Course Description:

The autonomic nervous system is at the heart of daily living powerfully affecting our clients’ sense of safety and influencing their capacity for connection. Polyvagal Theory, developed by renowned scientist Stephen Porges, provides a map of the autonomic circuits that underlie behaviors and beliefs and an understanding of the body to brain pathways that give birth to our clients’ stories of safety and survival.

Clients come to treatment with a compromised ability to regulate their autonomic responses. The response patterns that were once adaptive and necessary for survival now bring suffering. Without intervention, adaptive survival responses become habitual autonomic patterns and pathways of connection are replaced with patterns of protection. Guided by Polyvagal Theory, we have a deep understanding of the ways experience shapes the nervous system. When we look to the autonomic nervous system we have a roadmap to creating new, resourcing patterns of connection and can reliably lead our clients into the autonomically regulated state of safety that is necessary for successful treatment.

A Polyvagal Theory informed approach to therapy begins with helping clients map their autonomic profiles and track their moment-to-moment movement along the autonomic hierarchy. With this foundation, the essential clinical questions address how to help clients interrupt habitual response patterns and find safety in a state of engagement. Using the principles of Polyvagal Theory, therapists have a guide to becoming a regulated and co-regulating resource, practical ways to effectively help clients identify and interrupt their familiar response patterns, and strategies to shape their autonomic nervous systems toward safety and connection.

Working with the autonomic nervous system brings the science of safety into practical application. When we speak the language of the nervous system, we can help clients safely tune into their autonomic states, reshape their nervous systems, and rewrite the trauma stories that are carried in their autonomic pathways.

In this workshop we’ll learn ways to bring science into clinical application as we accompany our clients on their healing journeys. Combining didactic teaching with experiential practices participants will develop an embodied understanding of the organizing principles of Polyvagal Theory and learn ways to integrate the principles into clinical work.

Participants will:

-learn the organizing principles of Polyvagal Theory and discover how to become a regulated and regulating resource for others

-work with practices to help clients move from dysregulation to regulation

-experiment with ways to help clients identify and interrupt their familiar patterns of protection

-explore skills to help clients find, and savor, experiences of safety

-create an autonomic map for use as a guide in treatment

-practice using the co-regulating pathways of the social engagement system to create safety in connection

Course Link: 
grandrapidstherapygroup.com/shop

CE Value (credits): 5
CE Type: Standard

Sponsor Name:
Grand Rapids Therapy Group

Contact Information:
Maria Schiavo
616-591-9000
communications@grtherapygroup.com

Course Description:

This course aims to inform practitioners and human services providers about the LGBTQ+ population, particularly young persons. These young people have multiple marginalized identities and are impacted by how society and their families of origin or foster families treat them based upon these identitites. Information on changing identity categories and changing numbers of young persons claiming these identities will be shared. Additionally, cultural myths that may interfere with treatment will be shared and best practices for the population will be highlighted. Considerations for agencies and cultural competence/humility will also be shared.

Course Link:
https://wmich.edu/hhs/academics/ce
CE Value (credits): 3
CE Type: Standard

Sponsor:
Western Michigan School of SW

Contact Information:
Nancy Cretsinger
(269)398-3680
nancy.cretsinger@wmich.edu

Course Description:

.This course will begin by exploring the basics of refugee resettlement in the United States. Then, problem-based learning will be explored as a method to break down individual refugee cases involving trauma. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network's Core Curriculum on Childhood Trauma's problem-based learning system allows clinicians to consider new avenues of case presentations. The 12 Core Concepts of Childhood Trauma will be discussed and applied to one specific case involving a refugee child.

Course Link:

https://wmich.edu/hhs/academics/ce
CE Value (credits): 6
CE Type: Standard

Sponsor:
Western Michigan School of SW

Contact Information:
Nancy Cretsinger
(269)387-3680
nancy.cretsinger@wmich.edu

Course Description:

This presentation aims to provide insights into the various causes of trauma experienced by women throughout their lives and how it manifests within their body, cognition, relationships, and societal roles. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the long-term impacts of childhood adversity on self-esteem and confidence, as well as acute traumatic events leading to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Participants will learn about risk factors that contribute to recurring trauma, including the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) study as well as the impacts of gender and cultural bias that add further layers of adversity. The training will shed light on the cascading effects of trauma on women and its intergenerational impact, as well as strategies for providing compassionate support across disciplines, and appropriate referrals to treatment. Additionally, participants will gain knowledge about interventions and holistic approaches to healing. This engaging and informative event is designed to equip professionals in helping fields with the knowledge and skills necessary to make a meaningful difference in the lives of women who have experienced trauma.

