Pacific Southwest MHTTC

  This workshop will introduce participants to the theory and practice of using theater in therapeutic ways to facilitate self-expression, support self-esteem, cultivate supportive communities, and challenge stereotypes among incarcerated and re-entry populations.     During our time together, we will explore the theoretical underpinnings of Drama Therapy, provide concrete examples of Drama Therapy applications with incarcerated and re-entry populations, and engage in several simple and transformative Drama Therapy exercises. Two individuals who have been formerly incarcerated will also share their experiences participating in therapeutic theater programs, both in prison and after returning home.     • • • •   INTENDED AUDIENCE This training is intended to serve clinical practitioners, including marriage and family therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed clinical social workers, drug recovery counselors, psychiatric nurses, as well as those in training or internship programs for their respective licenses.   • • • •   LEARNING OUTCOMES Participants will be able to: Explain why Drama Therapy is an effective intervention for incarcerated and re-entry populations. Articulate two ways in which theater and/or Drama Therapy can support  incarcerated and re-entry populations. Identify one similarity and one difference between “Drama Therapy” and “Theater as Therapy.” Learn and practice two Drama Therapy exercises that can be used in working with incarcerated and re-entry populations and articulate one benefit of each.   • • • •   **1.5 continuing education hours (CEH's) are available through full participation in this workshop.   • • • •   ABOUT THE FACULTY & PANEL SPEAKERS    Suraya Keating, MFT, RDT (she/hers) Suraya Keating, MFT (#43996), REAT, RDT is a bilingual (Spanish-English) Registered Expressive Arts Therapist, Registered Drama Therapist and master trainer in Expressive Arts and Drama Therapy.  Suraya has worked as Shakespeare for Social Justice Director for Marin Shakespeare Company since 2005, and helped expand Marin Shakespeare’s prison programs from a single prison (San Quentin) to 14 California prisons. She also co-founded Marin Shakespeare’s Returned Citizens’ Theater Troupe, a theater program for artists returning home from incarceration. She has worked as an adjunct professor at the California Institute of Integral Studies, John F Kennedy University and Santa Rosa Junior College, and supervised an Expressive Arts Therapy Program at Contra Costa Health Services, where she provided training and supervision to MFT associates in the use of therapeutic arts practices with multiple populations. Suraya loves facilitating Expressive Arts and Drama Therapy processes with individuals and groups in schools, prisons, hospitals, juvenile halls and in private practice, and has heavily focused her work on populations who are marginalized and oppressed. An avid practitioner of Playback Theater as well as a life-story performance coach, Suraya believes in the healing power of sharing and listening to each others’ life stories. She also has extensive experience in somatic practices including 5 Rhythms Dance, Open Floor Dance and Yoga. www.suraya.org   Photo credit: Peter Merts Photography Tony Cyprien  Tony hails from Watts in southern California but spent most of his adolescence and all of his adulthood incarcerated. He was paroled from prison in 2011 and since then found opportunity for expression of his life experience through improv and storytelling. His stories have been performed at the Castro Theater, Herbst Theater, at a podcast festival in Anaheim, and two broadcasts on Moth Radio. He found support from Marin Shakespeare’s Returned Citizens Group and Formerly Incarcerated People’s Performance Project, has acted in “Train Stories” at the Marsh Theater in Berkeley and the Afro Solo Arts Festival in San Francisco, which culminated in a nomination for Best Performer in a Play from Broadway World San Francisco Bay Area Aware. He has enjoyed creating and performing both long and short solo performance pieces at small theaters and stages throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.   Photo credit: Peter Merts Photography Preston “Zoe” Gardner My name is Preston Gardner. Many people call me Zoe. I was born in Richmond, California, where I went to many schools. I always wanted to be an artist. My life is grand of as of now, though growing up was kind of hard. I was incarcerated at 21 years old. I’ve changed a lot in my life from when I was 21. I'm looking forward to living my life the best way I know how through God, who gives me strength.

