ATA Current Courses
The Magic of Perception
Dr. Salzman applies the techniques used by magicians to manipulate what an audience perceives, to increase our understanding of human perception. Through the use of magic, this seminar will provide a different slant on how you look at reality and perhaps an additional perspective on your clients and their realities. If, at journey's end, you are a little less certain about what you know, it will have been a trip well taken.
ADHD Solutions
Until recently, it was believed that children outgrew ADHD in adolescence. However, according to the National Resource Center, Attention Deficit Disorder, nearly always persists from childhood into adulthood. Without proper identification and treatment ADHD can contribute to serious life long consequences. This seminar will provide an overview of the diagnosis and impact of ADHD, with a focus on research involving non-pharmacological treatment solutions to improve outcomes for persons with ADHD. The use of biofeedback, along with diet, sleep and exercise interventions in the treatment of ADHD will be examined with an emphasis on improving outcomes for your clients with ADHD and their families.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Training
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan in 1991, was designed to treat chronically suicidal individuals. DBT has evolved into a treatment for multi-disordered individuals with borderline personality disorder. DBT has since been adapted for other behavioral disorders involving emotional dysregulation, including substance use disorders, binge eating, depressed, suicidal adolescents, and depressed elderly.
The 3-D’s: Depression, Delirium and Dementia
The seminar explores intellectual changes in the elderly, including behavioral symptomatology and non-pharmacological management and intervention strategies. Participants will be provided planning and intervention guidelines relevant to bio-psycho-social assessment of working with elderly persons with behavioral challenges.
The “Difficult” Client: Who & Why
Interventions and strategies will be presented for working with clients often perceived as “difficult”. Specifically addressed will be the mandatory referral, clients without resources, clients who love to game and con, personality disorders, and when a client’s life story reminds us too much of our own.
TEEN SUICIDE AND DEPRESSION
This presentation will explore the serious and growing problem of teenage depression and suicide. Participants will examine the causes associated with teen depression, some of the many potential triggers for teen depression and suicide and ways to identify and treat the high risk teen. Special attention will be placed on the differences in presentation of symptoms for the teenager suffering from depression, the problem of teenage loyalty and “peer culture”, cyber issues, and the various types of suicide from recognition, to retribution. The final portion of this presentation will deal with differential diagnosis and related conditions such as “cutting” and recognized treatment modalities to deal with depression and suicidal ideation in the teen population.
A Toolbox for Working with Ex-Offenders
Participants will gain an understanding of the types of offenders being released, their strengths and limitations, typical attitudes and behaviors and thinking errors found with returning offenders. Assessment, Planning, Behavioral Change, Communication, Information Sources and other Service tools will be discussed. Information will include cautions and a list of “Do’s and Don’ts for providers as well as suggested staff development activities for agencies. In addition, a Resource List and a Workbook for Offenders is provided for use with Ex-Offenders This seminar will provide group discussion and exercise opportunities focused on knowledge enhancement and skill building for service providers.
The Effects of Childhood Trauma
Participants will gain an understanding of the most common types of childhood trauma, including physical, sexual, emotional trauma and neglect issues. The incidence and features of childhood trauma such as the most likely targets and perpetrators; vulnerability and reportage issues will also be presented. The pervasive effects of childhood trauma in daily life, and in life decision making skills will be discussed. The relationship between childhood trauma and diagnostic categories such as PTSD and Borderline Personality Disorder will be reviewed. Treatment approaches and issues will be discussed; including the role of the family in the healing process.
Dealing with the Difficult Adolescent: Trauma & Drama
This seminar focuses on intervention issues with teenagers who present with various behavioral and emotional issues that make traditional therapeutic interventions challenging, the seminar will identify various diagnostic and behavioral patterns that can thwart our clinical skills and traditional strategies for helping. Conduct disordered or oppositionally defiant they are explosive and combative, and often view our interventions as a battle of wills and fight to protect their emotions and secrets. Less direct but equally difficult are the depressed and invisible teens whose quiet suffering often hides depression, suicidal thoughts and self hatred that can smolder for years until self-mutilation or suicide brings the pain to light. Discussion of various methods to identify, join and treat these youth will be examined as well as the peer group, community and family issues that can be either roadblocks or allies in the treatment of difficult youth.
