MENTAL HEALTH AMERICA OF ILLINOIS PRESENTS:

UNDERSTANDING MILITARY SEXUAL TRAUMA FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS

PRESENTED BY

Zach Hunsinger, JD, MSW

Rebecca Nowicki, RN

Kim Roeloffs, RN, MPH

Lydia Zopf, LCPC, MS

Katharine Dahm, PhD, MPsy

Pam Brockman, MA

 

Objectives:

• Therapy techniques and tips, including Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure
• How to help survivors reintegrate and work through relationship issues
• General facts about military sexual assault, including prevalence
• Rape as a cultural and societal problem
• How to supportively handle a first disclosure
• How to help survivors overcome barriers and obstacles to reporting assaults
• The impact of sexual assault on the brain, social and relationship interactions, and behavior
• Ways to volunteer to work with Veterans
• How to find resources and make referrals for survivors of military sexual assault
• The unique experience of a survivor in the military and the influence of The Invisible War

 

The cost for this workshop is $60.00. 6 CEUs are available for Social Workers and Professional Counselors. Discounted Parking ($16) is located at 20 E. Randolph (Macy’s Parking Garage).

 

About the Presenters:

Zach Hunsinger, JD, MSW: Zach is assistant director of Veterans programs, and joined Health & Disability Advocates in 2010. He received his Juris Doctor and Master of Social Work degrees from Loyola University Chicago with a certificate in child law and a specialty in program management and development. His studies included domestic violence law, clinic courses about working with survivors of violence, and seminars on human trafficking. While in graduate school, he researched child sex trafficking at the University of Pretoria in South Africa and, in Tanzania, conducted field research about child and domestic servitude. During a field placement, Zach also interviewed children and women to search for indicators of child and adult sexual abuse at a child and family services department in Mexico. In addition, he participated in ICASA’s Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Course. At HDA, Zach helped write the training curriculum for Warrior to Warrior, a peer-to-peer support program that links 30 volunteer Veterans to 1200 active drilling guardsmen in Illinois. His work with W2W also includes creating and implementing a mental health screening process to ensure that volunteers are healthy, and conducting mental health training sessions for the Veteran volunteers about interpersonal communications, self-care, vicarious trauma, and maintaining healthy boundaries. 

Rebecca Nowicki, RN: Rebecca is a Training Consultant for Health and Dissability Advocates and a nurse at the Center for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition. She is also a graduate student at the University of Illinois at Chicago, where she is pursuing a Master of Science degree in nursing. Rebecca completed her Bachelor of Science degree at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. While completing her undergraduate degree, Rebecca began serving in the Wisconsin Air National Guard as a member of Security Forces (military police). During her 10 years of service, Rebecca participated in a variety of operations and was mobilized along with her unit in September 2001 to serve on active duty under Operation Noble Eagle. She comes to HDA with several years of experience building curricula, class room management, and teaching.

Kimberly J. Roeloffs, RN, MPH: Kimberly is a graduate student at the University of Illinois at Chicago, completed her M.P.H. in May, and is also pursuing her Doctorate in Nursing Practice. LT Roeloffs is a graduate of Augustana College with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Psychology, and a minor in Biochemistry. She is certified as an Illinois Rape and Domestic Violence victim advocate through the Illinois Coalition against Sexual Assault, as well as a Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) for the National Guard. LT Roeloffs served as the Joint Forces Headquarters SARC for the Illinois National Guard and has been with the Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Office since September 2011. LT Roeloffs concurrently is an Ordnance Officer for the 405th Brigade Support Battalion, and serves as the Operations Officer. 

Katie Dahm, PhD: Katie is currently a Clinical Psychologist and MST coordinator at the Jesse Brown VA. She earned her PhD from the University of Texas at Austin in 2013. Katie completed her postdoctoral fellowship in trauma at the Hines VA. During her time at the VA, Katie has been involved in various research projects through the VA Center of Excellence for Research on Returning War Veterans. Katie also has over 10 years of experience working with survivors of trauma.

Pam Brockman, M.A.: Pam is an international senior faculty member of adult and youth programs through Project Welcome Home Troops and the International Association for Human Values. Since 1998, Pam has spent her time between North, Central and South America teaching IAHV courses and retreats. She teaches the Project Welcome Home Troops breathing meditation programs which include yoga, guided meditations and a variety of powerful and transformative breathing techniques. These techniques have been shown through independent, controlled, and scientific research to relieve depression and anxiety, including Post Traumatic Stress, and to increase sleep, interpersonal connection, and well-being. In addition, Pam teaches the Youth Empowerment Seminar (YES!) for kids 8 – 17 years old, which gives kids practical tools to manage emotions, focus clearly and deal with difficult life experiences and stress, while maintaining their balance and creativity. Pam has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Knox College, a Master of Arts degree from Northwestern University, and speaks fluent Spanish and French. Project Welcome Home Troops is a program of the International Association for Human Values. IAHV is an international non-profit non-governmental educational and humanitarian organization which works in special consultative status with the Economic & Social Councils of the United Nations.

Lydia Zopf, MS : Lydia is currently the Program Director of the Veterans Project at Thresholds. She has been with Thresholds since 2006, working in many different roles. She received her B.A. from Carthage College and her MS in Rehabilitation Counseling from Illinois Institute of Technology.

 

About MHEP:

The Mental Health Empowerment Project (MHEP) is a series of educational presentations/trainings on mental health-related topics. The goal of MHEP is to provide mental health, social service and other providers with the most up-to-date information and tools to successfully treat their clients and constituents, as well as to empower consumers to live successful and productive lives. 

 

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