WEDNESDAY, May 22, 2024 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. PT Session 4 of 4 in the "Rooting Young Adult Mental Health Services in Culturally Sustaining Values & Practices" Series (view series main page for full details)    Honoring and Supporting Peer Support in Healing-Centered Approaches May 22, 2024: Session 4   This session’s essential question is: How might organizations truly value, uplift, and support the wisdom and skill of those with lived experience? Join us as we explore peer support in healing-centered engagement. The learning objectives include: How YYA serving organizations can implement peer support providers, and uplift lived experience professionals Learn about the power and benefits of peer support in a young person's life Ways to implement peer support in young people's treatment plan as a way to promote employment opportunities and belonging How to create youth leadership programming and youth voice initiatives   Main Series Program Goals Counter the impacts of vicarious trauma and burn out by creating a safe and responsive learning community for the YYA workforce to be heard and seen in their efforts to support the holistic needs of their clientele. Build an understanding of healing centered engagement and approaches to youth development and case management that strengthens service provision for transition-aged youth. Expand our organizational and individual capacity to support young adult holistic wellness, critical consciousness development, and collective healing.     Audience All community-based organizations, institutions, and mental health professionals, including peer support specialists, therapists, psychologists, counselors, and others who support the mental health and wellness of transition-aged youth.     Meet the Co-Facilitators & Faculty   Oriana Ides, MA, APCC, PPS (she/hers) Oriana Ides is a School Mental Health Training Specialist at CARS (the Center for Applied Research Solutions) and approaches healing the wounds of trauma and oppression as core elements of social justice. She has worked with young people across the life course from elementary school to college, and has served as teacher-leader, school counselor, classroom educator and program director. She is committed to generating equity within school structures and policies by focusing on evidence-based mental health techniques and institutional design.   Falilah “Aisha” Bilal (she/her) Falilah “Aisha” Bilal has worked joyously for over 30 years creating innovative, relevant evidence-based strategies to transform, empower and develop individuals, systems, organizations and contemporary thought. Ms. Bilal’s work is centered in healing practices, empowering youth and families, and self-discovery.  Ms. Bilal specializes in the field of youth development, healing informed organizational development, and strategic fundraising consultation. Currently Ms. Bilal serves as the Chief of Staff for the Black Organizing Project as well as directs her own consulting company where she provides trainings, curriculum development, healing experiences, coaching, and executive leadership to local and national agencies, companies and programs. Previously, Ms. Bilal served as a Senior Trainer with the National Black Women’s Justice Institute and a Radical Healer with Flourish Agenda.  She served as the Executive Director for M.I.S.S.S.E.Y. raising over 2 million dollars in funds to support sexually exploited children and young adults.   She has worked for numerous Bay Area agencies including World Trust, Alameda County Sheriff’s Department, Oakland Bay Area CARES Mentoring Movement, GirlSource, Office of Family, Children and Youth, City of Oakland, and the Young Women’s Freedom Center. Ms. Bilal holds a M.A. in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies and a B.A. in Theater Arts and Child Psychology from San Francisco State University.