The Difficult Adolescent: Trauma & Drama
This seminar focuses on intervention issues with teenagers who present with various behavioral and emotional issues that make traditional therapeutic interventions challenging, the seminar will identify various diagnostic and behavioral patterns that can thwart our clinical skills and traditional strategies for helping. Conduct disordered or oppositionally defiant they are explosive and combative, and often view our interventions as a battle of wills and fight to protect their emotions and secrets. Less direct but equally difficult are the depressed and invisible teens whose quiet suffering often hides depression, suicidal thoughts and self hatred that can smolder for years until self-mutilation or suicide brings the pain to light. Discussion of various methods to identify, join and treat these youth will be examined as well as the peer group, community and family issues that can be either roadblocks or allies in the treatment of difficult youth.
Motivational Interviewing
DBT: Treating the Multiply Disordered and Substance Use Disordered Client
Participants will gain knowledge of what Dialectical Behavior Therapy is and how it treats those individuals with maladaptive coping strategies. The course will explain the theoretical basis of Emotion Dysregulation, Biosocial Theory of DBT, and primary behavioral targets during treatment. The structure of DBT therapy with regard to group and individual modalities’ will be explained. In addition the course will address and teach some standard: DBT skills, DBT for Substance Use Disorder (DBT-SUD) adaptations and skill modifications for Eating Disordered (DBT-ED) clients.
Ethical Decision Making & Pain Management
This seminar will provide a framework for ethical decision making in social work practice. Social workers practice in a wide variety of settings and conditions and face many difficult choices on a daily basis that can have far reaching impacts for consumers, organizations and the communities in which they work. This course will review the principles that guide competent practice as defined by NASW and some of the common areas where ethical dilemmas present themselves in the practice of social work. It includes a brief overview of the historical development of ethics in the profession, cultural diversity and cultural competence issues and a structured decision making process to help deal with the many areas that can lead the well intended social worker to make errors in judgment. Case discussion and examples will provide a “real world” focus in the areas of ethical conflict that administrators, supervisors and direct care practitioners face. The final hour of the seminar will provide a variety of techniques for deal with pain management to improve awareness, and comfort levels to deal with the psychological stress and emotional components of pain issues.
Self-Centered Planning
Who says effective human relations have to respect only the client? That mindset only heightens stress and increases burnout amidst growing caseloads and shrinking resources. Professional case workers need to laser focus on self care; especially with strengths, needs, and choices. This training offers insights for honoring self within the helping relationship. Learn to turn self-determination inward to optimize your time and energy. Interactive instruction yields deeper self-understanding and renewed focus, plus practical ways to provide quality service against mounting frustration and overwhelming odds.
An Expanded Look at Child Development, Attachment & Behavior
Is it ADD, ADHD, ODD, ASD, LD, SID, OCD, MI, MR, BPD, ED, or an Attachment Disorder???? Each year in the United States there are over three million children that are abused or neglected. These destructive experiences impact the developing child and increase the risk for emotional, behavioral, social and physical problems throughout life. The purpose of this course is to outline how these experiences may increase risk by influencing the development and functioning of the child’s brain. Attachment Disorders range on a continuum that runs from securely attached through degrees of attachment issues. Adoptees are not the only individuals who suffer from attachment issues. Adults who did not get their emotional and physical needs met in the first few years of life; as well as families who have biological children. Some of the causes of attachment problems are very subtle and often go unrecognized. When there is disruption of the timing, intensity, quality or quantity of normal developmental experiences; there may be a devastating impact on these children. For millions of abused and neglected children, the nature of their experiences adversely influences the development of their brains. Therapeutic interventions that restore a sense of safety and control are very important for the traumatized child.
