8:00 – 8:30 Networking/Introductions/Breakfast -sponsored by Harmony Foundation

8:30 – 9:00 Business Meeting/Induction of New RMEAPA Board Members/Announcements

9:00 – 11:00 In person and Virtual Presentation:

Format:  Live & Virtual

In Person location - Peer Assistance Services - 2170 S Parker Rd, Denver, CO 80231

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194

Content:

This session will address the business-critical skill set of working effectively with others - in particular relating to engaging in potentially uncomfortable conversations with co-workers. Conflict is inevitable in almost all work settings. Ultimately you have three options when it comes to conflict - avoid it, address it poorly or address it effectively. This session will address barriers to, and strategies for, addressing conflict effectively.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify the cost and consequences of poor conflict management

2. Explore relevant concepts related to types and styles of conflict

3. Explore factors affecting individuals' decisions to address conflict

4. Provide individual, team and leader related strategies for addressing conflict more effectively.

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter:

Matthew Steinkamp, LCSW, CCP - Director, lntermountain Employee Assistance Program

Matt Steinkamp is the Director of the Intermountain Health Employee Assistance Program (EAP), based in Salt Lake City, Utah. He leads a comprehensive program providing counseling, coaching, consultation, training, and crisis‑response services across multiple states. With more than 30 years of experience in EAP and behavioral health, Matt has supported professionals at every organizational level, including executives, physicians, leaders, and front‑line staff. His work centers on strengthening organizational well‑being through awareness, education, skill building, and personal accountability. Matt is a licensed clinical social worker, professional coach and trained mediator.   

CONTACT:

Matthew Steinkamp, LCSW, CCP - Director, lntermountain Employee Assistance Program

lntermountain Employee Assistance Program

5245 S College Drive, Murray, UT 84123

matt.steinkamp@imail.org

800-832-7733

8:00 – 8:30 Networking

8:30 – 9:00 Introductions/Announcemments

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194
Format:  Virtual

Content:

If you've ever said yes to something while thinking "I'm going to regret this," this conversation is for you. Many people struggle to set boundaries without guilt, worry about how others will react, or feel stuck between saying yes and feeling resentful. When used well, boundaries can create space to stay connected and comfortable, even in demanding situations.

In this engaging webinar, executive coach and workplace conflict facilitator Rachel Lucas shares a practical, human-centered approach that expands what boundaries look like in real life. Using relatable stories, humor, and insights from the Energy Leadership framework, participants learn how stress shapes their reactions, how to communicate boundaries in ways others can hear, and how to protect their energy without losing connection.

Participants leave with practical tools they can use immediately to reduce stress, respond to pushback with more ease, and expand their options for setting and holding boundaries with confidence.

Learning Objectives:

1. Differentiate among the four positions on the boundary spectrum - fuzzy, flexible, firm, and enforced - and recognize the different types of boundaries (physical, digital, time, emotional, energetic) showing up in their own work and personal life.

2. Identify how stress and the seven energy levels shape boundary decisions, and recognize the relationship between lower levels ( 1-2) of energy and boundary struggles

3. Apply The Ladder framework to shift from a reactive perspective to one that surfaces more options and choices when navigating a real boundary challenge.

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter:

Rachel Lucas - Executive Coach, Founder PCC, PHR, ELI-MP, CLOS

Rachel Lucas is an executive coach and workplace mediator who helps people build better relationships at work.  As the founder of TrustWorks Coaching, with over 18 years supporting leaders and teams, she uses a trauma-informed, Energy Leadership approach to help people move from avoidance to action. Rachel combines coaching, mediation, and practical processes to help clients address issues before they escalate and tap into the constructive energy conflict can bring. She’s known for her warm, direct approach that builds confidence and creates lasting, measurable change.

CONTACT:

Rachel Lucas, TrustWorks Coaching, LLC

1489 Steele St Apt 112 Denver CO 80206

rachel@trustworkscoachinq.com

Phone: 720-295-5198

www.trustworkscoaching.com

httos://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelsavagelucas-trustworkscoachinq/

8:00 – 8:30 Networking

8:30 – 9:00 Introductions/Announcemments

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194
Format:  Virtual

Content:

In a world overwhelmed by constant distractions and digital overload, the return to our most valuable asset, our brain, is becoming a key factor in balancing one’s life and wellbeing. By developing our sense of awareness through our bodies, we can reconnect with our internal GPS system through simple mind/body exercises like breathing, body tapping and Tai Chi to recharge and reactivate our internal energy source. Addiction and mental health challenges do not occur in isolation, they ripple through every member of a family system. Yet families are often left on the sidelines of treatment, uncertain how to help, exhausted by patterns they didn't choose, and carrying their own unaddressed pain. This presentation is an educational presentation designed for individuals seeking a deeper understanding of how families both shape and are shaped by the recovery process. Drawing from family systems theory, attachment research, and evidence-based clinical approaches, this presentation offers a comprehensive framework for understanding the family's role in addiction and mental health recovery. Participants will explore core concepts of family systems theory and how addiction disrupts family homeostasis, roles, and communication patterns. We will examine codependency and enabling behaviors, not as character flaws, but as learned survival responses rooted in early attachment experiences. Attendees will leave with a clear framework for distinguishing enabling from genuine support, understanding healthy boundary-setting, and connecting families with appropriate resources. This presentation also highlights the value of structured family education programs as a complement to individual treatment. When families receive education, tools, and support alongside their loved one, outcomes improve significantly, relapse rates decrease, relationships stabilize, and long-term recovery becomes more sustainable.

Learning Objectives:

1. Be able to identify key family systems concepts - including roles, homeostasis, and codependency - and explain how these dynamics influence the trajectory of a loved one's addiction and recovery.

2. Distinguish between enabling and helping behaviors, and apply a practical framework for setting healthy boundaries that support recovery without shielding individuals from natural consequences.

3. Identify evidence-based resources and family support models, including Al-Anon, SMART Recovery, and structured family education programs - to effectively connect families with appropriate tools and services.

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter:

Blair Nicol, LCSW Program Manager 

Blair Nicol is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with experience across behavioral health programs, residential treatment, and community-based settings. As Program Manager, Blair oversees the development and implementation of programming and curriculum, ensuring clinical depth, coherence, and alignment with Recovery Ways’ values. 

Her work draws on somatic, relational, and intuitive approaches, integrating nervous system awareness, embodied practices, and connection-focused interventions into program design. Blair brings a thoughtful, grounded leadership style to her role, supporting both clinical excellence and innovative, experiential programming that meets clients where they are and supports sustainable healing and recovery.

Florenda Baldwin, LSUDC Family Program Manager

Florenda Baldwin is a licensed substance use disorder counselor and Family Program Manager at Recovery Ways, a residential treatment facility in Murray, Utah. With hands-on experience across multiple levels of care — including residential, PHP, and IOP — she brings a comprehensive, whole-person perspective to addiction treatment and recovery.

Florenda specializes in family-centered care, overseeing Recovery Ways' Family Circle weekend program, which is designed to bridge the gap between clients in treatment and the loved ones who support their recovery journey. She facilitates DBT skills groups and family programming that emphasize evidence-based approaches to communication, emotional regulation, and rebuilding relationships impacted by substance use.

In addition to her direct clinical work, Florenda supervises SUDC interns, mentoring the next generation of substance use disorder counselors with a focus on ethical, client-centered practice.  Florenda's passion for family involvement in treatment is rooted in her belief that lasting recovery is built not in isolation, but in community — and that healing one person has the power to heal an entire family system.

CONTACT:

Recovery Ways

4848 Commerce Dr, Murray, UT 84107

bnicol@recoveryways.com

www.recoveryways.com

lnstagram: @recoverywaysutah

Facebook: facebook.com/RecoveryWays

8:00 – 8:30 Networking/Introductions

8:30 – 9:00 Business Meeting and Announcements

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194
Format:  Virtual

Content: This interactive session engages participants in thinking about belonging as vital to the work of EAP. In developing a holistic perspective on belonging and its role in EAP, this session will discuss the current national and local context and the challenges it presents for organizational belonging. The session will then review strategies for making belonging central to EAP, with case studies and lessons learned from Intermountain Health’s collaborative relationship between its EAP and Caregiver Belonging teams

Learning Objectives:

1.     Identify the unique challenges related to belonging faced by employees and employers

2.     Explore how belonging can deepen, extend, and enhance the work that EAP does

3.     Understand strategies for making belonging central to the work of EAP, particularly with regard to organizational values, structure, and programming

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenters: Sean Kenney, PhD and Elisa Valle, LCSW

Sean Kenney, PhD (Organizational Communication) is an organizational researcher and consultant whose work focuses on belonging, identity, and organizational practice. In his role as a Caregiver Belonging Consultant at Intermountain Health, Sean provides training and support to units throughout the organization to ensure that all employees can thrive, connect, and meaningfully contribute.

Sean was born and raised in Colorado, and currently lives in Denver with his husband and cat Minjie. He is a producer for OutSources, Colorado’s only weekly on-air radio program dedicated to LGBTQ+ issues.

Elisa Valle, LCSW is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Employee Assistance Program (EAP) Counselor with Intermountain, where she has worked for the past three years. She provides counseling services in both English and Spanish to children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples, supporting clients across a wide range of life transitions and challenges.

Originally from Northern California, Elisa moved to Utah in 2019. She brings a strong social work foundation to her clinical practice, with extensive experience working with foster youth, the Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS), and children and families involved with DCFS and post-adoption services. Her professional background also includes work in domestic violence services.

