Hawaii Behavioral Health and Wellness Convention

We're taught to think of leadership as something that's given to us. If someone in authority hires us into a formal leadership role, then we're allowed to lead - otherwise, we're supposed to follow.

But real leaders don't wait for an invitation. Anyone can lead, from anywhere they are. All it takes is a cause worth pursuing, an idea worth sharing, or a vision worth bringing to life. In our talk, we'll show you how. We'll guide the audience to challenge their misconceptions about leadership and develop practical ways for anybody to become a leader, regardless of title. As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have an opportunity to not just return to normal life, but create a new vision for what life together could be. That new vision will take new leaders - and our talk will help inspire them to step forward.

• Learn strategies for self-leadership and taking initiative
• Discover ways to lead without resorting to control tactics
• Recognize how to make an impact and lead through non-traditional routes

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Each mental health profession has its own “provider culture”- a world view, a way of seeing people and the process of change, and beliefs about what is important for us to learn.

Harm Reduction Psychotherapy (HRP) was developed by a psychologist and a social worker, both with child and family experience. HRP has been further developed by other psychologists and social workers, by family therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, case managers, psychiatrists and nurse practitioners, and by the clients that we serve.

It is exactly our awareness of such intersectionality that has allowed the creation of a treatment model that can work with individuals, families, and systems; one that is inherently an integration of mental health and substance misuse treatment; one that recognizes the social context and constructs that are so often ignored; one that acknowledges the importance of biological factors in suffering and in healing; and one that places our clients’ perspective, wishes, and needs as central to our work.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to identify 2 basic principles of Harm Reduction Psychotherapy (HRP)
Participants will be able to list 2 clinical components of HRP
Participants will appreciate the different contributions made by different mental health professions

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Psychological knowledge with scientific ambitions has primarily emerged in the Western World. Systems of scientific knowledge built in the Western hemisphere erased Indigenous knowledge through the colonization and imperialistic exploitation of lands and peoples. Evidences of the devastating pervasive impacts of these Western colonial systems are epistemicide and genocide of many Indigenous cultures. However, Indigenous cultures are still thriving, resisting, surviving, and contesting colonial impositions in knowledge and action. Indigenous movements have sprouted everywhere. One of them is Indigenous psychologies that are proposing emic versus etic research, decolonial ontologies, epistemologies, axiologies, and methodologies to co-construct knowledge and praxes “otherwise.” These movements are furnishing the making of Indigenous community psychologies that address the plurality of perspectives and voices representing psychological phenomena in diverse geopolitical settings. We begin a new era of decoloniality by stopping the erasure of contributions from the Global South that are not anthropocentric and whose common theme is the sacredness of nature, the cultivation of spirituality, and accountability to maintain harmonious relationships with humans and other-than-humans. Indigenous community psychologies were applied in affective conviviality with inter-generational communities in diverse regions of Mexico. Solidary collaborations with Indigenous communities promote sumac kawsay(wellbeing) and the pluriversal co-construction of the Zapatista’s world in which many worlds are possible.

In this presentation we will learn about some examples of Indigenous Psychologies from the Global South (the Americas, Africa, Asia, Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands). We will review their constructs, principles, values, theories and praxes and determine common threats and differences. We will learn the main assumptions of community psychologies in the Global South and some examples of applications in praxes to propose Indigenous community psychologies that co-construct pathways towards decoloniality for epistemic, ecological, and cultural justice.

Learning Objectives:

• Comprehend that there are diverse psychologies informed by their own cultural contexts, cosmovisions, ontologies, epistemologies, and axiologies
• Learn about tools and approaches developed in the fields of Indigenous and community psychology
• Discern the interplay of inter-subjectivity, cultural phenomena, and decoloniality
• Be exposed to applications of Indigenous community psychologies in Mexico

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Note: This presentation requires a passcode to enter the room.  The passcode is: 12345.

Aims: This 3 hour live webinar gives mental health practitioners (e.g. psychology, psychiatry, social work, mental health nursing) who are not yet familiar with RO DBT and overview of what type of treatment RO DBT is. The aim is for clinicians to be able to make a more informed decision after attending this webinar on whether or not RO DBT is suitable for their clients and whether they want to learn how to practice RO DBT.

Content Level: this live webinar is at the introductory/beginner level: no previous knowledge of RO DBT is required.

Target Audience: Apart from a professional qualification in a mental health or related field (e.g. psychology, psychiatry, social work, mental health nursing) there are no further prerequisites for the course. Previous training in standard DBT is not a requirement.

Brief summary of RO DBT: Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO DBT) is a treatment for patients who suffer from emotional and behavioral over-control. Some clients lack emotional control and need interventions designed to enhance emotional and behavioral control; others, for whom RO DBT is designed, require interventions designed to relax rigid or inflexible control. RO DBT has been researched over the past 25 years for patients with chronic depression, chronic anxiety or anorexia nervosa. Research results suggest that it is effective in these, and other, hard-to-treat groups such as Autism Spectrum Disorders and Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder.

Learning Objectives. After attending this webinar, you will be able to:
1.    Define the problem of overcontrol according to the four core deficits and the biosocial theory for overcontrol
2.    Describe what Radical Openness is (and is not)
3.    Describe the RO-DBT treatment hierarchy and modes of treatment
4.    Evaluate whether RO DBT might be a suitable treatment for your clients
5.    Understand what a social signal is and how they are important in RO DBT
6. Recognize the unique therapist stance in RO DBT

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Hawaii’s Our Care Our Choice Act (OCOCA), which went into effect in January 2019, allows terminally ill, mentally competent, adult residents of the state to request medical aid in dying (MAID) to relieve unbearable suffering at the end of life. Licensed psychiatrists, psychologists and clinical social workers are authorized to conduct mental health consultations for MAID patients. Our presentation will begin with a brief review of the history and content of the law, focusing particularly on Hawaii’s unique mental health provisions. Dr. Goodyear will then discuss essential components of the mental health consultation and important elements of the reporting process. Case examples will be presented to illustrate the types of clinical issues that may be encountered in the evaluation of MAID patients. We will consider the question of whether a mandatory mental health evaluation is necessary for all MAID patients. Dr. Spira will present further insights about the evaluation process and additional case examples. Dr. Spira will also discuss existential issues that may arise in the continuum of end-of-life care. Jodi Shaw will then address the roles that social workers may play as patient navigators, members of the medical treatment team, and other roles that help to support patients and families in the MAID process and end-of-life care. Finally, Samantha Trad will present data to illustrate both national trends in MAID and utilization of OCOCA in Hawaii. Proposed improvements to OCOCA designed to better facilitate patient access will be addressed.
Objectives
Attendees will be able to:

• Describe the provisions of Hawaii’s Our Care Our Choice Act.
• Describe the essential components of the mental health consultation.
• Describe the various roles that psychologists and social workers may play in the medical aid in dying process.
• Describe national trends in medical aid in dying and proposed changes to the Our Care, Our Choice Act.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

When we think about bullying, we imagine kids being mean on the playground. And yet no matter what age your clients may be, chances are bullying has played a part in their story.

