SELECT FROM THE WORKSHOP SESSIONS BELOW

SESSION ONE - WORKSHOP 1, 2, 3, or 4  (10:10am - 11:15am)
  and
SESSION TWO - WORKSHOP 5, 6, 7, or 8 (11:25am - 12:30am)
then
REGISTER BY MAY 10, 2009 TO RESERVE YOUR FREE PARKING SPACE
WORKSHOP SESSION ONE
10:10 AM – 11:15 AM

1. THE LANGUAGE OF LETTING GO

How much of Me do I have to give up helping You? How can I have a right to my Own Life, when someone I love has a brain illness? There are times we do too much, care too much, feel too little and overly engage in caretaking of another. Learn the difference between nurturing and enabling. Familiarize yourself with THE LANGUAGE OF LETTING GO. Hear Melody Beattie give you tools to reclaim your life.

 Melody Beattie – Keynote Speaker for this event and famous author of The Language of Letting Go inspired millions of people into healthier relationships. Ms. Beattie is a pioneer in getting yourself back, when someone you Love is Experiencing a Brain Illness. The Language of Letting Go is a collection of daily meditations. Originally written for people recovering from chemical dependency and codependency, this classic Beattie book quickly began to speak to people not in recovery. “I wanted to write a book that talked about everything people in recovery needed to know, but nobody was talking about,” Beattie says. “I wanted to document some of the confusing lessons that accompany relationships, and validate the feelings that go with these lessons.” What Ms. Beattie learned is that there’s magic in letting go. Her readers say there’s magic in reading this book, too.

It’s uncanny, how each day’s reading is exactly what I need to hear that day is her readers' most common response to this book, Beattie says.

I take it with me even when I travel. … After five years of reading the meditations each day, this book still speaks to me with new information. … This book got me through some of the worst days of my life but practicing the concepts in it brought me into the best years I’ve experienced. … I keep it on my bedside table and read it every day are other common responses to this favorite.

The Language of Letting Go, now a companion for over two million people, is an essential for anyone’s library.

Website: MelodyBeattie.com

The author will be available for autographs and books available for purchase at the conference.

Other popular titles from Melody Beattie:

 
 
 
Codependent
No More
  
The Grief Club




Introduced by Sharon Dunas, NAMI Westside LA

2. BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER AND DIALECTICAL BEHAVIOR THERAPY (DBT). STRATEGIES FOR WORKING WITH DIFFICULT EMOTIONS
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an empirically validated treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder. DBT posits that dysfunctional behavior is often the consequence of severe problems in regulating emotion. Originally developed by Marsha Linehan, Ph.D., DBT has evolved from standard cognitive-behavioral therapy, blending behavioral and crisis intervention, and mindfulness techniques into a comprehensive model. DBT has multiple applications to other clinically challenging conditions such as suicidal behavior, substance abuse, anger, and intense interpersonal conflicts. The treatment as well as tools for understanding and dealing with loved ones with multiple problems will be reviewed.

Dr. Lynn M. McFarr is the Director of CBT California, and the Director of the Cognitive Behavioral/Dialectical Behavior Therapy Clinic and Associate Training Director of the Division of Psychology at Harbor UCLA Medical Center. Dr. McFarr is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry for UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine.. Dr. McFarr trains psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers and psychiatric nurses in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. She lectures for major universities and regularly presents at national and international conferences. Dr. McFarr is a Beck Scholar, is Secretary for the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, and is on the executive board of The International Association for Cognitive Therapy (IACP). She founded the listserve for the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT).

She is published in the areas of CBT for schizophrenia, medication compliance and the use of mindfulness in CBT. Her book "The New Behaviors in Practice" will be published by Springer Science.  

