ACHHS now has a TV Channel! Check back frequently as we develop the materials for you to view.
The webinar presentation explores these two questions: What is EMDR and how can it help clients recovering from trauma? How is EMDR compatible with Christian faith and how can it be best used by Christian practitioners. Dr. Esly Carvalho, PhD, is a Brazilian-American Trainer of Trainers for the EMDR Institute and EMDR Ibero-America (EMDR IBA). A published author and speaker (in Spanish, Portuguese and English) as well as a Psychodrama Trainer, Esly has integrated her Psychodrama background into EMDR training and clinical practice.
Attorney and human rights advocate, Jeanneane Maxon, JD, presents implications of the Supreme Court Dobbs Ruling to provide guidance for Christians to better understand the decision and its impact for human services professionals. Christians are encouraged to consider the issue from a Biblical worldview and ethical practice. This webinar will explore two questions: What should we know about abortion & the pro-abortion movement? How can Christians best help families facing pregnancy decisions now?
Daren Mehl explores a Biblical view of same sex desire, attraction, orientation, and change from the perspective of one man’s journey as a Christian walking this journey, providing insights and guidance for Christian human service professionals, counselors, and social workers. Daren is President of Voice of the Voiceless, a 501c3 focused on educating the public about the issue of homosexuality from a Christian perspective. This webinar is not about conversion therapy. Neither the presenter, nor ACHHS or Indiana Wesleyan University endorse the use of “conversion therapy” also known as unethical, unproven, coercive attempts by a therapist to persuade or convert clients out of same sex attraction.
Denise Shick is the founder and executive director of Help 4 Families Ministry and director of Living Stones Ministries. She is the author of six children’s books and several nonfiction books, including My Daddy’s Secret, Understanding Gender Confusion—A Faith-Based Perspective, and Transgender Confusion—A Biblical Q&A for Families. She will address how should Christians think about working with families with transgender parents, the experiences of children in families with a transgender parent, and Biblical principles should Christian helpers consider when working with families with a transgender parent.
This session will include a description of work completed in early 2000’s, at University of Miami, in Women’s Mental Health Programs, with Dr. Sally Dodds. These women were diagnosed with HIV, but also had histories of being sexually abused as children, and a majority had diagnosis of PTSD. The presenter will discuss the importance of serving all clients in the most competent way and using evidence-based practice models for working with this population of clients, in both individual and group therapy settings. Dr. Rhonda Hudson is an experienced licensed clinical social worker with 14 years working as a social work professor at a Christian university. She is currently in clinical practice in an EAP program.
Ebony Hudson is a licensed clinical social worker who is dual licensed in New Jersey and South Carolina. Ebony is most proud to add “author” to her list of accomplishments. Her book, “From Healing to Wholeness: A Christian Perspective on Emotional & Mental Wellness” shares how Christians can be healed and made whole mentally and emotionally. Using basic Christian principles, Ebony outlines specific, practical steps one can take along the path of healing. She also examines lessons we can learn from individuals in the Bible who had a relationship with God and struggled – and overcame – life’s challenges. This presentation will explore Luke 17 as the foundational basis for the book, discuss how it benefits Christians coping with mental health issues, and include a few book themes that can be applied when working with clients (believers and non-believers).
The Latino church, historically of conservative Catholic and Protestant faith, has been experiencing significant changes in modern times. Liberation theology has been trying to influence the Latino church for a long time despite its strong fundamental roots in Scripture. Manny Elias, a former missionary and Latino pastor, co-hosts a Christian podcast together with wife Kat Elias, a licensed clinical social worker of multi-racial heritage who has worked in medical social work and mental health education. The two will discuss how socio-political influences and different worldviews entered the church, how faith perspectives seem to have shifted for many Latino Christians, and some cultural considerations when working with clients of Latino culture to help build better rapport and in applying to their practice.
We live in challenging times where so many factors and issues can and do divide Christians. In the last year and a half, pastors and ministry leaders have wrestled with what is the best approach to Covid19, and what is the most Gospel-centered way to lead the church during times of polarization. As a physician and medical director of an urgent care center, as well as elder and pastor of a church in Southern California, Dr. Jason Ho found both of his profession and ministry calling to be stretched and challenged last year as some members of the congregation struggled with the direction taken by church leadership. Dr. Ho will share reflections of his experience during these times and lead attendees in discussing Christian unity in the midst of division.
What is the impact of trauma on the mental and spiritual health of people of faith? How can clinicians use scripture to help bring healing and wholeness to their clients? Teneka is a passionate philanthropic servant in both professional and faith-based communities. As the CEO and therapist with Covenant Counseling Services, LLC., she empowers her clients to work through the psychological, emotional, and spiritual residue resulting from traumatic experiences. She has developed the Whole Life Transformation, a therapeutic framework to address relational trauma by helping individuals heal from past relational wounds and learn healthy attachments.
Christian Love: Ministering to the Traumas that have caused Gender Dysphoria and SSA -David Pickup, MA, LMFT
How do we stand for the truth but demonstrate compassion? What are the unseen family and emotional issues that can create dysphoria? David Pickup MA, LMFT, will draw from his decades of clinical experience working with gender dysphoric individuals to share about how there is no compassion without truth. Furthermore, by confronting the full truth of a matter, one can begin to heal from deep wounds in one’s past. Mr. Pickup will discuss the role of image transformation therapy (IMTT) as a therapeutic tool to disclose past trauma that can then unleash the healing powers of the mind. For Christian helping professionals, adopting Christlike compassion and working to develop safety and security for clients will allow this work, aka re-integrative therapy, to achieve mutually derived therapy goals. Please note: As a licensed counselor and marriage and family therapist, Mr. Pickup does not practice nor promote what some might call “conversion therapy”. Nor will ACHHS, as a faith-based organization, knowingly host any presenters or educators who promote any unethical practice or practice that conflicts with our core faith beliefs.
