Conference & Events

NSGCD Fall 2009 Conference
October 1 - 3, 2009
Los Angeles, CA

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Change Your Brain, Change Your Life
Presenter: Daniel G. Amen, MD

Daniel G. Amen, MD is an award winning physician, psychiatrist, best-selling author, international speaker, and brain enhancement expert. He is the author of 23 books, including the New York Times best-seller, “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life”. He is at the forefront of applying brain science to improve everyday life. Using the latest, most sophisticated brain imaging technology in medicine, Dr. Amen will show brain patterns that correlate with specific feelings and behaviors and what happens when things go wrong. He will present many case stories, actual brain images and specific exercises used to balance each part of the brain.

Learning Objectives - Part 1:

• List basic brain science 9 principles to help people change their lives
• List four ways brain imaging enhances everyday life
• List three ways the prefrontal cortex is essential to organization and planning skills

Learning Objectives - Part 2:

• List 5 brain systems involved in behavior
• List 7 ways to optimize overall brain function
• List 5 risk factors of Alzheimer's disease and how to prevent them.

Relocation Stress Syndrome: Mood & Behavior Challenges & What to Do About Them
Presenter: Tracy Greene Mintz, MA, MSW, LCSW

Tracy Greene Mintz is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who believes that knowledge is power for our elderly clients. She has spoken to case managers, administrators, nurses, social workers, skilled therapists and other disciplines that serve seniors.

Her workshops are popular and memorable because her common sense approach includes lots of laughter and team-building that validate the very difficult work of eldercare.

Ms. Greene Mintz has worked with seniors and their families at all levels of care, from independent living through end-of-life. She holds a master’s in social work and a gerontology certificate from the Institute on Aging at Portland State University in Oregon.

With over 40 years of research behind it, Relocation Stress Syndrome is very real problem for clients who are forced through the healthcare maze often at a breakneck pace. Keeping track of where one has been, what medicines have been ordered, who pays for what, and the emotional trauma of health-related loss (loss of home, functioning, belongings, ability, etc) puts adults at risk of even more trauma. The good news is that professionals who have the privilege of working with these clients can help them navigate multiple systems at once by mastering a few simple techniques and interventions.

Learning Objectives:

• New ways to communicate with clients about the transiition process
• Partialization and prioritization techniques to minimize trauma and get a client on track
• How to differentiate between normal coping with age-related changes and clinical significant impaired coping, or normal stress and adjustment disorder.
  

Overcoming Resistance: Understanding and Engaging Reluctant Clients
Presenter: Mark Odom, LCSW

People who experience chronic disorganization are often reluctant to seek help, and even after agreeing to services may drop out when the real work begins. This presentation will review reasons for resistance and offer a variety of approaches to engaging, motivating and maintaining a helping relationship with individuals challenged by disorganization. Our presenter, Mark Odom, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, founding member and clinical consultant to the Orange County Task Force on Hoarding, a collaborative group of private and public professionals who develop and implement effective and sensitive interventions with reluctant individuals whose chronic disorganization or hoarding behaviors have come to the attention of authorities.

Learning Objectives:

• Five reasons people with chronic disorganization may be reluctant to participate in organizing activities.
• Five actions professional organizers should avoid when working with reluctant clients.
• Five ways professional organizers can engage and build trust with reluctant clients.
  

Chronic Disorganization Research Updates
Presenter: Catherine Roster, Ph.D.

The field of “chronic disorganization” is in its infancy. Interest in this topic from professional organizers, researchers, and the public at large is growing at a rapid pace. Each study generates as many questions as it answers and as the circle of interest widens, new questions are being raised and exciting new research frontiers are being created. In this opening session, Dr. Catherine Roster (“Ross”) will discuss NSGCD’s research mission, share updates about recent and ongoing collaborations, and describe how your experiences and knowledge can help shape the future of chronic disorganization, starting now!

