Empowerment of individuals and organizations to reach their potential through education, speaking, training, and consultation

Master’s Degree in Social Work, Loyola University of Chicago

Bachelor of Science, Social Work and Sociology, MacMurray College, Jacksonville, IL

President of an international speaking, training, clinical, and consultation organization

1990 - Present

Simmons College School of Social Work

Field Instructor

2018 - Present

University of Chicago, Social Services Administration

Lecturer

 2012 - 2016

Governors State University, Addictions Studies Program

Faculty for the Masters Program

2007 – 2012

Illinois School of Professional Psychology

Part-time instructor of Doctoral and Master’s level students

1998 – 2005

Illinois State University

At Illinois State University, teaching specialized substance abuse trainings for supervisors of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services

2001 - 2003

Part-Time Faculty, Loyola University of Chicago School of Social Work

Teaching part-time in the Graduate MSW Program (courses include substance abuse counseling and group therapy) consistently rated, by students, a “5” on a 5-point scale

1992 - 1997

Part-Time Faculty, Harold Washington College, Chicago

Teaching substance abuse counseling courses in the Applied Science Department

1987 - 2000 

Director, COPE Training Institute

Director of the first African and Southeast Asian Addiction Counselor Training Program in the United States

1991 – 1993

Illinois Division of Substance Use Prevention and Recovery

2018 - Present

Expert consultant in helping the state of Illinois develop Recovery Oriented Systems of Care 

in each region of the state.

Illinois Division of SUPR - Emerging Adult SAMHSA Grant

2017 - 2018

Helped recruit and train young adults in recovery to serve on an advisory role on the 

unique recovery needs for emerging adults.

University of Wisconsin, Madison

(Great Lakes ATTC)

2018 - Present

Consultation and trainings in the Great Lakes region.

Mercy Home for Boys and Girls

2014 - 2018

Lead consultant for adolescents with Substance Use Disorders

Accomplishments

      •  Created assessment tools for the admissions process

      •  Created and led Evidence Based groups which integrated Motivational Interviewing,

          Motivational Incentives, Cannabis Manualized Treatment and the Matrix Model

      •  Consultation, supervision and training with staff

      •  Supervised graduate students

      •  Published journal articles on the success of the program

      •  Helped create agency wide recovery celebrations

      •  Recovery University - developed a conference on a college campus for youth 

         seeking recovery

      •  Created a specialized group for youth impacted by parental substance use

Lawrence Hall Youth Services

2018

Program consultations, case consultations and trainings on substance using adolescents

Metro Peace Academy

2018 - Present

A member of the faculty which helps train Fox River gang leaders to interrupt gang violence

in Chicago.

JBS International

2014

Consulted with the State of Colorado on the development and implementation of its Workforce Development Plan for SAMHSA. Provided consultation on the Behavioral Health Services: Building Health, Wealth, and Quality of Life for Sustained Recovery Treatment Improvement Protocol.

Thresholds, Young Adults Program

March 2013 – April 2014

Provided individual counseling and group therapy for adolescents and young adults with co-occurring disorders. Created a specialized group therapy curriculum to guide treatment. Provided workshops and consultation to staff on how to work with clients with co-occurring disorders.

Cook County Hospital, Division of Internal Medicine and Primary Care

1995 – Present

Consultant

Periodic training for medical school residents completing rotations in addictions medicine. Consultant for the SBIRT Program teaching health educators and peer mentors to utilize motivational interviewing with hospital patients.

Wisconsin Association on Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse, Inc. 