Introduced by Jonee Shady, NAMI Glendale
3. ANGER MANAGEMENT:  THE ASSERTIVE EXPRESSION OF OUR MOST PRIMAL PSYCHIC FORCE
This seminar provides practical Anger Management tools to help with immediate situations. Managing escalating emotionality is crucial to good relationships, effective parenting, and family harmony. Specific techniques and insights in dealing with "Heat-of-the-Moment" feelings as well as long-term resentments are explained in a clear and direct way that everyone in the family can apply. A thorough understanding of assertive behaviors with specific examples of their use is provided. Managing our anger and stress is a prerequisite to establishing and maintaining a nurturing, thriving, loving family life."
Dr. Michael Levittan has been a psychotherapist in private practice for 16 years and is the director of T.E.A.M., a state-certified Anger Management and Domestic Violence program. He teaches seminars and courses for UCLA Extension, Loyola Marymount, L.A. Superior Court, Women's Shelters, Chapters of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, U.S. Marines, Jewish Family Services, Hillside Services for Children, etc. His areas of expertise include: family relationships, anger management, spousal and child abuse, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc. "Dr. Michael" has consulted for the L.A. Times, N.Y. Post, Dallas Morning Herald, Orlando Sentinel, Riverside Press, Golf Magazine, In-Touch Magazine, has served as an expert witness, and has appeared on the "Tyra Banks Show," Bad Girls Club," "Starting Over," and "Hollywood 411."

Introduced by Paul Stansfield, NAMI South Bay
4. USING NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS TO MINIMIZE MEDICATION AND ENHANCE MENTAL HEALTH

A psychiatrist practicing integrative medicine, Dr. Cass will explain how anxiety, depression, addiction and other mental and emotional symptoms are related to imbalances in brain and body chemistry. She will demonstrate how you can take specific nutritional supplements, validated by research, that successfully address the root of the problem, with minimal if any side effects, minimizing or even eliminating the use of psychotropic medications.

Hyla Cass M.D. is a board-certified psychiatrist and nationally recognized expert on integrative medicine. She has appeared on MSNBC, ABC-TV, and NBC-TV, numerous radio shows, and has been quoted in many national magazines. She is the author of ten acclaimed books including most recently: Natural Highs, 8 Weeks to Vibrant Health, and Supplement your Prescription: What Your Doctor Doesn’t Know About Nutrition. A member of the Medical Advisory Board of the Health Sciences Institute and Taste for Life Magazine, she is also Associate Editor of Total Health, served on the board of California Citizens for Health and currently, a board member of the American College for Advancement in Medicine.

Introduced by Dori Baron, NAMI Westside LA


WORKSHOP SESSION TWO
11:25 AM – 12:30 PM

5. WEIGHT GAIN AND RELATED SIDE-EFFECTS OF ANTIPSYCHOTIC MEDICATIONS

Weight gain and metabolic health problems, such as elevated lipids, hypertension and diabetes, are a major health concerns in people with serious, persistent mental illness. This talk with discuss their impact, and the role that antipsychotic medications can have in making these problems worse. The talk includes discussion of evidence-based strategies for evaluating, preventing, and managing these problems. And will present how these services can be made available to improve health outcomes.

Dr. Alexander Young is Director of the Health Services Unit of the Department of Veterans Affairs Desert Pacific Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center (MIRECC); and Professor at the UCLA Department of Psychiatry. He is a national expert regarding the evaluation and improvement of mental health care quality, and the use of health informatics. Dr. Young is currently leading EQUIP, a project that is implementing and evaluating methods for improving the quality of care for schizophrenia at 8 VA medical centers nationally. Dr. Young has received numerous honors, including the American Psychiatric Association 2000 Early Career Health Services Research Award, and the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill 2002 Exemplary Psychiatrist Award. He frequently presents and teaches about the treatment of severe mental illness, health services, and improving healthcare.

