Understanding the Importance of THC and Nicotine Cessation for System Involved Youth

Robert Dousa

Training Description

One of the most significant challenges when supporting system involved youth and families is engaging them and helping them build constructive, transformational behaviors that are sustainable and lead to healthy community engagement and improved outcomes for system involved youth. In this training, we will explore how to enhance our capacity to support system-involved youth and their caregivers by amplifying the importance of Nicotine and THC Cessation. The approaches discussed will support training participants with identification of the inherent qualities of the system involved youth they support and promote the redirecting of their energy towards skills needed to self-advocate for success and positive roles in their community. We will focus on rapport building in order to gain buy in for behavior change. Simultaneously, we will practice being mindful of the use of our own energy in this process. Self-awareness that enhances our energy, not subtracts from it, will be another goal. This approach will strengthen child, social and emotional development and wellbeing, and foster resilience in system-involved youth and their families so that they can heal from traumatic events. Practicing methods outlined by this workshop will allow us to deepen our effectiveness with system-involved youth and their families while supporting them towards healthier lifestyles and empowerment.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will:
• Learn about the latest products in the THC and Nicotine industry and will get an overview on how Motivational Interviewing (MI), Brief Intervention (BI), Strengths Assessment (SA) and Life Skills Coaching (LSC) will work together to transform behavior
• Explore the connection that substance use has on the effectiveness of therapeutic behavioral strategies and how to support system involved youth and their families with reducing use and/or facilitate the process of them entering substance use treatment.
• Examine how to apply the MI, BI, SA, LSC approaches as a support strategy for helping individuals to change problematic behaviors and enhance social, emotional development and well-being.
• Explore how and where they can access strength and support to rekindle their own energy when they feel drained from the work they do.

Agenda 

2:00-2:05pm  Sign In

2:05-2:45pm  An overview of about the latest products in the THC and Nicotine industry and an overview on how Motivational Interviewing (MI), Brief Intervention (BI), Strengths Assessment (SA) and Life Skills Coaching (LSC) can work together to transform behavior.

2:45-3:15pm  Explore the connection that substance use has on the effectiveness of therapeutic behavioral strategies and learn ways to support system-involved youth and families with reducing use and/or facilitate them to enter substance use treatment.

3:15-3:40pm  Learn how to coach system-involved youth and families on the skills they need to self-advocate towards success and positive roles in their community while practicing mindfulness

3:40-3:55pm  Learn how and where to get strength and support to rekindle your own energy when feeling drained.

3:55-4:00pm  Wrap Up & Evaluation

Meet Our Trainer

Mr. Robert Dousa is the founding Managing General Partner of Independent Strengths Building Consulting. This business includes: Individual Anger Management & Addictive Behavior Recovery Coaching, Conducting training of: Situational Leadership/Strengths-Based Life Skills Coaching, Brief Intervention & Motivational Interviewing, Drug, Anger Management, & Family interventions, Neuroscience-Based Leadership & Rapport Building, & Organizational Prevention Strategy Consultation, & Mandated Reporter Training for CA. Mr. Robert Dousa's full time position is the  Alcohol, Tobacco, and Drugs Program Manager of Intervention and Prevention for the Behavioral Health Department of the Oakland Unified School District, CA. This program includes managing the prevention and intervention of substance abuse of all tobacco, alcohol, and drugs from Oakland’s 85 public schools, K-12. Robert Dousa has served in this capacity for the Oakland Unified School District since 2005 and prior to that served as a substance abuse counselor in school districts in Alameda County, CA.

This course meets the qualifications for (2) BBS CEUs for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.