Course Link:
https://wmich.edu/hhs/academics/ce
CE Value (credits): 3
CE Type: Standard

Sponsor:
Western Michigan School of SW

Contact Information:
Nancy Cretsinger
(269)398-3680
nancy.cretsinger@wmich.edu

Course Description:

This course will begin by exploring the basics of refugee resettlement in the United States.

Course Link:
https://wmich.edu/hhs/ce
CE Value (credits): 6
CE Type: Standard

Sponsor:
Western Michigan School of SW

Contact Information:
Alicia Dorr
(269)387-2638
smailto:Alicia.dorr@wmich.edu

Course Description:

Our Inclusion Conference aims to bring together a diverse group of professionals, advocates, and thought leaders to explore and promote the principles of inclusivity in various aspects of society, including but not limited to education, workplace, communities, and policy-making.

The Inclusion Conference is an Arc event that began in 2007 under the leadership of Executive Director George Martin. It has taken place every year in March for 17 years.

Sponsored by a grant from the Climax based Eaton Corporation, it has been offered at no cost to the 35-75 annual attendees. It attracts people who experience I/DD, educators, mental health professionals and other practitioners in human and social services. Funding has been fluid since Covid and there has been a menial charge in most recent years. It is not intended as a fundraiser, but rather as an educational opportunity for a wide range of people.

A committee of community members works throughout the year to choose topics and secure speakers to present. This committee contributors know the relevant topics in our community and state as well as emerging issues and supports. The conference presenters are local, state and national professionals who work toward the Arc mission.

Occurring at the Fetzer Center on the campus of WMU, the conference takes place over one day from 8:00-4:00. In the lobby, representatives from a variety of organizations are available for participants to interact and gain information and resources. After a prominent keynote speaker, participants attend breakout sessions throughout the day. A lunch is provided with time to share the morning’s experiences with friends and network with new resources.

There are always board members on the Inclusion Conference committee. If possible, board members attend the conference both representing the Arc and being listeners and learners to bring feedback to the next year’s planning committee.

Course Link: 
https://givebutter.com/ML2Ljf

CE Value (credits): 4
CE Type: Standard

Sponsor Name:
The Arc Community Advocates

Contact Information:
LaTaynia Conant
269-342-9801

lconant@communityadvocates.org

Course Description

This training will take place on several dates:

2/21/24

2/28/24

Managing high needs classrooms can be very stressful. Teacher can often find themselves overwhelmed and frustrated. This workshop allows teachers to use elements of mindfulness to find opportunities to make thoughtful choices in managing misbehavior and taking care of their own stress.

Course Link: 

https://www.kresa.org/Page/1922

CE Value (credits): 3
CE Type: Standard

Sponsor Name:
Kalamazoo RESA

Contact Information:
Amanda Couer
269-250-9210

amanda.coeur@kresa.org

Course Description:

BPD is a behavioral health condition that impacts the way a person things and feels about themselves and others, causing problems in everyday life across multiple domains of functioning. This training will explain contributing factors to the development of BPD, with a focus on understanding symptomatic behaviors in order to inform more effective management when they occur.

This Implicit Bias training for health and mental health professionals will address implicit bias with older adults. Participants will be able to: Recognize occurrences of implicit bias in mental health care setting and in the workplace; Identify a minimum of three consequences of implicit bias for access to effective patient care/workplace satisfaction; Learn at least two strategies to reduce disparities in service based on implicit bias.

Course Link:
http://www.lcc.edu/mhap
CE Value (credits): 6
CE Type: Standard, Implicit Bias

Sponsor:
Mental Health & Aging Project - LCC

Contact Information:
Alicia Hostetler
517-483-1529
hosteta3@star.lcc.edu