ARC Prevention Education Webinars

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2024 Spring Webinar Series

Webinars run on Wednesdays from 11:30am - 1:00pm.

Register for free below. CEUs available for purchase.

available for free viewing until 5/1/2024

Mindfulness Skills to Cope with Trauma and Adversity

Presented by Gwendolyn Bammel LMSW CAADC

Session Description:

This training will outline the trauma response and the correlating mind/body reactions, including an increased likelihood for addiction. Participants will; learn how to retrain the brain and calm the sympathetic nervous system. 

Session Objectives:

• Objective #1: Understand the trauma reaction in the mind/body 

• Objective #2: Identify how this correlates to addiction 

• Objective #3: Learn techniques to soothe the sympathetic nervous system response

Presenter Bio

Gwendolyn entered this field in 2000 with a passion for helping others find healing. As a Trauma Specialist with an inner child and EMDR approach; she helps clients find resolution to the issues that fuel their continued addiction. Gwendolyn is the Manager at Ascension Eastwood Recovery Center, a residential program for indigent men, where most clients have COD, abuse/neglect/trauma, unstable work and housing, criminal records, and limited resources. Eastwood provides holistic care where clients find a path to healing. The spiritual changes are profound, and the alumni continue to carry the message of Hope to clients in the Program.

Slide Deck

May 1st - Befriending the brain in recovery: How to Build Successful, Sustained Sobriety

Presented by Dr. Bob Weathers

Session Description:

Tying in principles and methods from his recent books on recovery resilience, Bob Weathers, PhD, CMHRS, integrates and applies practical insights from one of the hottest areas of current substance use disorders research: nervous system regulation. Dr. Weathers breaks down these recent scientific findings into easy-to-understand concepts – for “building the brain in recovery” – along the way, providing numerous hands-on exercises to engage learners. He incorporates a host of helpful applications: from cognitive-behavioral strategies and mindfulness to polyvagal theory and interpersonal neurobiology. He closes the workshop with a warm-hearted invitation into dialoguing in real time with workshop attendees’ questions and comments -- all with the expressed wish of offering innovative, cutting-edge resources for anyone interested in how to successfully sustain sobriety

Session Objectives:

• Objective #1: Participants will be able to explain how the brain is distributed across the entire human body, and the implication this has for recovery from substance use disorders

• Objective #2: Participants will be able to differentiate between the three primary branches of the nervous system, and how these various branches contribute to both substance use disorders and recovery

• Objective #3: Participants will be able to demonstrate how to practically apply recovery resilience interventions in assisting those who are in recovery from substance use disorders

Presenter Bio

Bob Weathers, PhD, CMHRS, is a highly regarded educator, recovery coach, author, and public speaker. Dr. Weathers holds a PhD in clinical psychology, along with graduate degrees in religious studies. Over the course of his professional career, Dr. Weathers has provided tens of thousands of hours of therapeutic counseling and recovery coaching to satisfied clients. He has also committed over four decades to teaching, training, and inspiring graduate-level mental health providers at several southern California universities, including assisting in the development of their nationally accredited substance use disorders studies certificate programs and mindfulness-based clinical training coursework. His two most recent books on substance use disorders recovery are currently in press with Cambridge University Press.

May 8th - How We Speak Matters: Undoing Stigmatizing Language

Presented by AJ Schreier

Session Description:

Language is important. How we speak to and about individuals is ultimately how we treat them. The language we use is vital when it comes to prevention, education, treatment, and recovery from those experiencing problems with substance use, mental health, gambling and other areas of need, care, and services. The use of some language continues to be outdated, not based on clinical application, stigmatizing, and even harmful. Unfortunately, this common language continues to be used in various settings.  The language we use is evident in our collaboration efforts, engaging with communities, documentation, and in direct services we provide individuals. Professionals may not realize the impact language may have on the people they serve. Using these types of words can impact someone not seeking help, disengaging in services, discouraging progress, and feelings of humiliation and shame. As further movement encourages the use of patient- centered language there is a need to incorporate ways to undo the language we've used and utilize new language to foster safe environments for recovery.

