Helping Women Recover: A Program for Treating Addiction

Training by Carol Ackley & Twyla Wilson

Over the past forty years our knowledge of women’s lives has increased dramatically, and we have added significantly to our understanding of the treatment needs of those with substance use disorders. Based on Dr. Covington’s evidence-based curriculum Helping Women Recover: A Program for Treating Addiction, this training offers a comprehensive treatment model that integrates theories of addiction, women’s psychological development, and trauma.  It is suitable for cis and trans women and nonbinary people.

Designed to give counselors, clinicians, and program administrators a basic understanding of the essential elements needed for the development of gender-responsive programs, the training focuses primarily on recovery. The emphasis is on the key issues of self, relationships, sexuality, spirituality, and the trauma-informed therapeutic techniques for dealing with these issues. Updates in the 3rd edition include trauma-sensitive yoga exercises, updated gender information, new brain research as it relates to addiction and trauma, and expansion from 17 to 20 sessions.  Throughout the workshop, your trainer also discusses how the treatment program materials can be used with those in the criminal justice system.

Learning/educational objectives:

• Describe the four major areas of intervention with substance use disorders: self, relationships, sexuality and spirituality
• Demonstrate various grounding and soothing exercises to open and close each session.
• Participate in self-esteem collage exercise and share in small group from the Self Module
• Participate in the Family Sculpture exercise and family roles process group from the Relationship Module
• Increase awareness of nonbinary expressions of gender from the Sexuality Module
• Participate in multiple kinds of meditation from the Spirituality Module
• Understand the importance of trauma-informed approaches in working with those who have a feminine experience of the world

Beyond Violence / Beyond Anger and Violence

Training by Gina Fedock & Patricia Esparza

We live in a world where anger and violence are all around us, including in the news, our television shows and motion pictures, and our families and relationships. Anger is often connected to violence and, in some cases, leads to violence. Even though anger is a common emotion, many people find it difficult to understand and regulate their anger. Beyond Violence and Beyond Anger and Violence are programs for those who struggle with issues related to anger and/or violence. Beyond Violence focuses on women, transgender, and nonbinary people who are involved in the criminal justice system and Beyond Anger and Violence focuses on those in community programs. There are many overlaps in each approach; this combined training will also review the differences between the two programs.

The training is designed to explain and explore the topics of anger and violence on multiple levels: the personal level; the relationship level, including anger and violence directed toward them; the intersections of anger, violence, and substance use; and the effects of anger and violence in our communities and society at large. This is an interactive training that integrates the evidence-based practices of cognitive-behavioral, relational, mindful, and expressive-arts therapeutic techniques into a holistic approach to anger and violence prevention.

Learning/educational objectives:

• Describe the Social-Ecological model of violence
• Discuss gendered differences related to anger and violence
• Understand the connections between anger, violence, and substance use
• Demonstrate various therapeutic techniques
• Describe the Social-Ecological model of violence
• Implement the Beyond Violence or Beyond Anger and Violence curricula

Beyond Trauma: A Healing Journey for Women

Training by Eileen Russo

This training introduces the evidence-based Beyond Trauma: A Healing Journey for Women program materials. The second edition incorporates the insights of neuroscience with the latest understanding of trauma and PTSD to assist both new and seasoned group leaders. Cognitive-behavioral techniques, mindfulness, expressive arts, and the principles of relational therapy are integrated in this strength-based approach. The curriculum also has a psycho-educational component that teaches what trauma is, its process, and its impact on both the inner self (thoughts, feelings, beliefs, values) and the other self (behavior and relationships, including parenting). The focus of this training is on interactive exercises that demonstrate techniques that counselors can use to help clients develop coping skills, as well as emotional wellness. In addition, the end of each of the twelve sessions has information on adapting the material for youth.

Learning/educational objectives:

• Describe new elements in 2nd edition of Beyond Trauma
• Understand the historical background of trauma
• Explore the connection between addiction, trauma, and mental health
• Discuss gender differences
• Explicate the process of trauma
• Provide specific therapeutic interventions
• Develop strategies for work in criminal justice settings
• Demonstrate specific clinical treatment strategies from the new edition of this evidence-based curriculum

Voices: A Program of Self-Discovery and Empowerment for Girls

Training by Candice Norcott & Christina Cicero

Built on a foundation rooted in Resiliency Theory and experiential learning, Voices: A Program of Self-Discovery and Empowerment for Girls (2nd Edition) is designed to encourage young girls, women, transgender, and nonbinary people to find and express themselves. This training describes the world of girls, as well as provides an overview of the elements needed for creating gender-responsive services. It was created to address the unique needs of adolescents with modules about self and connecting with others to exploring healthy living and the journey ahead. Today we are hearing more about bullying, the pressures of social media, early puberty, gender exploration, human sex trafficking, and binge drinking. Texting, social media, and online or “in real life” (IRL) friends are part of the changes in their social lives.