In addition to her role with EAP, Elisa maintains a private practice, where she continues to work with individuals, couples, and families. Her clinical approach is grounded in compassion, collaboration, and a strengths-based perspective, with an emphasis on resilience, cultural responsiveness, and practical support for long-term wellbeing.

CONTACT:

Sean Kenney, PhD, Caregiver Belonging Consultant

Intermountain Health

Sean.Kenney@imail.org

Elisa Valle, LCSW, Employee Assistance Program Counselor

Intermountain Health

Website and Social Media: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/

8:00am – 8:45am - Networking/Breakfast & Coffee

8:45am – 9:00am - Opening Remarks

9:00am – 10:45am - VitalCog: Suicide Prevention and Postvention in the Workplace (Alex Yannacone, Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center)

10:45am - 11:00am - Break/Networking

11:00am - 12:00pm - How Utilizing Peers in the Workplace Benefits Both the Employer and the Employee (Tonya Wheeler, Advocates for Recovery)

12:00pm - 1:00pm - Lunch/Networking

1:00pm - 2:30pm - Evolving Drug Trends and Workplace Impacts/Interventions (David Shapiro, Centers for Health, Work & Environment / Jennifer Place, The Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention)

2:30pm - 2:45pm - Coffee & Snack Break/Networking

2:45pm - 4:15pm - Understanding Sober Living: Referral Readiness, Ethics, and Workforce Re-Entry (Panel Moderator: John Narine)

4:15pm - 5:00pm - Networking

Up to 6 PDHs and COPA-approved CPFS “Additional Training” hours offered! We are limited to 55 seats. Please register below!

DEADLINE TO REGISTER:
MARCH 31, 2026

ROCKY MOUNTAIN EAPA MARCH SESSION IS IN COLLOBRATION WITH SAN FRANCISCO EAPA!

Please register below for the training to get an email for the day of the training

San Francisco Bay Area Chapter - Monthly Meeting (Virtual)

Our Mission

To Promote Employee Assistance Programs as an effective means of enhancing the well-being and productivity of employees in the workplace, and to facilitate the professional identification of Chapter members and the development of quality Employee Assistance in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Visit Our Website

March 10, 2026

Joel Fay, PsyD, ABPP

Topic: Counseling Cops: What You Need to Know about Their Culture, Careers, and Stress

Description:

This presentation will provide information about the law enforcement culture, challenges for treatment and treatment approaches that are culturally competent and accepted by responders.

Presentation Schedule:

11:30am-12:00pm PST - Group Introductions

12:00pm-12:30pm PST - Police Attitudes and Careers

12:30pm-1:00pm PST - Clinical Issues in Treating Police

1:00pm-1:20pm PST - Treatment Best Practices

1:20pm-1:30pm PST - Summary/Q&A

Goals:

1. Develop cultural competency in working with law enforcement personnel.

2. Recognize the impact of chronic and acute stress on law enforcement personnel.

3. Understand effective therapeutic approaches for law enforcement personnel.

Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to identify three unique occupational stressors that impact law enforcement mental health.

2. Participants will be able to describe at least two evidence-based counseling approaches effective with law enforcement personnel

Outline:

Law Enforcement Attitudes and Careers

Over time, police officers often feel trapped or hopeless about their job, which has important implications for both their personal and professional lives, including their mental health

1. Police personality traits often prevent them from asking for help and from getting the help they need to live a full and rewarding life

Clinical Issues in Treating Police

There is a significant prevalence of PTSD, anxiety, and depressive disorders among active-duty police, much greater than the general population

1. Treatment approaches with this population must include self-disclosure, experience working with the population, and knowledge of the culture and associated treatment bestpractices

Bio:

Joel Fay Psy.D, ABPP is an Army veteran and worked as a police officer for over 30 years He retired in 2011. In 1999 Dr. Fay obtained his Doctorate in Psychology from American School of Professional

Psychology and is now in private practice working with emergency responders from numerous organizations. Dr. Fay’s specialty areas include psychological treatment for emergency responders, peer support, critical incident stress response, PTSD and police response to persons with mental illness. Dr. Fay teaches a variety of topics for numerous agencies throughout California.

Dr. Fay has authored/co-authored a number of articles and co-authored, “Counseling Cops, What Clinicians Need to Know” published by Guilford. He is a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police and is on their Psychological Services Committee. Dr. Fay is board certified in Police and Public Safety Psychology. He is a past President of the

Forensic Mental Health Association of California and the First Responder Support Network. Dr. Fay is the current clinical director for the First Responder Support Network. Dr. Fay is a frequent instructor on forensic mental health and trauma reaction/ treatment issues and a guest speaker at numerous conferences throughout the country.

Dr. Fay has received numerous awards for his work including the 2007 Humanitarian Award, presented by the California Psychological Association, the 2012 award for Outstanding Contributions to the Practice of Police & Public Safety Psychology presented by the American

Psychological Association and the 2025 Behavioral Healthcare Professional of the Year award, presented by CIT International.

Citations/References:

Conn, S. M. (2025). Increasing resilience in police and emergency personnel: Strengthening your mental armor (2nd ed.). Routledge

Hofer, Meret & Rineer, Jennifer. (2023). In Consideration of the Behavioral Health of Police. 86. 55-72.

Violanti JM. On Policing—A Matter of Psychological Survival. JAMA NetwOpen. 2020;3(10):e2020231. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.20231

The San Francisco Chapter of the Employee Assistance Professionals Association is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, and LPCCs and/or LEPs. The San Francisco Chapter of the Employee Assistance Professionals Association maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. The Course meets the qualifications for 1.5 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences.  

The San Francisco Chapter of EAPA can be reached via our website: sfbayeapa.org or by writing us at 32 Madera Blvd, Corte Madera, CA 94925. Contact us for any needed accommodations or to address any grievances. Our CAMFT Continuing Education Provider Number is 57003.

CE Requirements:

1. Participants will join the course on time and will remain for the entire presentation. Participants will come prepared to learn and participate openly in discussion

2. Participants will be required to remain 'camera on' the entire presentation.

3. Participants will be required to submit the course evaluation form before being sent a CE certificate. Any participant with disabilities or other special needs, who need special accommodations in this course are invited to share these concerns or requests at info@sfeapa.org as soon as possible.

4. Registration is required - If you register and cannot attend, please notify EAPA's administration team at info@eapa.org

5. CE Unit will only be given for instructional time

We welcome you all to Join our Virtual Monthly Presentation you must register by clicking the 'Virtual Registration' box below.

Once you register you will be sent the Zoom Link

Virtual Registration

8:00 – 8:30 - Networking/Breakfast/Introductions

8:30 – 9:00 - Business Meeting

9:00 – 11:00 -Virtual Presentation

Format:  Virtual -Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194

Content: Horses and Healing: An Inside Look at Equine-Assisted Therapy at The Last Resort

This professional demonstration offers an inside look at how The Last Resort Recovery Center utilizes Natural Lifemanship, a trauma-informed, relationship-based model of equine-assisted therapy, to support men healing from substance use disorders and unresolved trauma. Rooted in the science of attachment, brain development, and nervous system regulation, Natural Lifemanship focuses on building healthy, connected relationships—first with the horse, then within oneself, and ultimately with others.

Participants will observe how our facilitators guide clients through ground-based interactions that emphasize choice, emotional regulation, clear communication, and mutual respect. Rather than task-based activities, Natural Lifemanship centers on the quality of the relationship between human and horse. The horse’s response offers immediate, honest feedback about a client’s internal state—revealing patterns of avoidance, control, dissociation, or insecure attachment, which often mirror the dynamics that fuel addiction.

Throughout this demonstration, our team will illustrate how equine sessions help clients practice regulating their bodies, staying present, and building secure relational patterns. Attendees will see how insights gained in the arena transfer directly to recovery work, improving emotional resilience, trust, and the ability to engage authentically in treatment and relationships.

Designed for clinicians, medical professionals, interventionists, and community partners, this presentation offers a clear understanding of why Natural Lifemanship is a powerful complement to traditional addiction and trauma therapy. Professionals will leave with a deeper appreciation for how equine-assisted work enhances treatment outcomes and supports lasting transformation

Learning Objectives:

1. Gain an understanding of how equine-assisted activities can reveal client communication styles and emotional states through observed interactions with horses.

2. Learn to identify and interpret nonverbal cues in both clients and horses, enhancing professionals' ability to assess relational dynamics and emotional regulation during therapeutic sessions.

3. Develop practical strategies for integrating equine-assisted interventions into clinical practice, focusing on safety, ethical considerations, and maximizing therapeutic outcomes for diverse client populations.

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter: Becky Babb at the Last Resort

I’m Becky Babb, the Regional Director of Business Development at Bradford Health Services. I recently transitioned into this role after serving as Chief Executive Officer at The Last Resort Recovery Center. Stepping out of the CEO position allowed me to return to the work I find most meaningful — building relationships, collaborating with professionals, and expanding access to high-quality behavioral-healthcare across the region.

I began my career in 2011 and have worked in a wide range of behavioral-health roles, including admissions, client coordination, managed care, business development, and organizational leadership. These experiences have given me a comprehensive understanding of treatment systems and the needs of individuals and families seeking support. I am passionate about connecting people with programs that can truly make a difference.

