DCPA 26th Annual Conference

Saturday, May 17, 2008

American Psychological Association Building

750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC

 

                                                                       

 

Changes in Our Profession and Our Practice

Our society is rapidly being transformed by sweeping demographic changes. The District’s population is constantly evolving and changing, diversity is more than race and ethnicity. It includes many previously discounted populations; the elderly, children, people with disabilities, the homeless, and differences in sexual orientation. There have also been significant changes in the practice of psychology. This includes changes in our ethics and professional guidelines as well as changes in our methods of intervention and assessment. Of particular note to our members, are the current revisions within the psychology licensing laws and regulations. This year’s annual DCPA Conference will provide practitioners, educators, and researchers with an opportunity to increase their understanding and knowledge of these changes.

 

CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES

• Identify and understand the common psychological and psychosocial challenges faced by members of the identified groups;
• Understand the changes and challenges with our ethics code and related guidelines so as to be able to effectively integrate them in our practices;
• Increase awareness of alternative treatment and assessment strategies;
• Increase knowledge of the changes in DC licensing laws and regulations.

         

DCPA Annual Conference

Schedule at a Glance

Saturday, May 17, 2008

 

8:30-9:00 a.m.	Continental Breakfast and Registration
9:00-9:15 a.m.	Opening Remarks and DCPA General Meeting  James E. Savage, Jr., Ph.D., DCPA President
9:15-10:15 a.m.	Common Concerns and Proposed Changes in DC’s Licensing Law and Regulations Members of DC Licensing Board
Session I   10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.	Revision of APA’s Record Keeping Guidelines: Integrating the Changes with Local Regulations (A) Stephen Lally, Ph.D., ABPP
	Evidence-Based Treatment for PTSD (B) Jean S. Gearon, Ph.D.
	The Food-Mood Connection:  The Impact of Eating and Nutrition on our Clients’ Experiences (C) Karen Schachter, LICSW, CHC
12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.	Luncheon Plenary Address: "Cultural Competence and Ethics in Psychology” John D. Robinson, Ed.D., MPH, ABPP (CL/CHP)
Session II 1:30  – 3:00 p.m.	Clinical and Theological Perspectives in Working with Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Clients (D) Robert Barrett, Ph.D.	Session III 3:15  – 4:45 p.m.	Deployment Psychology, Clinical Management of Suicide Risk, and Your Resilience and the Healthy Work Place (G) LtCol Mark Bates, Ph.D. William Bliss, Ph.D. LTC Stephen Bowles, Ph.D., ABPP
	Parents and Kids with ADD (E) Kara Goobic, Psy.D.		Collaborative Practice: An Introduction to Collaborative Divorce (H) Suzan M. Stafford, Ed.D. Elizabeth Weisberg, Esq.
	Understanding the Utilization of Animals in Trauma and Disaster Work (F) Lynn J. Piper, Ph.D., C.T.S.S.		Diversity: The External and Internal Worlds (I) Claudia Cauterucci, M.A., L.P.C., H.H.C.

 

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

8:30 – 9:00 a.m.

Outside 9th Floor
Conference Room                   Registration (Continental Breakfast)

9:00 – 9:15 a.m.           

9th Floor        Opening Remarks and DCPA General Meeting James E. Savage, Jr.,  Ph.D., DCPA President

 

9:15 – 10:15 a.m.

9th Floor        Common Concerns Reviewed by DC Licensing Board and Proposed Changes in DC’s Licensing Law and Regulations

 

Members of DC Licensing Board

10:15 – 10:30 a.m.                 

9th Floor                         Break

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.                    TRACK I

9th Floor                Revision of APA’s Record Keeping Guidelines: Integrating the Changes with Local Regulations (A)

Stephen Lally, Ph.D., ABPP                                     

7th Floor, A              Evidence-Based Treatment for PTSD (B)

Jean S. Gearon, Ph.D.

  7th Floor, B          The Food-Mood Connection:  The Impact of Eating and Nutrition on our Clients’ Experiences (C)

Karen Schachter, LICSW, CHC

12:00 – 1:30 p.m.                             Luncheon

9th Floor                Plenary Address: "Cultural Competence and Ethics in  Psychology”

John D. Robinson, Ed.D., MPH, ABPP (CL/CHP)

1:30 – 3:00 p.m.                               TRACK II

9th Floor                Clinical and Theological Perspectives in Working with Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender

(GLBT) Clients (D)
Robert Barrett, Ph.D.

7th Floor, A           Parents and Kids with ADD (E)   Kara Goobic, Psy.D.
 
7th Floor, B           Understanding the Utilization of Animals in Trauma and Disaster Work (F)

Lynn J. Piper, Ph.D., C.T.S.S.

3:00 – 3:15 p.m.           

9th Floor Hallway           Break

3:15 – 4:45 p.m.                               TRACK III

9th Floor                Deployment Psychology, Clinical Management of Suicide Risk, and Your Resilience and the Healthy

Work Place (G)
LtCol Mark Bates, Ph.D.
Dr. William Bliss, Ph.D.
LTC Stephen Bowles, Ph.D., ABPP

7th Floor, A           Collaborative Practice: An Introduction to Collaborative Divorce (H)

Suzan M. Stafford, Ed.D.
Elizabeth Weisberg, Esq.   