TUESDAY, MAY 28, 2024 10:00 - 11:15 a.m. HT / 12:00 - 1:15 p.m. PT / 1:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. MT / 2:00 - 3:15 p.m. CT / 3:00 - 4:15 p.m. ET Session 5 of 8 in the "Provider Plática Learning Collaborative" Series / Sesión 5 de 8 de la Serie "Colaboración de Aprendizaje para una Plática entre Profesionales" (view series main page for full details / consultar la página principal de la serie para ver toda la información) Provider Plática Learning Collaborative: Supporting the Training Needs of Practitioners of Spanish Language Mental Health Services Colaboración de Aprendizaje para una Plática entre Profesionales: Respaldando las Necesidades de Capacitación de los Profesionales que Prestan Servicios de Salud Mental en Español May 28: Session 5 / 28 de mayo: Sesión 5   Welcome to Session 5 in this series! / ¡Bienvenidos a la Sesión 5 de esta serie!   Collaboratively held by the National Training & Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) and the Pacific Southwest MHTTC this Provider Platica program is a monthly collaborative space for peer learning and resourcing. This session and all that follow are an open, bilingual space for members of the mental health workforce to share common challenges and experiences when providing services to Spanish-speaking communities with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) as well as high-quality resources and innovative solutions. All levels of Spanish language proficiency and comfort are welcome. Este programa de Plática entre Profesionales, llevado a cabo colaborativamente por el Centro Nacional de Capacitación y Asistencia Técnica (NTTAC por sus siglas en inglés) y el Centro de Transferencia de Tecnología de Salud Mental del Sudoeste del Pacífico (MHTTC por sus siglas en inglés), es un espacio mensual de colaboración para el aprendizaje entre pares y la facilitación de recursos. Esta y todas las demás sesiones son un espacio abierto y bilingüe donde los miembros de la fuerza laboral de salud mental podrán compartir desafíos y experiencias en común a la hora de prestar servicios a las comunidades de habla hispana con un Dominio Limitado del Inglés (LEP por sus siglas en inglés), así como recursos de alta calidad y soluciones innovadoras. Son bienvenidas las personas con cualquier nivel de dominio del español y comodidad con el mismo.   Audience / Audiencia Mental health professionals across the country and U.S. territories, including clinicians, peer counselors and others who provide services to Spanish-speaking individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). We welcome providers in a wide range of professional settings, including clinical, community and government agencies, education, private practice, and more. Profesionales de la salud mental de todo Estados Unidos y sus territorios, incluidos médicos clínicos, consejeros entre pares y otras personas que prestan servicios a hablantes de español con un Dominio Limitado del Inglés (LEP por sus siglas en inglés). Les damos la bienvenida a profesionales provenientes de una amplia variedad de entornos, que incluye instituciones clínicas, comunitarias, gubernamentales, educativas, consultorios privados y demás.   About the Facilitators / Conozcan a las Facilitadoras Lisa Teyechea (she/her) is highly skilled and experienced in technical assistance, training, and project developer in areas of public health, prevention, and behavioral health. Other skills include evaluation and grant writing. More than 20 years designing and implementing systems of care and programming at agency and community levels, while approaching work with a trauma-informed lens. Lisa Teyechea (ella) está altamente capacitada y posee una enorme experiencia en asistencia técnica, capacitación y desarrollo de proyectos en las áreas de salud pública, prevención y salud conductual. Entre otras habilidades suyas se incluyen la evaluación y redacción de solicitudes de subvenciones. Posee más de 20 años de experiencia diseñando e implementando sistemas de atención y programas a nivel institucional y comunitario, abordando su labor desde una perspectiva informada sobre el trauma.     Kristi Silva (she/her) has over 15 years’ experience providing culturally responsive training and technical assistance – especially for Latine and Native American communities – at the local, state, and national level. In addition to subject matter expertise in health equity and policy, Ms. Silva is an experienced researcher and evaluator, with specialization in community-developed best practices requiring an adapted evaluation methodology. She has worked in partnership with communities impacted by pan-generational trauma to develop strengths-based policies and practices that are sustainable and rooted in a social justice framework. As a professional who now serves communities like the one she comes from, Ms. Silva brings an essential lens of lived experience to the work. Kristi Silva (ella) tiene más de 15 años de experiencia brindando capacitación y asistencia técnica culturalmente receptiva —especialmente a comunidades latinas e indígenas norteamericanas— a nivel local, estatal y nacional. Además de ser experta en asuntos de equidad y políticas de salud, la Srta. Silva es una evaluadora e investigadora experimentada, especializada en mejores prácticas desarrolladas por la comunidad que requieran una metodología de evaluación adaptada. Ha trabajado junto con comunidades impactadas por el trauma pangeneracional para desarrollar prácticas y políticas basadas en las fortalezas que sean sostenibles y se fundamenten en un marco de justicia social. Como una profesional que ahora atiende a comunidades similares a aquellas de donde proviene, la Srta. Silva lleva a cabo su trabajo con una perspectiva fundamental de experiencias de vida.     (view series main page for full details / consultar la página principal de la serie para ver toda la información)  