To make matters worse, bullying has evolved over the years. The bullies we grew up with are different from the ones we see today. Plus, the old ways of dealing with bullying don't work the way they used to. In fact, many of our strategies for dealing with bullies tend to make the problem worse.

But it doesn't have to be that way.

Drawing on his personal experiences of bullying as well as up-to-date research and clinical insights, Dr. Kyler Shumway explains why it exists, how it particularly affects our clients, and what all of us - whether students, professionals, or parents - can do to create a world without bullying.

• Understand modern bullying on a deeper level
• Learn strategies for helping survivors of bullying
• Recognize how effective interventions can create lasting change

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

While there is a lack of consensus regarding how metaphors affect change (Boyle, 1954, as cited in May, 1991), there is growing acknowledgment across multiple theoretical orientations that metaphors have transformative power (Ferrari, 2000). Metaphors activate a natural process of meaning making. They use a client’s own inner resources (Clarke, 2014) and cultural idioms (Kovecses, 2010) to create a unique portrait of the client’s understanding of the deeper meanings of their experiences. They also provide a means of dialectically processing the connections between the conscious and unconscious, digital and analogical, literal and existential. In doing so, metaphors help us reach beyond our boundaries to discover more of who we are (Kaur & Eqbal, 2015). The night sea journey archetype, more popularly known as the hero's journey archetype, is probably one of the most common metaphors that emerge in the process of therapy. On the hero's journey, each individual is challenged by ambivalence, self-doubt, and despair, yet finds hope, redemption, and empowerment. It captures the individual’s journey of self-discovery and provides a means of helping the individual overcome adversity through the discovery of a personal narrative of a hero within. This workshop will provide you with ways to incorporate metaphors into your daily practice. The workshop will provide you with emerging data on how metaphors are used through examples and practice. Be prepared to find your own inner superhero.

Learning Objectives for the Program:
Participants will be able to:
1) explain how metaphors are an active, dialectical process.
2) identify at least three mechanisms of change associated with metaphoric process.
3) identify a procedure for exploring and utilizing one’s own sense of the hero within.
4) list the stages of the Hero’s Journey.
5) incorporate ways to introduce superheroes into their practice.
6) introduce superheroes through progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing exercise.

Joy Tanji, PhD: A brief overview of metaphors and how we think they work
There is growing interest in the use of metaphors across theoretical orientations, but there remains limited theory and research on how it effects transformation and healing. In this presentation, participants will be introduced to a dialectical model of metaphors and their mechanisms of change that may be used to guide future research on the use of metaphoric process in therapy.

Robert Yoshimura, PsyD: The significance of the hero’s journey archetype
The hero’s journey archetype is a pancultural theme reflected in people’s search for self knowledge. It's been associated with a pattern of iterative phases that depict a predictable sequence of mini transformations a person goes through on their journey towards self discovery. In this presentation, participants will be introduced to the Hero’s Journey archetype as a guide for assessing where a client is in the process of change.

Jodie E. Gerson, MA, MS: Finding your superhero
Superheroes are more than entertainment. They can help tell your story, help you with coping strategies, and help your client connect with you. In this presentation, participants will be introduced to ways to incorporate superheroes into their practice, from mindful activities to allowing the person to help share their experiences. Participants will engage in different superhero progressive muscle relaxation they can do with people of all ages and abilities.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

The Coronavirus pandemic has had a worldwide impact on the health and wellbeing of people. In Hawaiʻi, our ‘ohana and communities continue to be confronted with uncertainty, loss and constant change. Through these ongoing stresses and challenges, it is paramount to remain connected to each other, systems of support and the practices that uplift our health and wellbeing. This workshop will explore traditional Hawaiian culture and values through Kūkulu Kumuhana. This wellbeing tool was developed through collaboration of Liliʻuokalani Trust, Kamehameha Schools, Office of Hawaiian Affairs and others which uplifts six principles of Ea (self-determination), ʻĀina Momona (healthy and productive land and people), Pilina (mutually sustaining relationships), Waiwai (ancestral knowledge and collective wealth), ʻŌiwi (cultural identity and native intelligence) and Ke Akua Mana (spirituality and sacredness of mana). The Native Hawaiian Wellbeing During COVID-19 resource was developed to provide practical ideas and activities as a tool to strengthen ʻohana during this unsettling time. It was featured in OHA’s Ka Wai Ola magazine as a strategy for thriving in a pandemic. The Kūkulu Kumuhana Keiki Activity was later developed as a way to spark intentional family dialogue and youth empowerment. Join us for this workshop to learn about Kūkulu Kumuhana, the tools developed in response to COVID-19 and explore ways that it can be used in your work, communities and ʻohana. These tools recognize and uplift the foundation of abundance that our kūpuna laid and center these values and practices amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Through culture and values, we remain interconnected to each other, kūpuna and ʻāina to uplift our ola!

Learning Objectives: After this presentation, participants will:
• Become acquainted with the Kūkulu Kumuhana wellbeing framework.
• Be able to articlate the six dimensions of Kūkulu Kumuhana.
• Leave with practical ideas for implementing Kūkulu Kumuhama in your work, communities and ʻohana.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

This workshop is designed for those familiar with the state of interconnectedness and those who are beginning to understand of nature of “Oneness.”  Participants do not have to be of any spiritual, religious, or theoretical perspective to appreciate how “We Are All One” joins us collectively.  Our approach provides fundamental principles that underly personal development and transformation and is applicable to the therapeutic experience.  Our workshop will provide both theoretical and practical approaches to core, intrinsic experiences of single unity and integration.

As humans we have a compelling urge to discover and become aware of our true nature, which is innate, and lies at the core of our being.  This truth connects us all. We acknowledge that every culture has different traditions, attitudes, and values, yet underneath the quest we are all the same. We seek to awaken this sense of oneness through connection where we experience universal happiness and love. A central problem arises in that we have become conditioned by our fears and anxieties to believe that unifying consciousness risks the loss of our own self-identity. This is a myth. This self we are protecting is a mere image, which we have created to separate our known self from our unknown self. The belief has fostered the dualistic split that we are either all one or we are all separate.

What are the characteristics of this experience of interconnectedness? How can we achieve such a state of oneness in our daily lives? How might we become free of the self-design we have formed so that we might understand the whole of who we are? How do we achieve a deeper self-awareness and become more sensitive to ourselves, others and the interconnectedness between us?

All life is spiritual, so all are problems are spiritually based. In this presentation we aim to challenge ourselves to integrate the spiritual with the psychological in therapy. We will do this through didactic and experiential exercises.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

With the right idea, fifteen minutes is all you need to change the world.

That's the vision behind TED talks. Find an idea worth spreading, distill it down into a compelling fifteen minute speech - and you have a TED talk.

Of course, only a few people each year are invited to the main TED conference. But the TED organization allows local groups to organize their own TED conferences, called "TEDx events." Speakers at TEDx events have the opportunity to reach a large local audience, and have their talk published online to impact a worldwide audience.

As a behavioral health professional, your wellspring of mental health insight and knowledge gives you a unique opportunity to give an incredible TEDx talk. By taking the TEDx stage, you might inspire your audience, share important psychological truths and supercharge your own career.

