Geriatric Track
The Invisibles: Older Adults Living To Thrive Through COVID-19
Presented by Nina Nechay, LPC, NCC
This workshop will focus on the challenges the geriatric population faced during the global pandemic of COVID-19. We will provide practical applications for treatment delivery and therapeutic support of older adults and their caregivers. Additionally, handouts with the list of the resources and support groups will be provided to attendees.

According to research and clients' personal accounts, the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately affected the older adult population in the United States and worldwide. Stressors such as higher mortality and more significant health risks associated with the virus, sudden disruption to regular routines, and lack of daily structures have turned the world of the geriatric population into unfamiliar and threatening territory (Vahia et al., 2020). What contributed to further distress is abruptly disturbed access to healthcare services and places of socialization, the acute need of mastering communication technology such as Zoom or Telemedicine, loss of any physical contact, including seeing and physical touch from loved ones.

In this lecture, we would like to highlight the main effects of the pandemic, suggest research-based psychotherapy treatment modalities, and make recommendations related to transitioning our older adult clients back to the "new" normal. Additionally, we will provide recommendations for the caregivers and loved ones.

 Diversity and Inclusion Track 

Will I Survive: Impacts Of COVID-19 On LGBTQ+ Individuals In Rural Areas

Presented by BethAnne Swick, LPCC-S

The impacts of COVID-19 have disproportionately the LGBTQ+ community, especially those residing in rural areas. This presentation focuses on the unique challenges that LGBTQ+ individuals have and are incurring due to the impacts COVID-19, including the heightened levels of isolation, anxiety and/or depression, substance abuse, homelessness, and suicide.

The COVID-19 pandemic has endangered public health on a global scale. Subsequently leading to restricted travel, sealed borders, curfews, educational institutions holding on-line classes rather than face-to-face session, and weakened economies (Banerjee and Nair, 2020) The impacts of COVID-19 have disproportionately affected numerous individuals of the LGBTQ+ community, especially those residing in rural areas, who often lack adequate resources. Resulting in them experiencing heightened isolation, anxiety and/or depression, substance abuse, homelessness, and suicide (Banerjee and Nair, 2020; Goldbach, Knutson, & Milton, 2020). COVID-19 has directly impacted healthcare, mental health and alcohol and substance abuse services (Goldbach, Knutson & Milton, 2020). Most providers of these services have been forced to provide these services via telehealth due to maintaining the COVID-19 restrictions and precautions enforced by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Unfortunately, internet service providers in rural areas tend to be significantly limited and frequently have unreliable internet connections. Thus, numerous LGBTQ+ individuals residing in rural areas have not been able to participate in telehealth services for healthcare, mental health, and/or alcohol and substance abuse services. Thereby causing further isolation and impeding their overall health and wellness (Goldbach, Knutson, & Milton, 2020; Movement Advancement Project, 2020).

Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Track

Integrated Care And Effective Collaboration With Physicians

Presented by Joseph Kertesz, MA, LCMHC, NCC

Physical health and mental health are inseparably interconnected. This presentation will explain the current trends in integrated healthcare, describe methods for implementing and maximizing the integrated care model and provide strategies in communications with physicians in order to enhance the mental health well-being of our clients.

Primary care medical providers are the initial source for diagnosing and treating a majority of the people with diagnosed mental health disorders. They also write the majority of psychotropic medication prescriptions. Therefore, many people in need of mental health services are currently being treated by their physicians and some are receiving medications from them. A growing trend in healthcare is to integrate mental health professionals in medical settings. Some insurers are exploring rewarding those primary care clinics that implement the integrated model. However, there is very little written or taught about preparing mental health professionals in how to communicate with medical providers. It is imperative that the mental health provider learn to communicate effectively with physicians in order to maximize the care to their clients. This is true whether the mental health provider is in an integrated setting or is in a freestanding clinical practice. It is also very useful for them to learn these skills as a way to build a large referral base. Many primary care physicians recognize the need to refer mental health concerns out to specialists because the PCP does not have the time nor the expertise to appropriately treat these issues. Mental health providers are in the perfect position to assist with this challenge. The presenter has over 40 years of experience working in an integrated setting.