Introduced by Janis Frisch, NAMI Westside LA
6. COMMUNICATION DURING DIFFICULT TIMES: WHEN SOMEONE LACKS INSIGHT THAT THEY HAVE A TREATABLE BRAIN ILLNESS
Learn the techniques – “LEAP” from Dr. Xavier Amador’s book “I’m Not Sick, I Don’t Need Help” Communicate to Create a Healing Environment for Recovery from psychoses, relapse and rage attacks. “LEAP” - Four techniques to encourage someone to go for treatment. Listen, Empathize, Agree and Partner – watch a working demonstration of how to use these communication skills. Learn 6 helpful tools of Communication to encourage healing exchanges between yourself and another.

Sharon S. Dunas, MFT. Executive Director, NAMI Westside Los Angeles. Sharon is a NAMI State Trainer for the Family to Family Classes, Public speaker to promote mental health issues. Private Practice for families with Mental Illness and Addiction in their Midst.

Introduced by Nancy Carter, NAMI Urban LA
7. MINDFULLNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION:  SURVIVAL IN STRESSFUL TIMES
In this session, we will use a combination of discussion and mindfulness exercises to figure out how to survive in these stressful times. Mindfulness helps us learn a different way of relating to the events in our lives, allows us to systematically work with the challenges and stressors of everyday life, and allows us to take charge of our own lives. You will be introduced to the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program. You will learn methods to get out of the reactions and stories that stop you from being clear and effective, so that you can focus on what is truly important in your life. Two decades of published research indicate that practicing the skills taught in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program can reduce physical and psychological symptoms, increase relaxation, improve energy and enthusiasm for life, and enhance the ability to cope more effectively with short and long-term stressful situations.
Randye J. Semple, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at the Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California. After receiving a master's degree in clinical neuropsychology from the University of Auckland in New Zealand, she earned her M.S., M.Phil., and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Columbia University. Her research interests focus on developing, implementing, and evaluating the clinical effectiveness of a mindfulness-based group therapy for anxious children. She has consulted, published articles and book chapters, and presented at national conventions on this topic. Dr. Semple is a past president of the Mindfulness & Acceptance special interest group of the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. Her book, "Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy for Children: A Therapist Manual for Treating Childhood Anxiety with Mindfulness" will be published spring 2010 (New Harbinger Publications).

Introduced by Mindy Glazer, NAMI Westside LA
8. THE DAILY CHALLENGES OF RECOVERY: HOW FAMILY AND FRIENDS CAN SPEED THE PROCESS
Andy Behrman, who copes with bipolar disorder, but who has been stable for more than ten years, will briefly discuss his story and how he wrestled with bipolar disorder until he was correctly diagnosed after seeing nine different psychiatrists. Mr. Behrman will discuss his various treatments, which included a medication regimen, electroshock therapy, talk therapy and alternative treatments. Mr. Behrman will discuss the role that his family and friends played in his recovery and the mistakes that they made as well as concrete ways in which they helped his recovery. Mr. Behrman will also discuss the stigma of mental illness which was a huge roadblock to his recovery as well as basic "tips" as to how he continues to lives with this disorder on a daily basis.

Andy Behrman is the author of "Electroboy: a Memoir of Mania," published by Random House. "Electroboy" chronicles Behrman's decade long battle with bipolar disorder and his experience with electroshock therapy. Behrman is a mental health advocate and writer who has spoken to more than 300 audiences including mental health support groups, college audiences and mental health care professionals. His writing has been featured in the New York Times magazine section, "New York Magazine" and various mental health websites. He is featured in Stephen Fry's BBC documentary about bipolar disorder, has appeared as an expert on CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360, and on NPR radio. Behrman lives in Los Angeles with his two daughters, Emma, 2, and Kate, 4.

Website: Electroboy.com

Introduced by Sanjeet Sihota, NAMI Westside LA  
REGISTER BY MAY 10, 2009 TO RESERVE YOUR FREE PARKING SPACE

SELECT FROM THE WORKSHOP SESSIONS ABOVE

SESSION ONE - WORKSHOP 1, 2, 3, or 4  (10:10 - 11:15am)
  and
SESSION TWO - WORKSHOP 5 , 6, 7, or 8 (11:25am - 12:30am)
then