And in this presentation, you'll learn how to make it happen. Taught by Dr. Daniel Wendler, a two-time TEDx speaker whose TEDx talks have been viewed by over half a million people online, you'll learn strategies for getting invited to a TEDx stage, figuring out your "big idea", and delivering a talk of a lifetime.

Learning Objectives:
• Understand how to develop a TEDx idea that is individual, universal, and simple
• Can find TEDx speaking opportunities in my area and determine which are a good fit for me
• Am able to prepare a TEDx application that makes a strong case for my talk.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

This presentation will review centrality of scientific and social eugenics movement in development of Western psychology. Eugenics or “science of racial betterment” was central in foundations of American psychology, including in use of racial and gender comparisons, statistics, testing, vocational tracking, animal experimentation, behaviorism, and many other approaches. Many of its most problematic practices supported rather than resisted racist, sexist, colonial, and other oppressive social ideologies. Specific focus will be given to epistemological views in early American and Western psychology that led to subsequent research and applied practices, which have been termed violent, unjust, and problematic. The context of Hawaii and its history will be used to frame this presentation in relation to colonization-based eugenic standpoints versus efforts to resist and challenge these perspectives. The audience will be invited to consider ways in which eugenics has shaped mental health science and practice, and to envision new pathways toward developing psychologies of social justice and decolonization. Concepts related to colonialism/decolonialism, liberation, critical psychology, human sciences, and indigeneity will be especially emphasized.

Learning Objectives:

• Identity and apply understanding of eugenic history in psychology to evaluation of past and present day mental health research and practices.
• Evaluate eugenic epistemological values in relation to socio-historic histories specific to Hawaiian context.
• Examine and integrate decolonial, liberation, critical and indigenous standpoints in science and practice of psychology and mental health.

References:

Yakushko, O. (2019). Eugenics and its evolution in Western psychology. Psychotherapy and Politics International. 
Gaztambide, D. J. (2019). A people’s history of psychoanalysis: From Freud to liberation psychology. Lexington Books.
Watkins, M., & Shulman, H. (2008). Toward psychologies of liberation. New York: Palgrave Macmillan
Saini, A. (2019). Superior: The return of race science. Beacon Press.
Tucker, W. H. (1996). The science and politics of racial research. University of Illinois Press.
Immerwahr, D. (2019). How to hide an empire: A short history of the greater United States. Random House.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Deafness is an invisible disability that not many can understand the implications it has on an
individual’s social and emotional understanding. The diversity within the d/Deaf culture is vast
with a long history of oppression. Over 90% of babies who are born deaf are born to parents
who are hearing, which means access to language, learning, and reading can be a long,
challenging road. In this presentation, we will look at the spectrum of language approaches,
cultural diversity within deafness, history of Deaf culture, and how to best support families who
have a child with hearing loss as professionals.

Learning Objectives
1. Attendees will understand the language opportunities for children who are deaf and hard
of hearing and the choices families are required to make early on in a child’s life.
2. Attendees will be able to describe the diversity within the d/Deaf culture and the role this plays
on a child’s identity as a d/Deaf individual
3. Attendees will gain information about the Hawaii deaf community, services, and how to best
support families who have children who are deaf and hard of hearing.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Participants will learn some of the most effective ways to work within the mental health system as a provider of services. Many of these “tips of the trade” are transferrable to consumers and family members that may need assistance. State and private systems of care will be discussed including jargon that is essential in navigating services and systems. The basics of trauma informed care will be reviewed when working with consumers. Trauma informed management will also be addressed as a concept for taking care of staff in the workplace.

Building relationships with the various networks of care is the basis for this workshop. What does client driven mean and what does this look like in practice? In navigating we have kuleana to advocate for our consumers and the workshop will outline the various ways in which we strive to provide the highest quality of care.

An emphasis will be suicide awareness and prevention as a core competency for mental health and substance use providers. Participants will have an opportunity to practice a self-care activity which can improve sustainability for practitioners. When we are taking care of ourselves and centered in strength then we can view our work as blessings and opportunities versus burdens.

Workshop Objectives 
As a result of this program, participants will:

• learn about the process of accessing care mental health and substance use services in Hawaii
• learn about the eligibility criteria for most state operated and private providers of care in Hawaii.
• gain an understanding for the importance of continuity of care between and across systems.
• gain knowledge in the power of networking and building relationships in the mental health field and understand the benefits to the consumer (s).
• experience a self-care experience and learn how to apply it in their practice.
• be able to identify risk factors for individuals that may be at risk for suicide.
• be able to communicate the basic principles of Trauma Informed Care (TIC).

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Experiential techniques can be of great benefit alone and in combination with cognitive-behavioral and exposure approaches to trauma treatment. Meditation can be helpful in reducing reactivity to everyday triggers, improve sleep, and recover a sense of calm and comfort in the life of the traumatized patient. Hypnosis can be helpful in reassociating a comfortable emotional state with past trauma memories, breaking the conditioned negative response formed with the original trauma, as well as forming new cognitive schema to replace the old conditioned imagery. Together, meditation and hypnosis are powerful tools to assist the patient to overcome past traumas and formulate new pathways to move forward in more productive ways. Research, theory, and specific techniques useful for single and complex trauma will be taught and practiced so that these skills will be able to be employed in your practice following the workshop.

Learning Objectives:
Attendees will learn to:

• conceptualize acute and chronic trauma as a learned conditioned response that can be reconditioned through experiential self-help training methods.
• employ specific experiential techniques, including hypnosis and meditation, that can be effective on their own and in combination with other evidence-based trauma treatments in helping their patients overcome trauma symptoms.
• apply techniques that not only assist with helping patients who have experienced trauma, but that can be applied to a wide range of distress.

Research Citations:
Rotaru TȘ, Rusu A. A Meta-Analysis for the Efficacy of Hypnotherapy in Alleviating PTSD Symptoms. Int J Clin Exp Hypn. 2016;64(1):116-36. doi: 10.1080/00207144.2015.1099406. PMID: 26599995.
Cardenia et al (2009). Hypnosis (Ch. 17). In Effective Treatments for PTSD: Practice Guidelines from the International Society for the Studies of Traumatic Stress. E. Foa, T. Keane, M. Friedman, J. Cohen (Eds). Guilford Press: NY.
Gallegos, A. M., Crean, H. F., Pigeon, W. R., & Heffner, K. L. (2017). Meditation and yoga for posttraumatic stress disorder: A meta-analytic review of randomized controlled trials. Clinical psychology review, 58, 115–124. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2017.10.004
Hilton, Lara, Alicia Ruelaz Maher, Benjamin Colaiaco, Eric Apaydin, Melony E. Sorbero, Marika Booth, Roberta M. Shanman, and Susanne Hempel, Meditation for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Systematic Review. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2017. https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1356.html.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

This workshop covers all the basic information therapists and clients want and need to know about EMDR, which is reflected in our learning objectives. This workshop thus addresses what EMDR is, who is appropriate for EMDR, how therapists prepare clients for EMDR, how therapists use EMDR, and what therapists do if EMDR doesn't work. In addition, we will briefly describe what EMDR Basic Training involves and what is required for Certification in EMDR.