I hold a Bachelor of Science in Human and Environmental Sciences from the University of Alabama, where I developed a strong foundation in human behavior, family dynamics, and consumer wellbeing. I plan to continue my education with graduate studies in business to further strengthen my work in organizational strategy and behavioral-health outreach.

No matter my title or setting, my mission remains consistent: to support individuals, families, and professionals in accessing the resources and therapeutic environments that foster long-term healing and success.

CONTACT:

Becky Babb

The Last Resort Family of Programs

1620 FM 535, Smithville, TX, 78957

beckyb@lastresortrecovery.com

830.992.1463

https://www.lastresortrecovery.com/about

Holiday Luncheon 2025

Friday December 12, 2025 at 11:00am

Maggiano's Little Italy: 7401 S Clinton St, Englewood, CO 80112

RSVP / TICKETS REQUIRED

REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED. PLEASE EMAIL: JOHN@RECOVERYFRIENDLYLEADER.ORG

8:00 – 8:30 - Networking/Breakfast/Introductions

8:30 – 9:00 - Business Meeting

9:00 – 11:00 -Virtual Presentation

Format:  Virtual -Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194

Content: The Importance of Integration in Ketamine Treatment

This presentation explores the critical role of integration in maximizing the therapeutic potential of ketamine treatment for individuals with treatment-resistant depression. Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic that can rapidly reduce depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation through NMDA and opioid receptor activity while promoting neuroplasticity. Yet, without intentional therapeutic integration, these benefits are often short-lived.

The session will begin with an overview of ketamine’s neurobiological mechanisms, including its effects on the Default Mode Network (DMN) and the induction of a neuroplastic “window of opportunity.” Research demonstrates that within 24–48 hours after dosing, patients experience heightened cognitive flexibility, emotional openness, and synaptic growth, offering a critical period for therapeutic intervention.

Participants will then examine the three phases of ketamine treatment—preparation, dosing, and integration—with a special emphasis on integration as the most essential component for achieving sustained outcomes. Evidence-based strategies will be presented for leveraging the neuroplastic window to foster adaptive change, reinforce coping skills, and reduce the risk of relapse.

Ethical considerations unique to altered states therapy will also be addressed, including patient vulnerability, management of transference and countertransference, and the importance of practicing within professional scope. Case studies and clinical frameworks, such as psychodynamic, non-directive, and person-centered approaches, will be used to illustrate best practices.

By the conclusion of this presentation, participants will understand why integration is essential for translating ketamine’s short-term biological effects into meaningful, lasting psychological healing. They will leave with both theoretical insights and practical tools to strengthen their clinical practice and support long-term patient success

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the neurobiological mechanisms by which ketamine alleviates depressive symptoms and promotes neuroplasticity

2. Explain the ketamine “window of opportunity” and identify effective integration strategies during this critical period

3. Apply evidence-based approaches to support lasting therapeutic outcomes through structured integration in ketamine treatment

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenters:

Michael Simms, LCSW, LAC, CSAT, CIFST, NIMT

Michael Simms is the Chief of Operations at All Points North. For the past decade, Michael Simms has dedicated his entire career to mental health and addiction recovery, working across all levels of care to help clients find sustainable progress, healing, and recovery. He specializes in trauma, addiction, and Internal Family Systems therapy and has extensive experience in clinical leadership and psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Michael earned his Master of Social Work from Metropolitan State University of Denver and holds multiple credentials, including Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Addictions Counselor, Certified Sex Addiction Therapist, Certified Internal Family Systems Therapist, and AcuDetox Specialist. He is also a Natural Medicine Facilitator in Training (NMIT).

Throughout his career, Michael has worked in diverse roles within behavioral health, beginning as an overnight technician and advancing through positions such as case manager, therapist, clinical director, executive director, and chief clinical officer roles. Most recently, Michael served as Director of Outpatient Services for the Meadows Behavioral Healthcare – Denver. In this role, he led daily operations and oversaw client care and experience. Michael is passionate about individual therapy, working closely with clients to develop customized approaches to healing as he pulls from his robust toolkit of clinical modalities and techniques. Michael began at APN as the Executive Director of the Front Range and now serves as Chief Operating Officer.

Outside work, Michael enjoys exploring the beautiful Colorado landscape, climbing fourteeners, hiking, spending time with his three dogs, reading, and participating in game nights with friends.

Joshua Rodgers, MD, Behavioral Neurologist/Neuropsychiatrist

Dr. Joshua J. Rodgers is the Chief Medical Officer at All Points North and a highly regarded specialist in behavioral neurology and neuropsychiatry. With a distinguished career spanning clinical practice, medical leadership, and academic contributions, Dr. Rodgers brings extensive expertise in psychiatry, neuropsychiatry, and integrative mental health care to APN.

As a board-certified psychiatrist and neuropsychiatrist, Dr. Rodgers is passionate about advancing innovative and patient-centered approaches to mental health and recovery. His work at APN focuses on optimizing clinical care, leading medical oversight, and enhancing integrative neuropsychiatric services for individuals facing complex mental health and neurological challenges.

Dr. Rodgers completed his undergraduate studies in Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado – Boulder, graduating Summa Cum Laude and With Distinction. He went on to earn his Doctor of Medicine (MD) from the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He completed his Psychiatry Residency at the University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center, where he was recognized for his outstanding research and teaching contributions. He then pursued a prestigious Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry Fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine, further refining his expertise in complex neuropsychiatric conditions.

Board-certified in both Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurology & Neuropsychiatry, Dr. Rodgers has held leadership roles at The Menninger Clinic and Community Reach Center. His commitment to advancing the fields of neuropsychiatry and behavioral health continues to shape innovative treatment approaches, helping clients achieve sustainable recovery and enhanced well-being.

Beyond his clinical and administrative roles, Dr. Rodgers is a dedicated educator and researcher. He has trained medical students, residents, and fellows at prestigious institutions, including Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Colorado. His contributions to neuropsychiatric research and academic publications have earned him numerous awards, reflecting his commitment to clinical excellence and innovation in the field.

CONTACT:

Michael Simms, LCSW, LAC, CSAT, CIFST, NIMT

Chief of Operations All Points North Lodge & APN Denver Detox & IOP

Address: 11951 E Iliff Ave

Aurora, CO 80014

Email Address: msimms@apn.com 

Phone: 720-656-5571

Website: www.apn.com

Joshua Rodgers, MD, Behavioral Neurologist/Neuropsychiatrist

Chief Medical Officer at All Points North Lodge

2205 Cordillera Way

Edwards CO 81632

Phone: 855-232-8217

Email Address: jrodgers@apn.com

Website: www.apn.com

8:00 – 8:30 - Networking/Breakfast/Introductions - Breakfast graciously donated by All Points North

8:30 – 9:00 - Business Meeting/New Board Member Induction

9:00 – 11:00 Live/Virtual Presentation

Format:  Live & Virtual

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194

Live at Peer Assistance Training Center, 2170 S Parker Road, 2nd Floor, Denver, CO 80231

Content: “Strengths-Based Counseling and Coaching”

New research has proven that using your specific strengths will help you in work and life.  Using your strengths will improve decision-making and executive functioning which leads to more confidence and success. Using strengths can prove great result for your counseling and coaching clients.  In this session, we will learn character strengths surveys and how to incorporate them for individuals and groups to improve mental health, success, and happiness

Learning Objectives:

1. Learn new research behind strengths-based counseling and coaching 

2. Learn how to use them in counseling and coaching

3. Learn how to assess their own strengths to enhance your work and personal life

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter:

Cecelia Keelin, LPC, Owner Cecelia B Keelin, LPC, LLC

Cecelia Keelin is a Licensed Professional Counselor and has a successful private clinical practice, specializing in mental health assessments and treatment, career and employment counseling, grief and loss, and drug and alcohol assessments located in Lakewood, Colorado, holding therapy sessions with individuals and couples.  Cecelia is a graduate of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice and Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling. Cecelia has also assisted executives, supervisors, and employees for many organizations since 2001 assisting with presentations and webinars, on-site crisis intervention and grief support, on-site coaching and counseling, management consultations, on-site staff and management training, threat of violence in the workplace assessments, drug and alcohol assessments, referrals for counseling and Fitness for Duty, employee mediations, and organizational development initiatives across the nation. Cecelia is licensed in the state of Colorado and previously licensed in Illinois and in addition, holds certifications in Critical Incident Debriefing and as an Emergency Responder and Public Safety Clinician. Cecelia is currently serving on the board for the Rocky Mountain Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) in the secretary role.

CONTACT:

Cecelia B Keelin, LPC, LLC

1880 South Pierce St #6

Lakewood, CO 80232

Phone:  303-908-8677

Email Address:  ceceliakeelinlpc@gmail.com 

8:00 – 8:30 Networking

8:30 – 9:00 Introductions/Announcements

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194
Format:  Virtual

Panel:

o   John Narine, DBA, CEAP, CPFS, Executive Director, Recovery Friendly Leader

o  Daniél Kimlinger, PhD, PHA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, CEO, Mines & Associates EAP

o Jodi Jacobson Frey, PhD, LCSW-C, CEAP, Executive Director, Center for Behavioral Health & Well-Being Research 

o   Ingrid Lindberg, Founder/Customer Experience Officer, Sobrynth-Sober Today

Content:

Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) began as peer‑based recovery networks, where employees in recovery from alcoholism supported one another’s journey. Over the decades, however, EAPs have transformed into predominantly clinical services, often overlooking the unique insights and trust that come from lived experience. While these programs continue to aid employees across a spectrum of personal and work‑related challenges, the shift toward professionalized models has introduced power imbalances that can hinder rapport, compromise confidentiality, and reinforce stigma—barriers that discourage many from seeking help for substance use concerns. Despite strong evidence that Peer Support Specialists—individuals with firsthand experience in addiction and recovery—enhance engagement and outcomes, their presence in EAPs remains limited. Given the EAP Association’s recent revitalization efforts, the rise of the Recovery Friendly Workplace movement, and ever‑evolving workforce needs, there is no better time to integrate peer support into EAPs—boosting utilization, fostering genuine connections, and more effectively guiding employees through recovery.

