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Children and Adolescents Track | Crisis Counseling Track Spark Sessions: Condensed Therapy Intervention Presented by Maya B. Galathe, LPC, NCC Many clients and clinicians believe multiple 50-minute sessions are the only way to effectively perform our duty as helping professionals. A cornerstone of being a therapist is to meet our clients where they are. As our society and clients' needs rapidly change, this phrase should be taken more literal than ever before. Non-traditional means of delivering services is not a new concept. We can look at home based or school therapists where there is often not the time to have full 50-minute sessions every week. In today’s fast-paced, digital age shortened attention spans and instant gratification have become the norm for children and adults alike. Borrowed from Learning Theory, condensed therapy sessions can prove to be effective for many client issues. In my practice, I offer the option of 30 minute “Spark Sessions”. While not appropriate for every client, these sessions give options to those who may face barriers that stop them from otherwise seeking treatment.
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Addictions Track | Substance Use and Co-Occurring Disorders Track | Trauma Assessment and Treatment Track SUD and Resilience: The Missing Link Presented by Caitlin Senk, MA, NCC Resilience is common (Bonanno, 2004), complex, and is intertwined within systems and cultural constructs. Although complex in nature, there is a close relationship between resilience and the development of a substance use disorder after experiencing trauma (Kim, Park, & Kim, 2018). According to a 2016 study, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) have a dose-response effect in increasing likelihood of engaging in risky behaviors with substances (Campbell et al., 2016). Park (2012) states that 40% of individuals in the U.S. experience trauma, however, exposure to adversity does not necessarily lead to psychopathology (Yehuda, Flory, Southwick, & Charney, 2006). While there is no one way of being resilient (Mancini & Bonanno, 2012), there are constructs that determine resilience which can be emphasized using the T-SUD Resilience Model (Senk, 2020). Literature highlights mastery, social support, emotion regulation, positive affect, flexibility, optimism, coping, and meaning making as aspects contributing to the development of resilience before or after trauma. Focusing on building resilience can address past trauma from ACEs, recent trauma in adulthood, act as a preventative measure to developing a substance use disorder, and acknowledge skills to be used in potentially traumatic events in the future. It is also important to consider that individuals are unique and developing resilience cannot be manualized nor is it “one size fits all” (Park, 2012; Mancini & Bonanno, 2012). Working with clients to emphasize the ways in which they are resilient, by their own definition, through the using the T-SUD Reislience Model and interventions presented will create an opportunity to prevent future substance use disorder and maladaptive coping patterns.
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