Positive Change Virtual Conference
Day 2 — March 23
8:00am – 8:30am
Pre-Show & Opening Remarks
8:30am – 9:30am
Opening Keynote Speaker
The Power of Nurture by Diane Wagenhals, BA, MEd, CFLE, PQAS Certified
Humans are social creatures. We learn, grow and heal in the context of healthy relationships. These relationships need to provide warmth, caring, appreciation for struggles, and high degrees of compassion. To achieve this, individuals and communities need to embrace intentional, meaningful nurturing.
What does intentional, meaningful nurturing involve? How does an organization, especially its leaders, intentionally nurture those who are part of a community: the staff as well as the community members they serve? This includes guiding people to embrace self-care principles and practices and also increasing awareness, knowledge and skills needed to nurture others. When organizations at their heart nurture their community and the individuals within the community, the stage is set to promote and maintain community care.
Participants will be invited to examine what nurturing involves, how it can be fostered, possible obstacles that need to be identified and overcome, and the specific skills needed to promote consistent nurturing experiences for all concerned. Opportunities will be included to invite participants to discuss and brainstorm ideas for specific communities to embrace.
9:30:am – 10:00am
Take a break, network with our sponsors and other attendees through the Webex event app, and enjoy local treats from your event Snack Box!
10:00am – 11:00am
Vaping and the Links to Mental Health by Josh Mountz, MEd, CPS
Instances of youth vaping have been increasing; that should come as no surprise to anyone working with young people! This presentation will give a background on vaping and the effects of both nicotine and THC on youth. We will discuss how the rise in vaping can be linked to greater mental health issues in adolescents, especially anxiety. Participants will learn how Student Assistance Program (SAP) teams can help prevent youth vaping, how to support students with vaping and mental health issues, and what resources are available for students.
10:00am – 11:00am
Trauma Informed Approach: Utilizing Stabilization of Life Domains for Continued Positive Connections & Enhanced Resilience by Jessica W. Weiss-Ford, PhD, LCSW, CCTP
Although many clinicians have been trained on how to treat trauma on some level, we may still find ourselves struggling with real-world issues that are compounding the trauma symptoms. There are also different forms of trauma which have triggering aspects for clients. All of this can leave us feeling overwhelmed and uncertain what to address immediately, concurrently, or later.
This workshop will provide a thoughtful, realistic, and cohesive path to feeling more confident in tackling the dynamics of trauma with our clients, including potential addiction and/or trauma response behavior patterns. Jessica will incorporate concepts from trauma certification trainings, evidenced-based treatment, and supporting research, as well as her own professional experience.
A three-stage model of trauma recovery with relation to life domains will be presented as a conceptualization of trauma and the interventions to utilize. Trauma history is very personal to everyone who experiences it and being integrative in our approach to treatment in a safe, skillful manner is important for healing to occur. When done well, this leads to increased client resiliency and more meaningful connections to the self and the world. This workshop will be interactive and allow time for participants to address questions from their own clinical experience.
10:00am – 11:00am
Prevention Matters: Evaluation of a Local K-12 Evidence-Based Prevention Initiative by Darigg C. Brown, PHD, MPH
In January 2018, the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation launched Prevention Matters, a $13 million grant initiative to help Indianapolis Indiana schools identify, implement, and sustain evidence-based substance use prevention programs focused on social-emotional learning. RTI International was the contracted Evaluator. Our 4-year mixed-methods evaluation involved conducting forty 60-minute structured interviews Prevention Matters grant directors to assess implantation progress. We examined implementation strategies, successes and challenges, the impact of COVID-19, the impact of evidence-based programming on students, and sustainability. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using QSR NVIVO 12 software. We used a deductive coding methodology and standardization codebook to identify themes.
Grant directors reported increased social-emotional competence and programming support. Strong implementation staff, student skills reinforcement, and implementation quality and fidelity were major contributors to success, while challenges were mostly related to COVID-19. Results indicate that such evidence-based prevention programs instituted with fidelity have strong potential for success in reducing substance use improving academic and behavioral outcomes among K-12 students.
11:00am – 11:15am
Take a break, network with our sponsors and other attendees through the Webex conference app, and enjoy local treats from your event Snack Box!
11:15am – 12:15pm
From the Beginning: Building Resilience through Healthy Attachment by Lark Eshleman, PhD, MLS
Researchers know that strong resilience can help us cope under pressure, with frustration, and when experiencing stress. Research shows, too, that healthy attachments can build that strong resilience that we all need. We have the tools to put the two together; strong, healthy attachments from the beginning to sustain strong, healthy resilience throughout life
11:15am – 12:15pm
The Important Role of Peer & Family Support in Recovery Success by Marjorie Paradise, EdD, MS
This workshop will explore how support enhances addiction recovery. The importance of family and peer support will be highlighted with the focus on SAMHSA’s model of the 4 pillars of successful long-term addiction recovery. Objectives:
- To assess participants knowledge and understanding of peer/family support
- To inform participants on the vital role of support
- To clarify helpful vs potentially harmful supports
- To review the 4 pillars that SAMHSA advocates for successful long-term recovery
- To provide examples of support networks
Following this workshop, participants will have a deeper understanding of the benefits of peer/family support and will be able to identify helpful, evidence-based models that would more likely lead to success.
11:15am – 12:15pm
The Impact of Early Attachment Across the Lifespan by Melanie Rankin, LCSW
Attachment theory assumes that attachment patterns often endure across the lifespan. The adoption of a particular attachment strategy in infancy, generally predicts a specific trajectory that carries on throughout the lifespan. This attachment strategy plays out in every relationship from professional to personal. This session with explore the four types of attachment styles, how they are formed, how they impact relationships, and how an understanding of attachment styles can be a helpful tool in prevention and recovery.
