Monday July 20

VSIAS is an education provider for a number of credentialing and academic organizations. VSIAS exercises its ethical responsibility to ensure that contact hours are earned fairly and honestly by awarding contact hours for session attendance only if an individual attends a minimum of 85 percent of that session. VSIAS Faculty can not make exceptions to this policy and will take required professional action in cases of misrepresentation.

Exhibit Hall – Colony Room
This is a can’t miss opportunity to connect with exhibitors. This is an opportunity to learn about services for your agency/practice, clients, and their families.

KEYNOTE –
Ethical considerations in the use of Artificial Intelligence in Psychotherapy
Carmen Greiner, LPC, LSATP

CE Credit Hours:      3.00
Format:                        Keynote
Learning Level:         Intermediate
Limited:                       In-Person Only
Room:                           Virginia Ballroom – ABCD

Brief Description:
Artificial Intelligence refers to the technology that allows computers to simulate human “intelligence”. Beyond just single computations, AI can now learn, problem solve and reason. With this advancement, AI chatbots, transcription and note taking software, and ChatGPT have made their way into our therapy offices and sessions. As clinicians, administrators and business owners the offer of AI taking over some of our paperwork requirements seems both too good to be true and scary as we work to protect our client’s confidentiality. This workshop will introduce AI and discuss some of the ethical concerns with its use. We will then “engage in lively discussion” regarding the pros/cons of using AI applications, using AI for documentation, and how to implement new AI systems should you choose to do so.

Participants are encouraged to bring/have access to a copy of their Code of Ethics.

Learning Objectives:

1.  Therapists will be able to “define” AI and give two mental health related examples.
2.  Therapists will be able to discuss two ethical implications of clinical documentation completed by AI.
3. Therapists will identify two points that should be covered in providing informed consent for AI use in therapy.
4. Therapists will learn four guidelines for screening new AI tools.

Learning Level:
Intermediate

Lunch Buffet – Virginia Ballroom EF
Registration includes a buffet lunch.

Milestones-Based Recovery: Shifting from “Addict” Mentalities to “Success-based” Recovery
Paul Hardy

CE Credit Hours:    3.00
Format:                      Breakout
Learning Level:       All Levels
Limited:                     In-Person Only
Other:                         0.5 Ethics included
Room:                         Tidewater AB

Description:
Milestones-Based Recovery: Shifting from “Addict” Mentalities to “Success-based” Recovery.

Emerging Engagement Strategies for Young Adults in a Post-“Addict Model” World.
Through Clinical Strategies that strengthen resilience and motivation.

INTRODUCTION TO THE TOPIC:
Why Milestone-Based Recovery? Why Now?
Adolescents and young adults today are navigating a convergence of risk factors rarely seen in previous generations:
– increased rates of anxiety and depression,
– unprecedented digital exposure,
– social isolation, and
– ready access to high-potency substances like fentanyl.
Many of our treatment systems still rely on previous models and language that were developed for older adults in very different cultural conditions. Clinicians, program directors, and faith based leaders are asking this key question:

Why can’t we keep our people engaged?

Learning Objective:

1. Describe at least three limitations of traditional “addict based” treatment models for young adults and contrast these with milestone-based recovery frameworks.
2. Identify and apply a minimum of four evidence-informed engagement strategies that increase initial buy-in and ongoing retention among young adults in substance use treatment.
3. Design a brief, milestone-based recovery pathway (including language, goals, and feedback loops) that can be integrated into their current program for young adults.
4. Evaluate their own program’s practices using a structured set of questions to determine alignment with contemporary, developmentally sensitive, and recovery oriented approaches for emerging adults.

Learning Levels:
All Levels

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Dismantling Depressive Core Beliefs: A Parts-Informed CBT Framework 
Hannah Hayden, LCSW

Contact Hours:          3.00
Format:                        Breakout
Learning Level:         Supervisory 
Limited:                       In-Person Only  
Other:                           0.5 Ethics included
Room:                           Virginia Ballroom – ABCD
   

Description:
Depressive disorders are often maintained by deeply entrenched core beliefs related to worth, competence, belonging, and safety, to name a few. While Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers effective strategies for identifying and restructuring these beliefs, many clients experience them as emotionally fused with their identity, making traditional cognitive restructuring feel invalidating or ineffective.

This presentation introduces a parts-informed framework for addressing depressive core beliefs using CBT interventions. Drawing conceptually from Internal Family Systems (IFS), clinicians will learn how to alternatively frame and think about belief-holding “parts” (i.e., core beliefs) without conducting formal parts work. This approach allows therapists to maintain the structured, evidence-based interventions of CBT while introducing language that increases client compassion, psychological distance, and cognitive flexibility.

Learning Objective:

• Identify common depressive core beliefs and describe how they maintain depressive symptom patterns.
• Explain how parts-informed language can be integrated into CBT without conducting formal Internal Family Systems therapy.
• Apply CBT strategies to externalized belief-holding “parts” in order to increase cognitive flexibility and reduce fusion with depressive core beliefs.
• Utilize a structured framework for dismantling entrenched depressive beliefs while maintaining compassion for the protective function these beliefs once served.

