Mountain Plains MHTTC

Event Description Group counseling services are considered the mainstay of all clinical services. It is essential that everyone leading groups possess effective group facilitation skills. Facilitators skilled in group counseling methods are better prepared to assist group members in practicing communications skills, can effectively role play difficult situations, can give and receive feedback, can identify and name feelings, and provide support, all of which correlate to positive client outcomes. The goal of this Group Counseling: Intentionally Built & Effectively Facilitated Enhanced Professional Learning series (EPL) is to help group leaders build skills, increase knowledge on evidence-based practices in group counseling, avoid unhelpful or non-therapeutic group activities, and elevate confidence in providing quality group counseling services through feedback and practice. Participants will have weekly learning opportunities to share group counseling experiences and practice group facilitation skills. This EPL will focus on how to envision and build groups and develop/refine facilitation skills, including knowledge and skills related to: · Building group cohesion · Managing conflict · Redirecting clients who monopolize group discussion or stray off topic · Managing unhelpful advice given from one member to another · Eliciting client participation rather than lecturing · Handling content and process issues · Awareness of group work versus individual casework within a group · Using reflection to refine and enhance facilitation skills.   WHEN: Every Wednesday, July 31 – September 25, 2024 from 2 – 3:30 pm MDT / 3 – 4:30 pm CDT INTENDED AUDIENCE: Mental health professionals who are located in the Mountain Plains MHTTC region (HHS Region 8 includes CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, and WY).   PARTICIPANT COMMITMENT & EXPECTATIONS · Attend a live 1-hour Orientation Session on July 31 at 2pm MDT/3pm CDT · Commit to 8-weeks of training for 1.5 hours weekly from August 7 – September 25 · Complete 1-hour of weekly self-study learning activities · Access to appropriate technology to utilize online videoconferencing platform (i.e., an internet connection, webcam, computer/tablet, speakers, and microphone) · Be prepared and actively engage while on camera during the scheduled series time.   Trainers Kate Speck, PhD, MAC, LADC Paul Warren, LMSW Amy Shanahan, MS, CADC

This is Session 4 of 4 in the Applying Holistic Leadership to Create Healthier Workplace Cultures series. Event Description This program aims to equip behavioral health leaders with the essential skills and knowledge to effectively lead teams and foster healthier organizational cultures. Participants will learn strategic and people-focused leadership methods through “Authentic Connection.” The goal of this training series is to enhance their ability to navigate uncertainty, ambiguity, and conflict while maintaining resilience and composure in a rapidly changing behavioral health landscape.  Participants will learn:   -          Explore strategies for fostering wellness and resilience to develop a healthier work culture within their scope of influence.  -          Acquire practical skills in self-care, compassion, and inclusive strategies to integrate into their professional roles.  -          Learn communication strategies to collaborate with others to develop adaptive strategies to address challenges in diverse teams.    Trainer Lamarr Lewis Lamarr Lewis, is a dedicated advocate, author, and agent of change. With a focus on community-based mental and public health, he works with diverse groups including individuals living with psychiatric disabilities, people in recovery from substance abuse, and at-hope youth (He does not use the term at-risk).   He is an alumnus of Wittenberg University graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with minors in Africana Studies and Religion. He later received his master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling from Argosy University.   His career spans over twenty years with experience as a therapist, consultant, public speaker, facilitator, trainer, and human service professional. He has been a featured expert for such organizations as; Boeing, Region IV Public Health Training Center, Fulton County Probate Court, Mississippi Department of Health, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, and many more.   His lifelong mission is to leave the world better than how he found it. 

Event Description Location: Sioux Falls, SD  Costs: Hotel room, workshop registration and related materials are provided free of charge by the Mountain Plains MHTTC. The participant will be responsible for travel and meal expenses.  Based on the latest research of Dr. Brené Brown, Dare to Lead™ is an empirically based courage-building program that Brené refers to as a “skill-based playbook for leaders.”   Participants will:   Recognize vulnerability as the emotion we feel during times of uncertainty, risk, and emotional exposure. Explain why courage requires vulnerability. Establish a link between what I learned and behaviors I want to change. Recognize the critical role that self-awareness plays in daring leadership. Give examples to support how armor – not fear –is the greatest obstacle to daring leadership. Identify the four skill sets that make up courage: rumbling with vulnerability, living into our values, BRAVING trust, and learning to rise.  Recognize that courage is a collection of four skill sets that are measurable, observable, and teachable.  Recognize that vulnerability is the birthplace of many of the behaviors that define daring leadership, including creativity, accountability, and difficult conversations.  Give examples of why daring leadership requires showing up for hard conversations and rumbles, including giving and receiving feedback.  Trainer Laurel Smylie Laurel Smylie is an organization development consultant, coach, speaker, Managing Partner and Co-Founder of Four Letter Consulting. Over the course of her career, she has supported household names like Hyatt and Bridgestone evolving their cultures and creating and maintaining high-trust workplaces. She has partnered with organizations like SAG-AFTRA and VRBO in developing and rolling out their organizational values. In her time at Great Place to Work, the organization responsible for  FORTUNE's 100 Best Companies to Work For list, Laurel evaluated company submissions while also supported executive teams in times of transition and organizations in building cultures that serve as competitive advantages. She believes that where you start does not predict where you can go, having supported “toxic” leaders in their transformation to brave leadership, just as she has helped some of the strongest leaders continue to refine their capabilities. Whether a name brand or an organization of 25 people, whatever the industry (and she’s worked in them all), Laurel meets her clients where they are and brings her passion to their unique journey. Whether working with individual managers, functional teams, leadership teams or entire organizations, Laurel can help your team be honest about what’s real, define a clear and inspiring vision and support you in bringing that vision to fruition. 