2002 – Present

Consultant

Accomplishments

• Provided training for hundreds of emerging counselors of color beginning their careers in the addictions field through the Minority Counselor Training Institute
• Developed and delivered one of the first recovery coaching curriculums in the city of Milwaukee. This curriculum will be used to help prepare future recovery coaches wanting to be certified in the state
• Designed and delivered clinical supervision trainings for emerging clinical supervisors throughout the state of Wisconsin

Wisconsin Division of Mental Health and Substance Abuse

Winter 2011

Programmatic Audits and Consultations on Clinical Effectiveness

Counseling Center of Lakeview, Chicago, Illinois

October 2009 – 2012

Consultant 

Consultation with staff who work with homeless adolescents with co-occurring disorders

Center for Excellence for Co-occurring Disorders, Chicago, Illinois

January 2010 – Present

Accomplishments

• Conducted focus groups throughout the state of Illinois on the needs of programs that provide medication-assisted recovery
  
• Provided statewide training on best practices in medication-assisted recovery
  
• Provided consultation to the ARCH Program, which specializes in working with homeless adults with co-occurring disorders
  
• Team building retreats
  
• Provided consultations and trainings on working with adolescents with co-occurring disorders
  

Hamilton County Alcohol and Drug Service Board

Spring 2009

Consultant

Consulted on development of recovery management program for women in the criminal justice system

Developed recovery management program for woman in the criminal justice system

Developed protocol for medication assisted recovery

Northern Trust Bank

2008 - 2016

Consultant

Consultant for the Employee Assistance Program

Sheridan Correctional Center

2007 – Present

Consultant

Periodic training for staff who work with chemically dependent inmates

Genesee County Mental Health, Flint, Michigan 

2007 – 2011

Consultant

Training for 150 mental health professionals preparing to become certified as addiction counselors; leader of clinical supervision groups for the purpose of helping clinical supervisors help counselors and case managers work effectively with chemically dependent clients

The Night Ministry 

2004 – Present

Consultant - for a number of programs on addictions and mental health

Great Lakes Addiction Technology Transfer Center

2001 – 2008

Senior Consultant, Training and Technology Transfer

Accomplishments

• Developed and delivered trainings on evidence-based practices for Native American tribes in the state of Michigan 
  
• Developed and delivered trainings on clinical supervision for supervisors throughout the state of Michigan. This training was a part of the State of Michigan’s Bureau of Mental Health Workforce Development strategic plan.
  
• Developed and delivered clinical supervision training throughout the State of Illinois for the CSAT Adolescent Grant
  
• Provided training throughout the Great Lakes Region on Recovery Management 
  
• Conducted trainings to develop Technology Transfer specialists from the states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. This training involved preparing participants to facilitate systems changes in their states.
  
• Consultant to mentors for the Leadership Institute
  
• Selected as one of the top six addictions trainers in Illinois to prepare the next generation of addictions trainers
  
• Lead consultant on a project to help the organization provide culturally competent services to addictions organizations throughout the Midwest
  
• Developed a comprehensive workshop to help prepare addictions counselors to pass the certification exam. 
  

Illinois Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse

2002 - 2008

Co-led focus groups, with the medial director of DASA, with adolescents with substance use disorders in residential settings to ascertain from their perspective appropriate recovery support upon discharge. 

Primary consultant on a project to define gender-responsive treatment for chemically dependent male clients throughout the state of Illinois.

Consultant for adolescent, compulsive gambling, and men’s programming

Women’s Justice Services of Cook County Jail

2001 – 2007

Consultation and training for corrections officers and counselors who work with female inmates

Co-developer of a training manual and educational video geared toward helping professionals work more effectively with female inmates in the criminal justice system

Training specialist – U.S. Journal Training

2003 – Present

Adolescent conference – only trainer in the nation invited back as a trainer for eleven consecutive years

 

Lake County Health Department

2000 – 2010

Diversity training and consultation for the entire County of Lake

Lake County Forest Preserves

2005 – 2010

Diversity training for the entire forest preserve staff

Illinois Department of Corrections

2000 – Present

Training of trainers to help empower the Department of Corrections to internally meet its training needs.