Learning Objectives:

• Emphasize the importance of research for NSGCD's mission
• Present an overview of findings from a variety of recent research studies, including NSGCD-led research
• Describe how conference attendees can participate in NSGCD research at the conference and volunteer for future studies

Taking the Mystery Out of Change
Presenter: Nancy K. Schlossberg, Ed.D.

Many individuals cope easily with some transitions but poorly with others. Nancy K. Schlossberg, Ed.D has studied people in different transitions including moving, job elimination, work/family balance, retirement, as well as non-events like not getting promoted, not having a baby, and not having the career or relationship you dreamed about. Her research resulted in the development of the Transition Model. It is a guide for practitioners and clients as they try to understand the confusion surrounding any transition. Schlossberg is an expert in the areas of adult transitions, retirement, career development, adults as learners, and intergenerational relationships. Dr. Schlossberg has delivered more than 100 keynote addresses and has written many books including “Overwhelmed: Coping with Life’s Ups and Downs”.

Learning Objectives:

• Be introduced to the overview of the three steps of the Transition Model
  Step 1 - Approaching Change
  Step 2 - Taking Stock of Your Resources for Coping with Change
  Step 3 - Taking Charge of Change
• Be able to identify the factors in Step 1 - Approaching Change
  Ability to identify different types of transitions;
  Understand the impact of transitions on one's life-why even positive change is disruptive;
  Knowledge of the transition process.
• Become familiar with Step 2 - Taking Stock of Your Resources for Coping with Change - The 4 S System

"Applying the Transition Model to Yourself & Your Clients" Learning Objectives (Participants will move from understanding to action - Step 3: Taking Charge of Change)

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to identify a personal transition and then design steps to take charge of it.
  Select the resources needing to be strengthened
  Select the appropriate coping strategies to use
• Design transition programs for groups. Participants will become familiar with the Weiss model of program design.
  Participants will actually design a workshop for their client groups.

Collaboration Panel - Changing the Way We Work Together
Facilitated by: Kit Anderson, CPO-CD®, President NSGCD

How we look at collaboration has changed over the years. Once regarded as a pairing or a smaller group, now collaborations includes a variety of related professionals and other service providers. Our new and improved way of working collaboratively has gone from partnership to project management and creatively changed the way we benefit our clients.

Learning Objectives:

• Gain knowledge of various skills required to improve the collaboration process
• Improve communication strategies that enhance collaboration with related professionals
• Generate new ideas and sectors for collaboration that will improve how we meet the needs of our clients

Panelists
Michelle Yerke
Michelle Yerke is the lead social worker with the City of Huntington Beach, Senior Services. She has a variety of opportunities to engage with older adults who struggle with chronic disorganization and hoarding. In fact, some of her favorite people in the world are severely disorganized and have hoarding tendencies. She holds a B.S. degree in Human Services and is a Master of Science in Gerontology Candidate. The focus of her thesis is the impact of hoarding behavior on individuals, families and communities. She is an active and enthusiastic member of the Orange County Task Force on Hoarding.

Tammy L. Chalmers
As the CFO of Crime Scene Steri-Clean, LLC, Tammy L. Chalmers has over 14 years of expertise in the Hoarding and Biohazard Industry. She also holds dual Certification and licenses as a Trauma Scene Waste Practitioner and Blood Borne/Air Borne Pathogens Instructor. Tammy continually trains professionals, special interest organizations the community to bring public awareness, dispel myths, identify, support and aid those suffering from "Hoarder Syndrome". Her company has been awarded the "Community Service Award" by the United States Congress, California Assembly and California Victims Assistance Program.

In addition, Ms. Chalmers believes very strongly in reaching out to the community through volunteer work and serves on several local boards including the Orange County and LA County Task Forces on Hoarding.

Tammy’s innovative strategies on Hoarding Intervention, Communication and Guidelines lead her to create the First successful inter-agency model. This model is revolutionizing new industry standards and institutionalizing the multi-disciplinary response to hoarding concerns.

