Workshop 1 of 2 in the "Motivational Interviewing in April, for the Mental Health Workforce" Series

Tuesday, April 4, 2023 | 2:00pm - 4:00pm

How we show up in our workspaces and the attitudes we hold profoundly impacts the work we do. It is impossible to separate our professional skill sets from our beliefs about ourselves and others. In this session, we will learn the “spirit” of motivational interviewing and how this spirit shapes our therapeutic approach and creates context for our interactions with clients. We will learn how connecting to the “spirit” allows us to create psychological safety for help seekers and how essential it is for promoting trauma-informed care.

The Recovery Ambassador Program is a 13-hour training that prepares individuals to advance public understanding and appropriate responses to addiction.

The training program consists of a two-day seminar. Course material includes instruction in participation on advisory councils, recruiting volunteers, building messages, organizing community action, engaging policymakers, raising money, and renewing team effort.

In this comprehensive one-day training, Dr. Aron Steward will teach about the necessity of a wellness practice and provide tools for resiliency, outline the fundamentals of co-occurring disorders, what resources are (or are not) available, and what you as a Recovery Coach can do to help others. This training is free and open to Recovery Coaches. 

Please complete the form to apply. Upon acceptance into the training, you will receive training login details via email.

Alcohol is the number one substance of misuse

in Vermont. The goal of this panel is to increase awareness and

understanding of alcohol use disorder, including its prevalence,

identification, and application of clinical and operational best practices.

Recovery is a journey of personal growth and requires a commitment of the individual, their social networks, and community to play a role. This webinar will explore how linking individuals into pro-social networks and meaningful activities can aid long-term recovery.

Join us in beautiful Ludlow, VT for the second annual Divided Sky Fun(d) Run! Participate in this in-person or virtual 5K to support addiction recovery and build community with runners, walkers, and good people of all kinds. All proceeds from this event support the Divided Sky Foundation, Turning Point Center of Springfield and Turning Point Center of Rutland! All participants (in-person and virtual) will receive a dry-fit event T-shirt.

SPRINGFIELD, Vt. (WCAX) - A new report on overdose deaths in Vermont is out, and the numbers back up what has already been widely reported -- the opioid epidemic is getting worse and new dangerous drugs are being added to the mix. “It’s being able to reach the people and have them have a connection. Recovery is about a connection, it doesn’t matter if it is 12-step or not,” says Johnson.

Breakthrough findings could lead to more effective prevention and treatment strategies for multiple substance use disorders. By combing through genomic data of over 1 million people, scientists have identified genes commonly inherited across addiction disorders, regardless of the substance being used.

Research suggests sound is a powerful tool to reduce pain, anxiety, and more. One study published in the Journal of Evidence-Based Integrative Medicine found that an hourlong sound meditation helped people reduce tension, anger, fatigue, anxiety, and depression while increasing a sense of spiritual well-being. 

When it comes to treating addiction, we're stronger together. Join our community of industry leaders and mental health professionals, as we return to coastal Cape Cod, Massachusetts. We are excited to expand our network and unite our efforts with three leading behavioral health and addiction meetings from across the country: At the Cape Cod Symposium, you'll find yourself among like-minded professionals, learning and addressing the significant challenges we must overcome-together.

In recent studies, Xylazine test strips can reliably produce presumptive results of the presence of xylazine in drug samples. The test strips produced true positives for all the authentic drug samples containing xylazine and produced true negatives for all samples without xylazine. Read the report in its entirety below.

Data of particular interest is the latest Monthly Opioid Morbidity and Mortality Report, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, Alcohol Related Deaths Among Vermonters and the Division of Substance Use Annual Overview.