Children and Adolescents Track

Adolescents, Addiction, And The States: Treatment In The 21st Century

Presented by Jeremy M. Northrop, Ph.D., NCC, LPC/MHSP

The legalization of marijuana for recreational use in some states (but not all) has complicated treatment. Familial and social group acceptance among adolescents further convolutes the matter. Emphasis of the presentation is given to pressing concerns, successful treatment modalities, and present-day perspectives.

Addiction has a legal and illegal component in the United States. With the legalization and decriminalization of certain drugs in some states, the barrier between what is legal and illegal is less defined in current times. The physical effects of drugs on the adolescent brain differ significantly from the adult brain. Treatment for the addicted adolescent is more complicated as laws vary from state to state. The ordeal is further complicated when certain families and social groups accept some drug-use regardless of the legality. The influence of family and peers as well as the potential decriminalization and legalization create a circumstance which enable adolescents to become addicted. Professionals practicing across state lines and among different cultural groups have difficulty providing successful treatment modalities while still being respectful of differing cultural and personal values. Supervision, group and family therapy, role consideration, and accountability are key components of successful treatment. While certain standard historical treatments are popular (seeking a different environment [location], different peers, and different activities), applying the concepts to adolescents is difficult at best. While successful treatment is difficult, plausible treatment options exist. The potential for more research will increase as enough time has not passed for significant longitudinal studies. The elevated political environment further obscures the situation.

Developmental and Learning Disabilities Track

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for People with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Presented by Arielle A. Webb, M.Ed., NCC, LMHC

The efficacy of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) on people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a small and evolving research focus. Previous research has explored modified versions of DBT on people with ASD and co-occurring developmental and intellectual disabilities. This presentation summarizes the published research and proposes a new direction.

Since its conception, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) has been adapted for varying ages, clinical issues, and treatment settings (Linehan et al., 2002; Lynch, 2000; Lynch et al., 2003; Telch et al., 2001; Van den Bosch et al., 2002). More recently, the modification of DBT to address emotion regulation in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been explored. People with ASD are more vulnerable to developing co-occurring mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorders (Beck et al., 2020; Cornwall et al., 2021; Hepburn et al., 2014; Huntjens et al., 2020). One of the most noted challenges amongst people with ASD by mental health professionals is emotion regulation abilities (Beck et al., 2020; Hartmann et al., 2012; Mazefsky, 2013; Morie et al., 2019; Reyes et al., 2019). The few studies that have measured the effects of DBT on people with ASD show that DBT can reduce the intensity of co-occurring psychiatric conditions (Benevides & White, 2016; Cornwall et al., 2021; Fiona & Indianti, 2014; Huntjens, 2020). The format of the DBT skills is complex and potentially challenging to conceptualize for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) (Benevides & White, 2016; Brown, 2016; Fiona & Indianti, 2019; Huntjens et al., 2020), which commonly co-occurs with ASD (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020). The purpose of this presentation is to synthesize and discuss the research implications regarding adaptations of DBT for people with ASD and propose future directions of service delivery to this critical population.

Technology Assessment and Treatment Track

Can You Hear Me? Building and Maintaining Rapport Using Telehealth

Presented by Eric J. Camden, PhD, LPC, NCC, ACS

With the rapid growth of telehealth counseling in the last few years, mental health counselors can feel lost in their ability to build and maintain rapport with clients. The presenters will outline strategies, evidence-based research, and practical tips on maintaining a therapeutic alliance with clients virtually.

Like many advancements, change is forced out of necessity. This is the case for telehealth in mental health counseling over the past few years. While telehealth was on the rise before the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been a necessity since. Telehealth has numerous benefits to the client including the ability to allow access to mental health services for those in underserved areas, without access to transportation, or childcare. While research has indicated that the therapeutic alliance is the most critical aspect to client change, the way to build this alliance in the virtual setting is different in many areas. Additionally, many counselors have had little to no training in these areas or how to build rapport with a client through telehealth. This presentation will focus specifically on ways mental health counselors can intentionally foster the therapeutic alliance and rapport with clients through telehealth. Attendees will gather a better understanding of the history and modes of telehealth, advantages and disadvantages, and practical ways to develop rapport in a virtual setting. It is the goal that attendees will walk away with renewed confidence to enter or continue in telehealth counseling through the steps learned in this presentation.

 Diversity and Inclusion Track

Conceptualizing Black Women Issues; Developing A Strong Alliance

Presented by Astra Barkley, LPC

The objective is to become students of the the lived experiences of the clients we work with and explore the challenges and discover how to use this knowledge to develop a strong alliance and create a safe space for black women through current and previous literature, lived experiences and discussion.

Conceptualizing Black women Issues and developing a strong alliance is vital to support black women in their overall physical and mental well-being. Therefore, increasing awareness of Black women issues will increase cultural competency and confidence of counselor educators and practitioners working with Black women in mental health. According to the literature African American women are a misunderstood population and many experience numerous micro-aggressions due to the intersectionality of gender and race. Many black women do not attend therapy, and or do not return after the first session for a lack of relatability (Moore III and Madison-Colmore, 2005). Green (2019) suggest that when working with African American women it is important to be culturally responsive and utilize appropriate word choice in an effort to relate and build a strong alliance. There is limited current research on Black women issues and best practices for counselor educators and mental health practitioners.

 Couples and Family Track | Crisis Counseling Track

Helping Couples Overcome Infidelity

Presented by Angela L. Skurtu, LMFT

This presentation takes a look at how sex, infidelity and relationships have changed as a result of the pandemic. In the last two years, our country faced death and chronic uncertainty. In this training, we will do a deep dive into treatment strategies that are helping couples move forward.

Over the past two years, our country faced death and chronic uncertainty. As a result, couples have changed their expectations of marriage and relationships. For some couples, the pandemic shined a light on their unhappiness and ended in divorce. For other couples, the nature of their relationship changed as they considered ethical non-monogamy. Other couples married or moved in together quickly after finding love. One thing is clear... the pandemic sped up the decision making process for couples. We learned that life is too short and too precious to be unhappy or to be alone.

In this training, Skurtu covers specific skills necessary to be effective with infidelity treatment. She describes complex case studies and helpful intervention strategies clinicians can use to guide couples or individuals in healing. This particular training goes in depth into crisis management suggestions. The pandemic already created a state of chronic anxiety for many people. For couples impacted by infidelity, additional crisis management skills are necessary to help people work through panic attacks, trauma triggers and make the ultimate decision about whether their relationship can find a way to heal after infidelity.

Participants can expect a very raw, honest and playful approach in training. Skurtu provides intervention ideas and case studies to help clinicians practically apply treatment in sessions. In addition, Skurtu challenges participants to really look at their personal counter-transference challenges when working with infidelity.

 Geriatric Track | Couples and Family Track

Counseling with Multigenerational Families

Presented by Dr Kathie Erwin, MA, Ed.D, LMHC, NCC, NCGC, Fulbright Specialist, DCMHS-G

The family system is increasingly stretched to include older adults, boomerang young adults and grandchildren. Multi-generational families differ from traditional family systems. Discover challenges of shared traumas and family bonds Post Covid 19 . Specific techniques presented include Family Sand Tray, Values and Roles and Spiritual Safe Place.

Economics, longevity, shared trauma and Covid 19 pandemic are key factors driving the return of multigenerational families living together. As a largely individualistic culture, many American families did not previously experience multigenerational lifestyle. Counselors often discover these issues in couples counseling when the relationship is strained due to financial and relationship costs of multigenerational living. The unique aspects of multigenerational families are not well represented in our counselor education programs to prepare new counselors for these increasing lifestyle issues. This presentation also features some effective techniques for counseling Multigenerational Families with examples of relational, values and spiritual approaches.

 Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Track

The State Of The Art Of Therapy Evaluation: Are We Really Effective?

Presented by Carlos P. Zalaquett, LMHC
This presentation provides answers to the questions What therapeutic interventions are the most effective? What are the factors that increase therapeutic results? What evidence do we have that confirms counselors’ effectiveness? A summary of the current state of therapy and best methods to improve practice are presented.

Therapy is effective. The overwhelming evidence accumulated by scientific research supports its effectiveness. Therapy is helpful, with more than 80% of clients receiving psychological treatment experiencing significant improvement compared to those receiving no treatment. This result includes a variety of psychotherapies applied to diverse clients suffering from a variety of psychological disorders.

Counselors aim to help a variety of clients with a variety of disorders. Their aspirations include help clients find solutions to their issues, mobilize resources clients are not using, and facilitate self-healing, happiness and personal fulfillment. The work of the therapist is about achieving results in an effective and consistent way. To achieve this goal, therapists use evidence-backed therapies. The evidence in support of these therapies combines the best available research with clinical experience in the context of client characteristics, culture, and preferences. Therapists also make efforts to establish a quality evidence-based therapeutic relationship. This empirical evidence emphasizes the integration of the best research, clinical experience, and client characteristics into the therapeutic relationship. Effective therapists use both evidence-based therapies and evidence-based relationship builders.

Why do they use both? Because both constantly inform one another. The therapeutic relationship does not exist apart from what therapy does in terms of method of treatment, and each method of treatment takes place within a relational framework. Learning about the evidence supporting both serve to improve counseling effectiveness.

 Gender Identity Track

The Dark Side of Masculinity: A Positive Psychology Perspective

Presented by Daniel Bates, LPC, NCC

A positive, strength-based approach to counseling men does not negate the reality and harms created by inflexible and rigid conformity to traditional masculine norms, rather positive psychology provides the means to accessing and leveraging strengths to overcome psychological deficits in a way that helps male clients and reduces societal problems.

This presentation will explore traditional Western masculinity, including the dark, maladaptive aspects of masculinity and how a positive, strength-based approach, drawing from positive psychology, can improve clinical outcomes when working with male clients. Counselors bear an ethical responsibility to work for the well-being and development of their male clients. It is important for counselors to be knowledgeable of and proficient in the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies, which will increase understanding the context of men (i.e., gender role socialization, masculine norms, positive masculinity). It is important for counselors to assess themselves for personal biases, engaging men from a positive masculinity/strengths-based perspective, utilizing collaborative, solution-focused treatment modalities.

 Trauma Assessment and Treatment Track | Crisis Counseling Track

Suicide Bereavement And Postvention Care

Presented by Judith A. Harrington, Ph.D., LPC, LMFT

The American Association of Suicidology (AAS) states that 6.9 million persons in the United States each year is directly impacted by the loss of a loved one by suicide (Cerel, in American Association of Suicidology, 2019). The AAS and suicide prevention experts emphasize that one of the highest risk factors for a suicide attempt is the loss of a family member to suicide, and/or the suicide attempt of a family member. These disturbing trends call for a more robust response to care that the mental health profession provides during suicide bereavement; postventive care is associated with preventive efforts. Stigma and lack of public education that thwarts the efforts of effective suicide prevention also appears in postvention, thus complicating efforts to reduce suicide. Suicide-specific bereavement counseling skills can be enhanced to assist family members/survivors of loss from experiencing protracted complicated grief and can facilitate reduction of elevated risk for suicide later.

 Geriatric Track | Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Track

Geriatric Psychopharmacology And Common Medications Of Seniors

Presented by Greggus Yahr, PhD, DCMHS, LCPC, NCSP

Seniors are rapidly becoming the highest consumer group of co-occurring medical prescriptions and psychotropic medications. Mental Health Counselors with a working knowledge of the common psychotropic and medical prescriptions used by the geriatric population are more effective clinicians for their client, and more respected collaborators with their client's medical providers.

The "baby boomer" generation is rapidly aging and "seniors" have become the biggest consumers of health care. Although geriatric medicine is not new, research focusing on "seniors" and mental health, as well as the number of providers skilled in geriatric mental health, lags far behind the medical side of geriatrics. Integrated health care is considered to be “cutting edge” practice and rapidly becoming the standard; however, as noted in research conducted through the world health association (2017) approximately 15% of the population age 60 and old suffers from a mental health disorder, yet only a small percentage (less than 20%) are actually are seen by a mental health clinician skilled in geriatrics. This dearth of providers results in very treatable conditions becoming chronic issues, thus significantly increasing overall health care costs. However, when skilled geriatric mental health providers have been included in the integrated care model, significant reductions in geriatric hospital admissions has been noted. This lack of clincians skilled in geriatrics offers the clinical mental health counselor, after gaining the requisite training opportunities to both serve a population sorely in need and create a successful practice; along with further advancing the standing, parity and relevance of our profession in the firmament of essential mental health providers.

 Military and Veterans Track 

Stronger Together: Supporting Military-Affiliated Students In Higher Ed

Presented by Tyler Hudson, MA, MA, LPC, NCC

The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the process and outcomes of establishing a collaboration between Veteran-specific resources (i.e., Office of Military and Veterans Services; student Veteran organizations and groups) and mental health and suicide prevention advocacy programs (i.e., The Suicide Prevention Program).

