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Skurtu, Angela, MEd, LMFT

Angela Skurtu is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist. She is also an approved AASECT CEU provider. Skurtu is a national and keynote speaker and author of 2 books, “Helping Couples Overcome Infidelity: A Therapist’s Manual,” and “Pre-Marital Counseling: A Guide for Clinicians.” She also has her own YouTube Channel and podcast at www.aboutsexpodcast.com where she offers free information about healthy relationships and sexuality. Finally, she offers webinars monthly on various sexual health issues for clinicians who would like to receive CEUs for their AASECT Certification.

Presentation(s): 

High Conflict Couples Therapy

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Darkness to Light; Stewards of Children, Part II

Speaker(s):

Tara Brace, BA

Annie Wilson, BS

Presentation: Stewards of Children is a prevention training that teaches adults how to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. The program is designed for organizations that serve youth and for individuals concerned about the safety of children. It is the only nationally distributed, evidence-informed program proven to increase knowledge, improve attitudes, and change child protective behaviors. The training is typically a 2-hour training; however, for the Spring Training Institute, the training will be broken in to two parts, a Part I, 60-minute Super Session and a Part II, 90-minute Breakout Session. This training will teach participants the five steps in preventing child sexual abuse. Participants also receive a free workbook.

Objectives:

  1. INCREASE AWARENESS of the prevalence, consequences, and circumstances of child sexual abuse
  2. Develop NEW SKILLS to help adults prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse
  3. Discuss POSITIVE CHANGE to organizational policies and procedures
  4. Describe INDIVIDUAL EMPOWERMENT through an understanding of personal responsibility and actionable ways to make a difference
  5. Discuss the Five Steps to Protecting Our Children

Brace_HandoutDownload
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Darkness to Light; Stewards of Children, Part I

Speaker(s):

Tara Brace, BA

Annie Wilson, BS

Presentation: Stewards of Children is a prevention training that teaches adults how to prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse. The program is designed for organizations that serve youth and for individuals concerned about the safety of children. It is the only nationally distributed, evidence-informed program proven to increase knowledge, improve attitudes, and change child protective behaviors. The training is typically a 2-hour training; however, for the Spring Training Institute, the training will be broken in to two parts, a Part I, 60-minute Super Session and a Part II, 90-minute Breakout Session. This training will teach participants the five steps in preventing child sexual abuse. Participants also receive a free workbook.

Objectives:

  1. INCREASE AWARENESS of the prevalence, consequences, and circumstances of child sexual abuse
  2. Develop NEW SKILLS to help adults prevent, recognize, and react responsibly to child sexual abuse
  3. Discuss POSITIVE CHANGE to organizational policies and procedures
  4. Describe INDIVIDUAL EMPOWERMENT through an understanding of personal responsibility and actionable ways to make a difference
  5. Discuss the Five Steps to Protecting Our Children

Brace_HandoutDownload
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Wilson, Annie, BS

Annie Wilson is the Prevention Manager at Missouri KidsFirst, the state chapter for Missouri’s Child Advocacy Centers and the state chapter for Prevent Child Abuse America. Annie is an authorized Darkness to Light Instructor and Facilitator of the Stewards of Children child sexual abuse prevention training, and an experienced trainer on multiple topics related to child abuse and neglect. Annie also chairs the Task Force on the Prevention of Sexual Abuse of Children and helps lead multiple state-wide efforts to prevent child abuse and neglect. Annie is a proud wife and Mom to three active boys, so you can most often catch her running from one sports activity to another!

Presentation(s): 

Darkness to Light; Stewards of Children, Part I

Darkness to Light; Stewards of Children, Part II

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Brace, Tara, BA

Tara Brace has worked with children and families for 20 years while teaching preschool in a private daycare and Head Start environment. Brace worked in Senior Management with families who have children with disabilities. She then moved her career to Social Services where she was an investigator that investigated child abuse and neglect hotlines. She also worked case management with Social Services, which included working with families whose children were placed in foster care and helping those families locate services and reach goals so they could be reunited with their children. She has had several successful adoption and guardianships. She currently works for Kids Harbor in Osage Beach. She started there in July 2018 when her and her husband moved to the lake area from Sedalia. Brace is the community outreach coordinator working with schools, churches, daycares and any other organizations that work with children. She promotes the prevention program, which educates adults on how to recognize the signs of child sexual abuse. In January 2019, Brace also started a curriculum that works with children in the classroom on how to keep their bodies safe and when to tell a trusted adult when they do not feel safe.

