Session Descriptions

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

10:30 a.m. - 12 noon -- Registration

12 noon -- WELCOME

12:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m.
"I'm Shot": An Officer's Story
Jason McEwan with Mike Pool
On November 5, 2002, CHP Officer Jason McEwan was involved in an on-duty fatal shooting. In his presentation, Jason will discuss this incident and how it affected him and his family. He will explore what worked and what didn't in recovering from this traumatic event, both physically and mentally. After Jason's presentation, Mike Pool, Peer Director for the West Coast Post-Trauma Retreat, will discuss the treatment program and how it began.

3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Combating Critical Incident Stress: Predicting and Preventing PTSD and Alcohol Abuse
Suzanne Best, Ph.D.
The potential for developing PTSD and alcohol abuse in the wake of critical incidents is among the many risks of working as a first responder. But is it possible to actually predict who might develop these problems and prevent their occurrence? In this workshop we will review the risk factors associated with these critical incident stress reactions and ways in which you as peer support members can intervene to prevent them.

6 p.m.
EVENING ENTERTAINMENT: Comedian Willie Halliburton
Willie Halliburton is a 22-year veteran Portland Police Sergeant who moonlights as a professional stand up comic / actor. Willie has been on the comedy scene for 20 years, performing comedy shows all over the country. He has appeared in both feature films and television. Recently Willie was signed by A&E Television Network to star in his own television series. Willie gives the audience a chance to view his world as a cop and an African American, with his high-energy stage show.

Thursday, May 17, 2012

8:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
Post-Deployment Readjustment and Returning Soldiers
Belinda Y. Maddy, LICSW
In this presentation, Ms. Maddy will identify adaptations individuals make to a combat environment that may impact their behavior in a civilian setting. She will differentiate between normative post-deployment readjustment and PTSD with traumatic brain injury considerations. Lastly, she will employ strategies for interacting with returning soldiers that may increase the likelihood of positive outcomes.

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Compassion Fatigue: Vulnerability When Helping Others
Garen Weitman, Psy.D.
This course will define secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatization while identifying the risk factors of each. Prevention and coping will also be discussed in addition to compassion satisfaction and an introduction to a compassion fatigue self test.

1:00 to 2:45 p.m.
Suicide Prevention: Increasing Your Awareness and Ability to Help a Person at Risk (Part 1 of 2)
Paige Hirt, LPC, NCC, CADC I, and Monica Parmley, LCSW
This 4-hour workshop provides an overview of the prevelance of suicide both nationally and at our state level. This worskshop will help responders identify risk factors and will walk through steps in developing a rapport with a person at risk for suicide.

3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Suicide Prevention: Increasing Your Awareness and Ability to Help a Person at Risk (Part 2 of 2)
Paige Hirt and Monica Parmley

Friday, May 18, 2012

8:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m.
Dealing with Divorce
Nancy K. Bohl, Ph.D.
This class will help individuals realize the difficulties that arise when divorce is present within a relationship. It will focus on the changes in one's life as well as the phases that an individual may go through when dealing with divorce.

10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Keeping a Peer Support Team Up and Running
Nancy K. Bohl, Ph.D.
This class will discuss the necessary elements needed in order to keep a Peer Support Team healthy, functional, and effective. Attendees will learn what it takes to support not only their team members, but also how to care for themselves.

1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Optional Workshop:
Starting a Peer Support Team
Nancy K. Bohl, Ph.D.
This class will discuss the protocol that is needed when developing a Peer Support Team. It will also help attendees identify the necessary steps needed to create a successful, healthy Peer Support Team.