Learning Objectives:

1)  Identify the role of Peer Support Specialists, traditional EAP counselors, and Recovery Friendly Workplaces when addressing employee mental health & substance use challenges and supporting recovery.

2) Discuss current barriers and successes encountered by Peer Support Specialists when supporting employee recovery.

3) Explore effective, unity-driven strategies for integrating Peer Support Specialists alongside EAPs and Recovery Friendly Workplace initiatives to reduce stigma, boost utilization, and enhance employee and workplace well-being

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

PANEL BIOS/CONTACTS:

Moderator – John Narine, DBA, CEAP, CPFS         

Dr. John Narine is a dedicated recovery advocate and the founder and Executive Director of Recovery Friendly Leader, a non-profit that trains leaders on strategies to support employees affected by substance use. Drawing on his personal recovery journey, John brings a unique blend of empathy and expertise to his work, breaking down stigmas and creating safe, healthier, and more productive workplaces. John’s commitment to the field includes being a Certified Employee Assistance Professional, a Colorado Peer & Family Specialist, and holds a Doctorate in Business Administration, having researched leadership strategies to support employee recovery and businesses collectively. He is also the author of Leading Workplace Addiction and actively contributes to local and national recovery initiatives. In his spare time, John loves spending time with loved ones and eating Chinese food.

 Contact:

John Narine, DBA, CEAP, CPFS Executive Director Recovery Friendly Leader Denver, CO

Email: john@recoveryfriendlyleader.org

Website: www.recoveryfriendlyleader.org

Panelist - Daniél Kimlinger, PhD, PHA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP

Dr. Daniél Kimlinger is CEO of MINES and Associates; she is passionate about weaving employee assistance programs into everyday so members can access support early and easily. With a professional background in human resources, organizational psychology, and leadership, she is passionate about expanding EAP reach, improving access, and connecting people to the best care. Dani also shares this commitment through service on several nonprofit and professional boards. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, running, weightlifting, and exploring Colorado’s mountains by backpacking, hiking, snowboarding, trail running, and camping.

 Contact:

Daniél Kimlinger, PhD, PHA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP Chief Executive Officer Mines and Associates, PC Littleton, CO

Email: dckimlinger@minesandassociates.com

Website: https://minesandassociates.com/leadership

Panelist- Jodi Jacobson Frey, PhD, LCSW-C, CEAP

Dr. Jodi J. Frey, PhD, LCSW-C, CEAP is a Professor and Associate Dean for Research at University of Maryland, School of Social Work. As Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Behavioral Health and Well-Being Research (BHWell), she leads research and provides education and training focused on adult mental health, substance use, suicide prevention, and social drivers of health, including workplace behavioral health. She has published over 100 articles about her work and presents regularly at national and international conferences. She is Editor in Chief for the Journal of Workplace Behavioral Health and Co-Chair of the National Committee for Workplace Suicide Prevention and Postvention.

 Contact:

Jodi Jacobson Frey, PhD, LCSW-C, CEAP Executive Director Center for Behavioral Health & Well-Being Research College Park, MD

Email: JFREY@ssw.umaryland.edu

Website: https://directory.ssw.umaryland.edu/employee-detail/frey-jodi/r/recZm6IiTCuBc6moI 

Panelist- Ingrid Lindberg, Founder/Customer Experience Officer

Ingrid Lindberg is a pioneer. From building the first Health Savings Account (HSA) to being the first person to hold the title of Customer Experience Officer (CXO), she has been transforming companies and industries since the early 2000s. She is the co-founder of Sobrynth, a company dedicated to helping people navigate their sobriety journey both at home and at work. This innovative approach includes peer coaches to help people navigate the complexity of the recovery system as well as a Recovery Ready cultural change framework; recognizing that a safe workspace is integral to a person’s sobriety journey. Lindberg is also the CEO of the Customer Experience consultancy, Chief Customer; serving the Fortune 500 with a client roster that includes Finance, Healthcare, CPG, Telco, and Retail leaders. Recognized as one of the 40 Top Global Marketers and named Maverick of the Year by the Stevie Awards, she excels in creating differentiated customer experience strategies, bringing groundbreaking products to market, and reshaping organizational cultures. Ingrid is a global keynote speaker and author, known for leading with heart through transformations.

 Contact:

Ingrid Lindberg Founder/Customer Experience Officer Sobrynth-Sober Today St Paul, MN

Email: ingrid@sobrynth.com

Website: https://sobrynth.com/about/

8:00 – 8:30 Networking/Introductions/Announcemments

8:30 – 9:00 - Business Meeting

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194
Format:  Virtual

Content: “Neurodiversity: Becoming a Neurodivergent-Affirmative Practitioner”

This presentation explores the creation of a neurodiversity-affirming practice through the process of recognizing and understanding neurodiversity characteristics in clients who may be presenting with co-occurring symptoms of other mental health disorders. We will explore ways to assist clients through self-acceptance by validating what it means to be neurodiverse and provide essential psychoeducation to our clients to create greater self-understanding. This presentation will also assist the practitioner in helping the client be aware of treatment/symptom management and develop a treatment plan that includes diagnosis and treatment options.

Learning Objectives:

1. Recognizing the characteristics of neurodiversity, including less-visible populations.

2. Supporting neurodiverse clients through validation and psychoeducation.

3. Assisting neurodiverse clients in creating a treatment plan that includes diagnosis and symptom management, including professional collaboration and/or referrals healing

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter:

Marguerite Harper, LPC, ADHD-CCSP, Harper Counseling &  Consultation LLC

Marguerite Harper LPC, ADHD-CCSP is a Licensed Professional Counselor and an ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider specializing in the diagnosis and management of Adult ADHD. Much of her private practice is centered around helping neurodiverse clients understand their unique brain and find a path towards their authentic self.  Through continued education, clinical practice, and extensive research, Marguerite strives to provide knowledge and empowerment, both to her clients and to other mental health professionals. She has provided training and professional consultation for various organizations regarding neurodiversity and other behavioral health topics. Marguerite also provides Critical Incident Stress Management for national EAPs and teaches Mental Health First Aid for HOPE Animal Assisted Crisis Response Certification Program. Marguerite is a member of the American Professional Society of ADHD and Related Disorders (APSARD), and Children and Adults with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD). She serves as a mental health consultant with Definitely Dogs Service Dog Organization. Marguerite received her Master of Counseling Psychology from the University of Colorado at Denver.

CONTACT:

Marguerite Harper, LPC, ADHD-CCSP

Harper Counseling and Consultation LLC

3440 Youngfield St., #257

Wheat Ridge, CO 80033

Phone:  720-688-9885

Email Address:  Marg@MargHarper.com

Website: www.margharperLPC.com

8:00 – 8:30 Networking

8:30 – 9:00 Business Meeting

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194
Format:  Virtual

Content:

The increasing prevalence of behavioral risk issues in the workplace necessitates a shift in leadership focus beyond performance management. Leaders are frequently encountering challenges such as trauma, suicide ideation, workplace violence, addiction, disability, and chronic absenteeism, often lacking the necessary skills to effectively address them. A key issue is the misrepresentation of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) as solely reactive services, hindering their potential for proactive intervention.

Trauma-Informed Leadership offers a promising solution by equipping leaders with the tools to create culturally and psychologically safe workplaces. This proactive approach enables leaders to recognize and address employee behavioral concerns early on, facilitating timely referrals to EAPs before issues escalate. Prioritizing upstream interventions, particularly in areas like suicide and workplace violence prevention, is crucial for mitigating risk and fostering a healthier, more supportive work environment. Implementing Trauma-Informed Leadership requires a commitment to training, resource allocation, and a strategic integration of EAPs as proactive partners in employee well-being.

Learning Objectives

1)    How to frame EAP as being more upstream and proactive

2)    Describe Trauma informed leadership

3)    Discussed tools used to training leadership in a healthcare setting

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter:

Calvin W. Paries, DrPh, LMFT, CEAP

Dr. Calvin W. Paries is a seasoned professional with over 30 years of experience in Occupational Psychology, EAP/Health, and Wellness. He holds a Doctorate in Public Health with an emphasis in Occupational Psychology/Employee Assistance Programs from the University of Texas Health Science Center, as well as a Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Houston at Clear Lake. Licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Colorado and nationally certified as an Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP), Dr. Paries has held senior leadership positions with prominent national and regional Employee Assistance Companies. Currently, he leads the CommonSpirit Mountain Region's internal EAP, serving hospitals in Utah, Colorado, and Kansas, and manages Profile EAP, a regional EAP company. His extensive experience includes collaborations with Fortune 500 companies, city and state governments, and health systems. Dr. Paries has contributed to academic literature with a publication in an academic textbook for PhD students on integrated healthcare and EAPs, in partnership with East Carolina University, and has presented at numerous national and regional conferences on EAP principles. He resides in Colorado Springs with his wife, Sue, and is a proud father, father-in-law, and grandfather..