Basic training for new corrections staff and advanced trainings for veteran staff on a range of topics

Inner City Teaching Corp

1996 – 2008

Periodic team building retreats for recent college graduates who teach in elementary schools in the inner city 

University of Illinois MATEC Program

2001 – Present

Team building retreats for staff; workshop presentations; training of trainers for facilitators of HIV case managers

Provident Hospital

2003-2006

Providing consultation in areas of clinical supervision, program evaluation, and trainings

Lighthouse Institute - Research Assistant

May 2002 – 2004

Interviewing chemically dependent families for specialized research project

Youth Outreach, Chicago, IL

1995 - 2007

Provided consultation and training in a number of youth related areas, including mentorship, gang prevention, rites-of-passages, substance abuse, violence, and Best Practices in Counseling Adolescents

Chicago Emergency Shelter Organization

1995 – 2000

Periodic trainings for homeless service providers

Professional Development Group, Minneapolis, MN

March 1994 - 2001

Diversity trainer and management consultant for Major American Corporations

(Senior Consultant)

Hazelden Foundation/Johnson Institute, Minneapolis, MN

November 1993 - 2000

Trainer/Consultant: Substance abuse prevention, intervention, treatment,

violence prevention in schools and diversity, and chemical dependence training for all branches of the U.S. military

Thresholds

1990 – Present

Teaching the curriculum, which prepares Thresholds staff to take the Certified 

Addictions Counselor Exam. 90% of the students passed the exams. (This is over 25% higher than the national average.) Provided consultation for two of the largest residential dual disorders programs in the world. Facilitation of team building workshops for various departments

Read Psychiatric Hospital

1997 – 2000

Facilitated three phases of diversity training for the entire hospital staff. Provided consultation to upper management and the hospital council on issues of diversity

Cermak Hospital

1999 - 2001

Three levels of stress management training and consultation for the entire hospital staff

Harris Bank

Spring 1994 - 2000

Clinical EAP consultation, critical incident stress debriefing to help departments experiencing crisis

Habilitative Systems, Inc.

Spring 1994 - 1999

Trainings for staff on effective substance abuse treatment

Lutheran Social Services

Summer 1993 - 1999

Clinical consultant for a youth after-school program. Seminars for parents, teachers, and students

Uhlich Children’s Home

Fall - Winter 1992

Consultant for a sex offender treatment program

Archdiocese of Chicago, Drug Free School and Communities Program

1991 - 1997

Workshops for parents, students, and teachers

Travelers and Immigrants Aid

October 1990 - 2000

Consultant for a research project involving homeless substance abusers, including case consultations on chronic relapsers and dually diagnosed cases

Loyola University and Medical Center

Summer - Fall 1991

Manager, Employee Assistance Program (temporary assignment)

City Colleges of Chicago

November 1990 - 1992

Providing consultation and training towards helping the City Colleges meet the requirements of the Drug Free Workplace Act and Drug Free School Act

Archdiocese of Chicago, Family Service Center

January - March 1991  

Consultant for the Head Start programs

Partners For Change

October 1990 - 1994  

Independent contractor for Managed Care contracts

Travelers and Immigrants Aid

October 1990 - Present  

Consultant for a Cambodian and Ethiopian substance abuse prevention program, including the training of Cambodian and Ethiopian prevention specialists

Comprand Youth Service

Spring - Summer 1990 

Consultant for the staff who treat adolescent substance abusers

Perspectives, Inc.

January 1990 - January 1991 

Marketing consultant for the Employee Assistance Program

Kaleidoscope, Inc.

Spring 1989 - 2007  

In-service training for staff on various topics; clinical supervision of the substance abuse specialists

Archdiocese of Chicago, Food Service Division

Summer - Fall 1989  

Conducted training for management on substance abuse in the workplace. Provided consultation to upper management on how to select an Employee Assistance Program

Council on International Program at Loyola University, Chicago

1989 - 1991 

International group therapist

   

Circuit Court of Cook County, Juvenile Court, Adult Probation and Pretrial Service

Winter 1988 - Present  

Training for probation officers on various topics

United Charities of Chicago, Chicago, IL

1988 - 1989

Part-time consultant for the Employee Assistance Program

  

Gateway Foundations, Chicago

1988 - 1989  

Training on substance abuse-related topics for the staff at Kedzie House

Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Institute of Psychiatry, Chicago

