Meetings are held the 3rd Wednesday of each month -

excluding July and August. 

 Delaware Valley Adoption Council Training

DVAC sponsors multiple trainings per year.  If you are not a member of DVAC and would like more information on membership, please contact Jared Rolsky of Golden Cradle at jnr@goldencradle.org or visit the website for DVAC at delvaladopt.org

DVAC January 18 2012  TRAINING

Chester Co. C&Y

Government Services Building, Rm 170

601 Westtown Rd., West Chester, P

“Demystifying the Pharmacology of Psychoactive Drugs and the Substance Related Disorders in DSM IV”

Substance use is modal behavior. This is not to suggest that use of illicit substances is modal, as not all substances are illicit. However, the use of, or contact with, some substance or another occurs for almost all people. DSM IV identifies substances as drugs of abuse, pharmaceuticals, and environmental toxins. When viewed in that way, a claim for their modal nature becomes more apparent.

Further, not all individuals who take substances abuse them or become dependent upon them. The terms abuse and dependence have very specific meanings in the DSM. With respect to environmental toxins, one does not take them in the traditional sense, but is impacted by them based upon coincidental contact in the workplace, home, or other settings.

It is not even necessary to personally use or come in contact with substances to be affected by them. Abuse of, or dependence on, substances by any person in a system has impacts on all individuals in that system. Given these facts, the need for all social workers and other human service workers to have some knowledge of substances and the substance related disorders becomes more obvious. Workers in health and mental health, child welfare, adoptions, schools, chemical dependence, and all other settings will eventually deal with clients impacted, personally or systemically, by these disorders. It is therefore imperative that they have a working knowledge of substances and the substance related disorders.

The presenter will identify two classification schemes for substances, the more common method of identifying them based upon their effect on the body, and the DSM approach of grouping them based upon the categories of drugs of abuse, pharmaceuticals, and environmental toxins, and will provide an overview of diagnostic criteria of the substance use and substance induced disorders in DSM IV TR. Connections between various diagnoses will be drawn, as will implications for practice.

  Lloyd L. Lyter, Ph.D., LSW

Dr. Lyter is Professor of Social Work and Public Administration and Director, School of Social Work and Administrative Studies, Marywood University. He has served in the School for seventeen years as both a faculty member and Director. He developed and serves as Director, Institute for Social Work Research, Education, & Consultation and Coordinator, The Soldiers Project. He has over 25 years clinical and administrative experience in social work, mental health, and chemical dependence programs. He serves on the review boards of several professional journals, and publishes and presents regularly at state, regional, national, and international conferences in his areas of interest and expertise: chemical dependence, psychopathology, and ethics. He has developed international placements for MSW students, serving as mentor on independent studies related to their international experiences. He teaches in the Ph.D. Program and regularly serves on and chairs Ph.D. dissertations.

Dr. Lyter has a B.A. degree with majors in both sociology and political science from East Stroudsburg State College, an MPA from Temple University, an MSW from Marywood College, and a Ph.D. in Social Work, with a minor in social work education, from Rutgers University.

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 When: Feb. 15, 2012 10:00am-1:00pm

Linda K. Knauss, Ph.D., ABPP 

ETHICS, EMOTIONS AND VALUES “Why We Don’t Always Follow the Rules”

Where: Montgomery County H.S Center:

             1430 DeKalb Street, 1st Floor

              Norristown, PA 19404    

Three CE’s will be offered: $15.00 for NASW members & $25.00 for non-members.

Today’s clinical practice often involves competing interests, values and uncertainty.  However, professional training often leaves people unprepared to sort out ethical, clinical and emotional issues. Ideas that seem clear in a textbook, classroom, or workshop become murky in the context of clinical practice.

Studies show that many times people know the ethical course of action, but they still do not take it.  Why does this occur?  Because people are guided by their values.  These are core beliefs that motivate people's attitudes and determine how individuals will behave in certain situations.

Ethical dilemmas require taking action in situations that are ambiguous.  This often creates situations where strong emotions are involved.  Emotions can also interfere with the willingness to use ethical knowledge.

The purpose of this workshop is to help participants identify their personal ethics and values and learn how emotions can interfere with a therapist’s willingness to act ethically.  Case examples will be presented which highlight the emotional discomfort inherent in many decision-making situations.  Participants are encouraged to share their own ethical dilemmas.

Learning Objectives

• Identify and understand personal ethics and values
• Recognize how emotions can interfere with the ability to act ethically
• Normalize emotional discomfort in clinical practice
• Integrate emotions and values into the practice of psychotherapy in order to truly practice ethically

Linda K. Knauss, Ph.D., ABPP

Linda K. Knauss is a Professor and Director of Internship Training at the Institute for Graduate Clinical Psychology of Widener University.  She has served as a member of the Pennsylvania Psychological Association’s Ethics Committee, and as Co-chair of the Philadelphia Society of Clinical Psychologists' Ethics Committee. 

Dr. Knauss has taught courses in ethics at Widener University, Immaculata College, and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine.  She has authored several book chapters and journal articles on ethics, and has taught many continuing education workshops on a variety of ethical issues.

Dr. Knauss is the past-president of the Pennsylvania Psychological Association, the Pennsylvania Psychological Foundation, and the Philadelphia Society of Clinical Psychologists.  She was also a member of the American Psychological Association's Council of Representatives. 

Dr. Knauss is the recipient of the 2002 Ethics Educators Award presented by the Pennsylvania Psychological Association's Ethics Committee, and the recipient of the 2004 Pennsylvania Psychological Association Distinguished Service Award.

In addition to her work at Widener University, Dr. Knauss maintains a private clinical practice where she sees children, adolescents, adults, and families.