ATA Current Courses
Ethics & Stress Management
Participants will gain an appreciation of the history of the social work profession, and an understanding of how core values were translated into the professional code of ethics. The first 5 hours of this seminar will be dedicated to professional values & ethics based on the NASW Code of Ethics. Participants will be introduced to a host of stress reducing techniques, quick ways to reduce stress, and tips for managing job stress in the final hour of this seminar.
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.
Difficult Kids: Why Do They Act That Way?
Dr. James Henry is the co-founder and co-director of the Child Trauma Assessment Center. He is also an Associate Professor of Social Work at WMU with an extensive history in serving abused/neglected children. He has expertise in the impact of psychological trauma on the development of children. Children’s experiences both before and after birth can impact their development. Exposure to personal, familial and/or community violence, and the subsequent trauma that can affect children’s ability to pay attention, follow directions, cope with or adapt to their environment, and to form and keep healthy relationships. Sometimes such children become explosive, and sometimes they withdraw. This workshop will discuss trauma informed assessment and interventions with these children and their caregivers.
Personal Safety for the Professional
The Bureau of Labor Statistics data report that health care and social services workers have a higher incidence of assault injuries than any other profession. (OSHA 2004). This course concentrates on personal safety for staff in direct contact with the potentially violent or aggressive client in the office or in the community setting. Participants will learn how to respond to an escalated client or individual through the use of specific de-escalation skills and practical suggestions to increase personal safety while working with clients in the community.
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.
ABC’s of Working with the Ex-Offender
This workshop will provide a look inside the mind and thought processes of the typical ex-offender. Participants will learn important aspects of prison culture, slang language, and prisoner behaviors that will assist you in dealing with the transitional issues in working with the prison re-entry client.
Cyber Bullying & High Tech Crimes
Professor Corbett was recruited by Michigan Attorney General Jennifer Granholm to help start the High Tech Crime Unit at the Michigan Attorney General’s Office, where he served as the Deputy Chief of that Unit for over two years, investigating and prosecuting federal and state Internet and computer-related crimes. This seminar explores how laws can both protect kids using the internet; and could also be used to prosecute kids and adults for their conduct on-line. Seminar discussion will include the use of other high technology devices apart from the internet, and the possible legal consequences of the misuse of such devices. Realistic and practical hypothetical scenarios of internet and high tech crimes are employed to explore the reach of Michigan laws involving the use and misuse of high tech devices. The potential internet dangers of identity theft, chat rooms, blogs, instant messages, stalking, harassment and cyber bullying will be specifically addressed. This seminar will equip participants with the tools to assist middle-school children, teenagers and adults in making good decisions about their internet usage.
Writing Person Centered Goals and Objectives
Understand the State and Federal Requirements for writing a Person Centered Plan with billable goals. Interpretation of consumers dreams and desires that translate into goals that will enhance individual quality of life. Write person centered goals, objectives, interventions and evaluation plans that result in meaningful outcomes for consumers.
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.
Contagious Optimism: Mood Matters in a Negative World!
Explore the neurobiological causes and effects of negativity and solutions for maintaining an optimistic, “glass half full” world view. A must for all Professional Service Providers! Ever wonder what makes those hairs stand up on the back of your neck? Turns out there are areas in the brain that respond to altruism, empathy as well as negative and positive emotional energy. Use the information from Daniel Goleman’s Social Intelligence and neuroscience to create a “glass half full strategy” for your life.
When the Bough Breaks: Working with Children with Attachment Difficulties
Research and experience tells us that children raised in loving, responsive and stable families respond to typical intervention and teaching techniques. This workshop will address the children who do not seem to respond to rewards and consequences, or to typical treatment strategies. Knowing more about the importance of the first three years of life, what happens for the “typically” developing child and what doesn’t happen for children with attachment difficulties can help develop strategies that lead to changed behavior.
Communication, Behavior and Independence
Explores the connections between control, behavior challenges and use of communication to promote more positive growth and interactions. (Invited and nationally presented program)
Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Look Beyond The Surface
This program looks at not so obvious but highly important features of autism spectrum and related disorders that ultimately impact the entire development of individual and communicative competence in a variety of ways. Documents a progression of functional non-verbal and verbal communication development from more primitive interactions to sophisticated, spontaneous conversing. Targets for intervention are provided at each tier of this author- created model, which is in use for functional assessment, and outcome based intervention in various parts of the country.
Skills For A Lifetime
Addresses communication, relationship skills, life-planning, transitioning and related self-determination and technology supports. Helpful for all professionals and parents in determining the focus of educational, home and community-based experiences for all ages of individuals with challenges.
From Emotions To Interactions
Discover how various functions within the brain, and forms of impairment of the brain can determine the degree to which students/individuals are able to comprehend instruction, interpret situations, reason through problems, make choices about what to say or do and much, much more. See how the status, development and use of “feelings” and emotion impact our communication knowledge and sophistication. Uses up to the minute brain research as well as the presenter’s own clinical model to address issues present in brain injury, DD, ASD, behavior challenges and more. Sharpen your clinical interpretive skills and ability to target meaningful interventions for this diverse and multi-factored set of problems.
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.
Co-Occurring Disorder: Focus On Recovery
Conference participants will learn how to identify an individual with a co-occurring disorder and how to treat the co-occurring disorder with a focus on recovery. Medical professionals will learn techniques to address addiction within the inpatient setting and in the primary health care setting. Participants will learn how to design effective interventions for persons with co-occurring disorders.
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.
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.
Ethics & Pain Management
Autism Spectrum Disorders: What You Need to Know to Succeed
This presentation will provide the core information needed to recognize and differentiate ASDs and provide meaningful intervention and support for the social, communicative, neuro-behavioral and sensory-perceptual differences experienced by individuals of all ages with spectrum disorders. Positive strategies for proactively eliminating the need for challenging behaviors and for promoting strengths and gifts of individuals will be provided and supported through case examples throughout the program.
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.