October 1987 - 1988 

Weekly consultation with the staff on dual diagnosis treatment issues

Mount Sinai Hospital, Chicago

July 1985  

Consulted with the staff at Mount Sinai Hospital in the development of a gang prevention training program

Chicago Department on Human Relations

October 1985  

Completed a videotape, “Why Teenagers Join Street Gangs,” for staff educational development

2023 Illiois Certification Board Jessica Hayes Lifetime Achievement Award

2021 NAADAC Enlightenment Award

2021 The Community Behavioral Healthcare Association of Illinois Frank Anselmo Lifetime Achievement Award

2021 Illinois Association for Behavioral Health Lawrence Goodman Friends of The Field Award

2015 Illinois Association of Addictions Professionals Mark Sanders Advocacy Award (An award given annually since 2015 for individuals and organizations that have achieved excellence in substance use disorders advocacy in Illinois and nationally)

2012 –Larry Ross Award by Sisters in Recovery for dedicated and distinguished work in addictions recovery

2011 – Received the Leadership Award by Healthcare Alternative Systems for providing leadership in the addictions and recovery field

2003 - Received the Addictions Professional of the Year Award by IAODAPCA for outstanding work as a trainer and consultant in Illinois

2002 – Received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the African American Advisory Council of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services for providing substance abuse trainings

2000 – Received the Loyola University of Chicago, School of Social Work, Barbara Bacon Award for outstanding contributions to the field of social work as an alumni

• Contributing author, Success Stories from the Heart: Passionate and Caring Stories to Open the

   Heart Energize the Spirit to Succeed in Life and Love,  Health Communications, Inc., Deerfield,

   Beach, FL, 2019

• Substance Use Disorders in African American Communities: Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery,  

  Routledge, November 2013    

• Slipping through the Cracks: Intervention Strategies for Clients with Multiple Addictions and       

   Disorders. Health Communications, Inc., Deerfield Beach, FL, December 2011

• Contributing author, The Ultimate Christian Living, Health Communications, Inc., Deerfield Beach, FL, 

  March 2010

• Recovery Management. William White, Ernest Kurtz, & Mark Sanders. Great Lakes ATTC, Chicago, IL, 

  2006

• Contributing author, Chicken Soup for the Recovering Soul (New York Times best seller), Deerfield 

  Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc., 

• Contributing author, Alcohol Problems in the United States: 20 Years of Treatment Perspectives, 

  Hawthorne Press, New York, NY, 2002

• Treating the African American Male Substance Abuser.  Winds of Change Publishing Company, 1993

• Preventing Gang Violence in Your School. The Johnson Institute, Minneapolis, MN, 1995

• Sanders, M. (April 14, 2021). Strength-Based Counseling. Great Lakes ATTC Counselors Corner Blog.

   https://attcnetwork.org/centers/great-lakes-attc/counselors-corner-blog 

• Sanders, M. (March 12, 2021). The Therapeutic Benefits of Humor. Great Lakes ATTC Counselors 

  Corner Blog. https://attcnetwork.org/centers/great-lakes-attc/counselors-corner-blog 

• Sanders, M. (February 11, 2021). Lessons from the Recovery Legacies of Frederick Douglass and 

  Malcolm X. Great Lakes ATTC Counselors Corner Blog. https://attcnetwork.org/centers/great-lakes-

  attc/counselors-corner-blog 

• Sanders, M. (January 15, 2021). The Trauma of Early Opiod Recovery and the Need for More Family 

  Therapists. Great Lakes ATTC Counselors Corner Blog. https://attcnetwork.org/centers/great-lakes-

  attc/counselors-corner-blog 

• Sanders, M. (December 3, 2020). Recovery During the Holidays. Great Lakes ATTC Counselors 

  Corner Blog. https://attcnetwork.org/centers/great-lakes-attc/counselors-corner-blog 

• Sanders, M. (November 9, 2020). The Heavy Lifting: Helping Clients Develop Healthy Relationships 

  in Recovery. Great Lakes ATTC Counselors Corner Blog. https://attcnetwork.org/centers/great-lakes-

   attc/counselors-corner-blog 

• Bechel, T. and Sanders, M. (August 2022). A Recovery Revolution In Madison County. Counselor  

  Magazine, August 2022 Volume 22, No. 4, Pages 26-29.

