CCA CONFERENCE

FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2010

REGISTRATION OPENS AT 7:45 AM

KEYNOTE ADDRESS (8:30 – 9:00 AM)
"Holding Center: How Warrior Traditions Can Inspire Hope and Promote Healing in Counseling"
TWO-HOUR MORNING WORKSHOPS (9:10 – 11:10 AM)

A. Introduction to Sandplay Therapy

Target Audience: General, Elementary, Middle, H.S., College/University MFT, Private Practice, Child/Adolescent, Adult, Counseling Student/New Professional
Attendees will learn the foundations of using sandplay with clients, children or adults, in therapy. The presenter will review the history and the process of sandplay therapy. Portions of the presentation will be hands-on as attendees will have an opportunity to process trays with peers.
Presenter: Gabriel I. Lomas, Ph.D., Professor, WCSU

B. The Mindful Counselor – Fostering Hope and Healing During Challenging Times

Target Audience: General
Counselor resiliency in the face of increasing client and therapist stress is perhaps the single most important self care skill for thriving during challenging times. When adopting a mindfulness approach, clients and counselors both experience a sense of calm, harmony and hope in this deep energetic exchange.
Presenters: Timothy Huber, Ph.D., ATR, NCC, Deb Del Vecchio-Scully, MS, NCC, LPC, NBCCH

C. Got Ethics

Target Audience: All Specializations
An interview presentation designed to test current understanding of the ACA Ethical Code and provide opportunities for new learning related to ethical professional counselor behavior. Discussion time will be allotted for questions related to ethical issues.
Presenters: Suzanne Arnone, School Counselor, Hurlbutt Elementary School, Trip Hartigan, LPC, Greg Banks, LPC

TWO-HOUR MORNING WORKSHOPS (9:40 – 11:40 AM)

D. Welcoming Our Warriors

“Welcoming Our Warriors: Returning Veterans in a College Setting”
Target Audience: College/University, Private Practice, Adult, Veteran’s Issues
Continued discussion of counselor’s roles in facilitating veterans’ transition to higher education, including information on changes due to the post 9/11 GI Bill and origins of combat trauma. Counselors at colleges with new populations of veterans will learn of benefits and services; those with experience may share successful practices.
Presenters: Robert A. Miles, 6th YR., NCC, LPC, Director, Career Services, Gateway Community College, retired/Private practice, Robert J. Caffrey, M.A., J.D., Private practice

E. Feeding the Right Wolf: Promoting Mindfulness for a Sustainable Future

Target Audience: General
According to Native American mythology, a good wolf and an evil wolf are continually fighting for dominance of the human heart. Have we been feeding the wrong wolf? What changes in human thinking and behavior are needed to build a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society?
Presenters: James C. Malley, Ph.D., Assoc. Professor Emeritus, CCSU, Judith Rosenberg, Ph.D., Professor, CCSU

F. Psychopharmacology for Counselors

Target Audience: General
This workshop will review the current medications used in our society and the theory of brain chemistry currently used to treat a wide range of clinical disorders. The role of counseling and alternative approaches to medication use will be discussed with the participant.
Presenter: Dr. Aram Aslanian, LPC, Associate Professor, WCSU

G. Helping Clients Achieve an Emotionally Comfortable Life

Target Audience: All Specializations
As we moved into the 21st century discoveries made in the field of neuroscience provided a deeper understanding of how our brain functions and impacts our everyday life. This understanding has demystified why people behave the way they do. As a result, we now have an understanding of how to help clients end limiting and destructive habits, thoughts and behaviors and live an emotionally comfortable life.
Presenter: Arnold Weinstein, M.S., LPC, Private practice

ONE-HOUR AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS (1:45 – 2:45 PM)

1. Engaging Millennials in Career and Life Planning: Helping Kids Help Themselves

Target Audience: General
Now more than ever, our life experiences are inter-generational. For the first time in U.S. history, baby-boomers, generation Xers, and “millennials” are sharing classrooms and work places. This workshop will help practitioners understand, appreciate, and successfully engage the young people we teach, work with and counsel.
Presenter: Nancy DeCrescenzo, Eastern Connecticut State University

2. The School Counselor’s Toolbox: Empirically Supported Treatment

Target Audience: Elementary, Middle, H.S., Child/Adolescent
A comprehensive review of empirically supported treatments for school counselors to utilize when working with children in schools. Participants will be provided with a “toolbox of interventions” and resources to address academic, social and emotional difficulties in school aged children.
Presenters: Margaret Generali, Ph.D., SCSU, Lauren Cincotta, Graduate Student

