More and more clinicians are receiving referrals for grieving clients asking for support in their bereavement process. The current course aims to provide clinicians with a grounding in psychoeducation and theory behind grief responses in order to increase clinician confidence in working with clients who are experiencing bereavement.
Drug overdose now causes more deaths than car accidents and is the leading cause of injury death in the United States. The overwhelming majority of these deaths are due to opioids. This session will give an overview of opioids, including their various types and main intoxication symptoms. Important trends in opioid addiction will be reviewed, including the rise of synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl.
Dates: 4/30/24 & 5/7/24 Time: 9:00 – 10:30 Contact Hrs: 3 CEUs: 3 It has been determined that WJCS staff would benefit from access to a general training specific to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). The cognitive behavioral paradigm provides a unique way to conceptualize pathology and to plan therapeutic intervention. The majority of clinicians practicing today identify that some part of their work is informed by CBT. Research consistently indicates the efficacy of CBT with many psychological disorders and with a diverse range of clients. CBT is often embedded in frequently used interventions at WJCS such as dialectical behavior therapy ...
The number of people suffering from both mental health and substance use disorders is skyrocketing, with approximately 21.5 million adults in the United States experiencing these co-occurring conditions, according to SAMHSA’s 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Unfortunately, the result of experiencing both disorders can be tragic. Westchester Jewish Community Services (WJCS), the largest provider of licensed outpatient mental health services in Westchester, is now providing comprehensive integrative, evidence-based treatment for county residents experiencing substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders. “People suffering from co-occurring mental health and substance use problems often experience severe and chronic challenges ...
Date: 4/9/24 & 4/16/24 Time: 9-10:30am Contact Hrs: 3 CEU’s: 3 Enrollment Limited to: 20 Trauma is becoming more prominently identified in clinical and mainstream rhetoric. Even if clinicians do not work as “trauma therapists,” they will more than likely encounter survivors of trauma in their practice. The DSM-5-TR diagnoses of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders are complex in their criteria and differentials. Beyond that, the clinical picture is further complicated by the different presentations of survivors of complex ...
Non-Violent Resistance Therapy (NVR) is an approach that helps parents to manage the violent, destructive, and/or controlling behavior of their children. NVR encourages parents to make a stand against violent or destructive behavior from their child, without using physical or verbal aggression.
Alcohol Awareness Month
National Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month
This 1.5-hour training will introduce attendees to the concept of co-occurring disorders- the co-occurrence of one or more mental health and substance use disorders that often act in synergistic ways to exacerbate one another leading to more negative outcomes than if individuals had a substance use or mental health disorder alone.
The number of people suffering from mental health and substance use problems are skyrocketing. More than 20% of Americans, including youth, teens, and adults of different socioeconomic groups, are living with a mental illness. Only about half of adults receive treatment. More than 20 million Americans 12 years and older are affected by substance use disorder. These conditions don’t discriminate. They affect people in all socioeconomic groups. "I came to WJCS for therapy at a time of serious distress in my 20’s. I couldn’t afford much, and was able to pay just a very modest amount thanks to financial ...
To quote Mr. Rogers, “All of us, at some time or other need help. Whether we’re giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world.” WJCS helps people in our community of all ages and backgrounds who face difficult challenges in life and need additional support to build a strong foundation of well-being to strengthen their ability to weather life’s storms. Whether people are experiencing mental health, trauma, disability, aging, educational, or often systemic challenges, we all know that accessing support can be very difficult. Being a champion of WJCS means you ...
Date: 4/12/24 Time: 9:30 am to 11 am Contact Hrs: 1.5 CEU’s: 1.5 Enrollment Limited to: No limit Method: Lecture, discussion Description: Marijuana and products derived from chemicals within it are used both medically and recreationally by an increasing number of people through the United States. To date, 38 states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for medical use while recreational use has been legalized in 24 states along with the District of Columbia. In this evolving legal landscape, marijuana use has become increasingly prevalent, particularly among teenagers and young adults. ...
Client Alliance, Compliance, and Therapist Burn Out Date: 3/5/24 Time: 9:00 – 11:00 Enrollment Limited to: 20 Contact Hours: 2 CEU’s: 2 Mental health professionals, perhaps now more than ever, are susceptible to stress and burn out directly related to their job responsibilities. Part of this comes from defining our professional selves based on what we are told our roles should be and what we should ...