Learning Levels:
Supervisory

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ADHD in Substance Use Treatment: Practical Skills for Clinicians
Rachel Gilbert; Caitlin O’Connell, Supervisee in Social Work

CE Credit Hours:         3.00
Format:                           Breakout
Level:                               Introductory
Limited:                          In-Person Only
Other:                              0.5 Ethics included
Room:                              Tidewater CD

Brief Description:
Co-occurring attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and substance use disorders (SUD) are common yet frequently underrecognized in addiction treatment settings (Pallucchini et al., 2021). Research suggests that adults with ADHD are significantly more likely to develop substance use disorders, and untreated ADHD symptoms may negatively influence treatment engagement, retention, and recovery outcomes (Fluyau et al., 2021; Pallucchini et al., 2021). Difficulties with executive functioning, including impulsivity, emotional regulation, planning, and sustained attention, can create additional barriers to recovery and participation in traditional treatment approaches (Rohner et al., 2023).

This introductory session will provide clinicians with foundational knowledge about the relationship between ADHD and substance use disorders and the ways executive functioning challenges can affect recovery. Participants will review common clinical presentations, screening considerations, and the impact of ADHD symptoms on treatment participation and relapse risk. Evidence-informed strategies for supporting executive functioning, improving treatment engagement, and adapting common addiction counseling interventions will be discussed (Fluyau et al., 2021). Ethical considerations related to accurate assessment, stigma, and appropriate referral for integrated care will also be addressed. By the end of the session, participants will have practical tools to better recognize and support individuals navigating recovery while managing ADHD.

Learning Objective:
Identify common symptoms of ADHD in adults and describe how these symptoms may affect substance use and recovery processes.
Describe the relationship between executive functioning difficulties and treatment engagement in individuals with co-occurring ADHD and substance use disorders.
Apply practical clinical strategies to support organization, impulse control, and emotional regulation for clients with ADHD in addiction treatment settings.
Discuss ethical considerations related to screening, referral, and integrated treatment for individuals with co-occurring ADHD and substance use disorders.

Learning Levels:
Introductory

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Beyond Burnout: Navigating Stress As Dual Perspective on Clinicians and Patients in Substance Abuse Counseling
Kirk James, Resident in Counseling        

CE Credit Hours:      3.00
Format:                        Breakout
Level:                            All Levels
Limited:                       In-Person Only
Other:                           0.5 Ethics included
Room:                           Allegheny AB

Description:
In the high-pressure environment of substance abuse counseling, both clinicians and patients face significant challenges that can lead to burnout and stress. This session, titled “Navigating Burnout and Stress: A Dual Perspective on Clinicians and Patients in Substance Abuse Counseling,” seeks to illuminate the overwhelming demands placed on clinical therapists who work tirelessly with individuals struggling with substance and alcohol use, as well as the stresses experienced by patients throughout their recovery journeys.

During this presentation, we will explore the unique stressors that clinicians encounter, including heavy caseloads, emotional fatigue, and the challenges of providing effective support in a field that demands constant empathy and resilience. We will discuss the importance of self-care strategies for clinicians, emphasizing the need for rest, creativity, and physical health practices to prevent burnout and enhance their ability to serve their clients effectively.

Learning Objective:

• Learning Objectives:
  1. Identify Key Stressors: Participants will be able to recognize and articulate the primary sources of burnout and stress experienced by clinicians working in substance abuse counseling, including high caseloads, emotional labor, and systemic challenges.
  2. Assess Patient Experiences: Attendees will learn to evaluate the impact of stress and burnout on patients enrolled in substance abuse recovery programs, focusing on the effects of inadequate support structures that fail to integrate holistic wellness practices.
  3. Implement Self-Care Strategies: Clinicians will gain practical skills for developing and implementing effective self-care strategies that prioritize rest, creative expression, physical health, and mindfulness, thereby enhancing their resilience in high-demand environments.
  4. Integrate Holistic Approaches: Participants will explore evidence-based approaches to incorporating holistic practices, such as movement, art therapy, and creative expression, into recovery programs to better support patient well-being and mitigate feelings of overwhelm.
  5. Enhance Therapeutic Outcomes: Attendees will develop actionable strategies to foster a therapeutic environment that promotes resilience and well-being for both clinicians and patients, ultimately improving treatment outcomes in substance abuse counseling.
• Assess Patient Experiences: Attendees will learn to evaluate the impact of stress and burnout on patients enrolled in substance abuse recovery programs, focusing on the effects of inadequate support structures that fail to integrate holistic wellness practices.
• Implement Self-Care Strategies: Clinicians will gain practical skills for developing and implementing effective self-care strategies that prioritize rest, creative expression, physical health, and mindfulness, thereby enhancing their resilience in high-demand environments.
• Integrate Holistic Approaches: Participants will explore evidence-based approaches to incorporating holistic practices, such as movement, art therapy, and creative expression, into recovery programs to better support patient well-being and mitigate feelings of overwhelm.

Learning Levels:
All Levels

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