3. Social Networking and the Small Career Center – A Case Study

Target Audience: General
How will you spread the word about your career center’s programs to your student and alumni base? What should you consider when building a social networking strategy? What are some best practices to consider when using Facebook and Twitter in a professional setting? This case study looks at some of the methods Albertus Magnus College used to implement free social media platforms to market programs and services to 100% of its student body.
Presenter: Suzanne Yurko Wall, Albertus Magnus College

4. Spiritual Meaning – Making Strategies for Treating Unipolar Depression

Target Audience: Adult
Clients with unipolar depression may use various explanatory frameworks to understand and make meaning of intense suffering. This workshop will explore the interrelatedness of client beliefs and suffering within a framework of spirituality. Participants will be provided with strategies for tapping into the client’s spiritual strengths for healing and growth. Presenters: Louisa L. Foss, Ph.D, LPC, Uchenna Nwachuku Ed.D, LPC, MA, & Maria Foss-Rand, Southern Connecticut State University

5. Strategies for Effective Networking and Schmoozing: Important Information to Teach Clients

Target Audience: Adults & Youth
Networking and schmoozing are critical career tools and life skills that counselors need to be prepared to help their clients master. In this interactive workshop, learn strategies and approaches to networking and schmoozing that you can teach your clients and you can use, yourself, in your own professional development.
Presenter: Eleta Jones, Ph.D., LPC

6. What is ECT?

Target Audience: Adult
The brain is an organ that functions through complex electrochemical processes, which may be impaired by certain types of mental illness. Scientists believe that electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) acts by temporarily altering some of these processes. The APA, AMA and the National Institute of Mental Health recognize its effectiveness.
Presenter: Carol Reilly, RNC, LPC

7. Multiple Efforts with Singular Purpose

Target Audience: High School & College Counselors, High School & College Administrators, School MFT’s
Finding ways to improve services within limited budgets through working with the National Society of Leadership & Success. The challenges of increased student enrollment and reduced funding is met by engaging students to “own” their roles as leaders and peer mentors. This innovative way of using resources is creating a network of leaders and enabling us to do more with the resources we have.
Presenters: Doris Arrington, Linda Domenitz, Jane Bronfman, Karen Binkhorst, Jane Fried, William Chaffin, Marilyn Dempsey, Deborah Friedman, Craig Lawson

8. Supervision Skills Overview: Supervising Counseling Interns

Target Audience: Counseling Supervisors
Supervision of new developing counselors is a big responsibility. To assist those individuals providing supervision, models and strategies for supervision will be shared and demonstrated. Supervisees will also share case studies and perspectives to help the supervisor understand the impact of the models and strategies that are utilized.
Presenters: Dr. Cheri Smith, Southern Connecticut University, Graduate Student Interns: Ariane Balla, Andrew Campbell, Melynda Ganesh, Saprina Gee, Lena McMorran, Dana Mongillo, Carissa Mott, Breanna Sanson, Antonella Sferrazza, Grace Thomas

9. Hey Counselors! We Need Your Help…Now!

Target Audience: General, Middle & H.S., College/University, Business, MFT, Private Practice, Child, Adolescent, Adult, Grad. Students
The challenge…counselors/students are needed to both collaborate with existing school/community services and advocate for desired changes needed. This interactive workshop will address and provide counselor strategies:
1) using a brief survey-procedure for determining school/community services that are locally needed,
2) organizing community collaboration and,
3) moving to a leadership position of advocacy (as identified by the American Counseling Association (ACA).
Presenter: Dr. Daniel Joynt, WCSU Prof. Emeritus. Professional Counselor & Mediator, Lisa Hughes, WCSU student

10. Transition Theory: New Perspectives on Building Career Resiliency

Target Audience: General, College/University, Business, Industry or Government, Private Practice, Counseling Student/New Professional
Students/clients facing the challenges of career transition often feel overwhelmed. Dr. Nancy Schlossberg’s Transition Theory can provide counselors and career facilitators with a framework to use when helping individuals develop resiliency and approach career decision making from a better informed and holistic perspective. Explore new approaches you can use right away!
Presenter: Linda Kobylarz, Career Development Consultant, Linda Kobylarz & Associates

ONE-HOUR AND FIFTEEN MINUTE AFTERNOON WORKSHOPS (3:00 – 4:15 PM)

I. Thriving in Difficult Times: Applying Attachment Principles to Challenged Families

Target Audience: General, MFT, Private Practice, Child/Adolescent, Adult, Counseling Student/New Professional
How attachment theory and techniques can be used to inspire, heal and support families traumatized by separation, job loss, financial hardship and military service in Iraq and Afghanistan. Will include synopsis of attachment disorder symptoms and innovative attachment therapy strategies, such as intensive family sessions and unique role of therapist.
Presenter: Diane Swift (Feinberg), M.Ed., LPC, Amity Attachment & Counseling Ctr.

