Skip to main content
        Listen to Spreaker

Tag: mental health awareness

California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals: Kristina Padilla

Kristina Padilla is a leader with the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP), where she serves as the Director of Education. She also is Director of Business Development wherein she travels throughout California and the nation bringing addiction focused businesses together to promote the profession, increase access to services and improve the quality of AOD service provision through education, business development, and investment in quality programming.  Formerly she served as the Education Director for the California Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (CAADAC). Ms. Padilla led California’s innovative criminal justice program serving as the Offender Mentor Certification Program Director for three years where she managed 12 in-prison programs for training counselors. She worked closely with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation in California prisons for the duration of the contract bringing innovation and growth to the state’s in custody treatment programming.  Ms. Padilla has a Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice Administration and a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology. Ms. Padilla is a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern, a Licensed Advanced Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (LAADC), and an International Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor (ICAADC). She is also a Certified Gang Specialist of the National Gang Crime Research Center (NGCRC) and is on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Addiction Professionals and their Allies (NALGAP).

www.ccapp.us

Listen to the Show!

 

EHR Technology in Addiction Treatment: Bill Connors GM Addiction Treatment

Bill Connors, MSW, General Manager of Addiction Management and Treatment is responsible for go-to-market strategies and client relationships within Netsmart’s Addiction Community and product development in our Abstinence based and Medication Assisted Treatment providers. Connors joined Netsmart’s executive team from Sequest, following its acquisition by Netsmart in 2011. He had served as the company’s chief executive officer. Prior to working at Sequest, Connors was chief information officer of a large community mental health center in New Jersey. A licensed clinical social worker with experience in addiction treatment, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, public school system and in-home family therapy settings, Connors combines his passions for direct service and systems-based thinking and research in his role. Connors is a nationally-recognized expert on the subject of software implementation within behavioral health and substance use communities and he speaks regularly on the topic. He holds a master’s of social work and a bachelor’s degree in social work from Rutgers University. Connors is a member of the board of the Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network (ATTC), on the subcommittee of the Illinois Health Information Exchange (ILHIE), as well as several committees in New York where he is nationally charged with integrating behavioral healthcare and addiction services within regional health information exchanges. He has held chairman’s position several times for the Software and Technology Vendors Association.

Bill joins our host Kristin Sunanta Walker live from The National Conference on Addiction Disorders to discuss how Netsmart is focusing on serving the technology needs of the Addiction and Recovery market.

www.ntst.com

Listen to the show!

Elements Behavioral Health: An Interview with Amy Smith

Amy P. Smith is the National Clinical Outreach Director for the largest Behavioral Health Organization in the United States with centers such as Promises, The Ranch, The Sundance Center and more. Connecting with Amy at The National Conference on Addiction Disorders was a highlight for the Mental Health News Radio Team. Hear about why Elements is the amazing organization it is, as well as, Amy sharing her personal story of recovery.

We also enjoyed dinner hosted by Elements at the National Conference of Addiction Disorders.

www.elementsbehavioralhealth.com

Listen to the show!

Dragons to Butterflies: The Metamorphosis of a Man with Author Johnnie Calloway

Johnnie Calloway’s first episode on Mental Health News Radio. He is an author of several books including Dragons to Butterflies. He grew up in a small town in Kentucky, with the population at around 11,000. His mother passed when he was only five, leaving him to grow up with an angry, alcoholic, sexually confused father.

Johnnie was born into a reputation that he never wanted but was obligated to live up to. Still, Johnnie always wanted to be the “good guy.” The conflict between his personal desire and his sense of obligation to his dad’s/family’s reputation created a great torment that was oddly accompanied with an insatiable yearning to learn.

Eventually, Johnnie became a seeker of truth. And has now devoted himself to sharing what his seeking has taught him with others. He has written several books including Taming the Dragon, Dragons to Butterflies: The Metamorphosis of a Man, The Bridge, and is currently working on, Within the Chrysalis, It’s an Inside Job.

Listen to the Show!

Continue reading

Animal Assisted Therapy Programs: Counselor Jason Davies

Jason Davies joins hosts Kristin Sunanta Walker and Melissa Richards to discuss being a part of The National Conference on Addiction Disorders in Denver, CO. Jason is a counselor with Animal Assisted Therapy Programs of Colorado. He’s brought one of the dogs he utilizes in his therapy sessions, Harley. We talk about the work the organization does and how animals like rats, horses, rabbits, and dogs are used for effective human treatment!

www.aatpc.org

www.mentalhealthnewsradio.com

 

Listen to the show!

