publications on therapeutic assessment and interventions, most recently releasing a textbook training clinicians to evaluate risk for child maltreatment in multicultural settings. As a therapist, researcher, and professor, she is an expert in anxiety, trauma, and relationships.

  Dr. Binensztok is passionate about helping the local community, particularly underprivileged youth.  She serves on the Board of Directors and development committee for Vita Nova, a local nonprofit that helps keep youth out of homelessness. On her free time, Dr. Binensztok enjoys trying new things, traveling, arts and culture, and meditation.

  Dr. Vassilia Binensztok is a licensed and board certified mental health counselor in private practice in Palm Beach Gardens, FL.  Additionally, Dr. Binensztok teaches graduate level counseling courses at Florida Atlantic University and Northwestern University.  Dr. Binensztok is the author of several academic publications on therapeutic assessment and interventions. As a therapist, researcher, and professor, she is an expert in anxiety, trauma, and relationships.

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• ADHD Beyond Academics

  • When
    03/15/2024
  •  
    11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Children's Services Council 2300 High Ridge Road Boynton Beach, FL 33426

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  ADHD Beyond Academics
  

  Sheila Simchon, LSP, LCSW-QS

  Description: Children with ADHD struggle beyond academics. Many kids with ADHD struggle to make interpersonal connections due to difficulty with emotional regulation, impulse control and general social skills. Years of bullying and failures result in developing psychological disorders like social anxiety, depression, and oppositional defiance. These challenges carry on into adulthood affecting one’s ability to develop and maintain healthy relationships and success in their career.
  

  Learning objectives include:

  1. Overview of ADHD
  2. Addressing the types of social, emotional and psychological impact
  3. Support and resources for children and adults with ADHD

  2.0 General CEU Hours

  Sheila Simchon, LSP, LCSW-QS

  Sheila has served as a Learning Disabilities Specialist since 2006, training professionals in higher education on the best practices of working with students with Learning Disabilities, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Sheila has been providing clients with psycho-educational assessments to obtain appropriate accommodations and services, and providing individual support to teens and young adults struggling in school, career, and life. In addition, Sheila has done extensive research and have developed programs that support adults with disabilities looking to transition to adulthood. Support includes; career development, social skills, self-care, and independent living skills. Sheila also provided support to individuals struggling with life and looking for personal growth, couples looking to strengthen their relationship, and families looking to cope with stressful transitions that impact the family as a whole. It is equally as important to address the social and emotional impact as it is to address attention and focus.
  

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• The Pain of Trauma, the Trauma of Pain

  • When
    04/19/2024
  •  
    11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Children's Services Council 2300 High Ridge Road Boynton Beach, FL 33426

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  The Pain of Trauma, the Trauma of Pain

  Bennet E. Davis, MD

  This intermediate presentation will provide a neuroscience informed overview of what pain is, from nociceptive pain to neuropathic pain, and to pain for psychological reasons. We’ll build on that foundation in a discussion of “How to talk to your patients about pain in a way that engages them in appropriate care." At the end of the session, we will take a step back from the addiction narrative, challenge the assumptions that underlie our current approach to the opioid crisis, and build on the first segment of the session to recast the opioid crisis as a trauma crisis, requiring somewhat different resources and a different approach

  Learning Objectives:

  • Explain how to distinguish pain for psychological reasons from nociceptive and neuropathic pain.
  • Discuss with patients the cause of their pain and how treatment flows from the cause, in a way that does not suggest “it’s in your head” but rather engages and empowers patients to participate in treatment.
  • Explain how to recognize and know what to do about high risk prescribing of opioids.

  2.0 General CEU Hours

  Bennet E. Davis, MD
  

  Bennet E. Davis, MD, is the director of the Pain Recovery Program at Sierra Tucson. He is board certified in anesthesiology and pain medicine. Dr. Davis completed his undergraduate work at Stanford University in Stanford, CA, and received his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, OH. He then trained in orthopedic surgery and anesthesiology at the University of New Mexico and University of California, Irvine. He completed his fellowship in Manchester, England, after finishing residency training.

  Dr. Davis served as founder and Director of the University of Arizona Pain Center from 1995 to 2002. Where he was also Director of the Pain Fellowship Program and co-founding faculty of the Arizona Cancer Center. In 2002, he and his colleagues founded Arizona’s first and only adult pain clinic to achieve American Pain Society Center of Excellence. The Integrative Pain Center of Arizona, which operated as one of the nation’s few models for interdisciplinary pain care until November 2017.

  He is involved in organized medicine as a past president of the Pima County Medical Society and is active on a national level and teaching as medical director for CHC Pain ECHO, a telemedicine teaching program for primary care providers across the nation. He serves on numerous advisory boards for health policy. His article, “A Patient Centered Approach to Tapering Opioids” was featured in The Journal of Family Practice in 2019 and addresses the adverse how not screening for trauma has prevented us from effectively addressing the opioid crisis.