Student military members experience complex, comorbid mental distress (Borsari et al., 2017), frequently in the form of depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (Waszak & Holmes, 2017). Further, student military members are susceptible to experience suicidality, with up to 35% of students reporting having a plan for suicide, 7-8% of students reporting a past suicide attempt, 10.4% of students having thought of suicide “often or very often,” and 4% believing suicide is “likely” or “very likely” (Rudd, Goulding, & Bryan, 2011). These mental health concerns may manifest uniquely in the student military population as compared to non-military students (Borsari et al., 2017), suggesting the importance of Veteran-specific resources in higher education. When these Veteran-specific resources are available, students are supported in a variety of contexts. The purpose of this presentation is to discuss the process and outcomes of establishing a collaboration between Veteran-specific resources (i.e., Office of Military and Veterans Services; student Veteran organizations and groups) and mental health and suicide prevention advocacy programs (i.e., The Suicide Prevention Program). The purpose of establishing this collaboration is to promote mental health advocacy and suicide prevention efforts as well as reduce help-seeking stigma in the student military population. Participants will learn about the mental health needs of military-connected students in higher education, learn of evidence-based support programs and assessment strategies, and hear of successful initiatives that can be replicated within higher education institutions, mental health agencies and practices, as well as other organizations that employ or work with military-affiliated students and individuals.

 Affectional Identity Track | Integrated Behavioral Healthcare Track

Being “Out” In The Bible Belt: Creating Safe Spaces For The Hidden And Scorned

Presented by Meagan Whorley, LPC

Identifying as a member of the LGBTQ+ community can be a stressful and difficult decision. Living in a community where morals and values are often imposed makes it even more difficult. This presentation will explore how individuals in the LGBTQ+ community face these challenges while living in the “Bible Belt.”

Coming "out of the closet" is hard; being able to live authentically as one's true self is even harder. Combined with emotional turmoil of having to question and press against religious doctrine, another core component of the self, the task seems impossible. Being “Out” in the Bible Belt" will explore the complexity of being “out” in a community that takes pride in being the “Buckle of the Bible Belt.”

In current practice, the concept of self-identity and the way-imposed morals and values of religious nature, creates internal conflict for our clients has become a theme of increasing frequency. Since 2017, the estimated percentage of LGBTQ+ has grown to 5.6%. With the increase; it is more likely for a professional to be tasked with facilitating a safe space to someone who is LGBTQ+. The rate which individuals are frantically searching for spaces to process the internal turmoil that results from conflicting values in an authentic manner is alarming, and is not isolated to our community or region.

We aim to explore how LGBTQ+ individuals face underlying issues regarding their sexuality when their newly accepted identity no longer aligns with the values and morals that have been imposed upon them by the ultra-conservative community of their youth. Our desire is to create a safe space to increase; awareness about the topic, relevant practice issues, as well as challenge current practitioners to refine the way they create safe spaces for clients, especially for those who are navigating "being out in the Bible Belt."

 Trauma Assessment and Treatment Track | Diversity and Multicultural Track

Trauma Counseling Skills: "If you didn’t live it, don’t say you understand"

Presented by Yoon Suh Moh Ph.D., LPC (DC, PA), NCC, CRC, BC-TMH

Barriers to care have always existed for minoritized children, adolescents, and families, and COVID-19 has compounded these challenges. This session will discuss the results from a community based research study that utilized Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), with a focus on building racially and ethnically literate, socially just, healing-centered counseling skills.

Barriers to mental health services have always existed for minoritized children, adolescents, and families, and COVID-19 has compounded challenges to access. To better understand this, we will be sharing the results and implications from a community based research study that utilized Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). In seeking to shift our language from covert oppression to overt empowerment, in this training, we will refer to the young, Black, African-American, Afro-Latinx and Latinx women in the study as “Powerful Women Subjected to Intersecting Oppressions (PWSIOs)” (Cooper, 2016). Results revealed two themes: (1) Hard Lessons Learned Young and (2) History and Help-Seeking. These results shed light on the pervasive experience of racism, oppression, marginalization, and discrimination and their impact on help-seeking behaviors in adulthood. Now more than ever, providers serving minoritized youth across systems and settings must be equipped with the competencies to identify and address mental health needs, and they must operate from a racially and ethnically literate, socially just, and healing-centered perspective that increases the likelihood that they will engage with and persist in support programs and treatment when accessed.