The presenters are therapists who are experienced in the use of EMDR for a wide range of client problems. They work as a team to teach EMDR to other therapists. They consult with other therapists about EMDR and work with them to become certified in EMDR and approved consultants.

Learning Objectives
By attending this workshop, participants will be able to explain:
1. What EMDR is.
2. Which clients are appropriate for EMDR.
3. How therapists prepare clients for EMDR.
4. How therapists use EMDR.
5. What therapists do if EMDR doesn't work.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a variety of challenges for the delivery of mental health services for youth and families. As we all know, there has been a significant unforeseen shift to telehealth services, which has compelled providers to quickly adjust their approaches to fit this new and evolving virtual landscape. Fortunately, telemental health innovations have demonstrated effectiveness across a range of modalities. The literature in this area offers various strategies for mental health care providers looking to maximally leverage this technology. Additionally, research regarding telehealth suggests that its outcomes tend to be equivalent to that of in-person services, and it is already evident that our providers have overwhelmingly adopted innovative ways to facilitate effective telehealth service delivery. This presentation will offer recommendations derived from the evidence-base for increasing “telepresence” during telehealth interactions with youth and families, discuss policies regarding safety, and share lessons learned during the University of Hawaiʻi’s Center for Cognitive Behavior Therapy—Child Section's implementation of telemental health services.

Learning Objectives:
(1) Gain an understanding of various telepractice recommendations;
(2) Determine which recommendations might be most useful to adopt in their own practice; and
(3) Feel more confident in their use of telemental health with youth and families.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Note: This presentation requires a passcode to enter the room.  The passcode is: 12345.

Increasing and sustaining wellbeing requires relevant and actionable data. Despite composing more than one-fifth of Hawaiʻi’s population, Native Hawaiians (NHs), as the Indigenous peoples of the state, are typically reported within the broader category of Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders. This is problematic as it masks the unique social realities of Native Hawaiians. In addition, data collected by state agencies are narrowly focused and primarily deficit-based.

To collect relevant and actionable data, Kamehameha Schools, Liliʻuokalani Trust, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs partnered with Marzano Research to administer a statewide survey from November 2020 to February 2021 to examine wellbeing in Hawaiʻi from a holistic, strengths-based perspective and utilized a Hawaiian culture-based wellbeing framework to represent the results. The wellbeing framework, Kūkulu Kumuhana, was first presented to NASW Hawaiʻi at the 2018 NASW Hawaiʻi conference as a poster. In 2021, we return with a proof of concept in its application. The framework is holistic, multi-dimensional, and promotes social justice. The six interconnected dimensions are Ea–Self determination, ‘Āina Momona–Healthy and productive land and people, Pilina–Mutually sustaining relationships, Waiwai –Ancestral abundance, collective wealth, ‘Ōiwi–Cultural identity and native intelligence and Ke Akua Mana—spirituality and the sacredness of mana.

This presentation highlights strengths and challenges regarding Native Hawaiian wellbeing to support programs, inform communities, and improve policy. We will explore commonalities and differences between Native Hawaiians and non-Hawaiian experiences statewide and across counties. Implications for the profession of social work on micro-, mezzo-, and macro-levels will be discussed.

Learning Objectives
At the end of the session, participants will be able to:

• Describe the limitations of current data on Native Hawaiians
• Explain the need to collect, analyze, and report out data that reflects the strengths of marginalized populations, particularly Native Hawaiians
• Describe general commonalities and differences of wellbeing between Native Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Abstract:
This 90-minute workshop will be led by a panel from the Hawaiian Islands Group Psychotherapy Society discussing some of the core principles of group psychotherapy and how they can be utilized in a range of groups we interact in within our communities. The five stages of group development will be discussed with examples of how they occur in different settings. Specific attention will be placed on the role of conflict within the stage of Storming as an opportunity to practice skills and grow as individuals and as a group. Leadership styles, challenges in group settings, and leader strategies will be explored. The role of boundaries, safety, and trust in group settings will be discussed with leadership strategies to develop these components.
Facilitating groups over online platforms with participants from multiple islands will be one of the examples explored to highlight group dynamics and stages of group development.
Program Description:
We interact in groups every day, as members, as leaders, and as observers. The dynamics of groups are always occurring and when we attend to those dynamics, we have an opportunity to participate in a more present and effective manner. This workshop will discuss core principles of group dynamics that occur in both in our community settings and in group therapy settings. Leadership styles, five stages of group development, dysfunctions of groups, and leader strategies will be presented and explored in this workshop.
Learning objectives:

• Participants will be able to identify the 5 stages of group development
• Participants will be able to understand the purpose of conflict and “storming” in group dynamics
• Participants will be able to identify 3 leader strategies they can use in groups.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Description: Everyday life is full of challenges big and small! When you give children the tools to overcome obstacles, you help them learn and grow. Join the team from Sesame to explore resources from Sesame Street in Communities, a free digital platform with resources to share across your community. Our resources engage kids and adults in everyday moments and daily routines—from teaching early math and literacy concepts, to encouraging families to eat nutritious foods, to serious topics such as divorce and food insecurity. Spend some time in this workshop exploring resources you can use to address topics like health emergencies, traumatic experiences and racial justice!

Objectives:Over the course of this workshop, participants will

• Learn about the platform Sesame Street in Communities,
• Explore Sesame resources connected to Resilience and aligned topic pages and
• Create learning opportunities to share with children, caregivers, and other providers!

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Description:
Introduction to the Hawai‘i Pro Bono Mental Health Center serving the under and uninsured for mental health services for the state of Hawai‘i.

Overview/Abstract:
We are excited to introduce you to the Hawai‘i Pro Bono Mental Health Center (HPBMHC)! The center was created after a COVID pro bono project was launched to help those affected emotionally by the pandemic who did not have access to insurance. The COVID Pro Bono project received over 88 requests and connected 45 who were under or uninsured to 28 local clinicians. The HPBMHC was created to continue providing to the under and uninsured who are struggling to cope with their current challenges they are presented with. The project is not suitable for extremely urgent circumstances including severe distress or emergency services. They are suited for those in need of short-term emotional support. The project is built from the generous donation of clinician’s time. We are asking every licensed Psychologist, Social Worker, Marriage & Family Therapist, and mental Health Counselor to provide one spot on their caseload for the center.

Learning Objectives:
As a result of this program, participants will be able to:

1. describe the development of the Pro-Bono Covid-19 Project and its evolution to date.
2. iterate the Project's learnings and successes, including the data to substantiate them.
3. explain the transition plan and proposed creation of the Hawaii Pro-Bono Mental Health Center.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

This interactive workshop will explore the intersection of harm reduction tenets and social work values that inform harm reduction-based social work practice.  From theory to field, both harm reduction and social work share values such as social justice, dignity and worth of the person and the importance of relationships.  This workshop will review the history of harm reduction practice in both the U.S. and Hawaii will as well as concrete applications of harm reduction practices.  Data from evidence-based harm reduction services such as Housing First, Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion and Syringe Access programs will be highlighted as well as lessons learned from the Hawaii Health and Harm Reduction Center.