Calvin Paries, DrPH, LMFT, CEAP/ EAP

Health & Wellness Manager

CommonSpirit Health Mountain Region/Profile EAP

2925 Professional Pl, Suite 120, Colorado Springs, CO 80904

Email Address:  cal.paries@commonspirit.org

Phone:  719-776-7064

Website: www.profileEAP.org

8:00am -8:30am   Breakfast provided by Banyan Treatment Center Castle Rock & Networking

8:30am – 12:30pm  Introductions/Presentation

With the unprecedented expansion of online gambling comes a looming mental health crisis. In 2013, gambling disorder was declared an addiction on the same level as heroin, opioids, cocaine, tobacco, and alcohol. The public health, social, and economic implications are enormous. In 2024, people in America lost nearly $100 billion to the gambling industry. Gambling disorder often causes severe and often irreparable harm to people, families, and communities. One of every two people struggling with gambling disorder contemplate suicide, and one in five attempt to kill themselves. We are only just beginning to recognize the potential economic impact on the workforce. The need to create appropriate safeguards for employees and employers is a burgeoning concern. This seminar introduces and focuses on the burgeoning movement to develop a comprehensive public health response 

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1.    Educate and inform Employee Assistance Professionals and all attendees regarding gambling disorder as an addiction, and the potential risks this presents to individuals, families, and employers

2.    Educate and inform Employee Assistance Professional and all attendees regarding the public health risk related to the workforce and the opportunities to implement strategies to ensure workplace safety, protect employers, and prevent employees from suffering gambling-related harm.

3.    Educate and inform Employee Assistance Professionals and all attendees regarding the potential warning signs, intervention strategies, and treatment options to protect the workforce and safeguard employer integrity from a public health perspective. This will include a discussion of potential ethical considerations, privacy issues and opportunities for employer/employee collaborations from a public health perspective.

4 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Harry Levant, LP.D, MA PCC, ICGC-I, JD

Dr. Harry Levant is Director of Gambling Policy with the Public Health Advocacy Institute (PHAI) at Northeastern University School of Law. He holds a doctorate in law and public policy from Northeastern University where his research focuses on developing a public health approach to prevent gambling-related harm and gambling disorder. He is also an Internationally Certified Gambling Counselor (ICGC-I) and mental health therapist in private practice and directs the gambling treatment program with Ethos Treatment Center in Philadelphia, PA.

Dr. Levant also holds a master’s in professional clinical counseling from La Salle University and a juris doctorate from Temple University School of Law. He is a member of numerous professional organizations including the American Counseling Association, the Pennsylvania Counseling Association, Chi Sigma Iota National Honor Society for Counselors, and Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers of Pennsylvania.

Dr. Levant is a public health advocate, and he recently testified before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee. He also regularly appears on television and radio addressing the prevention and treatment of gambling disorders. His work has recently been featured on CBS 60 Minutes, CNN, and the NBC Nightly News. He is the author of the law review commentary “Upon Further Review, the NFL Gambling Strategy is a Risk to Public Health” and co-author with Professor Richard Daynard and Professor Mark Gottlieb of the Boston Globe op-ed article, “Massachusetts Makes a Losing Bet on Gambling.”

Harry is also a gambling addict in recovery, having made his last bet on April 27, 2014. On that day, gambling addiction brought him within seconds of taking his life. Prevention of harm is the best form of treatment. In his role as Director of Gambling Policy at PHAI, Harry is helping to lead the effort to develop a comprehensive public health approach to regulate the gambling industry and prevent public harm.

CONTACT INFO:

Harry Levant, LP.D, MA PCC, ICGC-I, JD

Director of Gambling Policy, Public Health Advocacy Institute

Philadelphia, PA 19129     

Email Address:  Harry@phai.org

Phone:  (267) 386-5252

Website: https://www.harrylevant.com/ 

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/feed/

8:00 – 8:30 Networking

8:30 – 9:00 Business Meeting/Introductions

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194
Format:  Virtual

Content:

Millennial devices and the commodities they deliver proffer previously unimaginable opportunities. New and wider access to communication, connection, knowledge, awareness, commerce, work, and entertainment have positively impacted our relationships, careers, beliefs, families, culture, and lifestyles. On the darker side, a growing number of these products, and our ever-evolving engagement with them, have been posited as potentially problematic for some individuals. As our reliance upon devices continues to increase, so do questions regarding their potential scope of influence and impact on our biological, psychological, and sociological wellbeing. Vociferous concerns, controversies, investigations, and even legislative supported proposals-especially surrounding adolescent device use behaviors-are current topics of vigorous discussion. While countless benefits of digitized engagement are identifiable, allegations regarding their possible negative consequences-including potential addictive risks for some users-have begun to robustly surface, as well. This presentation will elucidate both the positive and possibly dangerous "virtual" landscape of our current -and future-digitally driven behaviors.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify, assess, and improve device-centric risk factors and behaviors for their clients, patients, students, and selves

2 . Explore how technologically based devices, tools, and innovations currently affect, effect, and even alter our lives and lifestyles

3.    Offer pragmatic recommendations, skills, and strategies to support healthy device management, good digital citizenship

4.    Reconcile unhealthy technology generated beliefs, behaviors, and/or outcomes

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter: Don Grant, Ph.D., MA, MFA, DAC, SUDCC IV, National Advisor of Healthy Device Management, Newport Healthcare

Dr. Grant designs, presents, and facilitates “Healthy Device Management” and “Good Digital Citizenship” treatment strategy and educational training workshops for clinicians, practitioners, educators, parents, and academic communities.  He is a globally respected and popular conference keynote speaker, webinar, podcast, onscreen broadcast interview guest, and print content contributor on device related behaviors, addiction, and media psychology.  Some of his interview and publication contributions include: The Wall Street Journal, The Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The New York Times, Time Magazine, Forbes, The Hill, The Hollywood Reporter, Business Insider, APA Monitor on Psychology, NewsNation, Wondermind, ABC News, CBS News, NBC networks, Fox News, CNN, The Daily Show, and a two-page People Magazine story about him and his work.

His current research includes a large-scale study in partnership with the Newport Healthcare Center for Research and Innovation investigating his theories surrounding the potential impact of a caregiver’s device use behaviors on attachment bonds. Outcomes of this now considered seminal study evidenced mother-figure device-centric behaviors were significantly associated with more insecure attachment with a child. Additionally, caregiver device-centric behaviors were positively associated with child device-centric behaviors. Dr. Grant is also engaged in explorations of the identity construct effects of social media, para-social mediated relationships, and cyberaggression targeted towards adolescents, teens, young adults, families, and our culture/relationships-at-large.

Dr. Don Grant is an internationally recognized and award-winning media psychologist, author, published researcher, Doctoral Addictions Counselor, educator with specific expertise in technology's impact on mental health, and the National Advisor of Healthy Device Management for Newport Healthcare. He is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA) Fellow, served as the 2022 President of the APA Division 46 (The Society for Media Psychology & Technology), currently serves as a Division 46 Executive Board Member At Large, Chair of the APA (D46) “Device Management & Intelligence” committee, is an APA Advocacy Division Partner Liaison, APA Division Science Partner, and Treasurer of the California Psychological Association Division VI (Media Technology and Communication).

Dr. Don Grant, Ph.D., MA, MFA, SUDCC IV, DAC

Media Psychologist / Author / Researcher, Los Angeles, CA

National Advisor of Healthy Device Management: Newport Healthcare

Website: https://www.newportacademy.com/meet-the-team/don-grant/  

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/don-grant-ph-d-ma-mfa-sudcc-iv-dac-9588555/ 

Jennifer Welch, Advanced Clinical Outreach Specialist – Colorado

Phone: (720) 822-6794

Email:  jennifer.welch@newporthealthcare.com

8:00 – 8:30 Networking

8:30 – 9:00 Introductions and Announcements

9:00 – 11:00 Live/Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194
Format:  Virtual

Content: This presentation illuminates the evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI), tracing its historical origins to its current advancements and future prospects within mental health treatment. Together we'll explore the integration of AI into therapy, weighing its potential and constraints, while unraveling its impact on the therapist-client dynamic and outcomes. Ethical considerations take center stage as legal aspects and ongoing cases are explored, alongside AI's role in addressing addiction and intimacy disorders within therapeutic contexts.

Learning Objectives

1.   Engage in discussions around possible advantages, and disadvantages, of utilizing AI in their mental health practices, and how this can affect their professional relationship with clients and client outcomes.

2.  Describe how using, or not using, AI could affect their professional practice.

3.  Discuss how AI could affect addictions, such as pornography and intimacy disorders.

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter: Mark Blakeley, MS, LAC, LPC, CSAT

Clinical Director, Banyan Treatment Center Castle Rock

Mark’s journey began with an impressive 25-year career as a dedicated paramedic, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to serving others. As an Army Veteran, he embodies a strong sense of discipline and integrity. After graduating with a Masters of Science in Counseling/Marriage, Child and Family Therapy from the University of Phoenix in 2008, his passion for helping others led him to venture into the mental health industry, where he has excelled in various roles.  As a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Addiction Counselor, he brings a comprehensive approach to his counseling practice that addresses a wide range of mental health and addiction issues. Additionally, Mark is a Certified Sex Addiction Therapist (CSAT), with specialized knowledge to provide support and guidance in this challenging area of therapy. He is trained in Brainspotting and Level 2 Internal Family Systems. Mark's versatility extends to being a skilled interventionist, capable of guiding individuals and families towards healing and positive change.  As a Clinical Director at Banyan Treatment Center Castle Rock, he is dedicated to successful recovery outcomes.

