And it Starts with Us: The Power of Connection in Substance Use Treatment

Enroll in the Online Self-Study
5 CE Credits available for behavioral health clinicians

Substance use is a public health problem and is an essential health issue in our country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health report, 40.3 million Americans aged 12 or older had a substance use disorder (SUD). This training will facilitate a different worldview in understanding, identifying, engaging, and partnering with clients with substance use problems. It will review how social injustices impact substance use and how clinicians can address them with and for their clients. Integrating the client-focused model and strength-based approach can facilitate engagement and partnership with clients by:

  • Assisting clients and communities in preventing substance use or substance misuse.
  • Meeting clients where they are.
  • Reducing missed opportunities for desired outcomes and improving the experiences of individuals with substance use disorders.

Building a respectful and responsive approach to serving clients will enhance the client's strengths, resources, abilities, and values.

Engagement and partnership of clients are crucial elements of desired outcomes and improved experiences of serving them. Various practices and skills are essential to clients' success in making healthier lifestyle changes related to excessive alcohol and drug use. This webinar will also explore skills that can facilitate a client's action toward change.

Select each tab above to view specific details of this course

Substance use is a public health problem and is an essential health issue in our country. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that in the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health report, 40.3 million Americans aged 12 or older had a substance use disorder (SUD). This training will facilitate a different worldview in understanding, identifying, engaging, and partnering with clients with substance use problems. It will review how social injustices impact substance use and how clinicians can address them with and for their clients. Integrating the client-focused model and strength-based approach can facilitate engagement and partnership with clients by:

  • Assisting clients and communities in preventing substance use or substance misuse.

  • Meeting clients where they are.

  • Reducing missed opportunities for desired outcomes and improving the experiences of individuals with substance use disorders.

Building a respectful and responsive approach to serving clients will enhance the client's strengths, resources, abilities, and values.

Engagement and partnership of clients are crucial elements of desired outcomes and improved experiences of serving them. Various practices and skills are essential to clients' success in making healthier lifestyle changes related to excessive alcohol and drug use. This webinar will also explore skills that can facilitate a client's action toward change.

This course offers 5+ hours of video training, a post-test and an evaluation.

This course was recorded September 22, 2023.

Upon completion of this training professionals will be able to do the following:

  1. Identify the extent of substance use problems and addiction in the United States.
  2. Describe two social injustices, the consequences associated with those injustices, and their impact on substance use.
  3. Define cultural competency versus cultural humility and its importance in reducing stigma and optimizing counseling and treatment outcomes.
  4. Utilize approaches, strategies, and skills, and engage and partner with clients in substance use.

Lisa Connors, LCPC, NCC, MAC, M.Div., MA, ABD

Lisa Connors, LCPC, NCC, MAC, M.Div., MA, ABD, is the Associate Pastor of In His Image International Ministry. She is a Licensed Bachelor Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, Board-Certified Coach, Master Addiction Counselor, and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. Ms. Connors is a Certified Grief Informed Professional. She is also Certified in Thanatology [the study of death, dying, and bereavement]. She has been in ministry for over 25 years and in the human services/social work/counseling/addiction fields for over 30 years. She has worked in various settings providing services to the despondent and downtrodden. Ms. Connors works tirelessly to help others reach their fullest potential in life, helping and supporting others who have been oppressed, stigmatized, marginalized, and victimized. Her greatest passion is working with individuals affected by HIV/AIDS, substance use and mental health disorders, violence/abuse/trauma, grief and loss, racial and social injustices.
In addition to her pastoral and clinical work, Ms. Connors is a college professor, a member of many local, state, and national organizations, and a trainer/consultant.
Ms. Connors earned her Bachelor of Social Work, Master of Divinity, and Master of Arts in Professional Counseling, respectively, and is finishing her Ph.D. in Psychology.

Credit Hours: CEs provided with this course include 5 continuing education hours of credit.

Counselors: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6693. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Mental Health Counselors #MHC-0048.

Marriage and Family Therapists: Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations. You can check with your board to determine if this course would be accepted by your licensing board.

Social Workers: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 5 clinical continuing education credits.

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Social Workers #SW-0435.

Addiction Professionals: This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits, effective 2/20/2024. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programing.

Psychologists: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0128.

Art Therapists: Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.

Other Professionals: This activity qualifies for 300 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations.  Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.

This is a non-interactive, self-study course.

To receive your certificate of completion you must complete the course in its entirety.

Online courses are completed by registering, logging in, navigating to your course using the menu (My Courses – the Course Title), completing all of the modules, completing and passing the post-test, and completing the course evaluation. Participants have 6 months from registration to access and complete online self-study courses.

Live Webinar courses are completed by registering, logging in to this website, navigating to your course using the menu (My Courses – the Course Title), attending the full course via webinar, submitting your attendance, and completing the post-test and course evaluation online.

Psychologists and other professionals seeking CE credit through our approval with the American Psychological Association are asked, but not required, to complete the course evaluation before obtaining their certificate of completion, however passing a post-test for online self-study courses and live webinars, and submitting one's attendance for live on-site and live webinars is required.

You can receive your certificate of completion by logging onto this website, navigating to the course using the menu (My Courses – the Course Title), scroll to the bottom of your course, and click on your certificate to either download it or print it.

Directions for completing a course can be found by clicking here.

Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities

Click here to view our Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.

Cancellation Policy

Refunds are offered within the first 30 days for courses which have not been completed.  There is a 10% service fee for refunds.

Grievance Policy

Click here to view our Grievance Policy.

This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

This program was recorded on September 22, 2023

You have six months to access online courses from the time of purchase.

Lisa Connors Headshot

Lisa Connors
LCPC, NCC, MAC, M.Div., MA, ABD

Lisa Connors, LCPC, NCC, MAC, M.Div., MA, ABD, is the Associate Pastor of In His Image International Ministry. She is a Licensed Bachelor Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, National Certified Counselor, Board-Certified Coach, Master Addiction Counselor, and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. Ms. Connors is a Certified Grief Informed Professional. She is also Certified in Thanatology [the study of death, dying, and bereavement]. She has been in ministry for over 25 years and in the human services/social work/counseling/addiction fields for over 30 years. She has worked in various settings providing services to the despondent and downtrodden. Ms. Connors works tirelessly to help others reach their fullest potential in life, helping and supporting others who have been oppressed, stigmatized, marginalized, and victimized. Her greatest passion is working with individuals affected by HIV/AIDS, substance use and mental health disorders, violence/abuse/trauma, grief and loss, racial and social injustices.

In addition to her pastoral and clinical work, Ms. Connors is a college professor, a member of many local, state, and national organizations, and a trainer/consultant.

Ms. Connors earned her Bachelor of Social Work, Master of Divinity, and Master of Arts in Professional Counseling, respectively, and is finishing her Ph.D. in Psychology.

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