2020 UVU Conference on Addiction
Friday, March 13, 2020 – Sorensen Student Center, Utah Valley University

Opening Keynote – Mackenzie Phillips (Grande Ballroom – 9am - 10:15am)

Mackenzie Phillips – American Actress and author of the courageous New York Times bestselling memoir High on Arrival, and her equally successful book, Hopeful Healing: Essays on Managing Recovery and Surviving Addiction, is also currently enjoying her role as ‘Barb’ in Season 6 / Netflix, Orange Is The New Black and another Netflix show reuniting with series creator Norman Lear for the revival of One Day At A Time.

Phillips rose to fame with breakout parts in 1973's American Graffiti and '70s sitcom One Day at a Time and is now making a different impact as a director at the Breathe Life Healing Center in Los Angeles where she specializes in trauma, drug, and alcohol treatment and recovery.

The daughter of The Mamas and the Papas lead singer John Phillips, Mackenzie is a survivor of substance abuse and a visible and outspoken advocate for addiction awareness and education who brings her knowledge and voice on the subject of recovery, and shares her experiences for those who are trying to overcome addiction.

Mackenzie Phillips grew up in a dysfunctional environment and subsequently battled a near-fatal drug addiction. She presents the wisdom she gained from her own personal journey through addictions and her understanding of practical treatment from her work as a rehabilitation counselor. Using her own life experiences as examples of proven recovery methods, she shares the tools and holistic approaches that are available to help those on their way to recovery.

10:30 am Morning Session (session ends at 11:30am) Gale Saler, PhD (Centre Stage)

The ABCs of Resilience: Building a Practical Toolbox for Adolescents, Young Adults and Their Families 

This workshop intends to move our conversation about youth from problem-based to strength-based and future focused. It aims at broadening the clinician’s skills and expanding their comfort to draw on a broad range of disciplines and community resources beyond their immediate practice (or program). We will interweave knowledge from multiple related fields to help young people take long-term control of their recovery. Knowledge will be drawn from evidence-based and promising practices including individual/family therapies; rehabilitation counseling; expressive therapies (e.g. music, art, recreation, dance); life coaching; creating connection and communication.

Guiding youth toward self-reliance and self-efficacy requires that clinician and family e prepared to support them through exploration and experimentation, to determine the treatments, knowledge, activities and supports that work best for them. If well done, they will move forward successfully with a “toolbox” that balances believe, agency and communion with appropriate timing, people and places.

*This session is appropriate for all audiences.

10:30 am Morning Session (session ends at 11:30am) Deb Dettor, MS (SC 213 AB)

Understanding Recovery Support Services: Recovery Support 101 – Deb Dettor, MS (SC 213 AB) 

One hallmark of recovery-oriented systems of care is the inclusion of recovery support services, which enable people to achieve and sustain long-term recovery from addiction. Join us for this discussion about the 6 domains of recovery support services, and the 2018 SAMHSA Technical Expert Panel that focused on the research and evaluation of these domains, and areas requiring further study. We will discuss what is needed from state leaders and policy makers to help people access recovery support services and will consider ways we can all pave the way to recovery, in response to the addiction crises in our communities.

*This session is appropriate for all audiences.

10:30 am Morning Session (session ends at 11:30am) Martin Roundy (SC 206 ABC)

Seeing Pornography Addiction Through a Trauma-Informed Lens: What If the ‘Problem’ is Actually Part of the ‘Solution’ – Martin Roundy (SC 206 ABC)  

"A sexual tsunami is coming!" This statement by Dr. Patrick Carnes, who is a leading expert in the field of sexual addiction, can aptly be applied to the explosive and destructive “tsunami” of cybersex and pornography. To be successful in reducing the impact of this wave, we need to understand the forces that drive youth and adults toward sexual and pornographic addiction. In this session we will explore the relationship between childhood trauma, childhood traumatic stress, personal vulnerabilities and pornography addiction. We briefly summarize the landmark Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study and its relationship to later health, and behavioral problems, i.e., addiction. Then we will examine the concept of “childhood traumatic stress” and how this stress can become a major driver toward a search for relief; and consider ways to mitigate the effects of childhood trauma, manage chronic stress and reduce vulnerabilities to stress.

*This session is appropriate for all audiences.

10:30 am Morning Session (session ends at 11:30am) Todd Molfenter, PhD (Ragan Theatre)

Improving Treatment & Retention Through Systems Change and Evidenced Based Practices – Todd Molfenter, PhD (Ragan Theatre) *THIS IS AN EXTENDED WORKSHOP – Workshop will conclude at 2:45p after breaking for the morning plenary and lunch/exhibitor fair. 

One hallmark of recovery-oriented systems of care is the inclusion of recovery support services. There are 6 domains of these services that have been identified and for the most part, are in the preliminary phases of study. Learn about these modalities and early research findings, as well as about the continuing push to advance recovery-focused research. Join us to explore the outcome of the 2018 SAMHSA Technical Expert Panel that focused on the research and evaluation of these domains, and identified gaps in our knowledge base that need to be studied next. Consider the societal misconceptions about what we think we know about addiction and recovery, and the lack of information about the transformation that happens when people recover. This workshop will address the ways we can all become better versed in the language of recovery and in promoting its principles to make recovery a life-long experience for ourselves and those we love. We will discuss what is needed from state leaders and policy makers to help people find their way to one of the many available pathways of recovery, as well as to access recovery support services in their communities. Our country is faced with an addiction epidemic; one that spans a marked increase in alcohol related crises in addition to opioid overdoses and deaths. This session will provide an opportunity to talk about how we can pave the way for recovery as the solution to the addiction crisis.

