In Person Quarterly Event
Compulsive Behaviors:
Using Harm Reduction & Motivational
Interviewing in EFCT
Presented by:
Mena Zaminsky, PsyD, LMFT & John Wiskind, LCSW, MPH
When: May 10, 2025
Time: 10am to 1pm
Where: The Calvin Room at First Presbyterian Church of Berkeley, 2407 Dana Street, Berkeley, CA 94704
SUBJECT:
Do you feel anxious when substance use or other compulsive behaviors come up in session? At those times, it can feel like the session is in free fall. This training is intended to give you some practical strategies to tip the balance towards couples sharing when compulsive behaviors are at play. You don’t need to be an “expert in addictions” to work with clients who share compulsive behaviors. In fact, many of our client’s struggle with compulsive behaviors but don’t necessarily feel comfortable sharing that with us. Clients often sense our discomfort or sense our feelings of being deskilled in this area. We will explore Prochaska & Diclemente’s Transtheoretical Model Of Change, interventions for each stage of change, Drug, Set & Setting and and other practical Harm Reduction strategies to use in your EFCT sessions to help you place the compulsive use within the cycle.
AIMS:
-
Deepen participants' understanding of the Stages of Change model, and gain clarity about what interventions are most appropriate at each stage
-
Expand participants’ knowledge of and comfort with practical applications of Motivational Interviewing in the EFCT setting
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
-
Describe Prochaska & Diclemente’s Stage of Change Model of Behavior Change
-
Identify three interventions that can be applied to each stage of change within the Stages of Change model
-
State two ways in which Harm Reduction principles can be applied in EFCT with compulsive behaviors
-
Demonstrate two practical applications of Motivational Interviewing & Harm Reduction in the EFT Tango
PRESENTERS:
John Wiskind, LCSW, MPH I am a certified EFT therapist and supervisor candidate with over 25 years of psychotherapy experience. I am also a certified AEDP therapist and supervisor candidate. Prior to my full time therapy and consultation practice, I worked at Kaiser Permanente in the Medicine and Psychiatry departments, at UCSF doing public health research and with the City of San Francisco working with individual adults experiencing homelessness and multiple-diagnoses. I worked with the Harm Reduction Therapy Center for over a decade, and have a particular passion for working with clients who use substances and their families. I’ve delivered trainings for many years on a variety of topics, including harm reduction, motivational interviewing, mental health for medical providers, and working with clients with serious and persistent mental illness. I live with my husband and son in the East Bay and love to read, hike, cook, watch movies, travel and listen to all kinds of music.
Mena Zaminsky, Mena Zaminsky has been a practicing clinician for the past twenty-six years. She holds a Doctorate of Psychology in Marriage and Family Therapy and a Masters in Counseling Psychology and Expressive Arts Therapy. Mena is a Certified Sensorimotor Psychotherapist and Certified Emotionally Focused Couples and Individual Therapist. Mena was an instructor in the Addictions Counselor Certificate Program at City College of San Francisco, where she taught many addictions and counseling classes, served on their Community Advisory Board for almost 20 years and spent two years as their Associate Director. Mena also served as the Director of Outpatient Services for the former Walden house, which provided treatment to individuals dealing with mental health and compulsive use behaviors. Prior to that, Mena worked at the Haight Ashbury Free Clinics and Health Care for the Homeless, where she also served clients who were directly affected by mental health and compulsive use behaviors. Mena has served as the Program Chair, on the Board of Directors, Interim Registration Coordinator and Continuing Education Coordinator for the Northern California Community for Emotionally Focused Therapists (NCCEFT). Mena lives in the East Bay with her partner and her dog, Moe. She spends her free time walking, hiking, kayaking, being a lifelong learner, reading, attending live concerts and performances, gathering community together and singing.
AGENDA:
10:00 - 10:30: Snacks and Socializing
10:30 - 10:50: Announcements
10:50 - 11:50: Program
11:50 - 12:00: Break (not included in CE's)
12:00-1:00: Program resumes
1:00 Program adjourns
TARGET AUDIENCE:
This training is appropriate for mental health practitioners who work with couples using Emotionally Focused Therapy. Level is introductory to intermediate.
COST:
This training is free to members, who will receive 2 Continuing Education (CE) credit at no charge. This training is available to non-members for $10, and CE credit is available for an additional $25. Prepayment is made online through the website at the time of registration.
CONTINUING EDUCATION:
This course meets the qualifications for 2 hours of continuing education credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences;
Psychologists: NCCEFT is approved by the California Psychological Association to provide continuing professional education for psychologists. NCCEFT maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
NCCEFT is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. NCCEFT maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. Provider # 93337
IMPORTANT NOTICE:
Those who attend this workshop in full, and complete the course evaluation will receive a certificate of completion via email within one week following the workshop. Please note that credit will only be granted to those who attend the entire workshop. Those arriving more than 15 minutes after the start time or leaving before the workshop is completed will not receive CE credit.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
NCCEFT meets all applicable local, state and federal standards, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), 42, U.S.C. 12101-12213 (2008)). We hold events only at professional venues that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), 42, U.S.C. 12101-12213 (2008)
ADA NEEDS: We will be happy to accommodate your ADA needs; please contact us at NCCEFTinfo@gmail.com at least two weeks prior to the seminar date.
PARKING:
For those with limited mobility, the underground church parking garage has disabled person parking spaces and an elevator up to the main floor. The entrance to the underground church parking garage is located on the south side of Channing Way between Telegraph Ave and Dana St. The cost is $1 per 20 minutes with a $10 maximum. A second option is across the street from the church on the north side of Channing Way at the Telegraph-Channing Garage. The cost is free for the first hour and $2 per hour after that.
NCCEFT PROGRAM GRIEVANCE AND REFUND POLICY:
The Northern California Community for Emotionally Focused Therapy (NCCEFT) is fully committed to conducting all activities in strict conformance with the American Psychological Association's Ethical Principles of Psychologists. NCCEFT will comply with all legal and ethical responsibilities to be non-discriminatory in promotional activities, program content and in the treatment of program participants. The monitoring and assessment of compliance with these standards will be the responsibility of the CPA PAS CE Program Director in consultation with the Board of Directors (Steering Committee).
While NCCEFT works to assure fair treatment for all participants and attempts to anticipate problems, there will be occasional issues which will require intervention and/or action on the part of NCCEFT. This procedural description serves as a guideline for handling such complaints.
When a participant, either orally or in written format, files a grievance and expects action on the complaint, the following actions will be taken:
1. If the complaint concerns a speaker, the content presented by the speaker, or the style of presentation, the individual filing the complaint will be asked to put his/her comments in written format. The CE Program Director will then pass on the comments to the speaker, assuring the confidentiality of the aggrieved individual.
2. If the complaint concerns a workshop offering, its content, level of presentation, or the facilities in which the workshop was offered, the CE Program Director will mediate and will be the final arbitrator. If the participant requests action during a workshop or conference, the CE Program Director or his/her representative will:
a. attempt to rectify the situation, and/or
b. provide a credit for a subsequent presentation, in the event of a program having an attendance fee or
c. provide a partial or full refund of the registration fee, in the event of a program having an attendance fee.
Actions 2b and 2c will require a written note, documenting the grievance, for record keeping purposes. The note need not be signed by the aggrieved individual.
3. If the grievance concerns the business practices of the NCCEFT CE program in a specific regard, the CE Program Director or Administrator will attempt to arbitrate.
REFUND AND ATTENDANCE POLICY:
In the event that a program presentation has an attendance fee, CANCELLATIONS should be made 48 hours prior to the event.