Marie K. Lee, Ph.D.
She received two degrees from Boston University a bachelor of arts degree in psychology and a masters degree in psychology. She received her doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA. as well as a theological degree (a masters degree in Christian Leadership).

Dr. Lee has received both pre- and post- doctoral training at Harbor UCLA, CBT Adult Outpatient Clinic as well as at UCLA’s Anxiety Disorders Clinic. She has extensive experience with Cognitive Behavioral Treatment for anxiety and mood disorders, especially OCD and OCD spectrum disorders such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Trichotillomania, Skin Picking and Hoarding. She emphasizes Mindfulness Training as well as Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for overcoming anxiety disorders. In addition, Habit Reversal Training is utilized for Body Focused Repetitive Disorders.

Dr. Lee has been a member of the following associations: American Psychological Association, Association of Behavior and Cognitive Therapy (ABCT), Trichotillomania Learning Center (TLC), Association for Anxiety Disorders of America (AADA), and Obsessive Compulsive Foundation (OCF).

CE Credits

Ten (10) Continuing Education (CE) credits for mental health professionals are being offered through PsychoEducational Resources, Inc. (PER).

PER is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. PER maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

PER is an NBCC Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP) and a co-sponsor of this program. PER may award NBCC approved clock hours for programs that meet NBCC requirements (Approval #5536). Please check with your state counseling board to see if they accept the NBCC providership.

PER is approved as a provider for continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards, 400 South Ridge Parkway, Suite B, Culpepper, VA 22701. www.aswb.org. ASWB Approval Period: 4/15/09 – 4/15/12. Social workers should contact their regulatory board to determine course approval. The following recognize the ASWB program: AL, AK, AZ, CT, DC, DE, GA, ID, IN, IA, KY, MA, MD, MI, MO, MS, MT, NM, NC, ND, NJ, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, VI, VT, WA, WI, and WY.

Course meets the qualifications for 10 hours of continuing education credit for MFTs
and/or LCSWs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (Provider #PCE 203).

PER maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Please contact PER at support@per-ce.net or 800-892-9249 if you have CE questions.

To receive CE Certification you must sign-in and out of each workshop attended and complete the evaluation for that workshop. CE Certification will be mailed to you approximately 4-6 weeks from the conclusion of the conference.

The Hotel
The conference will be held at the Omni Hotel in downtown Los Angeles

251 South Olive Street
Los Angeles, California 90012
USA
Phone: 213-617-3300
Fax: 213-617-3399

The Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza sits atop historic Bunker Hill
in the heart of sophisticated downtown Los Angeles. Downtown's only four-diamond convention hotel, the Omni Los Angeles Hotel features luxurious accommodations and modern conveniences that suit the needs of business and leisure travelers alike.

The 17-story hotel captures the essence and spirit of Los Angeles and provides easy access to cultural and business destinations. The Los Angeles Civic Center, the financial district and the Staples Center, as well as many of Los Angeles world-class theaters and museums, are just minutes from the hotel. Just 18 miles/30 minutes from Los Angeles International Airport.

Hotel Registration Link

Conference Registration Link

Become a Sponsor at our conference

Airports
You can fly into either Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) or Burbank Airport (BUR). Both are almost equal distance to the hotel, which is located downtown. The Burbank Airport is a smaller airport.

Schedule
The 2009 NSGCD Conference officially opens Thursday evening with a networking reception. Friday morning all participants will meet for a full breakfast followed by a full day of conference sessions. All conference sessions will be plenary, i.e., there will be no break-out sessions. Friday
lunch and dinner are included and Saturday breakfast and lunch are also included. The conference will end at 5:00 pm on Saturday evening.

Saturday, October 3, 2009: Day Three

If you wish to be a sponsor at our conference, please email us at nsgcd@nsgcd.org for more details.