Date: 1/23/24 Time: 9:00-10:30 a.m. Enrollment Limited To: 20 Contact Hrs: 1.5 CEUs: 1.5 This training will provide a brief overview of suicidality among youth, with a focus on evidence-based suicide risk assessment and safety planning. This training with discuss the risk and protective factors that may increase or reduce risk in youth, the challenges of assessing risk of suicide, and introduce interventions that may be useful in addressing suicidal thoughts and behaviors in treatment. Method: Lecture & discussion Learning Objectives: Learn about suicide risk in youth Evaluate risk and ...
by Brenda Haas, LMSW, Ed.M Why is children’s mental health shrouded with stigma and shame? If a child has diabetes we take them to get their insulin, and if they have asthma, we get them an inhaler. Childhood mental illness is real and very common. The National Institute for Mental Health reports that one out of five children in the U.S. suffers from a mental health disorder. Suicide is now the second leading cause of death in youth ages 15-24. In fact, half of all psychiatric illnesses occur before the age of 14, and 75 percent by the age ...
Has your loved one been recently diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or Dementia? If so, all of a sudden, you probably have a lot on your plate…. Maybe you have been putting off making financial and legal plans for the future. Perhaps you are rethinking your living situation. Here are first steps you may want to take after a diagnosis: Contact an elder care attorney to discuss your financial planning and need for a power of attorney, will, and advanced directives. Connect your loved one to proper medical care, including a gerontologist and a neurological team. Evaluate your home environment to ensure ...
Organizational Skills Training Dates: 12/5/23, 12/12/23, 12/19/23 Time: 9:00-10:30am Enrollment Limited To: 20 Contact Hrs: 4.5 CEUs: 4.5 Many children with ADHD have difficulties with organization, time management and planning skills. Difficulties in these organizational skills cause significant problems with daily functioning at home and school, and lead to conflict within the family. This course will focus on the assessment of organizational skills difficulties in children, the rationale ...
This week, November 12-18, is National Nurse Practitioners Week. Thank you to the incredible contributions of our exceptional nurse practitioners at WJCS. Your hard work, compassion, and dedication to improving the mental health of the clients we serve is truly commendable. Your commitment and skill is appreciated. We are grateful to have such a talented and caring team. At WJCS, our team of Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) support both the mental and physical health of our clients. LPNs in each of our clinics meet with all new admissions for Health Monitoring Visits. During these visits LPNs check vital signs, ...
This year the WJCS Compeer program, a supportive friendship program in which each volunteer is matched with an individual recovering from mental illness, celebrates its 50th anniversary. By facilitating friendships, Compeer helps mental health clients feel less isolated and more integrated into their communities. Compeer started as a small program in upstate New York and has grown into an international organization with over 40 chapters. Compeer volunteers commit to spending time with a mental health client for a year or more. Research has shown that most Compeer clients see improvements in multiple areas of their lives as a result ...
October 19th is Global Peer Support Celebration Day. At WJCS, our Peer Specialists play an important role in aiding the recovery of individuals from mental illness and/or substance use. Peer Specialists walk hand in hand with our clients from the perspective of a “shared experience.” The Peer Specialist is in a unique position to truly understand what it is like for someone who struggles with challenges related to mental illness and/or substance use. Our WJCS Peer Specialists assist individuals by using the skills they have learned, the connections they have made, and the resources they know from first-hand experience. ...
Recent data shows that in the United States suicide rates are the highest they have been since World War II. According to the National Institute of Health, there were more than 47,000 suicides in 2019, twice the number of deaths caused by homicide. Self-violence is a problem we cannot ignore. Suicide affects people of all genders, ages, and ethnicities. We all need to be prepared with information and resources to help someone who is exhibiting signs of despair, isolation, rage, pain, and suicidal thoughts. While there is no single cause for suicidal behavior, common risk factors include: Depression or ...
The DD Diagnoses and Community Mental Health Dates: 10/31/23 & 11/7/23 Time: 9:00 – 10:30 Enrollment Limited to: 20 Contact Hours: 3 CEU’s: 3 Almost all clinicians who are in a general practice setting either in the community, or a school or hospital are finding they need skills in recognizing developmental disorders and adapting treatment strategies to meet the needs of individuals who are either on the spectrum or have cognitive challenges. This course is designed to review the fundamental aspects of these diagnoses, including changes in the DSM 5-TR. The course will address ...
Electronic addiction is increasingly becoming an area of concern. A recent study conducted by the Center for Humane Technology found that people check their phones more than 150 times per day. Digital devices and distractions consume our time, influence our communication, affect our sleeping patterns, and impact our relationships and mood. The “ping” on our smartphone, alerting us to incoming texts, news flashes, and “likes” on our social media feeds, have become the background music of our lives. The effect on children who are growing up in such tech-focused environments is a matter worthy of attention by all parents. ...
We’ve all heard the saying, “getting out of your own way,” but what does it truly mean? Donna Brooks, a social worker who co-leads parenting and domestic violence survivor groups at the WJCS Trager Lemp Center for Treating Trauma and Promoting Resilience, has recently published a book called B.O.S.S.: A Self Guide on How to Be the Boss You Were Meant to Be. B.O.S.S. stands for Brave Outstanding Sense of Self. Here is a brief excerpt providing guidance for how to get out of your own way and prevent self-sabotage so you can lead the life you want to ...