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• Navigating Divorce and the Emotional Consequences for Parents and Children

  • When
    05/17/2024
  •  
    11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Children's Services Council 2300 High Ridge Road Boynton Beach, FL 33426

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  Navigating Divorce and the Emotional Consequences for Parents and Children

  Carolina Gaviria, LMHC, NCC, CEDS-S
  and Ara Mascarenas, M.S Counseling
  

  Nobody gets married thinking that they will get divorced. However, divorce is a reality that affects many families in the U.S. and requires continued support to address the emotional impact on family members, especially children. In this presentation, you will gain insight into the effects of divorce on children's attachment and explore their grief and loss process. You'll learn how parent guilt can impact parenting, boundaries, and discipline, and the issues that may arise during the transition from divorce. Finally, you'll discover creative interventions to engage children & teens during the therapeutic process to help them rebuild their lives.

  Learning Objectives: 

  1.     Understand the effects that divorce can have on attachment in children and teens.

  2.     Explore how children and teens go through grief and loss during a divorce. 

  3.     Identify how parent guilt may impact parenting, boundary setting, and discipline.

  4.     Describe issues that may arise from transitioning from divorce and bring accountability to the parenting agreement. 

  5.     Learn creative interventions to engage and work with children.

  2.0 General CEU Hours

  Carolina Gaviria, LMHC, NCC, CEDS-S

  I’m a bilingual/Spanish licensed mental health counselor, a national certified counselor, a certified eating disorders specialist and ieadp approved supervisor as well as certified EMDR therapist. I am committed to helping and supporting children, teens, and adults find freedom and inner peace from their eating disorder, depression, anxiety, and trauma.

  I understand the concern about a loved one’s well-being when they are sad and anxious sometimes restricting, binging, and purging, or using drugs to self-medicate. I know how difficult it is for that person to just stop or change, especially when they don’t really know how. This is why I focus not only on the problem but also the solution teaching clients coping strategies and new ways of seeing the situation they are in. Depression and anxiety can create a cyclic pattern very difficult to break and eating disorders and addictions can become a very unhealthy coping mechanism to deal with inner pain.

  As the co-founder of Home for Balance Psychotherapy Group, LLC and the Food & Mood Institute, I strongly believe in full recovery and the power of family and teamwork. I have over 20 years of experience as a mental health counselor, and I currently practice in the Coconut Creek area and online via secure platform. In my private practice I hold sessions in both, English and Spanish, and offer flexible hours. I’m very approachable and provide a safe and comfortable environment for clients to be themselves, while fully exploring the concerns that bring them to counseling. I’m also aware that every individual is different and offer personalized services to help you achieve your goals.

  During the past 15 years I have specialized in the diagnosis and treatment of eating disorders, addictions and trauma. I also sit at the board of the International Association for Eating Disorders Professionals South Florida Chapter (iaedp) and have presented at numerous conferences on the impact of eating disorders. I’m committed to support individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serve as a catalyst for education, prevention, and access to quality care.

  Ara Mascarenas, M.S Counseling
  

  I am a dedicated pre-licensed mental health therapist with a master’s degree from Nova Southeastern University. I have a wealth of experience in diverse clinical settings, including schools, clinics, and outpatient services. My focus has been on addressing mental health concerns, fostering healthy development, promoting social-emotional learning, and enhancing executive functioning skills.

  Specializing in working with children aged 4 to 18, as well as young adults, I possess a deep understanding of the unique challenges and developmental needs that arise during these crucial stages of life. As a bilingual clinician fluent in both English and Spanish, I can effectively communicate and connect with clients from different cultural backgrounds, fostering a sense of comfort and understanding.

  My passion lies in working with children and adolescents facing a range of issues, including behavior challenges, navigating divorce, recovering from traumatic experiences, ADHD, anxiety, and depression. I provide compassionate and tailored support to facilitate healing and growth.

  Additionally, I value community involvement and I sit on the board of the Mental Health Counselors Association of Palm Beach.

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• Medications for Mental Illness: What Therapists Need to Know

  • When
    06/14/2024
  •  
    11:00 AM - 2:00 PM
  • Location
    Children's Services Council 2300 High Ridge Road Boynton Beach, FL 33426

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  Medications for Mental Illness: What Therapists Need to Know

  Jessica Turner, M.D.

  As a therapist, you may be wondering how medication can fit into your treatment plan with your clients. Medication is often an effective treatment for mental illness, especially when used in combination with therapy.

  There are many types of medications that are commonly used to treat mental illness, and the best medication for a particular client will depend on their individual needs. To help clients manage their expectations, it is important to understand when medication might be appropriate, and how medication will be utilized in their everyday life. This presentation will provide a primer for therapists to understand what is relevant for your everyday practice. 

  Learning Objectives:

  1. Describe the benefits of medication in combination with therapy.
  2. Identify the different types of medications that are commonly used to treat mental illness.
  3. Discuss the risks of medication, such as side effects and drug interactions.
  4. Describe which patients may benefit from genetic testing or blood work.
  5. Discuss the importance of managing the patient's expectations about medication.

  2.0 General CEU Hours

  Jessica Turner, M.D. is a concierge psychiatrist with experience treating anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions in adults. She completed her undergraduate studies in neuroscience at Trinity University, where she conducted eating disorder prevention research. She then went on to earn her master's degree from the University of North Texas and her medical degree from Texas Tech University. Dr. Turner completed her psychiatry residency training at Brown University, where she served as an educator and teacher to medical students. 

  Dr. Turner currently provides concierge mental health care for patients seeking to improve their mental health and well-being. She takes a collaborative approach to medication management, working with counselors and therapists to ensure that medications are both thoughtful and appropriate for each patient’s individual needs.

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