 Mark Blakeley, MS, LAC, LPC, CSAT

Clinical Director

Banyan Treatment Center Castle Rock

1055 S Perry Street

Castle Rock CO 80104

Phone:  303-601-5761 (cell)

Email: mark.blakeley@banyancenters.com

Website: https://www.banyantreatmentcenter.com/facilities/castle-rock

January 10, 2025 – Virtual/Business Meeting

Presenters:  Randy Martin, PhD & Heather Holladay, M.S

Title: “The Elephant (or Donkey) in the Room:  Navigating Workplace Discussions on Politics, Values, and U.S. & World Events”        

February 14, 2025 - Virtual

Presenter:  Mark Blakeley, MS, LAC, MFTC, Lead Therapist, Advanced Residential Center

Title: “Effects of Artificial Intelligence on Behavioral Health Care”March 14, 2025 – Virtual/Business Meeting

Presenter:  Don Grant, MA, MFA, DAC, SUDCC IV, PhD, National Advisor of Healthy Device Management, Newport Academy

Title: “Left to Their Own Devices: Healthy Device Management & Good Digital Citizenship Skills For Our Clients, Patients, Families, & Selves”

April 11, 2025 – Half Day Workshop - Live/Virtual

Presenters:  Harry Levant, PhD, Public Health Advocacy Institute

Title: “On-Line Betting and Mental Health: What the EAP Community Needs to Know”

May 9, 2025 – Virtual/Business Meeting

Presenter:  Cal Parries, Director, Common Spirit/Profile EAP

Title: “Trauma Informed Leadership”

June 13, 2025 - Virtual

Presenter:  Diana Faherty, Body & Brain Yoga, Practitioner, BA Business Administration/HR

Title: “The Power of Inner Body Energy for Harmony and Optimal Wellness”   

July 11, 2025 – Virtual/Business Meeting

Presenter:  Marguerite Harper, LPC LMHC ADHD-CCSP, Harper Counseling and Consultation LLC

Title: “Neuropsychic Dimensions and Treatment Models for ADHD/ADD Care”

August 8, 2025 - Virtual

Presenter:   John Narine, DBA CEAP, Consultant for Recovery Friendly Workplace

Title: “Strategies to Integrate Peer Support in EAPs”

September 12, 2025 - Live/Virtual/Business Meeting

Presenter:  Rocky Mt Board of Directors & Membership Live Networking/Introductions/Breakfast

Title:   Board Election Announcements, Rocky Mt EAPA Chapter Member and IEAPA Connections

October 10, 2025 – Virtual

Presenter:  No Training due to IEAPA Annual Expo Conference in San Francisco, CA

November 14, 2025 – Virtual/Business Meeting

Presenter:  Bryan Hutchinson, MS SAP NCAC II CEAP LAP-C, Director of EAP Services, International Association of Machinists Union

Title: “Core Technology & Ethics in EAP Practice”

December 5, 2025 – Live Only

Presenter:  Rocky Mt EAPA Board of Directors

 Title:   Holiday Luncheon & Awards

Holiday Luncheon 2024

Friday December 6, 2024 at 11:00am

Maggiano's Little Italy: 7401 S Clinton St, Englewood, CO 80112

RSVP / TICKETS REQUIRED

8:00 – 8:30 Networking/breakfast

8:30 – 9:00 Business Meeting

9:00 – 11:00 Live/Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194
Format:  Virtual

Content:

Unethical practices in behavioral health can have serious consequences for referents and individuals/families seeking treatment for addictions/mental health care. This webinar aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the behavioral health industry standards, ethics, and the history of unethical practices. By navigating this minefield, referents can maintain trust and collaboration in guiding their employees/clients to appropriate programs for their specific treatment needs.

Learning Objectives

1.. Understand the significance of ethical considerations and professionalism in the behavioral health field.

2. Examine past unethical practices in behavioral health and their impacts.

3. Identify common ethical challenges in recommending treatment options to employees/clients.

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter:

Gina is a 30- year veteran in prevention/treatment and recovery support. With a multifaceted background in behavioral health marketing and operations, she has collaborated with diverse organizations spanning private and public sectors, from in-patient treatment programs, psychiatric hospitals to institutions of higher learning across Florida, New York, Ohio, Virginia, and Colorado. Gina has robust expertise in mental health as well as substance use disorder prevention and treatment. At a national scale, she's been an esteemed member of CADCA's (Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America) Advisory Board, worked together with Colorado's business development frontrunners to inaugurate the Colorado Professional Liaison Association (CO-PLA), and offered her leadership as the Board Co-Chair for Treatment Professionals in Alumni Services (TPAS), where she now holds an Emeritus position. Additionally, Gina has been the driving force behind the marketing, business development, alumni, and admission endeavors for three renowned treatment programs spanning both the East and West Coast. Gina's core competencies lie in leadership coaching, in-depth 360 organizational evaluations, and adopting a strengths-driven approach to organizational development. Her expertise is prominently geared towards collaborating with revenue generating departments like business development, marketing, alumni, and admissions to foster a sustainable practice of census growth.  In 2021, Gina launched GTC Consulting, dedicated to identifying both internal and external challenges that impede census growth, and crafting tailored solutions to address them. She remains devoted to fostering a vibrant employee culture, enhancing brand visibility, and fortifying the reputation of behavioral health organizations within their respective communities.

Nikki Soda is a highly accomplished advocate and strategic marketer with a strong background in the behavioral health field. She possesses an MS in Addiction Policy from Georgetown University and has amassed 10 years of experience in this domain. Passionate about advocacy and public policy, Nikki actively engages in volunteering and community initiatives to make a meaningful impact. Recently serving as the Director of Membership and State Advocacy for the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP), she leverages her expertise to lead productive discussions with industry leaders and conducts comprehensive tours of treatment centers nationwide. Through these experiences, she has gained a profound understanding of the substance use disorder treatment landscape. Nikki has been an active member of the Palm Beach County Sober Homes Taskforce for 5 years, working on creating legislation to ensure regulations for recovery residences and setting policy groundwork for other communities to utilize. She has excelled in various leadership roles, including Director of Business Development and Marketing for renowned treatment facilities. In addition, she has overseen multiple alumni programs while serving on the board of the Treatment Professionals and Alumni Services. Her diverse responsibilities in creating and managing a treatment center start-up have honed her skills in admissions, policy development, procedure implementation, and business growth. 

Contact:

Gina de Peralta Thorne, MS, CEO

GTC Consulting, LLC

 500 Remington Street, Building A, Unit 1, Fort Collins, CO 80524

Phone:  757-784-7550

Email:  gina@ginathorneconsulting.com

Website: www.ginathorneconsulting.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginathorneconsulting/

Nikki Soda, MS, CEO

Sodas Consulting, LLC

Phone:  303-550-9982

Email: nikki@sodasconsulting.com 

Website: https://sodasconsulting.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-soda/

8:00 – 8:30 Virtual Networking

8:30 – 9:00 Virtual Introductions

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194

Penelope Perri, MSW, CEAP, Certified Life and Leadership Coach, Penelope Perri Coaching

Content:

Amid the disruption of recent years, burnout has reached epidemic levels. What to do about burnout remains a critical question. Left unaddressed, burnout can infect an individual’s psyche, team dynamics, and workplace culture. This interactive workshop offers practical interventions to unwind from burnout and restore individual, team, and organizational health.

Learning Objectives

1. Understand the syndrome of burnout and how it occurs.

2. Know the key drivers of burnout in the workplace environment.

3. Understand the process for overcoming burnout at the individual, team, and organizational levels.

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter:

Penelope Perri, MSW, CEAP is a Life & Leadership Coach with a background as a counselor and leader in healthcare. Through her Core Strength Burnout Prevention Program, she helps leaders, busy professionals, and caregivers prevent and overcome burnout so that they can feel energized, engaged, and empowered in their work and life.

Contact:

Penelope Perri, MSW, CEAP, Certified Life & Leadership Coach

Penelope Perri Coaching

5 Green Street, Concord, NH 03301

Phone: 603-856-6180

Email: hello@penelopeperri.com

Website and Social Media: www.penelopeperri.com ; https://www.facebook.com/penelopeperricoaching/; https://www.linkedin.com/in/penni-perri

8:00 – 8:30 Virtual Networking

8:30 – 9:00 Virtual Introductions

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194

Content:

Compassion fatigue commonly linked to healthcare professionals, often neglects the impact on family caregivers dealing with addiction and secondary trauma. This presentation acquaints healthcare/EAPs with the unique signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue in family caretakers, emphasizing the subtle yet profound changes in emotional interactions, family dynamics, routines, and boundaries. These shifts, prompted by the necessity to support loved ones amidst ongoing addiction, redefine the family structure as a "new normal".  This presentation enhances understanding of burnout and secondary trauma, exposing their distinctive manifestations within clients’ families. Dr Barnes delves into the biological, psychological, and social symptoms experienced by family caregivers, illustrating how these factors influence the family's response to treatment and engagement with support systems.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify the signs and symptoms of burnout in members of clients’ families.

2. Identify signs and symptoms of secondary and systemic trauma in members of a client’s family.

3. Identify and implement interventions that assist family members and entire family systems to resolve their struggles with compassion fatigue.