II. A Review of Eating Disorder Prevention: What Works?

Target Audience: Elementary & Middle Schools, Child/Adolescent
This workshop focuses on a review of eating disorder prevention research and examples of effective school based eating disorder prevention programming. It also reviews a research study of The North Star Project, an effective eating disorder primary prevention program building self-esteem and resiliency in school age girls.
Presenters: Patricia W. DeBarbieri, Ed.D., LPC, Professor & Chair, Dept. of Counseling & School Psychology, SCSU, Bernadette Riley, Graduate Student Assistant

III. Counselor Advocacy and Social Justice in Connecticut

Target Audience: General, Counseling Student/New Professional, Counselor Educator
Advocacy and social justice are recognized as guiding themes in the counseling profession and have increasingly come to define and shape our professional role. In panel discussion and interactive roundtables, we share both current work and ideas regarding future practice.
Presenters: Dr. Vernon Percy, CCSU, President CACES, Dr. Kathleen Barrett, Saint Joseph College, Dr. Dan Joynt, WCSU, Margit Bobman & Lisa Bloom, CCA Graduate Student Liaisons, Kelley Hopkins-Alvarez, WCCA Graduate Student Liaison

IV. Animal Assisted Therapy in Clinical Practice with Children and Adolescents

Target Audience: General, Child/Adolescent
Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) is a promising method of working with children and adolescents affected by any number of the stressors experienced in today’s world. This presentation will explore the benefits of the human animal connection in clinical therapy and include hands on demonstrations to illustrate key points.
Presenter: Cindy Trifone, M.A., LPC, NCC & A four legged helper

V. Connecticut Community Colleges – The New Buzz

Target Audience: General, High School, College/University, Business, Industry, Government, Private Practice, Adult, Counseling Student/New Professional
Even in these challenging times, there is a new buzz at Connecticut’s community colleges. The colleges are greeting the new decade with a new look, innovative programs, a diverse student body, and exciting grants that are helping to grow the “green” economy in our state. Learn about what is happening, share your suggestions, and explore ways to strengthen partnerships or build new ones with the colleges.
Presenters: Gail Coppage, Director of Workforce Development, CT Community College System, Linda Kobylarz, Career Development Consultant, Linda Kobylarz & Assoc.

VI. Making Connections…Strategies to Foster Community in College Programs

Target Audience: College/University, Counseling Student/New Professional
This program shares innovative strategies used in one counselor education program to build the kind of lasting professional connections that foster the best in professional development. Featuring discussion of a range of practical strategies, we highlight benefits inherent in fostering a sense of community and connection in counselor education programs.
Presenters: Kathleen Marie Barrett, Ed.D., Assistant Professor, Saint Joseph College, Kathryn Pelow & Leah Cunningham, Graduate Students

VII. The Dilemma of Aging

Target Audience: General, College/University, Business, Industry, Government, MFT, Private Practice, Adult, Counseling Student/New Professional
American culture is littered with negative stereotypes of old age. This creates a dilemma: Boomers are toting AARP cards but refuse to be labeled “old.” Denial of a significant life stage is inconsistent with work for change. Boomers have one more “ism” left to fight: ageism.
Presenter: Judy Robbins, PsyD, LPC, Evergreen Counseling

VIII. Outline of Ericksonian Hypnosis

Target Audience: General, Elementary, Middle, H.S., College /University, MFT, Private Practice, Child/Adolescent, Adult, Counseling Student/New Professional
Application of hypnosis will be shown: psoriasis, bedwetting, anxiety, depression and couples counseling. Instruction in therapeutic skills: pattern interruption, utilization, naturalism, unconscious restructuring, paradoxical suggestion and symptom prescription. An experiential group induction for stress reduction/relaxation will be conducted.
Presenter: David J. Norton, M.A., LPC

IX. Equitable College Readiness Counseling for Students with Disabilities

Target Audience: High School, College/University, Private Practice
This presentation will highlight necessary transition skills, how disability skills differ between K-12 and postsecondary education, and higher education opportunities for this population. Participants are invited to share personal experiences with counseling students with disabilities.
Presenter: Megan M. Krell, Doctoral Student - Counselor Education & Counseling Psychology, University of CT