Connections and Collaborations: A Professional Lecture Series by Meadows Behavioral Healthcare 

"It's Us, Not Them: How We Are Failing Men in Treatment"
by Dan Griffin, MA, Senior Fellow of The Meadows

Even though approximately 70 percent of the people that go through treatment annually are men, the majority of professionals have not been trained to work effectively with men or understand the impact of male socialization on all areas of service delivery. The traditional model for working with men was built around "breaking men down" and that paradigm continues to have a significant influence on the ways in which men are treated by programs and clinicians. Furthermore, men and women experience, respond to, exhibit the symptoms of, and recover from trauma differently. Therefore, the interventions and treatment services we provide to men must also be different. Client-centered treatment cannot mean avoiding the systemic impact of gender on our clients. Many treatment professionals may be unintentionally re-traumatizing male participants, thereby increasing their risk of failure in the program. This presentation offers practical guidance and tools for professionals working with men in navigating these challenging areas.   

Learning Objectives
After this presentation, attendees will be able to to:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of how the four core areas of: Self, Relationships, Sexuality, and       Spirituality impact a man's recovery and key issues within each core area.
2. Differentiate the way that men experience, process, exhibit symptoms of, and recovery from           trauma from women's experience.
3. Practice exercises and use them immediately in their workplace to enhance their clinical                 competence in the four core areas. 

About the Presenter
Dan Griffin's work life is dedicated to exploring and redefining what it means to be a man in the 21st century. Dan is dedicated to helping men be better by understanding the impact of the "Man Rules" on their lives, and finding the success in their personal lives they are striving for in their professional lives. His newest book, A Man's Way through Relationships, is the first book written specifically to help men create healthy relationships while navigating the challenges of the "Man Rules," those ideas men internalize at very young ages about how to be real boys and men. Dan has worked in the mental health and addictions field for more than 20 years. He is the author of A Man's Way through the Twelve Steps, the first trauma-informed book to take a holistic look at men's sobriety. He also co-authored Helping Men Recover, the first comprehensive, gender-responsive, and trauma-informed curriculum for addiction and mental health professionals, and his graduate work was the first qualitative study centered on the social construction of masculinity in the culture of Alcoholics Anonymous. Dan is a Senior Fellow with The Meadows. 

This event is free but registration below is required by July 13, 2016

1.5 Continuing Education Credits or NBCC Clock Hours available

For questions or more information about this event, contact:

Shannon Spollen, Director of Community Partnerships
events@themeadows.org // 928-684-4048