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter:

Dr. Michael Barnes is a Licensed Addiction Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor, and Diplomate in the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. He is the Senior Clinical Advisor for NRT Behavioral Health, Founder/Director of the Michael Barnes Family Institute, and owner of Barnes Education and Consulting, LLC. In the past 40 + years, Dr. Barnes has worked at numerous addiction treatment centers and psychiatric hospitals, and he spent 10 years as a full-time faculty member at various university counselor and marriage and family therapist educator programs. Dr. Barnes speaks nationally on Families, Trauma, and Addiction, Trauma Integrated Addiction Treatment, and Compassion Fatigue. He received his BA in Psychology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, his M.Ed. in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Pittsburgh, and his Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Florida State University. He published his first book, “When the Solution Becomes the Problem: Helping Families Who Struggle with Addiction and Trauma” in 2023.

Contact:

Michael F Barnes, PhD, LAC, LPC

NRT Behavioral Health

NRT Senior Clinical Advisor, Michael Barnes Family Institute Director

3325 Bayshore Blvd, D16

Tampa, FL  33629

Office Phone: 844-955-1066   Mobile: 720-515-6724

Email Address:  mike.barnes@nrtbh.com   

Website: https://www.nrtbh.com & www.drmikebarnes.com

8:00 – 8:30 Virtual Networking and Introductions

8:30 – 9:00 Virtual Chapter Business Meeting

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194

Content:

This training will explore the power of psychological safety within the workplace and and how it impacts those clients Employee Assistance Program providers interact with. First, exploring what is Psychological Safety and how it impacts work relationships and morale.  Secondly, how do we as EAP providers use that knowledge to assist the clients and organizations we work with to create a safer working environment. .

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will understand the importance of psychological safety in relationships

2. Participants will be able to recognize the lack of psychological safety

3. Participants will know key elements of creating psychological safety

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter:

Zachary Kapp, MBA has worked in leadership development for the last 6 years and is currently the program manager over clinical leadership development. In his experience he has created and implemented multiple leadership development programs and classes covering many different topics. He is certified in the use of multiple leadership assessments and has the opportunity to work with leaders across the Intermountain Health organization at all levels of leadership. Zac specializes in creating a positive and productive workplace culture. Some of his areas of passion include creating psychological safety, improving emotional intelligence, and leading change.

Contact:

Zachary “Zac” Kapp, MBA

Clinical Leadership Development Program Manager

Intermountain Health

Phone:  385-445-6872

Email:  Zachary.kapp@imail.org  

8:00 – 8:30 Virtual Networking

8:30 – 9:00 Virtual Introductions

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194

Content:

This presentation will discuss the importance of knowledge of the impacts of trauma can change the ways we perceive and interact with others. To gain a better understanding of trauma and how it can impact the individual and the professional. To create a lens of compassion and validation to heal rather than to criticize or judge based on one’s own internal experience. To step away from our own expectations of behavior and to approach people as individuals with unique experiences that direct their behavior. In addition, this presentation will discuss the importance of trauma informed care specific to the LGBTQ+ community. Explore specific challenges the community faces within society. Gain an understanding of shame within the community and how it deters clients from entering treatment. Discuss considerations and techniques when working with LGBTQ+ clients to provide the most effective affirming care in a treatment and private practice setting.

Learning Objectives

1. Recognize the extensive impact of trauma and understand individual paths for recovery

2. Actively prevent re-traumatization, learn best practices when working with trauma specific to the LGBTQ+ community

3.  Integrate knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices 

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter:

Casey Lucarelli, LCSW, Private Practice

Casey Lucarelli is a bright and bold light to the therapeutic community. As a LCSW in private practice, Casey holds a safe place for individuals who are seeking to develop a true authentic relationship with self. Her relational personalized approach with directiveness and compassion is rooted in humanistic, internal family systems, somatic experiencing, post-induction therapy, and attachment theory. She has over 14 years of extensive clinical experience in working with an array of populations from veterans, adolescents within the juvenile system, families, to international clients who identify within the LGBTQ+ community.

CONTACT:

Casey Lucarelli, LCSW

Private Practice      

4140 Tejon St., Denver, CO

Phone: (203) 305-8816

Email: Therapy@CaseyLucaerlli.com  

Website and Social Media: www.caseylucarelli.com

8:00 – 8:30 Virtual Networking and Introductions

8:30 – 9:00 Virtual Chapter Business Meeting

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194

Content:

This presentation will allow Employee Assistance Professionals to review brief solution focused therapy (SFBT). Specifically, we will review the basic tenets and assumptions of SFBT. An experiential aspect of the training will allow participants to apply these basic tenets. 

Learning Objectives

1.    Gain a better understanding about the tenets of SFBT

2.   Gain a better understanding about the assumptions of SFBT

3.    Review ways to apply SFBT specifically to EA sessions

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter:

Dr. Renee’ Evans, NCC, LCMHC, CEAP, Consultant

Dr. Renee’ Evans is a practice owner and president. She is a National Certified Counselor, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor, Licensed School Counselor, and Diversity and Inclusion Specialist. She has a background in clinical counseling, career development, professional development training/consultation, vocational expert testimony, school counseling, and employee assistance programs.

She has worked as a tenure-track and adjunct counselor educator for several universities. Evans has specifically prepared professionals in clinical and school counseling, and human services. As a consultant, Renee’ collaborates with various organizations about their organizational and systemic processes. This includes her work as a Certified Employee Assistance Professional (CEAP) where she provides clinical EAP assessment and referrals for various companies as well as responds to various training and critical incident stress debriefings.

Additionally, Dr. Evans’ background includes that of being a National School Counselor Trainer which entailed assisting school districts with addressing systemic issues relative to the role of school counselors and ways to help students reach their fullest potential. Renee’ is first author of an international online training course that discusses ways to assist employees with military backgrounds with their integration back to work. This project was a collaboration with NC EAPA and UNC Chapel Hill. She has also written a workbook as a supplemental resource as part of the consultation process with professional school counselor.

CONTACT:

 Dr. Renee’ Evans, NCC, LCMHC, CEAP

EAP/Workplace Consultant

Raleigh, NC

Phone: 704-860-1946

Email: Revans6@bellsouth.net

7:30 – 8:15 Breakfast and Networking

8:15 - 10:15: “Red Flag Laws and Clinicians in Colorado” - Chris Knoepke, PhD, MSW, LCSW, Assistant Professor, UC School of Medicine

10:30 - 12:30:  “CALM: Counseling on Access to Lethal Means” - Jordan Merrill, MHL, Community Health Program Manager, Intermountain Health

RSVP Required by Thursday, April 4th

Link to Zoom Meeting for virtual attendees: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194

Part 1 - Red Flag Laws and Clinicians in Colorado

Extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) are a risk-based legal tool designed to help prevent firearm violence. ERPOs (also colloquially referred to as "red flag laws”) are civil restraining orders that allow certain groups of individuals (“Petitioners”) to formally request a judge to temporarily prohibit specific individuals (“Respondents”) from purchasing or otherwise possessing firearms, so long as the judge agrees that the Respondent is contemporaneously at extreme risk of firearm violence. As of June 2023, ERPO-type laws had been implemented in 21 states and the District of Columbia. In addition to being a promising suicide prevention tool, ERPOs have been used in hundreds of cases of threatened mass shootings, including both public mass shooting threats (directed at schools, workplaces, healthcare facilities, etc.) and private threats directed toward specific individuals (most commonly Respondents’ family members and romantic partners.) By focusing firearms access restrictions to individuals demonstrating high risk of violence, ERPOs seek to reduce the collective impact of violence without burdening firearm owners who do not pose such a risk. While seemingly politically divisive, ERPOs enjoy high levels of support across the general population. This popularity has led policymakers in several states – notably including Colorado and New York – to expand the list of legal Petitioners to include healthcare and behavioral health professionals. The legislative intent of such expansion is to provide a mechanism by which a professional could “disarm” an at-risk individual who the professional has treated. In this presentation, we will explore the promise and implementation of ERPOs nationwide, coupled with a nuanced discussion of how ERPOs can be used in EAP or similar settings.

Learning Objectives Part 1

1) describe the history of extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs or Red Flag Laws) in Colorado and other states,

2) situate ERPOs within other clinical methods to prevent gun violence,

3) navigate the systems necessary to file for an ERPO if they chose to do so

Part 2 - CALM: Counseling on Access to Lethal Means

Conversations about suicide can be uncomfortable. When the stakes are high, effectively engaging with a patient to encourage safety can be difficult. Counseling on Access to Lethal Means (CALM) will teach how to ask a suicidal client or patient about their access to lethal means, while working with the patient and families to reduce their access. CALM provides education on how to effectively communicate about means reduction in a supportive and engaging method. This allows the patient and family to engage in personal problem-solving and set acceptable goals to reduce access to lethal means while in a crisis. CALM gives the provider concrete tools and sample language to support this process and follow up care.

Learning Objectives Part 2

1. Explain why reducing access to highly lethal suicide methods, especially firearms, can prevent suicide deaths and is part of a comprehensive suicide prevention strategy.

2. Communicate more effectively with suicidal and at-risk patients and their families about reducing access to firearms and dangerous medications and understand the range of off-site and in-home storage options.

3. Feel confident that preventing suicide is an area on which providers, families, and gun owner groups find common ground.