7th Floor, B           Diversity: The External and Internal worlds (I) Claudia Cauterucci, M.A., L.P.C., H.H.C.

 

DCPA ANNUAL CONFERENCE COMMITTEE 2008

Members:Hammad Elbedour (Executive Director), Marilee Aronson, Psy.D., Mercedes Ebanks, Ph.D., Stephen Lally, Ph.D.

DCPA 2008 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
James E. Savage, Ph.D. (President)
Rona Fields, Ph.D. (Past President)
Michael Lavin, Ph.D. (Secretary)
Walter Hillabrant, Ph.D. (Treasurer)
            Ernest Myers, Ph.D. (Vice President of Membership & Community Affairs)
Stephen Lally, Ph.D. (Council Representative)
Marilee Aronson, Psy.D. (Clinical Designated Member-at-Large)
 Mercedes Ebanks, Ph.D. (Public Sector Designated Member-at-Large)

Stephen Bowles, Ph.D. (Management/Organizational Designated Member-at-Large)

Description of presentations and presenter information

Revision of APA’s Record Keeping Guidelines: Integrating the Changes with Local Regulations (A)

Course Description: APA approved a revision of the Record Keeping Guidelines last year. This workshop will review the changes as well as discuss ethical decision making regarding both standards and guidelines. Additionally, there will be a discussion of the District’s Mental Health Information Act and how the Guidelines relate to this law. 

Evidence-Based Treatment for PTSD (B)

Course Description: Mental health treatments for trauma survivors have significantly evolved over the past decade.  This workshop reviews the basic treatment components, philosophies and techniques employed in prolonged cognitive exposure therapy and other evidence-based treatments for PTSD.  A brief review of pharmacological research will be provided as well.

           
The Food-Mood Connection: The Impact of Eating and Nutrition on our Clients’ Experiences (C)

Course Description: Although as psychotherapists, we are not typically trained to consider nutrition as a factor in mood and behavior, the fact is that what and how  we eat has a powerful impact on how we feel! This workshop will explore this often overlooked, but very important, aspect of emotional wellness, and how we as therapists may offer our clients an understanding of this dynamic to facilitate their psychological, as well as physical, wellbeing. 

Plenary Address: "Cultural Competence and Ethics in Psychology”

Course Description: In order for psychologists to provide appropriate and effective services, an understanding of cultural competence is necessary.  We must be aware of how a knowledge of cultural competence develops from cultural literacy, proficiency, and relevance.  Ethical practice requires a sensitivity not only to racial and ethnic differences, but also gender, environmental, linguistic, and other differences.  This knowledge will allow us to develop attitudes, skills, and abilities to be effective psychologists.

Clinical and Theological Perspectives in Working with Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender (GLBT) Clients (D)

Course Description: This workshop will provide an overview of the clinical issues for therapists working with the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (GLBTQ) community.  In particular, the relationship between the GLBTQ community and religious organizations and various faith communities will be explored.  The theological and religious response to persons who are Gay or Lesbian will also be discussed.

Parents and Kids with ADD (E)

Course Description: This course will cover the challenges faced by parents of children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder as well as parents who need to manage their own symptoms of ADD.  Strategies for building an "ADD Friendly Family" will also be discussed.   Finally, a case presentation will illustrate how these changes can be implemented within a family.

Understanding the Utilization of Animals in Trauma and Disaster Work (F)

Course Description: This workshop will provide attendees with information regarding the history of Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) and Animal Assisted Disaster Work (AAD). Participants will have the opportunity to learn what AAT and AAD are, who can provide them and the skills required to do so, and when and with whom AAT or AAD can—and should not—be utilized. The workshop will also provide attendees with an understanding of how AAT and AAD enhance trauma and disaster work, as well as their potential benefits and risks. Case examples will be provided to highlight how AAT enhances the therapeutic process.

Deployment Psychology, Clinical Management of Suicide Risk, and
Your Resilience and the Healthy Work Place (G)

Course Description: First, this course will introduce you to the Center for Deployment Psychology and help you understand the challenges of post-deployment family reintegration after a service member returns from Iraq or Afghanistan.  Second, guidelines will be presented on managing suicidal behavior for military service members and personnel outside the service.  Third, the APA Healthy Psychological Work Place will be discussed along with ways to stay resilient.  

Collaborative Practice: An Introduction to Collaborative Divorce (H)

Course Description: The end of a marriage can be difficult and often the process of divorcing adds to the pain.  However, a new, more constructive alternative is Collaborative Divorce.  Based on the principles of agreeing not to go to court, an honest exchange of information and a desire to consider the best outcomes for both spouses and their children, Collaborative Divorce offers a more productive and respectful way of divorcing.  This workshop will explain the process of Collaborative Divorce, the roles of each of the team members, and how the team works together.  
 

Diversity: The External and Internal Worlds (I)

Course Description: This course intends to explore themes around diversity from theoretical, practical and intradynamic perspectives.  Broad cultural and racial differences will be examined along with suggestions for culturally-appropriate interventions.  A central tenet of the course is the idea of universality—a shared experience in spite of externally diverse characteristics—that emerges from the individual’s inter-and intradynamic exploration.  The role of the therapist as culturally aware and sensitive is held with equal importance as is his/her intra- and interpersonal awareness.  Relational psychotherapy based on interpersonal and mind-body principles will be explored in this context as well.