After this session, participants will be able to:
List and define three tenets of harm reduction as they apply to social work values
Describe three examples of harm reduction in practice
Identify and access harm reduction resources and services in Hawaii

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

This study explores the ethical challenges and solutions encountered in the practice of outdoor ecotherapy. A gap in the ecotherapy literature exists concerning the unique ethical issues faced in clinical practice and the specific solutions to achieve successful outcomes while in adherence to the APA Ethics Code (Hasbach, 2016; King, 2015; Revell & McLeod, 2016; Wolsko & Hoyt, 2012). Thus, the present This qualitative dissertation explored through qualitative interviews the firsthand experiences of 10 licensed 10 psychologists who have practiced outdoor ecotherapy while in adherence to the APA Ethics Code— offering both the common ethical challenges confronted, and solutions used across different client groups, practice settings, and cultural contexts.
Building on the past research regarding ethical outdoor ecotherapy practices, the thematic analysis examined challenges and solutions encountered in 14 domains that are related to elements of the APA ethics code including: minimum training, informed consent, screening, efficacy, payment, changes to the therapeutic frame, confidentiality, recording, accessibility, assessment, treatment planning, avoiding harm, documentation and liability insurance. Three additional domains are drawn from the previous ecotherapy literature: respectful integration, not pushing a nature agenda, and reciprocity. Findings identified common challenges confronted by outdoor ecotherapists and offered solutions used successfully in practice across different client groups, practice settings, and cultural contexts. This study's results may help clinicians who aim to incorporate nature into their therapeutic interventions.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

When faced with a pandemic and losses that remains ambiguous, our resilience is all that we have to help us cope. With monumental losses, personally, and professionally, we need to regain our strength and stability. The goal is not finding closure on this terrible time, but rather, finding some meaning in what we just experienced. Seeking closure only delays the resolution of loss for individuals as well as for larger societal systems of racism and social disparities. Valuing closure blocks not only our self-understanding but also the ability to empathize with the suffering of others and thus the momentum to make needed changes. If we believe people should just get over their loss and grief, then we have shut the door on our own ability to feel. Personally, and professionally, how do we find the flexibility to shift gears and change in the face of such ambiguity and loss? Dr. Boss offers six nonlinear guidelines that can help rebuild resilience to live with the stress of  ambiguity and uncertainty. They are based on the concepts of meaning, mastery, identity, ambivalence, attachment, and new hope (Boss, 2000,  2006, 2020). Dr. Boss also discusses the downside of resilience—it’s assumption of adaptation instead of systemic change. Questions and comments will be welcomed.

Learning Objectives:
1. Listening personally and professionally
2. Understanding the stress of loss, clear or ambiguous, and its effects
3. Increasing resilience by increasing tolerance for ambiguity
4. Accepting the paradox of absence and presence: both/and thinking.
5. Recognizing normal grief in abnormal times
6. Applying the six guidelines for resilience to live with loss and grief

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Ms. Garlock will not be available to conduct this workshop at the convention this Friday.  She will record the program at a later time and we will make it available to all convention attendees.

Systems created in Europe and the United States were founded on white supremacy, and continue to function in its perpetuation. How do we unlearn some of these things and untangle ourselves and our profession from these harmful roots? How do we actively practice our work and work to dismantle our practices at the same time? We cannot therapize our way out of colonization and white supremacy. What can we do?

It is hoped that this roundtable will be an opportunity to have this discussion as Social Work and other Behavioral Health professionals; to reflect on what can be done on a macro/community level to address white supremacy and its legacy in the world, and especially in the Nation of Hawai’i.

Learning Objectives:
● To reflect upon and describe two ways in which our individual and collective complicity in systems that uphold white supremacy
● To formulate responses to individual and collective responsibility for dismantling systems that uphold white supremacy
● To generate ideas about ways we can work as individuals and collectively to integrate anti-racist practices into our work

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Racism as the Diagnosis: Exploring Racism and Medical Trauma as Social Determinates of Health and Effective Strategies for Change is a workshop that explores the impact of racism and medical trauma on health and health behaviors in the African American Community.

During the unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic, racial healthcare disparities have been a focal point for many with the CDC declaring race a social determinate for increased sickness and death from Covid-19. Covid-19 has highlighted the racial disparities in healthcare as well as the continued mistrust of the healthcare system within the African American Community. Not only are African Americans disproportionately represented in Covid-19 related deaths and hospitalizations, but also in mistrust of the healthcare system.

This workshop explores racism and medical trauma as primary factors to racial disparities in the African American community. Participants of this workshop will identify medical trauma and federal policy endured by African Americans throughout American history and explore how these events and policies have negatively impacted the black community's perspective on the healthcare system.

After gaining a foundational understanding of racism’s impact on healthcare in the black community, this workshop will discuss evidence-based, trauma-informed strategies practitioners and other healthcare professionals can implement to empower African Americans to build trust in their healthcare system and increase desired outcomes in health management, healthcare assessments, and discharge planning. This interactive workshop will utilize a combination of videos, polls, and group chat to keep workshop participants engaged.

Objectives

•  Explore African American history of medical trauma that contributes to healthcare disparities and mistrust of the healthcare system.
• Discuss the impact of medical trauma on health behaviors and perceptions in African American communities.
• Review the present-day impact of racism on health in African American communities.
• Discuss effective strategies that can be utilized by practitioners to promote healthcare equality and address medical trauma and mistrust of the healthcare system.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Neuropsychologist Aldrich Chan examines how conscious experience of reality is shaped by the limits and illusions (“veils”) of sensation, perception, emotion, cognition, sociocultural systems, and the self. In this didactic, he will explore these "veils of consciousness" and build upon relevant theories in service of improving the accuracy of conceptualizing mental processes. Furthermore, he will teach a novel clinical tool, guided by modern research in neuroscience, that may assist with processing information at various levels of human experience.

Learning objectives -
1. Identify the limitations and illusions ("veils") within biopsychosocial processes.
2. Apply knowledge of "veils" in the context of clinical practice.
3. Conceptualize mental processes through an integrated perspective.
4. Apply "Spatiotemporal model" for conceptualization
5. Apply a novel therapeutic method ("cycling") in relation to these findings.
6. Identify meaning through a biopsychosocial-existential lens and implement them through an ACT based approach.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Do you find that your clients struggle to change their thoughts and feelings, only to stay stuck in unhelpful patterns? Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a “third wave” contextual behavioral therapy designed to help clients step out of the cycle of experiential avoidance and control, and instead become more open, aware, and engaged in values-based living.