Sexual Assault Survivors: Voices of Experience and Healing

Join Kristin Sunanta Walker, counselor Shari Botwin, and Patricia Leary Steuer, all sexual assault survivors as they discuss their experiences and the healing necessary in order to find measures of peace. All three of these women keep it real and very personal as a shared discussion on the trauma, long-term PTSD, anxiety, and depression that we all suffer after these kinds of experiences.Shari Botwin, LCSW has been counseling survivors of trauma and abuse for over 20 years.  She has given expert testimony on most major news outlets and will be featured in a documentary later this year on healing from sexual trauma.  She is working on her second book, Conquering Trauma. Through the years she has witnessed patients go from surviving to thriving into a full life. Listen to Shari’s first interview here. Shari’s article in the Philadelphia Inquirer regarding the Bill Cosby trial is here.

Patricia Leary Steuer joins us to share her personal story as another survivor of sexual assault. Her interview in New York Magazine can be found here.

Kristin Sunanta Walker is the CEO of MHNR Network and host of Mental Health News Radio.  She is a long time advocate and speaker about sexual abuse, incest, and trauma.

Listen to the Show!

Continue reading

The Recovery Process for Partners of Sex Addicts with Dr. Stephanie Carnes

Stefanie Carnes, Ph.D., CSAT-S. is the President of the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals, a company that provides training and materials to addiction professionals. She is a licensed marriage and family therapist and an AAMFT approved supervisor. She works as a clinical consultant at Pine Grove Behavioral Health and Addiction Services in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Her area of expertise includes working with patients and families struggling with multiple addictions such as sexual addiction, eating disorders, and chemical dependency. Dr. Carnes is also a certified sex addiction therapist and supervisor, specializing in therapy for couples and families struggling with sexual addiction. She presents regularly at conferences at both the state and national levels. She is also the author of numerous publications, the editor of the book, Mending a Shattered Heart: A Guide for Partners of Sex Addicts, and co-author of Facing Heartbreak: Steps to Recovery for Partners of Sex Addicts. She currently co-facilitates Module 2 in the Certified Sex Addiction Therapist Training.

Amazon Author Page

www.iitap.com

Dr. Carnes is one of the presenters at this years National Conference on Addiction Disorders in Denver, CO.

Listen to the show!

A New Path to Addiction and Recovery: An Interview with Kristen Smith

Kristen Smith is Director of Marketing for A New Path. She has always been passionate and enthusiastic about helping people. Kristen earned a degree in Business Marketing in 2000 from Texas Christian University to create a platform for blending her business and people skills. After working for an advertising agency in Houston for two years she recognized her disease of alcoholism and checked herself into treatment. As she created a new life rooted in recovery, Kristen realized she could bring both her marketing background and personal experience to a position with a treatment center. This began a career in an industry that helps not only the individuals they treat but everyone around them. Kristen has brought her expertise in marketing and outreach to the recovery industry since 2003, a year after she began her own journey in recovery. Originally from Texas, Kristen moved to Southern California in March of 2014 – she loves it! When she is not creating, planning or building relationships for A New Path you can find her at the beach, on her road bike or on a yoga mat. Kristen also consults for various addiction treatment centers regarding marketing, culture and leadership.

Kristen is one of the presenters at The National Conference on Addiction Disorders in Denver, CO.

www.anewpath.com

Listen to the show!

Gender Matters: An Interview with Beck Gee-Cohen, MA LADC

Live interviews from The National Conference on Addiction Disorders in Denver, CO are high volocity. Join one of the speakers Beck Gee-Cohen discussing Gender Matters. Serious talk with some great laughter and witty reparte make for a interview with some “meat on the bones”.

Beck is originally from Los Angeles, CA. Beck completed undergraduate work in the field of Sociology with a focus on Gender, Sexuality, and Addiction from Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana. Beck’s undergraduate thesis was a study on addiction in LGBTQ rural communities. Beck’s master’s degree is in Addiction Studies from Hazelden. Beck received an Excellence in Writing Award from Hazelden graduate program; the paper focused on training addiction counselors to give better treatment to LGBTQ clients. Beck has facilitated trainings and given lectures around the country at conferences, to prisons, to schools, to treatment centers and everywhere in between focusing on LGBTQ communities and addiction. Beck is very passionate about the Transgender community and the effects of addiction and stigma within the TransLGBQ populations. Beck continues to train clinicians and facility staff on LGBTQ issues, help facilities establish LGBT inclusive policies, and provide program development for facilities that want to expand their services to LGBTQ populations. Beck is currently the NorthEast Professional Outreach Representative for The Refuge-A Healing Place in Ocklawaha, Florida.

Listen to the show!

IMPORTANT NOTICE

By continuing to browse our website, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy , and you are acknowledging that you have read them and agree by clicking accept.

Yes, I accept!