UPCOMING MEETINGS

“Mental Health America of Pueblo: March Luncheon Meeting”

Date: Wed, Mar 10, 2010.

Presenter TBA,

Watch here for further details on this month’s meeting.

“Mental Health America of Pueblo: April Luncheon Meeting”

Date: Wed, Apr 14, 2010.

Presenter TBA,

Watch here for further details on this month’s meeting.

“Mental Health America of Pueblo: May Luncheon Meeting”

Date: Sun, May 9, 2010.

Presenter TBA,

Watch here for further details on this month’s meeting.

“Mental Health America of Pueblo: June Luncheon Meeting”

Date: Wed, Jun 9, 2010.

Presenter TBA,

Watch here for further details on this month’s meeting.

YOUR TOPIC WISHES

We welcome your suggestions for future meetings

Do you want to suggest a topic of interest to consumers and/or providers of mental health services? We would appreciate hearing from you. What issues concern you? What speaker would you like to hear address an important mental health issue? Please contact us.

WHEN & WHERE

MHAP monthly meetings are all held at 11:45am on the second Wednesday of each month at La Renaissance Restaurant, located at Routt Ave and Michigan in Pueblo. Cost is $15 ($12 for members) and includes lunch. Please use the Contact Us page to make your reservation.
 

HIGHLIGHTED PAST PRESENTATIONS

Regression Therapies: Preparing for Unexpected Information

Date: December 6, 2006

Marcia Beachy, MS, LPC

Marcia Beachy is a psychotherapist who has spent years exploring Jungian approaches to inner work and has special training in using hypnosis and regression to uproot stubborn dysfunctions and pathologies. Because of some controversy surrounding information uncovered during such therapy, she paid special attention to how one uses this information appropriately and therapeutically. MHAP VP Richard Pinneau introduced Ms. Beachy and the topic by reviewing highlights of the controversies. More about the speaker and her work: Marcia Beachy, MS, LPC.

Mental Health Recovery Model

Date: July 5, 2006

Michael George, LCSW, CACIII

Michael George, LCSW, CACIII explained how CMHIP has established a Patient and Family Advisory Council as part of its effort to achieve a more effective Recovery Model for patients who have been treated for psychiatric disorders. The "President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health" may soon mandate more interaction among recovering patients, family members, and staff of mental health institutions, and Michael presented the CMHIP’s innovative vision of what this may mean for all parties.

Challenging Youth in Our Challenged Schools

Date: June 7, 2006

Dean Horton, MA, LMFT

Mr. Horton is Program Supervisor for Spanish Peaks Academy. From his years of working with adolescents who struggle to adapt to mainstream classrooms, Dean has an intimate perspective on the challenges these youth encounter — and the challenges they present to professionals, both therapists and educators. If you work with adolescents, be sure to attend Dean's presentation.

"Facts and Fictions of Foster Placement"

Date: May 3, 2006

Shannon Richter, MCJ, CCW

Ms. Richter has in the past been a coordinator of the Pueblo Rape Crisis Program which originated at the Suicide Prevention Center in Pueblo - and a Director of the Pueblo Child Advocacy Center.

At PRCP she initiated the "S.A.N.E." forensic evidence collection program which is now employed at both local hospitals and at PCAC. During her years as Executive Director of PCAC she oversaw the investigation of countless families where children endured varied forms of abuse.

She is now Executive Director of Journeys, Inc, Child Placement Services. In this new role Ms. Richter is able to seek out and assess appropriate and healing family situations where abused children may begin to move toward healthy, productive lives. Some of her observations about the psychology and family dynamics of foster care surprised and challenged some of our predominant stereotypes.

Ms. Richter presented a fascinating multimedia presentation that helped us understand the foster experience through the child's eyes and then invited us to join in a discussion of the challenges facing placement professionals as they seek mentally healthy settings for our most vulnerable of citizens.

"College Counseling in the 21st Century"

Date: April 5, 2006

Fred Stultz , PhD, and
Barbara Hadley

Dr. Stultz is Director of the CSU-Pueblo Counseling Center and Barbara Hadley is a counselor there. Together they shared the rewards and challenges of counseling and what their experience suggests we need to know in preparing for the next generation of mental health professionals.

"New Developments in Counseling: Energy-Based Treatment"

Date: March 1, 2006

John Harder , LCSW, MHA-P Board Member

Mr. Harder enjoys keeping abreast of the latest therapeutic innovations — meaning that he gets out to seminars at Esalen often enough to make the rest of us envious. In his presentation John described "Thought-Field Therapy," energy-based processes that have proved very helpful for clients of his who struggle with PTSD and other disorders where there are strong anxiety and phobic reactions. John was also good enough to give us a demonstration of the process (on a Board member!). Working on her ever-popular snake phobia, John was able to reduce her anxiety to visualizations of snakes by half. We hope to learn soon that she has become a volunteer at the herpetareum.

