RECOVERING FAMILY WELLNESS:
REBUILDING RELATIONSHIPS
Friday, August 23, 2024
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
(lunch included)
Shrine Visitors Center
An annual conference to help those journeying with people with mental illness
(limited to 125 attendees)
“Strengthening the Quality of Attachment Bonds through Rupture and Repair Cycles”
Presenter: Ky Miller
We are all going to experience pain (ruptures) in our interpersonal relationships. Whether we are the one who accidentally caused pain to our loved one or are the ones hurting, the great news is that there is opportunity to repair in a manner that brings people closer together than ever before. As many of us know, apologies aren’t always sufficient to repair relationships and can leave us feeling unheard, invalidated or even defensive. This presentation will outline attachment and emotionally-focused concepts that can be engaged to adequately repair those ruptures, contributing to the enhancement of the relationship – and each individual’s well-being.
Ky A. Miller, MSW, LCSW (they/them) is a social worker and psychotherapist who provides attachment and trauma-informed therapy to individuals, couples and families in our shared community. As a relational specialist, Ky believes that the quality of our life can greatly depend on the quality of the attachment bonds we maintain in our closest relationships. Throughout the past five years, Ky has been dedicated to sharing the life-changing concepts of attachment theory with psychotherapy clients through conferences, speaking engagements and organizational trainings.
“Using Restorative Practices to Heal Relationships with Accountability and Resilience”
Presenter: Jessica Donaldson
Conflict can strain relationships and lead to harm within families and communities. This training provides an overview of Restorative Practices, focusing on the foundational beliefs and practical implementation of restorative questions to address conflict and repair relationships when harm has occurred. Participants will learn how Restorative Practices emphasize accountability, understanding and healing, fostering resilience in the face of challenges. Through interactive exercises and discussions, attendees will gain the skills and knowledge needed to integrate Restorative Practices into their personal and professional lives, creating environments that prioritize empathy, dialogue and reconciliation.
Jessica Donaldson, LMFT serves as a Behavioral Health Consultant at Regional Office of Education #33, with over 15 years of extensive experience in Behavioral Health. Her expertise lies in bridging the gap between behavioral health and education through comprehensive training, coaching and program development, notably including School-based Mental Health Therapy and 21st Century Community Learning Centers. Additionally, Jessica holds certifications as a Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Restorative Practices Trainer and Mental Health First Aid Instructor.
“Addiction and Mental Health: The Entire Family Experience”
Presenter: Liesl Wingert
Addiction and mental health issues are prevalent in today’s society, and many families are dealing with both at the same time as they tend to overlap each other. When a member of the family suffers from these diseases, the entire family suffers each in their own way according to their experience and position within the family. This discussion will define the issues and clarify the unique position that each family member experiences. In addition, participants will gain a greater awareness of the family interrelational system of relationships when addiction and mental health issues are present, as well as an overview of some available resources that can assist the entire family with the healing process.
Liesl Wingert has been a Pastor’s wife for almost 38 years, serving rural Indiana and Southern Illinois. She has four grown children, two of which have suffered with addiction and mental health issues. Bringing extensive personal and professional experience to the discussion, she endeavors to share awareness, coping tools and hope to those who also have family members that suffer with these debilitating diseases.
“A Family Story of Recovery”
Presenter: Jo McGuire
It is often said that addiction is a family disease. When loved ones travel down the dark hole of Substance Use Disorder with a family member, everyone is impacted. Jo will share her harrowing family journey of marijuana dependence, mental illness and recovery. We will explore what healthy recovery looks like and what tools are available for families seeking a return to wellness.
Jo McGuire is the founder and Executive Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association, which is the largest membership organization in the U.S. for those operating in the workplace drug testing space. She was appointed to serve on the Colorado Governor’s Task Force to regulate Amendment 64 due to her expertise in the drug testing industry and has participated in the United Nations General Assembly on the World Drug Agreements and the first Latin American Congress on Workplace Drug Testing. Jo is a Certified Substance Abuse Program Administrator with a B.S. in Sociology and a Minor in Cannabis Studies from Colorado State University-Pueblo and is a recognized subject matter expert and seasoned public policy advisor.
Registration Cost: $40 (lunch included)
IL CEUs (for mental health professionals): $35 (additional fee)
Illinois Continuing Education Units Offered for Attendance
4 CEUs: LCSW, LCPC, APRN, RN, LPN
For more information, contact 618-394-6281 or email programs@snows.org