Ethics & Legal Issues in Mental Health Care
The NASW and ABECSW Codes of Ethics will be discussed / contrasted in developing an ethical base of understanding for proper case work and management. Ethical decision-making strategies will be discussed and applied to various legal situations. Relevant areas of the Michigan Mental Health Code and associated with social work ethical issues will be discussed - focusing on involuntary treatment and treatment rights, guardianship and informed consent. Handling subpoenas and balancing legal and ethical issues as a petitioner; court testimony strategies and relationships with the Probate Court will be examined. End of life /advanced directives issues will be reviewed; with concentration on social work obligations to clients engaged in developing individualized end of life plans. In the final hour of this course ethical issues associated with Behavior Management/Modification approaches will be reviewed. Note: Behavior Management is accepted by the Michigan Board of Social Work in lieu of the Pain Management requirement.
Ethics, Boundaries & Pain Relief in Health Care
Patients and their families look to the professional to offer guidance & wisdom during a very vulnerable time. The professional & team’s ability to set appropriate boundaries and limits for themselves, and with the patient and family, is critical to the quality and effectiveness of the care given. Participants will learn to recognize & set appropriate limits, maintaining objectivity, and allowing for a smoothly operating program with patient care as a primary focus. End of life discussions can be difficult and emotional; Professionals have an ethical obligation to provide patients and families with accurate and objective information in order to help them make difficult end-of-life decisions. Participants will explore the ethical implications of some of these decisions and learn how to approach these topics with sensitivity.
Good Grief! How Can I Help?
Grief Theory, Interventions & Practical Suggestions: Grieving clients look to the professional to offer guidance & wisdom during a very vulnerable time. Grief is a response to loss of all kinds and is a prevalent theme in many clients’ experiences. The professional’s ability to recognize this and individualize the therapy to the age & situation of the client is directly related to the professional’s understanding of the unique characteristics and influencing factors of the grief experience. Participants will learn the latest theories and interventions to enable them to appropriately assist with end of life discussions, anticipatory grief & bereavement counseling, and family grief issues including childhood & adolescent grief. Participants will also learn to discriminate between normal and complicated grief reactions. The professional working with grieving individuals must be able to offer empathy & support without joining the client in their grief. The final portion of this presentation will be spent defining the stages of growth & development for professionals working in this field, with special emphasis on self-care and prevention of burn-out.
Courses in Development
Conflict Resolution for Clients
Aging, Alcohol Use/Misuse & Addiction
Participants will gain knowledge specific to working with older adults who may exhibit problems due to, or related to the use of alcohol, medications, and non-prescribed drugs. This course will cover normal aging, aging with illnesses, alcohol use (when is one drink too many? When might there be a significant alcohol problem?), what medications and other drugs might be causing cognitive/behavioral problems, and the disease of addiction. In addition, the course will cover how to screen for substance abuse, how to address the screening results with the older individual, how to recommend and/or refer the person for further evaluation or to treatment. The myths and stereotypes of aging are many. They are multiplied when substance misuse is stirred up and mixed into the aging person.
Relapse Prevention Series: Empathy & Supports
Relapse Prevention Series: Empathy, Empowerment & Engagement
Revisiting Empathy and Empowerment for the Advanced Substance Abuse Professional: Participants will revisit the concepts of empathy and empowerment of the substance abuse client utilizing the wisdom of their experiences today. Participants will identify and process weak/burnout practice areas that need to be refreshed and reinvented aiding in skill building for these areas. Engagement of the Dual Diagnosed Substance Abuse Client into Aftercare: Participants will be given a short term look into the special need of a co-occurring diagnosed patient regarding medication compliance and abstinence from additional substances. Using a sample case, participants will interact with presenter to problem solve and build their skills for work with the dually diagnosed.