Clinicians from the Elements Behavioral Health family of treatment centers will discuss trauma, addiction and related disorders at the 10th Annual Symposium of the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals in Phoenix.
Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) Feb. 10, 2015 – Five noted addiction experts from the Elements Behavioral Health family of treatment centers will speak at the 10th Annual Symposium of the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals (IITAP). This year’s symposium will be held from Feb. 12 to 14 at Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort in Phoenix. The speakers include:
- Robert Weiss, LCSW, CSAT-S, author, clinician, founder of the Sexual Recovery Institute, and senior vice president of clinical development for Elements Behavioral Health
- Sharon O’Hara, MFT, CSAT-S, clinical director at the Sexual Recovery Institute
- Monica Blauner, LCSW, CSAT, program director at the Sexual Recovery Institute
- Buddy Horne, MA, LPC, CSAT-S, clinical specialist at The Ranch
- Karen Brownd, CSAT, program director at the Center for Relationship and Sexual Recovery at The Ranch
Mr. Weiss will be joined by Jennifer Schneider, MD, PhD, in hosting a book release Lunch and Learn event on Thursday, Feb. 12 from 12:20 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. to explore their 2015 self-help book “Always Turned On: Sex Addiction in the Digital Age.” The book addresses the skyrocketing rates of digitally driven sex addiction, exacerbated by easy access to virtual sex and sex partners through mobile devices, apps and social media. Mr. Weiss and Dr. Schneider will draw from this newly published book to explore sex addiction in the digital age and offer solutions for long-term recovery.
“Many of the sexual and romantic challenges we see in some individuals today stem from the direct access they have to highly arousing sexual imagery and app-based sexual connections, all of which has fueled an explosion in addictive behavior,” said Mr. Weiss. “We’ll cover the latest research and offer clinical insights into how digital technology both facilitates and escalates sexually addictive behavior.”
On Friday, Feb. 13, from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., during concurrent workshops, Sharon O’Hara presents “Sex Offender 101: What You Need to Know to Treat Sex Addicts Who View Illegal Porn Images.”
From 1:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m., The Ranch’s Buddy Horne presents “The Roadmap to Authenticity: Understanding the Impact of Attachment, Trauma and Other Psychological Barriers to Recovering and/or Discovering.” This workshop sheds light on how neglect, abuse and trauma affect the process of recovery from chemical dependency, sex or intimacy disorders, eating disorders, and mood or anxiety disorders.
Later that day, from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monica Blauner and Robert Weiss present an interactive workshop titled “Sex Addiction Program Development: Evolving Your Private Practice into a Larger Entity.” With a combined total of more than 40 years of multi-agency experience, Ms. Blauner and Mr. Weiss will offer attendees practical tools and insight into the drivers of ethical agency growth by revealing some of their mistakes and successes.
“While it’s great to dream of expanding your practice, the reality can be daunting,” said Ms. Blauner. “We’ve learned a lot from our combined years of experience that we’re eager to share about making the nuts and bolts of your dream come true.”
One of the concurrent sessions on Saturday, Feb. 14, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., is “Assessment and Treatment Considerations for Multimorbidity of Sex Addiction, Eating Disorders & Trauma,” presented by Karen Brownd. She will provide key clinical tools and techniques to identify co-occurring sex addiction and eating disorders that are often fueled by unresolved trauma. Brownd will also offer insight into how these addictions are commonly interwoven, each masking the identity of the other, making diagnosis and treatment more difficult.
To attend the symposium, complete the registration form on IITAP’s website. To learn more about other speaking engagements by these presenters, visit the Elements Behavioral Health events page.
About The Sexual Recovery Institute
Since 1995, the Sexual Recovery Institute has been one of the nation’s premier outpatient programs for men and women struggling with relationship, love and sex addiction. Based in Los Angeles, California, the institute offers confidential, affordable and gender-specific programs that encourage healthy sexuality and intimacy, including two-week intensives and individual, group and couples treatment. For more information about The Sexual Recovery Institute, call (855) 893-5987 or visit www.sexualrecovery.com.
About The Ranch
Since 1999, The Ranch has provided comprehensive therapeutic programs that treat the underlying causes of eating disorders, addictions and other self-defeating behaviors. The Ranch offers innovative therapies to address the multidimensional aspects of the whole person while teaching personal accountability in a safe, nurturing, real-life environment. Located on a working horse ranch in the beautiful rolling hills of Nunnelly, Tennessee, The Ranch offers programs with a variable length of stay, which allows each client to anchor new recovery behaviors needed for lasting change. For more information about The Ranch, call (855) 893-5987 or visit www.recoveryranch.com.
The Sexual Recovery Institute and The Ranch are members of the Elements Behavioral Health® family of behavioral health programs located throughout the U.S. Elements Behavioral Health offers comprehensive, innovative treatment for substance abuse, sexual addiction, trauma, eating disorders and other mental health disorders. We are committed to delivering clinically sophisticated treatment that promotes permanent lifestyle change, not only for the patient but for the entire family system. For more information about Elements Behavioral Health, visit elementsbh4.wpengine.com.