• Sanders, M. (2020). Counselor Relapse: Helping Our Wounded Warriors. Addiction & Recovery. 

  Spring 2020, Volume 8, NO.2. Pages 30-31.

• Webber, R, Love-Jordan, J, Dyer, F & Sanders, M. (2020). Tailoring Substance Use Disorders 

  Treatment For Emerging Adults. Addiction & Recovery. Winter 2020. Volume 30, No.1. pages 20-23.

 • Sanders, M.  Engaging African Americans with Substance Use Disorders in Treatment. Counselor.  

   June 2019, Vol. 20, pages 11-12.

• Sanders, M. & Richie, K. (2017). A cost-effective, evidenced-based approach to adolescent recovery.     Counselor. Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 33-36. 

• Sanders, M. & Richie, K. (2017). Micro-connecting: 22 strategies for engaging emerging adults in 

   addictions retreatment. Illinois Institute for Addiction Recovery: Paradigm. Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 18-19. 

• Sanders, M. & Richie, K. (2017). Substance use disorder treatment for emerging adults.   

   Counselor. Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 29-32. 

• Sanders, M. “Counseling African Americans With Substance Use Disorders,”

   Counselor May – June 2016

• Sanders, M. “The Therapeutic Benefit of Humor When Counseling Adolescents and Young Adults” 

   Paradigm, Volume 19, No. 4, Pages 16 – 17 (2015)

• White, W. & Sanders, M. (2013). “Heroism and Addiction Revisited:” 

   Posted www.williamwhitepapers.com and www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org 

• Sanders, M. & Powell, J. “Multiple Pathways of Recovery for African American Men” Alcoholism 

  Treatment Quarterly Volume 30, 2012

• “Counseling Resistant Men.” Paradigm, Vol. 16(4), 2012.

• “Counseling Resistant Chemically Dependent Men.” JRW Behavioral Health Training and 

   Consultation,   www.randallwebber.com, January 2012.

• “Recovery Management in the Hispanic/Latino Community.” Counselor, November 2012. 

   Co-author Jose Tovar, Jr.

• Sanders, M. (2011) “Reflections on Recovery Journalism. An Interview With William White     

  www.williamwhitepapers.com

• Mark Sanders, “Who Will Be the New Trainers?” Addiction Professional (June 2011)  

  www.addictionpro.com

• “A Recovery Revolution: Integrating the Addictions and Mental Health Recovery Movements.”

   Addiction Professional, Vol. 9, No. 5, pp. N3-N5. September/October 2011.

• “The Therapeutic Benefits of Humor.” JRW Behavioral Health Training and Consultation, 

    www.randallwebber.com, October 2011.

• “Who Will Be the New Trainers?” Addiction Professional, Volume 9, No. 4, pp. 40-43, July-August, 

   2011.

• “Decreasing Conflict in Addictions Groups,” JRW Behavioral Health Training and Consultation,  

    www.randallwebber.com, July 2011.

• “Strategies for Engaging Difficult-to-reach, Multi-problem Clients with Substance Use Disorders,”  

    Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, January 2011.

• “Using Motivational Incentives to Help Adolescents Recover.” Counselor, Vol. 12, pp. 40-42, 

   June 2011.

• “Recovery Journalism.” www.williamwhitepapers.com, February 2011. Coauthor William White.

• “15 Strategies for Engaging Difficult-to-reach Clients with Substance Use Disorders.” ICB News       

  (Online Article) August 2010.

• “Unfinished Business: Counseling Men around Fatherhood and Recovery.” Counselor, Vol. 11, 2010.

• “What Did We Miss? Exploring these Often Undetected Areas Can Improve Treatment for Chronic

    Relapsers.” (Online Exclusive Article) Addiction Professional, July 2010.