This is a recording of Workshop 6 of 6 in the "Trauma-Informed, In School Sessions" Workshop Series.  The Heart Work: Equity-Centered Coaching Practices for Trauma-Informed Collegiality and Collective Healing Trauma Informed Principle to Practice: Cultural Humility   As systemic inequities and trauma are often intertwined, addressing their connection becomes crucial in trauma-informed school communities. Centering equity in every student interaction and adult partnership supporting the school system is essential. The capacity for the adults responsible for implementing trauma-informed practices grounded in equity is nurtured through equity-centered coaching.   In this workshop video, Pacific Southwest MHTTC's School Mental Health Specialist Melissa Smith leads an exploration of the principles of equity-centered coaching to cultivate trauma-informed school environments. Coaching conversations, grounded in active listening, cultural humility, and psychological safety, model the equitable interactions that administrators might have with educators and providers so that educators and providers can offer the same experience with their students.   Melissa brings forth opportunities to examine our own identities, assumptions, patterns, and beliefs - thereby creating space for new perspectives. This self-reflection enables us to recognize how inequities and trauma manifest in our schools. As we build self-awareness about our experiences and worldviews, we become better able to perceive concerning dynamics and interrupt cycles of harm.   This workshop recording is an invitation to envision the trauma-informed and healing-centered schools we desire – places where adults possess the tools to nurture their well-being and fully empower students. We will review evidence-based tools, rationale, and resources to foster cultural humility, mitigate systemic barriers, and build trusting partnerships across the school community.

This is a recording of Workshop 5 of 6 in the "Trauma-Informed, In School Sessions" Workshop Series.  "You Can Talk to Me": A Family Guide to Support Students' Mental Health and Well-Being Trauma Informed Principle to Practice: Trustworthiness & Transparency, Collaboration & Mutuality    How might we partner with parents, caregivers and families through trauma informed approaches to support the mental health and well-being of the children and teens in their lives? In 2023, Project Cal-Well (a cross-agency mental health initiative led by the California Department of Education to promote mental health awareness and wellness among California's K-12 students) designed the Family Guide to Supporting Young People’s Mental Health and Well-Being for parents and other caregivers (available in English and Spanish), with input from families, educators, mental health professionals, and youth. By sharing tips for families on how to have conversations about social media use, mental health, anti-LGBTQ experiences, bullying and more, this guide provides parents and other caregivers with information and easy-to-use strategies to support their children’s overall well-being and mental health.   How did the guide’s authors partner with students and their families to create this guide? How might we support students and families to dig into its information and leverage this resource to partner with parents and other caretakers? View this workshop recording to explore these questions, and the guide itself, while learning from several of its authors about how the guide’s development process was trauma informed.   Viewers of this workshop video will: (1) learn about the development and content of the guide; (2) have the opportunity to consider how to get the guide and related local resources into the hands of families; and (3) generate ideas for how to use individual sections of the guide to align with a school’s continuum of trauma-informed approaches and social, emotional, and behavioral supports.

This is a recording of Workshop 4 of 6 in the "Trauma-Informed, In School Sessions" Workshop Series.  Counseling with Care: Trauma Informed School Counseling Practices Trauma Informed Principle to Practice: Peer Support, Empowerment   Are you a school counselor, becoming a school counselor, or someone who teams/works with school counselors? Zeyda Garcia, founder of Healing Aguas Wellness Solutions and school counseling professor, joined this series to share how to anchor and apply trauma-informed principles in school counseling practices, programs, and policies. In the workshop video, she discusses a high-level overview of trauma, its impacts on students, and different strategies school mental health providers can implement to support young people in counseling settings.   Utilizing trauma informed school counseling practices, providers can support young people in regulating their own nervous system and support them in accessing their education. Watch this workshop video and join in reflections on our unique school and personal practices, in order to enhance our trauma-informed support of students.   Viewers will walk away with practical tools to use in sessions with students, families, and school-wide. Most importantly, and in Zeyda’s words, this workshop aims to offer school counselors “more creativity, courage and confidence in yourself as a counselor and a commitment to caring for yourself.”