The focus is on interactive exercises that demonstrate the strategies that service providers can use with adolescent girls and young women (as well as those who are gender diverse). The topics covered include developing a positive sense of self, building healthy relationships, substance misuse, physical and emotional wellness, sexuality and planning for a positive future. Pathways to the criminal justice system and the experiences once they become involved are also addressed.

Learning/educational objectives:

• Understand the world of girls/young women/transgender/nonbinary youth
• List five yoga and/or grounding exercises
• Demonstrate specific treatment strategies from each module of this evidence-based curriculum, Voices
• Demonstrate two exercises from Self Module
• Demonstrate two exercises from Connecting with Others Module
• Demonstrate two exercises from Healthy Living Module
• Demonstrate two exercises from The Journey Ahead Module

Helping Men Recover: A Program for Treating Addiction

Training by Rick Dauer & Shane Pugh

This training presents the newly released 2nd edition of Helping Men Recover, a gender-based, trauma-informed treatment program for substance use disorders that has been expanded to twenty-one sessions. The curriculum addresses what is often missing in prevailing treatment models: a clear understanding of the impact of male socialization on the recovery process, a consideration of client's relational needs, and a focus on the issues of abuse and trauma. Existing models often provide little direction in helping those to establish a healthy sense of self outside of stereotypical masculine scripts. In contrast, this is one of the primary goals of Helping Men Recover. It is suitable for men, trans men, and nonbinary people who have a masculine experience of the world.

Helping Men Recover integrates a theory of addiction, a theory of trauma, and a theory of male psychosocial development. The program materials consist of a facilitator manual and a participant workbook. There is a community version and a criminal justice version. This presentation provides an historical overview of the history of men’s treatment and the research that establishes the foundation for this new curriculum. However, the main focus of this training is on the interactive exercises drawn from the curriculum.

Learning/educational objectives:

• Participants will learn about the history of men’s treatment
• Participants will learn about the impact of gender socialization on the process of addiction and the process of recovery.
• Participants will learn about the impact of traumatic experiences on the process of addiction and the process of recovery.
• Participants will learn about a manualized treatment program that is trauma-informed and gender-responsive.
• Participants will learn how to utilize the program materials and facilitate the delivery of this curriculum.

A Young Man’s Guide to Self-Mastery

Training by Roberto Rodriguez

Adolescents who have a masculine experience of the world live in a world that is complicated as they attempt to navigate their psychological and physical development. The typical adolescent male is caught up in a maelstrom of hormonal, social, and cultural shifts that would be difficult to deal with even in ideal conditions. Chances of atypical or disordered development increase exponentially in the midst of troubling experiences. In fact, for many, typical male socialization can be characterized as a series of traumatic events. Those who suffer adverse or troubling life events also experience significant impairment in neural development. This can lead to trouble in critical thinking, trouble in reconciling emotional events, and antisocial behavior.

This training is based on the trauma-informed curriculum, A Young Man’s Guide to Self-Mastery. This is a gender-expansive program designed for a wide range of youth, including those who are transgender. This program focuses on the effects of adversity and trauma on the lives of adolescents and transitional age youth and is designed to help them to mitigate some of those effects, such as abuse of alcohol and other drugs. The techniques described in this curriculum are meant to create an atmosphere of safety and of mutual learning. Some of the topics included are: cyber-bullying, substance misuse, emotional development, process of trauma and what it means to be a man in today’s world. This training provides an overview of the elements needed for creating gender- and trauma-responsive services. The focus is on interactive exercises that demonstrate the strategies that counselors can use with boys and young men. The issues of boys in the juvenile justice system are also addressed.

Learning/educational objectives:

• Understand the world of boys/young men/transgender/nonbinary youth
• Discuss gender differences
• Explore elements of gender- and trauma-informed services
• Demonstrate specific therapeutic strategies
• Understand the connection between trauma and SUDs

A Woman's Way through The Twelve Steps

The focus of this evening’s event is on the best-selling book, A Woman’s Way through The Twelve Steps. This book empowers women to take ownership of their recovery and to grow and flourish in sobriety. Dr. Covington discusses some of the interactive exercises from the workbook and facilitator guide. She also highlights how women use the Steps and she shares their wisdom and inspiration.  To register for only this evening event, please visit the Hazelden A Woman's Way event page.

[flyer for A Woman's Way evening event at CCC 2023]