• “Recovery Management with Methamphetamine Addicts in Rural America.” Counselor, 

   February 2010,  Vol.  11.

• “Fatherhood and Recovery.” The Source, Vol. 19, #1, University of California at Berkeley, Spring 2009.

• “Decrease Conflict in Groups,” Addiction Professional, Vol. 7, #6, November-December 2009.

• “Being Influenced by the Evidence: How Addictions Counselors Can Be Effective Without a 

   Wholesale Adoption of an Evidence-based Practice.” (Online Exclusive Article) 

   Addiction Professional, July 2009.

• “Nurturer, Deserter, or Enemy: The Importance of Mother Daughter Relationships in Adolescent 

   Girls with Substance Abuse Disorders,” Counselor, December 2008.

 

• “Daddy’s Little Girl: Fatherlessness and Substance Abuse in Adolescent Girls,” Counselor, Vol. 9,     

   October 2008.

• “Prevention Strategies for Young Male Violence,” Student Assistance Journal, Summer 2008.

• “Can Adolescents Benefit from a Recovery Coach?” Counselor, June 2008.

• “Recovery Management and People of Color,” Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, Vol. 26(3), 2008.

• “Counseling Difficult-to-reach Chemically Dependent Adolescent Males: A Strength-based     

   Approach,”  Counselor, Vol. 8, June 2007. Coauthor Shannon Mayeda, PhD., MSW, CRADC.

• Counseling Difficult-to-reach Chemically Dependent Adolescent Males.” Counselor, Vol. 8, April 2007. 

  Coauthor Shannon Mayeda, PhD., MSW, CRADC.

• Sanders, T., Sanders, M. & White, W. (2006) “When I Get Low, I Get High: The Portrayal of Addiction 

   and Recovery in African American Music,” Counselor, 7 (6), 30-35

• “Addiction in the African American Community: The Recovery Legacies of Frederick Douglass and 

   Malcolm X.”   Counselor, Vol. 7, October 2006. Coauthors William White & Tanya Sanders. 

• “Recovery Management and People of Color: Redesigning Addiction Treatment for Historically 

    Disempowered Communities.” www.williamwhitepapers.com. Coauthor William White, 2004.

• “Building Bridges Instead of Walls: Effective Cross-cultural Counseling” Corrections Today, Vol.      

   65(1), February 2003.

• Sanders, M (2002) “The response of African American Communities to Addictions: An Opportunity        for Treatment Providers.” Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 20 (3/4), 167-174.

• “Addiction and Recovery among African Americans before 1900.” Counselor, Vol. 2, December 2002, 

   64 - 66. Coauthor William White.

• “Blending Grief Therapy and Addiction Treatment” Counselor, December 2002.

• “Seven Steps to Developing a Comprehensive Dual Disorders Program” Professional Counselor,     

  1998. 

• “Getting Out of Gangs” Professional Counselor, October 1997.

• “So You Don’t Think You Deserve a Loving Relationship? Could Unresolved Toxic Shame Be the 

  Culprit?”

• “Love 101: The Basics of Improving Your Relationship Immediately!”

• “The 8 Characteristics of Highly Effective Relationships in Recovery”

• “So You Think You’re in Love with a Sex Addict? Well, There’s Hope!”

• “Relationship Detox”

• “Walking Out on Love: How You Leave Really Does Matter”

• “How to Have Healthy Relationships in Recovery”

• “How to Have Committed Relationships in Recovery”

• Working with Men With Substance Use Disorders in Groups: Structured Exercises to Educate,     

 Energize, Inspire, and Help Give Chemically Dependent Men Tools to Recover. An Illinois Division of     

  Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Publication, 2006.