Session Objectives:

• Objective #1: Review the importance of language and the words we use towards people who are seeking help for problems related to substance use, mental health, gambling, and other areas of need. 

• Objective #2: Identify some of the common words and language that is outdated, stigmatizing, and harmful that continues to be present in the helping industry and understand how it impacts individuals seeking help. 

• Objective #3: Learn alternative strategies for speaking to, talking about, documenting, and other ways we use language to engage with individuals and provide them with a safe space for healing. 

Presenter Bio

Andrew J. Schreier is an Independent Clinical Supervisor, Clinical Substance Abuse Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor, Board Approved Clinical Consultant, and International Certified Gambling Counselor - II. Mr. Schreier graduated from Ottawa University with a Master's Degree in Counseling and Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Human Services. He is the Director of Clinical Services in Wisconsin & Minnesota for Community Medical Services that provides medicated-assisted treatment for individuals with opioid use disorder. He provides oversight and guidance for all clinical and behavioral health services. Mr. Schreier also works at New Life Resources, Inc. that provides individual counseling/therapy, children and adolescent services, couples/marital counseling, group therapy, and consultation. Experience over the years include working in group home, halfway house, residential, medicated-assisted treatment, and outpatient treatment settings. He presents on various topics related to substance use, mental health, gambling, clinical supervision, ethics, and various other topics to statewide and national audiences. He is on the board of directors for the Wisconsin Council on Problem Gambling and volunteers for the American Red Cross as a Mental Health Disaster Counselor. Mr. Schreier is the host of "Talking Addiction & Recovery" Podcast. 

May 15th - My Child Is Using Marijuana. Now What? 

Presented by Aubree Adams

Session Description:

Aubree will educate families on recognizing the signs of marijuana use and offer practical tools to parent a teen with harmful behaviors effectively. She will also provide guidelines to parents on how to make their own homes a place where recovery and healthy living are welcomed and practiced.

Session Objectives:

• Objective #1: Learn signs and symptoms of marijuana use

• Objective #2: Learn about industrialized marijuana products including THC variants made from Hemp that are federally legalized

• Objective #3: Effects of THC on the body

• Objective #4: Diagnosis of cannabis use disorder, cannabis-induced psychosis, cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome, risk of suicide and opioid use disorder

• Objective #5: How to respond to a child using marijuana

• Objective #6: Learn about recovery tools and resources for families

• Objective #7: Learn about the Every Brain Matters community

Presenter Bio

Aubree Adams is a leading advocate who stands up against the predatory addiction-for-profit marijuana industry. She is the founder and director of Every Brain Matters, a nationally trusted educational resource formed by families with loved ones who have been severely damaged or killed by the effects of marijuana. The stories of these families are featured on the Every Brain Mattes YouTube channel and the It’s Just Pot What’s The Problem? Podcast. This Pueblo, Colorado, mom lived at ground zero of the marijuana expansion movement. Aubree has been nationally featured on Fox News and NewsMax along with her op-eds published in USA Today and the Denver Gazette entitled "Standing up to the Threat of Marijuana." She has shared her devastating first-hand experience about this public health crisis before the FDA, The National Academy of Science, and in the documentary Chronic State. She has testified in many state governments, asking them to embrace healthy communities and families rather than the expansion of drugs. Aubree states that families and communities are unprepared for this era of industrialized marijuana that targets youth with flavored candies and vapes that provide a rapid and potent chemical assault to the brain. Families lack the resources to prevent, manage, or recover from a child or young adult addicted or psychotic from cannabis. Aubree rejects the false narrative that potent marijuana is a harmless expression of personal freedom. Based on the latest scientific evidence and personal stories, she states that THC is a dangerous and addictive drug, and like all drugs of abuse, it can destroy lives. 

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