In this workshop, geared toward all levels of prior ACT training, we will begin with a brief exploration of the theory underlying ACT, including the role of human language in suffering and the importance of understanding human behavior in context. We’ll then take a stroll through the core processes of ACT - acceptance, cognitive defusion, present moment awareness, perspective-taking, values, and committed action - and practice experiential exercises and metaphors that can be used to help clients build psychological flexibility.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
1. Define psychological flexibility and discuss the contextual behavioral theory underlying Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
2. Discuss the pitfalls of using control and experiential avoidance strategies in response to human suffering.
3. Describe the ACT core processes of acceptance, cognitive defusion, and self-as-context, and their benefits in fostering openness and awareness.
4. Define “values” in the context of ACT and identify the benefits of values-focused interventions.
5. Define “committed action” and its relationship with values.
6. Describe experiential methods of increasing psychological flexibility in clinical practice.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Have you ever wondered how to successfully communicate with someone who sees the world from an entirely different angle than you do? Often the chasm seems impossible to navigate, even with the best of intentions. Whether you work in a boardroom, schoolroom, therapy room, or community organization, Collaborative-Dialogic Practices offers a humanizing approach to facilitating dialogues that make a difference in our fast-changing, diverse, and ever-shrinking world.
These practices encourage relationships and conversations that create a generative space and promote meaningful transformations, even in the most difficult situations. This approach involves an epistemological and mindset shift in how we think about ourselves, the people we meet, what we do together, and how we do it. Grounded in social constructionism, the main feature of the practice, the philosophical stance, guides the professional in particular ways of being, talking, thinking, and acting with others. Rather than assuming an expert position of authoritative knowledge, collaborative practitioners use curiosity, not-knowing, and uncertainty to engage others in meaningful dialogue that generates new understandings, informing future possibilities that were previously unimagined by either person alone. In this workshop, participants will learn the foundations of forming collaborative relationships, including the philosophical and practical foundations. If Zoom breakout rooms are available, they will also have a chance to practice this essential skill in small groups.

Learning Objectives:
After attending this workshop, participants will be able to:
1. Articulate the theoretical and philosophical foundations for forming collaborative-dialogic conversations.
2. Implement the key skills needed to facilitate collaborative-dialogic conversations, including dialogic curiosity and therapist positioning.
3. Apply collaborative-dialogic practices to better facilitate communication between people from differing cultures and/or contexts.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

This training will introduce the intersections of Hip-Hop culture and healing, through the theoretical framework and clinical applications of Hip-Hop Therapy. This training will also discuss how and why this treatment model can be effective in treating trauma in a culturally responsive way.

Learning Objectives:
By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to:

• name and identify the fundamental elements of Hip-Hop Culture.
• articulate what constitutes Hip Hop Therapy.
• explain how and why Hip-Hop therapy is effective in treating Trauma.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Access to mental health care is complicated by many factors, the most obvious being availability of practitioners. Communities that are isolated either by physical distance or cultural differences are often the last to receive care. Diversity factors ranging from skin color, ethnicity, religion and culture affect not only the availability of appropriately trained professionals but the attitudes held by these community members towards receiving mental health care.
Darnell Lamont Walker, a writer and filmmaker, has documented the global perceptions of individuals towards experiencing mental health disorders and seeking care. Dr. Judi Steinman has worked with communities around the country to improve access to mental health care through prescriptive authority for qualified doctors of psychology. Together, the presenters will discuss the international launch of their film project documenting the need for more and better mental health care. The story begins in Hawai`i and will feature individuals from the mental health care profession, legislators who are committed to improving mental health care access and members of the disenfranchised, who wait for help.
Attendees will have an opportunity to discuss their own experiences in working with clients and patients from diverse backgrounds. Discussions will focus on penetrating barriers of communication and improving access to care for people of color.

Learning Objectives:
Attendees will be able to:
1. Recognize and describe cultural and ethnic attitudes that influence their perception of mental health disorders and therapeutic treatments
2. Identify characteristics that influence how people of diverse backgrounds perceive health care provided by providers from different backgrounds.
3. Describe how prescribing psychology addresses cultural and ethnic barriers to successful mental health care.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Within this workshop we will present information regarding the process of starting a Private Practice as a Pre-Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Hawaii.  This information is applicable to pre-licensed and licensed social workers, psychologists, and marriage and family therapists.  Presenters will discuss the process of establishing their businesses which seek to provide mental health therapy services to individuals, couples, and families in Hawaii, at an affordable rate.  Some topics covered in the presentation include: required paperwork and forms for submitting a business application in Hawaii, considerations for structuring your business (individual practice vs. shared practice, LLC vs. S-Corp), marketing, advertising and networking, payment and billing options (client self-pay vs. insurance), and HIPAA compliant telehealth providers vs. in-person services.  Participants will gain a better understanding of some of the benefits as well as the challenges that may become apparent when considering private practice, as opposed to working for a local agency, or a contracted clinician.  

Learning objectives:

• Participants will learn about marketing and advertising strategies (i.e., generating referral sources to build client load, utilizing social media and search engines to advertise services)
• Participants will become familiar with the logistics of the legal paperwork required for filing to start a business in Hawaii (taking into consideration: business name, business plan and structure, partnership vs. solely owned, LLC vs. S-Corp).
• Participants will explore the benefits of telehealth vs. in-person services
• Participants will review the state requirements to become licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist or Licensed Clinical Social Worker and get a better understanding of the limitations of working as a pre-licensed clinician

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Navigating Multiple Perspectives During Challenging Times

1. Culture and Science – Nexus or Disconnect?
2. Includes discussion of Kama`aina Come Home and why this is so important
3. Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, and the Day After Tomorrow

Learning Objectives:

• How do we learn from and understand multiple perspectives, increase understanding, recognize points of common impact, acknowledge cultural trauma, in a respectful way?
•  How do we engage in the difficult discussions that are so important in informing perspective? What role do we play respectively and/or collectively?

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

The COVID-19 pandemic brings to the forefront the complex interconnected dilemmas of globalization, health equity, economic security, environmental justice, and collective trauma, severely impacting those with less resources globally. Given the fact that psychotherapists may unwittingly function as the best ally of an economic and political system that perpetuates institutionalized racism and class discrimination, we need to utilize a set of principles, values, and practices that are not just palliative or after the fact but bring forth into the psychotherapeutic and policy work a politics of care. We need a strong call to promote and advocate for the broader continuum of health and critical thinking preparing professionals to meet the challenges of health equity, as well as economic and environmental justice. This presentation aims at examining these critical issues and developing a framework for psychotherapists to address these challenges by focusing on four interrelated dimensions: cultural values, social determinants of health, collective trauma, and the ethical and moral responsibility of psychotherapists.

Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
1. Describe the complex interconnected dilemmas of globalization, health equity, economic security, environmental justice, and collective trauma.
2. Explain how psychotherapists can utilize a set of principles, values, and practices to help those needing mental health services.
3. Discuss ways that psychotherapists can promote and advocate for the broader continuum of health and critical thinking
4. Describe the four interrelated dimensions: cultural values, social determinants of health, collective trauma, and the ethical and moral responsibility of psychotherapists

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Narcissism is the word of our time, yet there remains a lack of understanding, especially the way it impacts people in relationships with people who have antagonistic personality styles such as narcissism. The dearth of training on high-conflict personality styles, coupled with a reticence to “label” people who are close to the client but “not in the room”, has meant that many clients suffering from “narcissistic abuse” in familial, intimate, or workplace relationships don’t get the help they need. This workshop will offer the most up-to-date research on antagonistic personality styles, and provide a practical roadmap for working with clients with patterns of narcissistic abuse. You’ll discover how to identify the characteristics of narcissistic abuse that are often misdiagnosed; a holistic treatment approach that can be applied trans-theoretically; an actionable framework for educating clients about narcissism.  This program will cover: an overview of narcissism and other antagonistic personality styles including diagnostic issues, subtypes, assessment, treatment, impact on clinicians, co-morbidities; introduction of the term “narcissistic abuse” or “antagonistic relational stress”; the patterns associated with this clinical presentation, psychosocial impacts, differentiating and also accounting for the overlap between antagonistic relational stress and other comorbidities such as post-traumatic stress and anxiety disorders; overview of the dynamics of high conflict, antagonistic relationships; an integrated, transtheoretical model for working with clients experiencing antagonistic relational stress; clinician self-care and challenges when working with the persons experiencing these relationships.

