Articles

How often have you worked really hard to encourage, persuade, cajole, even scare a patient into addressing an alcohol, drug, or other self-destructive behavioral problem, yet find all your effort, support, and caring fruitless? You watch someone continue to use this drug or this behavior for comfort, to numb out, to forget, to cope…and you watch them have problems in relationships they care about, have problems at work, and you may even see them doing apparent good work in therapy, but there is little change. You may see them develop health problems yet continue in the self-destructive behavior. And every time you bring up their alcohol, pot, cigarette, or other problem behavior, they defend, minimize, or avoid the issue – or get annoyed or angry with you!

Motivational Interviewing (MI) is both a philosophy and a counseling approach that helps engage patients in the treatment process. The therapist who uses MI knows that persuasion is not effective in helping those with addictions resolve their ambivalence toward treatment. They know that motivation must come from inside the client. MI seeks to mobilize the client’s own values and goals to stimulate change. This approach helps clients articulate and resolve their ambivalence toward treatment using a collaborative therapeutic relationship. MI is being embraced more and more by substance abuse and mental health treatment providers, and there is research to demonstrate its effectiveness. Participants will receive an overview of MI, learn the theory underlying this counseling approach, practice basic MI skills, and recognize how MI can be used to address ambivalence in any psychotherapeutic setting.

Ken Bachrach, Ph.D., is Clinical Director of Tarzana Treatment Centers. He has been engaged in clinical practice, research, and training for over 25 years. Dr. Bachrach is site principal Investigator in the Clinical Trials Network of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which tests new treatment protocols. He is also President of Professional Psych Seminars, a leading continuing education provider for psychologists and other mental health professionals.

Saturday, May 16, 2009, 9 am – 12 Noon
Using Motivational Interviewing to Engage Patients in Treatment
Ken Bachrach, Ph.D.
3.0 CE hours
The Skirball Cultural Center
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles 90049
310-440-4500

This event will also be held at the beautiful Skirball Cultural Center. In this setting, Dr. Bachrach will talk to us about how Motivational Interviewing helps those with addictions to resolve their ambivalence toward treatment. LACPA members have expressed an interest in learning about this approach.

Saturday, June 6, 2009, 9 am – 4 pm
The Evaluation of Child Sexual Abuse for Intermediate and Advanced Forensic Practitioners
Barry Hirsch, Ph.D.
6.0 CE hours
LACPA OFFICE
17277 Ventura Blvd., Suite 202
Encino, CA 91316
818-905-0410

Many of our CE events are introductory programs. There is a need for some information better suited to those who have already begun to develop skill and expertise in an area. This program presents an advanced workshop for the professionals who perform evaluations of child sexual abuse and the attorneys who examine them. It is designed for those who have mastered the basic factors within this area and who wish to further hone their knowledge and skills. This program will be held at the LACPA office in Encino.

Saturday, September 12, 2009, 9 am – 4 pm
Natural Alternatives to Prozac: Theories, Practices, and Research
Kathryn P. White, Ph.D., D.H.M. L.ac., Dipl. Ac, & C.H.
6.0 CE hours.
Huntington Memorial Hospital
100 W. California Boulevard
Pasadena, CA 91105
626-397-5000

Many LACPA members know Dr. White from CSPP. Dr. White is a psychologist, acupuncturist, Chinese medical herbologist, Ayurvedic medicine practitioner, and a doctor of homeopathic medicine. So many of our members work with patients who use these alternative methods – or work with people who might prefer them to psychiatric medications for depression. As their psychologists, we want and need to know something about these treatments and the practitioners who perform these services. Dr. White will provide a great deal of information about acupuncture, herbs, Ayurvedic medicine, homeopathy, and nutritional medicine for the treatment of depression and those who practice these methods. This program will be held at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena.