3/12/2020 - Understanding and Treating the Cycle of Self-Destructive Behaviors 

Lisa Ferentz, LCSW-C, DAPA

Important Notes & Announcements:

• Pre-registration is closed. You can still register on-site starting at 8:30am.  
• By submitting your registration form, you are agreeing to CHEP's cancellation policy.  Please review in detail prior to registering. 
• Grievance Procedure can be found at the following link - CHEP Grievance Procedure
  

Course Description:

Many clients with insecure attachment issues, histories of prior trauma, abuse or neglect, or overwhelming develpomental stressors often lack the ability to engage in appropriate affect regulation.  As a result, they often turn to self-desctructive strategies including: acts of self-mutiliation; a vartiey of addictions; and eating disordered behaviors to cope and self-soothe.  In this workshop, we will explore the relationship between these challenges and a cycle of self-destructive behaviors.  Participants will learn how triggered events, negative cognitions and affect, dissociation, and anxiety fuel the chronic and cyclical nature of self-harming behaviors.  The "cycle" will also provide us with a concrete template for a variety of creative and effective treatment strategies designed to reduce and eventually extinguish the behaviors.  An emphasis will be placed on strategies that are designed to increase internal and external safety, promote grounding and containment, reduce flashbacks and help clients self-soothe in healthier ways.  We will also address how to avoid the power struggles and increased self-harm that often accompanies ineffective "safety contracts".  A more effective alternative contract, called CARESS, will be presented. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the four potential attachment patterns in parent-child develpoment and the impact they have on affect regulation versus affect dysregulation.
2. Describe the developmental milestones and challenges of adolescence and explain the unique aspects of the adolescent brain and its vulnerability to self-destructive behaviors.
3. Identify at least five "tipping point" factors that can trigger acts of self-harm and at least five reasons why teens and adults engage in self-destructive behaviors.
4. Describe at least five benefits to the strengths-based perspective when treating acts of self-harm.
5. Describe a chronic cycle of self-harm and the ways in which triggering events, negative cognitions and affect, dissociation and anxiety influence the process.
6. Describe and utilize CARESS, an alternative to standard safety contracts and implement at least six creative strategies that help re-ground and re-establish a sense of safety in triggered trauma survivors.

Speaker Information:

Lisa is a recognized expert in the strengths-based, depathologized treatment of trauma and has been in private practice for 34 years.  She presents workshops and keynote addresses nationally and internationally, and is a clinical consultant to practitioners and mental health agencies in the US, Canada, the UK, and Ireland.

She has been an Adjunct Faculty member at University of Maryland School of Social Work, University of Baltimore at Maryland, University of Maryland Department of Family Medicine, and is the Founder of the Ferentz Institute, formerly known as The Institute for Advanced Psychotherapy Training and Education, now in its twelfth year of providing continuing education to mental health professionals and graduating over 1400 clinicians from her two Certificate Programs in Advanced Trauma Treatment.

In 2009, she was voted the "Social Worker of the Year" by the Maryland Society for Clinical Social Work.  Lisa is the author of Treating Self-Destructive Behaviors in Trauma Survivors: A Clinician's Guide, now in its second edition, Letting Go of Self-Destructive Behaviors: A Workbook of Hope and Healing, and Finding Your Ruby Slippers: Transformative Life Lessons from the Therapist's Couch.  Lisa hosted a weekly radio talk show in 2014-2015.  She writes for Psychologytoday.com, publishes her own blog, and participates in podcasts and webinars related to trauma and self-care.

Continuing Education:

Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners Credits - 5.5 hours
Maryland Social Workers - Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners: "Chesapeake Health Education Program, Inc. is authorized by the Board of Social Work Examiners in Maryland to sponsor social work continuing education programs and maintains full responsibility for this program.  This training qualifies for Category 1 contiuing education credits."

National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) Credits - 5.5 hours
"This course has been approved by CHEP as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider for 5.5 CEs. NAADAC provider number 62665, CHEP is responsible for all aspects of their programming."

National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC) Credits - 5.5 hours
Certified Counselors - National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC): "Chesapeake Health Education Program, Inc. has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6140.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC are clearly identified. Chesapeake Health Education Program, Inc. is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs."

Physicians - AMA PRA Category 1 (ACCME) Credits - 5.5 hours
Chesapeake Health Education Program, Inc. is accredited by MedChi, The Maryland State Medical Society, to provide continuing medical education for physicians.
The Chesapeake Health Education Program, Inc. designates this live activity for a maximum of 5.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)TM. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity. 

Target Audience: Social Workers, Psychologists, Certified Counselors, Addiction Counselors, Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurses

Educational Methods Used: Lecture, PowerPoint Presentation

Evaluation and Certificate:

All attendees are required to sign-in in order to receive credits.  Sign-in sheets will be available at the registration desk for up to 30 minutes prior to the start of the program, and 30 minutes after the start of the program.  Attendees are expected to stay until the conclusion of the day in order to receive credits for the day.

An evaluation will be emailed to you within two business days of the program's completion. Once you complete and submit this evaluation, your certificate will automatically generate to be saved or printed.

 Registration Information:

Community Provider - $92
Eastern Shore Hospital Center Employee (w. ID) - $52
VA VISN 5 Employee (w. ID) - $30

Registration will close at the end of the day on March 9th; however, we do accept onsite registration as long as space allows.  

Registration includes coffee, juices, and light breakfast snacks starting at 8:30am with registration.  Lunch will be provided by the venue and is included with your registration. 

If you are registering as a VA VISN 5 Employee, you will be required to show proof of current employment via government issued VA ID Badge at check in.  If you do not have your badge, you will not be granted access to the program unless you pay the regular community rate.