Learning Objectives:

1.    Apply a holistic view of the dynamics of narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder, and “narcissism-adjacent” personality styles.

2.    Describe the phenomenon of narcissistic abuse/antagonistic relational stress.

3.    Explain the dynamics of narcissistic and other antagonistic relationships

4.    Utilize an actionable framework for working with clients experiencing narcissistic abuse.

5. Identify the specific challenges in working with individuals with antagonistic personality styles and/or those who are experiencing antagonistic relational stress.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Mental Health practice with children, adolescents and families is challenging under any circumstances, due to the complexity of the problems and systems involved.  During the pandemic, this greater complexity has meant additional challenges as clinicians try to meet the increasing needs of the youth population.  This panel discussion will feature clinicians who work with young people in a variety of practice settings, reflecting on what they have observed through the pandemic and providing their insights into what we may need to do in the future to support youth and families as we come out of the pandemic.  We hope to have a lively discussion, and audience input will be encouraged.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to identify several common themes related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth and families across practice settings.
• Participants will be able to describe one or two changes in referral patterns to public mental health programs in Hawaii that took place during the pandemic.
• Participants will be able to discuss several problems related to children’s mental health that are likely to intensify as we come out of the pandemic.
• Participants will be able to identify several ways practitioners can adjust their practice to be better able to respond to children’s needs during a pandemic.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

The COVID-19 pandemic has amplified existing challenges for communities, schools, students and families, especially in disadvantaged, rural, remote areas of Hawaiʻi. These students and families may face economic and housing instability, food insecurity and at risk for increased childhood trauma. The Resilient Communities, Schools and Families project (RCSF) is an innovative initiative to strengthen partnerships, promote
trauma sensitive practices and enhanced coordination of wrap-around prevention/intervention services for children and families. This project focuses on the wellbeing of the whole child through wrap-around services, student support teams, school teams and professional skills development around social emotional learning and
trauma informed care. RCSF brings together partners: Ceeds of Peace, The Hawaiʻi Afterschool Alliance, Papa Ola Lōkahi, Kamehameha Schools, HawaiiKidsCAN, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Center for Place Based Social Emotional Development and the Hawaiʻi Department of Education together in support of five Title I elementary schools serving large Native Hawaiian student populations. The project builds upon the best practices of trauma-sensitive approaches and the Community Schools model to create sustainable conditions for schools to better serve students and families, ensure even the most at-risk youth have access to services necessary to thrive within their school, homes and communities, and develop a tailored operational approach that builds capacity for schools to strengthen community partnerships. Join us for this workshop to learn about the Resilient Communities, Schools and Families project.

Learning Objectives:
After this presentation participants will:
1. Become acquainted with the Resilient Communities, Schools and Families project.
2. Be able to articulate community-based collaboration and strategies to support schools, students and families.
3. Leave with an understanding of this multi-layered approach to supporting social emotional development and addressing trauma.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

In 1980, when the American Psychiatric Association published the third edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, it adopted a "disease model" for diagnosing and treating mental disorders. The public was soon told that major mental disorders were due to chemical imbalances in the brain, and that psychiatric drugs fixed those imbalances. Today, science tells us that model has failed. Research failed to validate mental disorders as discrete illnesses; the chemical imbalance theory has been abandoned; and the burden of mental illness in our society has greatly increased. There is evidence that drug treatment increases the chronicity of disorders over the long term. What is needed now is a new narrative of mental health, one that tells of how there are many pathways to psychiatric difficulties, and that environmental factors--diet, exercise, finding meaning in life, work, and belonging to a community--can play a big role in helping people get well.

Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:

• Explain  the reasons that the APA adopted a disease model
• Describe what the research into chemical imbalances found
• Explain how the effort to "validate" the disease model categories failed
• Discuss the evidence telling of how the burden of mental disorders has dramatically increase since 1980
• Describe  alternatives to the disease model that are springing up, the nature of those efforts, and their outcomes

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Many modalities have demonstrated effectiveness in treating substance use disorders (SUDs). Mental health providers fill an important role in providing direct care as well as supporting referrals, especially in rural communities. In this program we will focus on examples of relapse prevention (RP), including: the cognitive-behavioral model of the relapse process, factors that predict or increase risk of relapse, and concrete strategies to prevent or recover from relapse.

Learning objectives:
1.       Describe the goals of relapse prevention (RP) efforts
2.       Identify cognitive aspects of RP (e.g., “abstinence/goal violation effect”)
3.       Describe behavioral aspects of RP (e.g., stimulus control strategies)
4. Recognize the impact of stigma and limited resources on substance use efforts

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

A specialty is a defined area in the practice of psychology that connotes special competency acquired through an organized sequence of formal education, training and experience. Since 1947, the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) is the primary organization for specialty board certification in psychology, encompassing 15 recognized specialty areas. Despite numerous benefits to board certification for both providers and consumers of psychological services, only 4% of licensed psychologists in the United States are board-certified with some states (such as Hawaii) being underrepresented in the regional distribution of certified specialists. Understanding the requirements, examination process, and value of board certification is imperative for growing the field’s population of certified specialists.
This roundtable discussion will overview the process, benefits, and challenges of board certification for psychologists and trainees at any stage of their professional development. Five locally-based board-certified psychologists in various specialty areas will share their background, how their current roles relate to their professional interests, and advice for professionals interested in pursuing board certification.

Learning objectives:
• Describe the process for obtaining specialty board certification through ABPP
• List the unique benefits conferred by board certification for providers of psychological services
• List the various areas of specialization recognized by ABPP
• Learn methods for initiating the board certification process at various stages of professional development

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Description of the Program:
Traditionally, Native Hawaiians were a vibrant and robust population. Due to the consequences of colonization, Native Hawaiians are now disproportionately impacted by chronic diseases, such as dementia, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases when compared to the other major ethnic groups in Hawaiʻi. The following presentations highlight studies that helped one Native Hawaiian homestead community successfully pursue its long-term community goal of empowering its kūpuna (elders) and their families to achieve health equity. The model implemented by Kula no na Po‘e Hawaiʻi in the Native Hawaiian homestead communities of Papakōlea is one that was grounded in community-based participatory research (CBPR) and guided by data and community priorities. This model can be helpful to other marginalized communities in Hawai‘i and the world.
Learning Objectives:
After attending this session, an attendee will be able to:
Discuss various social, emotional, environmental, and health-related barriers to achieving health equity for Native Hawaiians in one homestead community
Identify challenges encountered by caregivers and kūpuna who desire to safely “age in place” within their own communities
Describe one innovative, successful, sustainable community-based public health program created to address the needs of aging kūpuna and their families