"Let Laughter Boost Your Mental Health"

Date: February 1, 2006

Janice Funk, RN, Certified Laughter Leader

Some people call it 'keeping your perspective,' others 'not taking yourself too seriously.' Laughter leaders (who are “certifiable”) call it learning the fundamentals! Janice not only gives you tips, she gives you an experience. Join us and learn to lighten life to help you through the heavy times.

"Reducing the Trauma of Child Abuse Investigation"

Date: January 4, 2006

Patty Kester, Exec. Dir. of Pueblo Child Advocacy Center

The child advocacy center provides a place where traumatized children can be assisted in a homelike atmosphere. Patty described the challenges of getting assistance for children who have been traumatized by physical and/or sexual abuse. As someone who is on the front lines of the child abuse pandemic, Patty is in a position to inform us of the current status of social, psychological, legal, and economic challenges facing us as we attempt to help the most vulnerable beings in our society. She presented a moving and personal story of how the Child Advocacy Center has to walks a delicate tightrope: facilitating the legal investigations of suspected abuse so that the abuse of a victimized child ends — and protecting the child from further trauma during the investigatory interviews.

"Anger Management & Domestic Violence"

Date: December 7, 2005

Nick Rodriguez, L.C.S.W.

Mr. Rodriguez has over 25 years experience as a social worker in the Pueblo community. He described the insights he has gained into the harsh realities of domestic violence and the challenges of leading many years of anger management classes through New Beginnings counseling/psychotherapy center.

"Recovery, Addiction, and Mental Health"

Date: November 2, 2005

Sherry Weaver, M.A., Addiction Counselor

Sherry presented a moving picture of the challenges facing those who abuse addictive substances, their family members, and the professionals who invest their lives in assisting recovery. Having experienced the illness of alcoholism from both sides of the therapeutic relationship, Sherry spoke with the compassion of an open heart, the wisdom of decades of experience, and the humor of one who has learned to survive. Her discussion sparked a lively exchange among the professionals and recovering addicts in attendance.

Points to ponder from Ms. Weaver:

•Support is absolutely essential to recovery. You cannot do it alone!

•The value of humility, willingness to keep in a supportive community, and cultivation of spiritual resources is inherent in the 12-step programs (AA, NA, SA, etc.), about which Sherry noted, "Twelve-Step work isn't for people who need it — it's for people who want it." Choosing life rather than the hell of addiction is not easy in the throws of the illness.

•Self-hatred becomes a core of the addiction.

•The significant relationships of the addict are usually "taken hostage" in the course of the illness.

•Resentment is the #1 killer of alcoholics. They often act as if reasoning, "Someone has hurt me, so I'm going to hurt myself too."

•Addiction to alcohol or other substances severely worsens the prognosis for those with psychiatric diagnoses.

•Colorado is the only state where mental health and substance treatments are separated.

•Colorado is one of only three states where Medicaid does not reimburse for substance abuse treatment.

•Research has shown that adolescents who smoke or drink coffee before age 15 have a much greater propensity for later addiction (you thought it was just pot, didn't you?).

Clearly we have our work cut out for us. A "sobering" presentation, indeed — no matter how lively and humorous at times!

"Mental Health and Law Enforcement"

Date: October 5, 2005

James Billings, Chief of Police

Chief Billings described how modern police work is requiring much more sophisticated training for officers to handle complicated calls that can involve uncertain mixes of: illegal behavior, mental instability, and substance abuse. Working together with medical and psychological consults has become part and parcel of "routine" police work. The Pueblo Police Department has been providing special Crisis Intervention Training for as many of its officers as possible in order to provide them with the verbal and psychological skills to diffuse situations to prevent violent escalation that might lead to more injury to suspect, victim, or officers.

He also described the factors that make police work one of the most stressful occupations: national data show that divorce, suicide, and substance abuse among police are well above that of the population as a whole. The Chief discussed the importance of protecting officers from the cynicism and social isolation which can result from spending long hours working with some of the least savory characters in humanity. He cited involvement in non-law-enforcement organizations such as church, scouting, and athletics as helpful counterbalances.

For other chronic, draining stresses such as the mounting bureaucracy, paperwork, and disappointing court outcomes - there's no simple solution: just infinite patience in the face of often-thankless routine. In addition, there is still a strong police culture that expects a lot of machismo from officers, making it difficult for them to ask for the emotional support they sorely need. Chief Billings explained that it has proved best to require special stress debriefings after an officer witnesses severe traumas, thus relieving him/her from any stigma associated with asking for help.

The MHA audience left this talk with a lot more appreciation for the psychological demands on 21st Century law enforcement: certainly a far cry from Bogie's old "just round up the usual suspects."

"The State of Mental Health in Colorado"

Date: September 7, 2005

Chris Hapgood, Director of Public Policy, MHA-Colorado

Chris presented a moving collection of evidence about how Colorado's declining support for the mental health of its citizens is degrading Colorado's quality of life and impacting our economy as well. He explained the powerful opportunity to improve this situation that is offered by the 2005 Referendums C & D.