Mental Health America of Illinois Presents:

Understanding Sexual Violence

Presented by: Brittany Barton, Maggie Lassar, & Sara Powers

From the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago

This is a 3-hour training that addresses topics such as: general information about sexual assault/abuse, statistics, myths/facts, handling disclosures, and an overview of the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago's services.  We will also cover more clincial information about PTSD and Rape Trauma Syndrome, the impacts of trauma, trauma-informed clinical frameworks and interventions, and vicarious trauma and self-care.

OBJECTIVES:

• Be able to define Sexual Assault and Sexual Abuse
• Learn statistics and Illinois law about Sexual Violence
• Be able to distinguish between myths and facts surrounding sexual violence
• Learn how to handle a disclosure of sexual violence
• Obtain knowledge about YWCA Sexual Violence and Support Services (SVSS)/ Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline for referral purposes
• Be able to define trauma
• Be able to distinguish between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Rape Trauma Syndrome (RTS)
• Learn the impacts of trauma on biological, psychological/emotional, neurological, social/relational, behavioral, and spiritual domains
• Obtain knowledge about a clinical framework and interventions used in the treatment of  victims/survivors of sexual violence
• Obtain knowledge about signs and symptoms of vicarious trauma and self-care for working with trauma populations

The cost for this workshop is $45.00. 3 CEUs are available for Social Workers and Professional Counselors.  A discount of $30 is available for the first 20 people who email Latonia Yarbrough at lyarbrough@mhai.org to receive a special discount code.  Discounted parking ($16) is located at 20 E. Randolph (Macy’s Parking Garage).

About the Presenters: 

Brittany Barton is the Interim Coordinator of Outreach and Education at the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago. She works in schools, with community groups, and professionals providing educational programming addressing issues of sexual violence. She received her M.A. in Social Justice and Community Development at Loyola University in Chicago, IL and her B.A. in Psychology and Spanish at Loyola University in New Orleans, LA.

Maggie Lassar is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Women and Gender Studies from Washington University in St. Louis. She graduated from Loyola University Chicago in 2011 with her Masters in Social Work. Maggie has previously worked in inpatient and outpatient settings with sexual offenders and dually diagnosed adults and adolescents. Maggie trained as a master’s level intern at the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago Sexual Violence and Support Services (SVSS) where she currently works as an individual/group therapist.

Sara Powers, LCSW received her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Illinois Wesleyan University and her Master's degree in Social Work from The University of Chicago's School of Social Service Administration. Prior to working with survivors of sexual violence at the YWCA Metropolitan Chicago, she worked with survivors of domestic violence, families involved in the child welfare system, families grieving the loss of a loved one, and children and teen parents from under-resourced communities. She is currently a Natalie Haimowitz Postgraduate Fellow at Womencare Counseling Center in Evanston.

About MHEP:

The Mental Health Empowerment Project (MHEP) is a series of educational presentations/trainings throughout the Chicagoland area. Presentation topics range from addictions to smoking cessation, bullying to social emotional literacy, and other current mental health topics. The goal of MHEP is to provide mental health providers with the most up-to-date information and tools to successfully treat their clients, as well as to empower consumers to live successful and productive lives.

 

Register Now!