• Addiction Counselor Certification Exam Study Course, Winds of Change, 2003

• Counseling Chemically Dependent African American Women, Winds of Change Publishing 

   Company, 2001

• Relationship Detox: How to Have Healthy Relationships in Recovery, 2001

• High Intensity Drugs, Copyright 2001, by AATP

• Counseling Youth of Color, Copyright 2001, by AATP

• Good Grief: Helping Chemically Dependent Clients Cope with Loss,   2004, by AATP

• Counseling Clients with Antisocial Personality Disorder, 2008, by AATP

• Adolescent Girls in Crisis, 2008, by AATP

• Ethics: A Closer Look at the Counselor-Client Relationship, 2012, by AATP

• Logo Therapy: Helping Adolescents and Young Adults Turn Pain into Purpose, Health  

 Communications, Inc., Deerfield Beach, FL, April 2011

• Father Hunger/Father Wounds: Intervention Strategies with Adolescent Males Impacted by 

  Fatherlessness,   Health Communications, Inc., Deerfield Beach, FL, 2011

• "I Don't Have A Problem": Strategies for Engaging Difficult-to-Reach Clients, October 2010.

• 15 Strategies for Building “Heart,” an Indomitable Spirit, and Resilience with At-risk Youth, April 2010

• Double Trouble: Working with Adolescents and Young Adults with Co-occurring Disorders, April 2010

• 15 Strategies for Engaging Difficult-to-reach Adolescents and Young Adults in Counseling, April 2010

• Counseling the Resistant Adolescent Male

• Strength-based Counseling with Difficult-to-reach Adolescents

• Abandonment: The #1 Cause of Self-destructive Behavior among Adolescents

• Father Hunger and Father Wounds: Intervention Strategies with Men Who Have Been 

  Traumatized/Injured Due to the Absence or Toxic Presence of their Fathers

• Managing Anger and conflict in Therapy Groups

• Boys in Crisis: Intervention Strategies with Young Males Who Are at the Greatest Risk of Extreme 

  Violence

• The Therapeutic Benefits of Humor: A Workshop for Professionals Who Work with Difficult-to-reach 

  Adolescents

• Good Grief: Helping Adolescents Cope with Loss

• The Counselor’s Tool Box: Helping Adolescents Cope with Symptoms Caused by Exposure to     

   Traumatic Events

• The Father Daughter Relationship

• Unfinished Business

• Let Them Eat Cake: The Impact of Poverty and Privilege on Adolescents and Implications for 

  Counseling

• Slipping Through the Cracks: Intervention Strategies for Adolescents and Young Adults with    

 Multiple Addictions and Disorders, Health Communications, Inc., Deerfield Beach, FL, April 2012

• Intervention Strategies for Adolescents Girls Impacted by Fatherlessness,   Health Communications,    Inc., Deerfield Beach, FL, April 2012

• Helping Adolescents and Young Adults, Health Communications, Inc., Deerfield Beach, FL, April 2012

 

• Cultural Diversity,  AATP, Springfield, IL, April 2012

• Motivational Interviewing, AATP, Springfield, IL, April 2012

• Ethics and Diversity, AATP, Springfield, IL, February 2011

• Engaging Difficult to Reach Clients, AATP, Springfield, IL, February 2011

• Adolescent Girls in Crisis, October 2010,  Academy of Addictions Treatment Professionals

• Ethics in the Counseling Relationship, July 2009, AATP

• Adolescents’ High-intensity Drug Use, Vol. 2, July 2009, AATP

• AATC/NIATX Blog 

  Hall of Fame – online Museum of African American Addictions, Treatment and Recovery

  January 3, 2018

• ATTC/NIATX Blog

  African American History Month and Addictions Recovery

  February 2017 (Most viewed post)

• Journal of Groups in Addiction and Recovery

• MacMurray College, Jacksonville, Illinois

  Member of the Board of Trustees, 2014 – Present

• Illinois Chapter of NAADAC

  Board President, March 2014 – Present

• Illinois Chapter of NAADAC

  Board Member, 2013 – 2014

• Trilogy Behavioral Health

   Member, Board of Directors, 2013 – Present

Accomplishments

• Developed one of the first integrated dual disorders programs in the nation

• Developed a case management program which led to a research grant and additional funding for     

  case  managers

• Helped establish the program as a training site for social work, psychology and art therapy students

• Developed a model Group Therapy Program