4 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Chris E. Knoepke, PhD, MSW, LCSW, FACC

Chris Knoepke is an Assistant Professor of Cardiology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, where he also serves on the Leadership Committee for the Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative. His research spans patient centered care in advanced cardiology and firearm injury and suicide prevention, including extreme risk protection orders and voluntary storage programs. He has current and past research funding from the National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, Fund for a Safer Future, Department of Defense, National Institutes of Justice, the National Collaborative for Gun Violence Research, and others. More importantly, he is a proud “EAP guy”, having been an active member of the Rocky Mountain EAPA chapter since 2010 and served as both Chapter President and At-Large Member of the International EAPA Board of Directors.

CONTACT:

Chris E. Knoepke, PhD, MSW, LCSW, FACC

Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine

Division of Cardiology

Leadership Committee, Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative

University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Campus

Phone: 303.724.9938

Email: christopher.knoepke@cuanschutz.edu  

Jordan Merrill, MHL

Jordan Merrill, Community Health Program Manager at Intermountain Health serving Southwest Utah and Nevada. Jordan has worked in the community health field for over a decade. He earned his Bachelor of Physical Education and Exercise Science and then went on to obtain a Master of Health Leadership. He has served on state and local boards and coalitions including serving currently as President for the Utah Chapter of the Society for Public Health Education. Jordan also serves on the Utah Suicide Prevention Coalition Faith workgroup and local suicide prevention coalition Reach4Hope.   

CONTACT:

Jordan Merrill, MHL

Community Health Program Manager

Intermountain Health, Desert Region

Phone: 435.251.3234

Cell:  435.231.5027

Email: Jordan.Merrill@imail.org

8:00 – 8:30 Virtual Networking and Introductions

8:30 – 9:00 Virtual Chapter Business Meeting

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194

Content:

Harm reduction is an effective model in addressing the public health epidemic involving substance use as well as infectious disease and other harms associated with drug use. This model emphasizes engaging directly with people who use drugs to prevent overdose and infectious disease transmission; improve physical, mental, and social wellbeing; and offer low barrier options for accessing health care services, including substance use and mental health disorder treatment. Harm reduction stresses kindness and autonomy in the engagement of people who use drugs. This training will explore the seven pieces of harm reduction, syringe access, fentanyl misinformation and current statewide legislation.

Learning Objectives

1.    Learn about the harm reduction model and effective benefits and outcomes.

2.    Understand the overdose crisis, how it got here and prevention strategies.

3.    How to recognize and respond to an overdose with access to naloxone.

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Presenter:

Maggie Seldeen, Founder & Director (She/They), High Rockies Harm Reduction

Maggie Seldeen founded High Rockies Harm Reduction due to a need for services observed in both her personal and professional experiences. Maggie was raised in rural Colorado, lost her mother to an overdose as a teenager and is a person in harm reduction based recovery. She has a bachelor’s degree from Colorado Mesa University and is a Certified Colorado Peer and Family Specialist. Maggie has trained hundreds of people all over the country on Narcan and the current overdose/fentanyl epidemic.

In addition to providing direct services, education and technical assistance to communities across Colorado, Maggie sits on advisory boards for Western Colorado Health Network, Starting Hearts Eagle/Summit County, and the Colorado Drug Policy Coalition.

CONTACT:

Maggie Seldeen, Founder & Directr (She/They

High Rockies Harm Reduction

Office: (970) 618 4194

Email: maggie@highrockiesharmreductio.com

Website:  www.highrockiesharmreduction.com

Find us on Facebook, Instagram

8:00 – 8:30 Virtual Networking

8:30 – 9:00 Introductions

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  “The Recovery Friendly Workplace – How Businesses Support Employees in Recovery” with John Narine, DBA, CEAP, Leading Workplace Addiction & David Shapiro, MPH(c)

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194

Content:

Problematic substance use is estimated to cost employers and taxpayers $696 billion each year in absenteeism, health care costs, lost productivity, and criminal justice costs. -National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH; National Safety Council; National Opinion Research Center. Recovery Friendly Workplaces (RFWs) are organizations that uses evidence-based policies and practices to unite the entire organization by recognizing recovery from addiction as a strength and by being willing to work intentionally with people in recovery. This presentation will explore the current RFW initiative as well as leadership strategies that help business leaders provide employees with recovery of the environment and support, they need to promote a safe, healthy, and productive workplace. Utilizing the practices presented, EAPs can help workplace managers and supervisors learn how to address employee problematic substance use in the workplace and provide the opportunities for employees to find recovery, stay in recovery, and improve their performance.

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Dr. John Narine is a person in recovery and founder of Recovery Friendly Leader, a non-profit organization whose mission is to empower leaders with solution-based strategies to support employees impacted by addiction and promote safer, healthier, and more productive workplaces. As an employee who has struggled with addiction, John understands and can relate to others who constantly live-in fear of being judged or fired while trying to keep up demand. After making progress in his journey to recovery, John reflected on his experiences and realized that many former employers tried to help him and meant well but did not have the skills to properly address problematic substance use and provide the support and guidance needed to help him become a healthy and productive employee. This ignited a passion and commitment to wholeheartedly serve the community by advocating for safe, healthy, and productive workplaces. As an active member of his recovery program, John has also become a Certified Employee Assistance Professional, received his Doctorate in Business Administration by completing a qualitative research study on Leadership Strategies to Prevent Substance Abuse Relapse and Optimize Business Viability, and is the author of Leading Workplace Addiction. John’s other commitments include serving as a Consultant for Colorado’s Recovery Friendly Workplace initiative, Board Member of the Rocky Mountain Chapter Employee Assistance Professional Association and sitting at the table for several recovery-based coalitions locally and nationally.

David Shapiro is senior manager of programs and partnerships at the Center for Health, Work & Environment (CHWE) and manages day-to-day operations of CHWE’s signature public health outreach program, Health Links™. In this role, he consults with organizations in the Health Links Healthy Workplace Network, sharing resources and recommendations to help them implement a Total Worker Health® approach and support the health and safety of their teams. Prior to joining the center, David served as the business relations manager for EPIC (Executives Partnering to Invest in Children) where he helped the organization grow from 10 founding members to over 75 executives focused on Colorado’s investment in early childhood. David’s past work experience also includes a successful sales career in Colorado’s ski industry and leading a fatherhood initiative in Summit County (Colorado) Government’s Youth & Family Services division. A proud husband and father of three, David is a lifelong learner and relationship builder. His hobbies include tennis, hiking, reading, and RVing.

8:00 – 8:30 Virtual Networking

8:30 – 9:00 Introductions

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation:  

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194

Content:

This training will be divided into two distinct sections. The first hour, Dr. Jiricko will present information about intimate partner violence (IPV) and the incidence and health impacts, in particular related to female patients/clients.  Standards regarding how to screen for IPV and the basics around documentation and referral to resources will also be discussed. The second half of the training will include Max Pierce and Leah Moses, who will provide domestic violence advocate and survivor perspectives to round out the discussion to optimize the response of EAP providers supporting clients dealing with IPV.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1.    Understand the dynamics and health impacts of IPV

2.    Learn best practices for screening for IPV

3. Feel confident supporting and connecting survivors to resources

PRESENTERS:

Audrey Jiricko, MD, Associate Medical Director of Women’s Health, Intermountain Health

Max Pierce, Utah Domestic Violence Coalition Community Health Specialist and Leah Moses, CNM

2 PDH’s - Domain TBD

Audrey Jiricko is an ob/gyn and Associate Medical Director of Women’s Health at Intermountain Health.  She graduated from Vanderbilt University then attended Indiana University School of Medicine and completed residency in Columbus, Ohio at Riverside Methodist Hospital.  She joined Intermountain Healthcare in 2004 and is thrilled to work for an organization committed to comprehensive women’s healthcare and value-based care.   Her interests include integrating mental health in the ob/gyn setting, improving the screening of pregnant women for substance use disorders, activating screening for intimate partner and sexual violence and supporting Intermountain Health in becoming a more trauma-informed organization. 

8:00 – 8:30 Virtual Networking for the Rocky Mountain Chapter

8:30 – 9:00 Virtual Business Meeting for the Rocky Mountain Chapter

9:00 – 11:00 Virtual Presentation

Link to Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/162331194

Content: Shifting is an important fundamental skill that black woman and women of color have adopted to survive professional settings. Shifting is double sided. Although it is altering the authentic self and expectations to accommodate a socially acceptable identity, it is also an effective technique to process and navigate experiences. Helping black women and other women of color manage the shifting phenomenon will increase the awareness that shifting can be used as a tool to acknowledge their authentic self, and the complexity of intersecting identities, ultimately producing mental wellness.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Learn the foundation of Shifting and how it contributes to the academic/professional experience of women of color

2. Explore the impact Shifting has on the mental health and wellbeing of women of color

3. Implement effective strategies to help manage the Shifting phenomenon

2 PDH’s - Domain I

Carla Eugene, M.A., LPC serves as a CU Boulder employee assistance program therapist with a multicultural focus. She recently moved to Colorado from Ohio where she worked at The Ohio State University Counseling and Consultation Service. Carla also has her own private practice, Beyond the Surface Counseling, LLC that seeks to provide counseling to Black women and college students.  She has also provided counseling services to children and adolescents in K-12 schools and to college students and adults. Her professional interests include reducing mental health stigma among marginalized groups, women’s issues, empowerment, managing life transitions, anxiety, and grief. She holds a master’s degree in community counseling from Ohio’s Wright State University. Her aim is to assist individuals on a journey of deeper self-discovery and healing.