Presentation(s): 

Darkness to Light; Stewards of Children, Part I

Darkness to Light; Stewards of Children, Part II

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Building Evidence Based Practices in Corrections Treatment Environments – Utilization of the Texas Christian University’s Internal Evaluation Protocol

Speaker(s):

Duane Cummins, PhD

Lindsey Quinn, MA, CRADC

Presentation:  This presentation will provide an overview of the Texas Christian University (TCU) assessment tools and utilization of these tools in direct client care, program design, program development, and measurement of program efficacy. The Internal Evaluation Process (IEP) which utilizes these tools can provide empirical insights for any program design, as well as provide a clear roadmap for measuring effectiveness. Additionally, application of the TCU tools to direct client care will be discussed. These skills can be invaluable in developing original evidence-based practices, and in better the value of effect of practices on specific areas of functioning.

Objectives:

  1. Understand the TCU assessment process
  2. Utilize the TCU assessment process in creating individualized treatment plans
  3. Utilize the TCU assessment data in measuring the effectiveness of program components
  4. Utilize the TCU assessment data in empirically measuring program effectiveness
  5. Utilize the TCU assessment data in formulation of an evidence base for development of pilot practices

Cummins_Quinn_PPDownload
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Quinn, Lindsey, MA, CRADC

Lindsey Quinn holds a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Ithaca College, and a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology from the School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute. Ms. Quinn has worked for the past five years with the Gateway Foundation, where she is currently the Program Director of a 240 bed in-prison residential substance use and co-occurring disorder treatment program for women, and a 62 bed in-prison substance use disorder treatment program for male clients in a special needs in-prison residential therapeutic community. Ms. Quinn has been a Clinical Research Team Member at Ithaca College where she developed a poster titled “Sensation Seeking and Psychostimulant Drug Use” for the James Whalen Academic Symposium. Ms. Quinn has a particular passion for applying science and research to practice, hence her presentation focus, applying Texas Christian University’s Internal Evaluation Protocol to assessment, treatment planning, program development and counselor supervision at Gateway Foundation’s programs at Women’s Eastern Reception and Diagnostic and Northeast Correctional Centers.

Presentation(s): 

Building Evidence Based Practices in Corrections Treatment Environments – Utilization of the Texas Christian University’s Internal Evaluation Protocol

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Cummins, Duane, PhD

During the past 37 years Dr. Cummins has functioned in a variety of different positions within the Missouri Department of Corrections and the Missouri Department of Mental Health, as well as having served Gateway Foundation in numerous markets. Duane has had the opportunity to train employees in a wide range of professional disciplines and has participated in the development of numerous original offender programs and program designs. Duane has a substantial grasp of the unique issues presented by individuals expressing both substance use and criminal behavior often compounded by other mental health conditions.

Presentation(s): 

The Changing Face of Corrections Based Substance Use Services

 

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Psychotherapy and Behavioral Health Interventions with Older Adults

Speaker(s):

Ann Steffen, PhD, ABPP

Nick Schmidt, MA, MS

Presentation:   As the U.S. population ages, the number of age-related morbidities continues to increase. There is a national shortage of mental health practitioners who are prepared to work with older adults (Institute of Medicine, 2012). This presentation focuses on the specific opportunities and challenges for addressing the interaction of physical and mental health concerns in older adults and their involved family care partners. State of the art information will be provided about the unique mental health concerns of older adults who are also experiencing physical health problems. This presentation will address best practices in evidence-based assessment and intervention strategies with older adults and family care partners. Participants will also be provided with resources for future professional development in mental health and aging. 

Objectives:

  1. Identify attitude, knowledge and skill competencies for evidence-based assessment and treatment of older adults
  2. Describe key considerations in the assessment and treatment of older adults with co-morbid physical and mental health concerns
  3. Discuss in-session strategies for overcoming challenges in psychotherapy with older adults

Steffen&Schmidt_STI2019_PPDownload
Older Adults_Presentation_2019STIDownload
Older Adults_Handouts_2019STIDownload
STI_ Behavioral Health Interventions with Older AdultsDownload
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Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Refining and Consistently Applying Essential Skills, Part II

Speaker(s):

Ann Steffen, PhD, ABPP

Presentation: This INTERMEDIATE level workshop is aimed at clinicians familiar with cognitive behavioral therapies and who want to improve their psychotherapy practice. CBTs have been shown in more than 1000 research studies to be effective for many different disorders and problems across the lifespan. National data indicate that CBTs are not consistently implemented in practice settings, greatly reducing treatment effectiveness. This three-hour workshop (Part I & Part II) is aimed at giving providers both a stronger conceptual basis for their use of core CBT components and a greater understanding of the associated microskills that can be directly applied to their practice. It is strongly advised that participants attend both sessions, as Part II builds upon material covered in Part 1. 

Objectives:

  1. Identify the essential defining features of the CBTs and describe the rationale for each
  2. Identify 1-2 core components of the CBTs to competently apply in next month with current patients/clients 
  3. Create a plan for continued professional development in the CBTs

Steffen_CBT_STI2019Download
CBT_Handouts_2019STIDownload