Event Description Rural behavioral health practice has unique challenges, two of which are high provider turnover rate and provider recruitment. Join us for an insightful webinar series on organizational wellness in rural behavioral health settings. This series will address key themes such as Organizational Commitment to the Culture of Care, Compassionate Leadership, and Assessment of Organizational Culture. By prioritizing these elements, rural behavioral health organizations can create a nurturing environment that not only attracts top-tier talent but also nurtures their professional growth and commitment to the organization.  In this webinar series, we will navigate through the complexities surrounding ways leaders can showcase their commitment to the culture of care for their organization, how to effectively practice compassionate leadership, and how to implement effective strategies to assess and improve organizational culture. We will explore practical strategies aimed at cultivating an environment conducive to staff satisfaction and longevity.  Through an interactive discussion, participants will gain valuable insights into implementing sustainable practices that promote organizational wellness. Whether you are an administrator, clinical supervisor, or HR professional, this webinar offers actionable steps to enhance workplace satisfaction and ultimately elevate the quality of care provided in behavioral health settings. Join us in shaping a brighter future for rural behavioral health professionals and the communities they serve.  July 25 - Session 1: Organizational Commitment to the Culture of Care To view resources from this training, please click ATTACHMENT links Recording coming soon! August 22 - Session 2: Compassionate Leadership Resources coming soon! Recording coming soon! September 26 - Session 3: Assessment of Organizational Culture Resources coming soon! Recording coming soon!

To view resources from this training, click ATTACHMENT links Click here to view the recording Event Description In this engaging and empowering training session, participants will explore effective strategies to build personal resilience and navigate workplace challenges constructively. This session will help attendees recognize and address bullying behaviors while learning strength-based approaches to foster a supportive and positive work environment. Through practical examples, participants will gain insights into promoting inclusivity and respect.  Even if transforming the workplace may not be practical, this training will equip you with the skills and strategies to protect and strengthen yourself in a challenging environment. Join us to enhance your personal resilience, develop constructive responses to bullying, and create a positive impact within your sphere of influence.  Objectives  Build Personal Resilience  Recognize and Address Bullying Behaviors  Promote Inclusivity and Respect as Seen through Effective Leadership Styles  Trainer LaVonne Fox Peltier Dr. LaVonne Fox Peltier serves as a Research Assistant Professor within the Bureau of Evaluation & Research Service, situated in the Department of Education, Health, and Behavioral Studies at the University of North Dakota. A member of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa reservation, she remains deeply connected to her roots. Drawing from her extensive background, she has dedicated her expertise to working with children, youth, and young adults facing mental health challenges both in rural and urban areas as well as within mental health facilities.  Dr. Fox Peltier is particularly passionate about developing culturally rooted interventions inspired by Indigenous practices to address mental health issues. In her work, she emphasizes the importance of adopting strength-based approaches, advocating for alternatives to the commonly employed deficit-based practices. She is committed to bridging cultural understanding and mental health care for Indigenous peoples. 

To view resources from this training, click ATTACHMENT links Click here to view the recording Event Description The mental health fields have long been leaders in understanding and raising awareness of the importance of understanding power and privilege. Multiple critiques in the past decade, however, have suggested that an overly simplistic understanding of these constructs can impede personal and professional development in multicultural awareness and, as such, be detrimental to those with whom we work. Thus, in this presentation, nuanced understandings and analyses of power and privilege will be discussed on the basis of advancements in the anti-oppression and antiracism literature.    Trainer Melanie Wilcox, PhD, ABPP  Dr. Melanie Wilcox is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences, Institute of Public and Preventive Health, and Department of Psychiatry at Augusta University. She is also a licensed psychologist and board certified in counseling psychology and works part-time in private practice providing both therapy and assessment via telehealth. Her clinical areas of expertise include culturally responsive and trauma-informed care as well as substance abuse and addiction. Her research focuses on culturally response and antiracist psychotherapy and training, racial and socioeconomic inequity in higher education, and racial and social justice more broadly. She is in her final year as a member of the American Psychological Association’s Board of Educational Affairs, which she chaired in 2020, and is currently President Elect-Elect of APA Division 17, the Society of Counseling Psychology.