*This workshop will be of particular interest to those involved in retention improvement efforts.

Afternoon Concurrent Sessions 1:45pm – 2:45pm   

‘Wanna Get Gassed?’ Trends/Terms and the Impact of Social Media on AdolescentsMartha Thompson, PsyD, LPC, CAADC

The increased access to the social media and other web-based sources has continued to impact the ever-changing drug trends around the world daily.  Come chill with all the new kids for this interactive workshop exploring new drug trends, terms and the impact of social media on substance use and adolescents. We will talk aboutgettin’ awesome while talkin’ bout flippin’ chickens and scalavanting around’. Participants will engage in an exercise to learn several new drug / drug related terms explore new substances of use / abuse on the market today, and be able to identify new drug use patterns and methods of use (i.e. vaping). 

*This session  is appropriate for all audiences. 

Understanding the Relationship Between Alcohol, Drugs, and Intimate Partner Violence (Domestic Violence) Eric F. Foster, AM, CADC SC 213 AB)

Whether you work in education, healthcare, Behavioral Healthcare (addiction and mental health), child welfare, law enforcement, or other criminal justice, chances are you have witnessed or dealt with the consequences of alcohol/drugs and domestic violence.

  • We live in a world where 1 in 3 Women, and 1 in 7 Men are victims of domestic violence.
  • Substance abuse has been found to co-occur in 40-60% of IPV incidents across various studies.
  • Spousal abuse has been identified as a predictor of developing a substance use disorder;
  • Women who experience IPV have a higher prevalence of substance misuse and high-risk alcohol use.

We must look at these issues as co-occurring and provide services accordingly, in order to increase an individual’s potential for safety and recovery. This session will provide participants with an understanding of the complex relationship between alcohol drugs, and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) also known as Domestic Violence, barriers to accessing treatment and Intervention, and discuss Evidenced based practices for treatment.  

*This session is appropriate for all audiences.

Family Recovery: Building Partnering Friendships for Loved Ones  and Exchange Harmful Messages by Creating Constructive Interactions H. Gray Otis, PhD, LCMHC (SC 206 ABC )

True recovery is a family matter. Too often, the missing piece in substance use recovery is the lack of changes that are needed to overcome adverse family relationships. When family members become effective partners, enduring progress can be sustained. Rather than simply focusing on the person with the addiction issue, the best chance for lasting success includes a structure for all family members to cultivate mutually supportive interpersonal skills. This model of interacting provides an easy-to-understand approach that creates improved communication between all family members, and a more resilient sense of self for those in recovery.

*This session is appropriate for all audiences.

Improving Treatment & Retention Through Systems Change and Evidenced Based Practices  – Todd Molfenter, PhD (Ragan Theatre)

* THIS IS THE 2ND HALF OF AN EXTENDED WORKSHOP – Workshop will conclude at 2:45p

Join Dr. Molfenter as he leads this extended workshop outlining the principle concepts of retention improvement. Participants will review the utility and uses of simple quantitative and qualitative data in insuring that change leads to improvement. He will explain the strategies used for organizing, running and sustaining a retention improvement effort, and how to start your own retention improvement initiative.

Plenary Session 3:00 pm Session (sessions end at 4:00pm)

Aaron Williams, MA: The Substance Use Professional for the 2020s  (Grande Ballroom 3pm – 4pm)

Behavioral health professionals working in substance use and addiction treatment have seen their area of practice evolve significantly over the last few decades and more changes are on the horizon. Along with these changes demand for substance use services continues to grow. A recent analysis indicates that “d emand for addiction counselors may increase anywhere between 21 to 38 percent by 2030, resulting in a deficit of addiction counselors.” What are the core competencies that substance use professionals will need in the next decade and how will organizational leadership ensure that clinical staff possess and apply the necessary core competencies for effective practice into the next decade and beyond? How will behavioral health organizations ensure that they have enough competent staff to meet the demand going forward?

This plenary session will explore relevant topics such as: working with primary care, addressing social determents of health, improving clinical supervision, use of peer and recover support staff and more.

*This session will be of particular interest to substance use professionals and organizations.

Using a Recovery Toolbox To Better Connect With Clients and Provide Practical, Daily Sobriety Tools for Relapse Prevention Success – Ann Weight, CMHC (SC 213AB)

Latest research shows that the clinician’s ability to help the client create a personal treatment connection results in higher success rates for making positive change. An important and effective tool for developing such a connection is the Wellness Toolbox. Often our clients have been through several treatment experiences, yet are unable to recall many specific strategies for sobriety once they leave the office. The toolbox has the personalized ideas, methods, and reminders most effective for maintaining one’s own wellness, readily available for quick reference. Several possible methods of toolbox modalities will be shared to give variety for individual styles (including youth), effective for any type of behavioral addiction, along with a summary handout. This presentation will not be a “death by PowerPoint” presentation but will include a lively discussion and interesting clips and examples to keep the interest level high. An opportunity for attendees to experience hands-on interaction with their own toolboxes will also be presented.

Brain Balance: Restoring Damaged Neurotransmitter Connections – Melissa Warner (SC 206 ABC)

The ability to be fully alive, engaged and productive occurs naturally when the brain has enough of the nutrients necessary to manufacture all of the neurotransmitters needed to communicate every message of life. Thus, healing the physiological imbalances in the addictive brain should be an integral part of treatment for addiction. The safest and most effective way to restore cognitive health and to help heal the addictive brain is by implementing a specific nutrient-rich diet and nutritional supplementation program. Melissa will review the nutritional principles that will provide the body and mind with the fuel needed for optimum performance.

 
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