A Christian Response to Sexual Orientation Change -James Phelan, PsyD, LCSW
In this diverse discussion, part 2 of 4 sexuality series Dr. James Phelan will present an academic appraisal of how secular informants view sexual orientation change efforts. As a backdrop to the discussion, Phelan will discuss these resolutions and contrast the topic of change according to a Christian worldview as well as fact-checking. He will lead discussions of personal change, and practical ways to navigate a Christian worldview of change from that of a secular worldview of change.
How can Christian helping professionals respond effectively when working with LGBTQ clients? More than most issues, Christian helping professionals may struggle when working with people who identify as LGBT or with related policy issues. Social Work Professor, Dr. King will discuss the varying terminology and frameworks– knowing what to do, say, or how to respond ethically in practice. The presenter will also aim to help attendees identify perspectives and strategies that may be important to consider when managing faith convictions and professional identity.
Moral Distress: An Interprofessional Dialogue -Marty Eng, PharmD
Human service and helping professionals in mental health or healthcare settings who identify as religious or Christian may encounter situations of tensions between their deeply held faith and the profession’s ever changing cultural frameworks for helping. Specializing in pharmacotherapy, Dr. Marty Eng will lead us in an inter-professional discussion regarding how moral distress presents itself, how it affects providers of faith across disciplines in various settings, and how professionals can address these moral dilemmas within the context of the provider’s or client’s Biblical worldview. The various professions’ codes of ethics will be discussed to arrive at best practice of faith integration in serving clients/patients.
Professor David Stefan has worked as a therapist, career coach, college instructor, and program development specialist for more than a decade when he set out on an extended global research expedition working and living in 20 states and 12 countries on six continents. From this “12 Months to Live” vocational exploration project, he has gained life experience in multicultural settings to supplement his academic work in the field of psychology, health and wellness, and philosophy. Mental health interventions frequently address negative symptoms while neglecting practices that can build resiliency. This workshop will enhance attendee’s knowledge of Positive Psychology, defined as “the scientific study of what makes life worth living.”
This workshop will explore a Biblical definition and perspective on social justice and its application to current culture and practice. James Long holds a Doctorate in Theology as well as a Masters in Social Work and is a Board Certified Professional Counselor and Certified school social worker in New Jersey. He will share his perspectives as a Christian, a clinician, a Black American, and a theologian who holds to Biblical inerrancy and the Biblical worldview. The goal of this presentation is to continue the dialogue with theologically conservative Christians and those who feel called to pursue social justice causes in the health and human service professions. The tension between Scripture and worldly narratives and ideologies will be explored to help attendees arrive at an understanding that honors both the Christian’s religious viewpoints and ethical professional practice.
In this workshop, Dr. Lori Goss-Reaves will share her personal and spiritual journey as a Christian parent raising a child with Downs Syndrome and Autism. She will also share her professional experience with community resources and lessons she’s learned regarding how to best serve children with disabilities and their parents. The goal of this presentation is to explore some challenges with parenting/providing service for individuals with special needs, particularly those with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Along the way, Dr. Goss-Reaves hopes to encourage Christians regarding how this work can deepen our Biblical faith, and how Christians can become more empathic, effective caregivers.
In addition to the ethical challenges helping professionals often encounter daily with individual clients, patients or families, increasingly, workers face areas of moral tension between areas of public policy and agency or professional expectations that may clash with their Christian faith. This discussion will identify key areas of tension between Christian faith and professional practice and discuss implications and challenges for Christian professionals. Ideas for responding ethically using a worldview model will also be discussed along with a Q and A.
What does reconciliation look like from a Biblical perspective? How is it the same and how does this differ from established social justice initiatives? Considering reconciliation takes forgiveness for past wrongs, who should take the lead in initiating the reconciliation process? Racism affects us in many different ways; mentally, intellectually, physically, socially, and spiritually. This is why it has been such an effective tool the enemy has used to cause division for centuries. What does it take to stop the vicious cycle from continuing? What tools do we have to fight against the strong urge to retaliate or harbor hatred in our hearts when we are the victims of racism?
When providing services in the health and human services fields, whether as a social worker, nurse, counselor, minister, human service provider, or even when teaching in these service oriented professions as a university professor, some Christians may experience internal conflict between their orthodox or Catholic biblical worldview and their profession’s new cultural shifts that emphasize values of “diversity, inclusion, and equity at all costs”. This presentation will focus on clarifying some key tenets of CRT and then explore some key problems with CRT in light of Biblical truth, including the concept of sin and redemptive nature of faith. Along the way, Dr. Owens would also like to explore what is “redeemable” within CRT, and to discuss ways that compassionate, ethical Christians can still pursue biblical values of empathic care, justice, and loving thy neighbor while not compromising Scriptural truths.
When working with clients at end of life, some practitioners may experience internal conflict between professional ethics and the Great Commission or other aspects of their faith. This discussion will revolve around how professionals can manage spiritual anxiety when working with clients at end of life, particularly with clients who do not appear to have an understanding of the Gospel or a saving faith in Jesus Christ.