Overall Abstract:
“A Journey to Health Equity through Community-Building and Collaboration in the Midst of COVID-19 in One Native Hawaiian Homestead Community”
Abstract:
 
Background and Purpose: Due to the consequences of colonization, Native Hawaiians are disproportionately impacted by chronic diseases. Papakōlea, Kewalo, and Kalawahine are neighboring homesteads, jointly referred to as Papakōlea, and these homestead lands are located in lower socioeconomic areas traditionally associated with poor health outcomes. Kula no na Po'e Hawai'i (KULA) is a 501(c)3 community-based non-profit organization established in 1992 to provide families of the Papakōlea Hawaiian Homestead region with access to culturally relevant services and programs from a social determinant of health perspective.
Methods: KULA’s social determinants of health approach recognizes the cultural, educational, and environmental conditions that impact overall well-being while seeking health equity. KULA’s community and research initiatives are grounded in a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach.
Results: Community-based research efforts have led to the successful creation and implementation of social development programs in Papakōlea, such as the Kūpuna Community Care Network (KCCN). Due to the existence of a robust community infrastructure established through CBPR efforts, Papakōlea has been able to respond quickly and methodically to the needs of its community. Through ongoing community-engaged efforts such as food distribution and vaccination drives, the families of Papakōlea have remained safe, healthy, well-nourished, and at the forefront of a strong and resilient community.
Conclusions and Implications: The following presentations highlight studies that helped Papakōlea successfully pursue its long-term community goal of empowering families to achieve health equity. The model implemented is one that was grounded in CBPR, guided by data and community priorities, and helped address the needs of families and their kūpuna (elders).

Abstract #1: Building community resilience through infrastructure and data:
“Kawaihonaakealoha Kūpuna Service Project”
Abstract:
 
Background and Purpose: Papakōlea is a densely populated community with a significant aging population. Kawaihonaakealoha was a community-based research effort to identify the health and safety needs of the community’s kūpuna and implement a community support system that would empower residents to safely ‘age in place.’
 
Methods: Qualified residents completed a 2-part survey over 6 months which included a community-designed Home Environmental Scan and a community-tailored version of the Elder Survey.
Results: 240 surveys (33%) were completed. The top five chronic diseases were: high blood pressure (58%), arthritis (31%), diabetes (26%), cataracts (17%), and asthma (15%). Other needs included: addressing home safety and repairs; functional limitations; instrumental activities of daily living; dietary concerns; long-term care; and housing.
Conclusions: A community-led intervention was implemented which included: (1) coordinating direct assistance to elders; (2) development of a culturally-sensitive, community lead case-management system; and (3) the creation of a service-learning program for Public Health and Social Work practicum students.

Abstract #2: Creating a Community Response to Health Equity through CBPR:
“Kūpuna Community Care Network (KCCN)”
Abstract:
 
Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand the social, environmental, and health-related needs impacting families in Papakōlea.
Methods: The Hawaiian Homestead Health Survey (HHS) was mailed to 390 of 422 homes in Papakōlea. Categories included: social demographics, physical activity, dietary behaviors, mental health, cultural and ethnic identity, and health related factors.
Results: The top five chronic diseases were hypertension (54%), high cholesterol (41%), asthma (26%), diabetes (23%) and arthritis (17%). Respondents had an average BMI of 31, indicating 29% were overweight and 51% were obese. Most have lived in the homestead for 10 or more years (94%), and there is a large population of retirees (37%) and widows (11%).
Conclusions: Using these data, the Kūpuna Community Care Network (KCCN) was developed. It provides kūpuna and their caregivers with educational resources, cultural programming, and training, making health and wellness a priority, and creating demonstrable improvements in health, functional status, and quality of life.

Abstract #3: Providing Community Recovery to the COVID-19 Pandemic through CBPR:
“Kūpuna Community Care Network 2 (KCCN2)”
Abstract:
 
Background and Purpose: Data was collected to inform community-based programs that address health equity through empowering kūpuna of Papakōlea to safely “age in place”.
Methods: Three surveys were conducted: (1) Identifying Our Needs: A Survey of Elders VII; (2) Home Environmental Scan; and (3) Papakōlea Caregiver Survey.
Results: 30% of residents are kūpuna, 93% live in intergenerational homes (37% with 6+ people), and 17% live below the poverty line. A third (33%) provide care for grandchildren, more than a third are caregivers of a kūpuna themselves, and 75% foresee needing a caregiver in the future. The condition of homes and environmental challenges interfere with ‘aging in place’ safely.
Conclusions: The goals of the Kūpuna Community Care Network 2 (KCCN 2) are: 1) to increase the use of technology to address social isolation during the pandemic, 2) provide education and training with a specific focus on pandemic response and dementia, and 3) increase home and community safety

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

This presentation aims to explore how socially constructed identity across different domains (e.g., age, race, ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation, gender identity, ability/disability, religion, etc.) manifest as power and privilege differentials that impact not only the lived experiences and mental health of individuals but can also impact clinical work in harmful ways. We will explore the ADDRESSING Framework, discuss examples of the unique and contextual intersectionality of identities, and how power, privilege, and marginalization can manifest within the client/therapist relationship. We will explore ways of developing more awareness of unconscious biases and privilege/power that therapists may possess and discuss ways of using that developing awareness to reduce the chances of unintentional engagement in microaggressions and other forms of discrimination in clinical practice.

Learning Objectives:
- To introduce the ADDRESSING framework as a model for understanding cultural identities and their relationship to often unconscious dynamics of power and marginalization
- To explore the concept of “intersectionality” as it relates to power/privilege and marginalization in clinical practice
- To reflect on how power/privilege and intersectionality affect our interactions with clients and colleagues
- Understand the differences between “stereotyping” and “generalizing”

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.

Poetry Therapy, which is the therapeutic use of poems, narratives, and other spoken or written works to promote well-being and healing, has long served clinicians and clients alike across a multitude of settings. Most recently, we have seen how this therapeutic modality has become utilized as a means of therapeutic expression, connection, and engagement for a diverse span of populations, from correctional facilities to community mental health centers and nonclinical contexts as well.
In this workshop, we will (1) familiarize ourselves with the foundational principles of Poetry Therapy; (2) honor the cultural context of poetry and narrative in Hawai’i, (3) explore the what, when, why and how to use poetry in a therapeutic manner; (4) review recent emerging research related to integrating Spoken Word elements, and (5) engage in a few experiential exercises to integrate Poetry Therapy into our individual practices.
No poetry experience? No problem. Just as the majority of folks who are initially introduced to poetry therapy, no experience is necessary to reap the benefits of this therapeutic modality. In fact, the less experience, the better. So please bring along a notebook, a writing instrument, a healthy bit of inquisitiveness, and a willingness to write something new into your practice, and potentially, your life.

Workshop Learning Objectives:
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify the foundational principles of Poetry Therapy.
• Discern when and how they may utilize poetry in a therapeutic manner.
• Discuss the psychological factors involved in Spoken Word Poetry Therapy.
• Integrate at least two Poetry Therapy exercises into their own practice.

The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found HERE.