2023 Covington Curriculum Conference

Presented by Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

June 7-9, 2023 in Minneapolis, MN

Earn up to 19 CEs

Covington Curriculum Conference Banner, 1280x360

Conference Presentations

Whether you work in an addiction treatment program, mental health center, correctional setting, school or community-based human services, Dr. Stephanie S. Covington's evidence-based curricula provide you with gender-responsive, trauma-informed frameworks for therapeutic interventions.

Learn why this approach is so transformative in empowering recovery and well-being for women, men, girls, boys and gender-expansive people, and how to implement the principles and practices in your work with individuals and groups. 

Your two-and-a-half-day training conference experience will include a foundational presentation on gender-responsive, trauma-informed interventions by Dr. Covington, and your choice of core curricula and special-focus learning tracks. Optional evening presentations by Dr. Covington are offered complimentary as a part of your registration. Earn up to 19 CEs.

Conference Objectives

  1. Define the terms "trauma-informed" and "gender-responsive"
  2. Describe the core values of trauma-informed services
  3. Explain the differences between trauma-informed, trauma-responsive and trauma-specific services
  4. Understand the prevalence of trauma and the historical background of trauma
  5. Understand the role of gender socialization and its implications for treatment approaches
  6. Describe the essential elements needed for groups focusing on trauma
  7. Demonstrate various therapeutic techniques (including grounding exercises)
  8. Explore the connections between addiction, trauma and mental health
  9. Provide in-depth training for six evidence-based treatment curricula 
  10. Develop strategies for work within criminal justice settings

Registration Information

Your conference registration includes 2.5 training days, a core curriculum workbook, optional evening sessions, breakfast and lunch on Day 1 and Day 2, and breakfast on Day 3.

Early Registration Discount — Just extended!

Now-April 14, 2023
$525

Regular Registration

April 15-June 7, 2023
$575

Stephanie Covington Speaking

Conference At-A-Glance Schedule

DAY 1

8 a.m. - Breakfast

8:30 a.m.-Noon - Opening Session: Gender Matters and Moving from Trauma-Informed to Trauma-Responsive—Dr. Stephanie S. Covington

Track 1 - Helping Women Recover—Carol Ackley and Twyla Wilson
Track 2 - Beyond Trauma—Eileen Russo
Track 3 - Voices: A Program of Self-Discovery and Empowerment for Girls—Candice Norcott and Christina Villatoro (nee Cicero)
Track 4 - Beyond Violence/Beyond Anger and Violence—Gina Fedock and Patricia Esparza
Track 5 - Helping Men Recover—Rick Dauer and Shane Pugh
Track 6 - A Young Man’s Guide to Self-Mastery—Rob Rodriguez

1-4:30 p.m. - Core Curriculum Tracks: Attendees select 1 Track to participate in on both Day 1 and Day 2

4:30-7 p.m. - Break to enjoy dinner on your own

7-8:30 p.m. - Hidden Healers: Women in the Criminal Justice System—Dr. Stephanie S. Covington
(Includes 1.5 CEs for registered conference attendees)

DAY 2

8 a.m. - Breakfast

8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. - Core Curriculum Tracks continue: Attendees participate in the same Track as Day 1

Track 1 - Helping Women Recover—Carol Ackley and Twyla Wilson
Track 2 - Beyond Trauma—Eileen Russo
Track 3Voices: A Program of Self-Discovery and Empowerment for Girls—Candice Norcott and Christina Villatoro (nee Cicero)
Track 4 - Beyond Violence/Beyond Anger and Violence—Gina Fedock and Patricia Esparza
Track 5 - Helping Men Recover—Rick Dauer and Shane Pugh
Track 6 - A Young Man’s Guide to Self-Mastery—Rob Rodriguez

4:30-7 p.m. - Break to enjoy dinner on your own

7-8:30 p.m. - A Woman's Way through the Twelve Steps—Dr. Stephanie S. Covington
(Includes 1.5 CEs for registered conference attendees)

DAY 3

8 a.m. - Breakfast

8:30-10:30 a.m. - Brief Curriculum Track: Attendees select 1 Track 

Healing Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Women and Gender-Diverse People—Eileen Russo
Exploring Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Men and Gender-Diverse People—Shane Pugh
The Trauma-Informed Effective Reinforcement (TIER) System—Tammy Rothschild and Christina Villatoro (nee Cicero)

10:45-Noon - Closing Session: Endings . . . and New Beginnings—Dr. Stephanie S. Covington

Opening Session Presented by Stephanie S. Covington

Part 1: Gender Matters

Gain a deeper sense of the realities in which we live and work, the impact and experience of gender, and the violence and trauma that permeate people’s lives. We will examine the specifics of providing gender-responsive and trauma-informed services. The opening session will address gender differences, how gender affects service delivery, and how gender impacts every individual. Dr. Covington will also provide a definition and a deeper understanding of what "trauma-informed" services entail, including a closer look at the process of trauma and its implications for substance use and mental health disorders. 

Part 2: Moving from Trauma-Informed to Trauma-Responsive

While growing evidence documents the impact of trauma on health, mental health and behavior, service providers often struggle with the realities of providing effective, integrated and trauma-based services. This presentation provides a "how to" overview, describes resources that can assist in the process of moving from trauma-informed to trauma-responsive care, and offers recommendations for trauma-specific interventions. You will also learn about the theoretical foundation for each of the conference’s core curricula: Helping Women Recover, Helping Men Recover, Beyond Trauma/Beyond Anger and Violence, A Young Man’s Guide to Self-Mastery, and Voices: A Program of Self-Discovery and Empowerment for Girls.

Core Curriculum Learning Tracks

Helping Women Recover (Third Edition)
Carol Ackley and Twyla Wilson

This comprehensive, 20-session treatment model integrates theories of addiction, women’s psychological development and trauma. The training emphasizes the key issues of self, relationships, sexuality and spiritualty, and therapeutic techniques for addressing these matters. Implementation in correctional settings is also discussed.

Note: The criminal justice versions include information about justice-involved people as well as the challenges of working in the criminal justice system. While many of the exercises are identical, the language acknowledges that people are in custodial settings. If you are working in community corrections, either version will work for you.

Beyond Trauma (Second Edition)
Eileen Russo

This 12-session program for women incorporates the insights of neuroscience with the latest understanding of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder. Each session has also been adapted for girls. The program uses cognitive-behavioral techniques, mindfulness, expressive arts and body-oriented exercises (including yoga), with a focus on both the inner self and the outer self.

Voices: A Program of Self-Discovery and Empowerment for Girls (Second Edition)
Candice Norcott and Christina Cicero

This evidence-based program is designed to encourage girls and young women to find and express themselves. Training focuses on issues related to developing a sense of self, healthy relationships, substance misuse, gender exploration and much more.

Beyond Violence/Beyond Anger and Violence
Gina Fedock and Patricia Esparza

This 21-session, evidence-based curriculum addresses the needs and issues of women who are struggling with anger. The program offers the first manualized intervention for women that focuses on their own anger, as well as the anger and violence they may have experienced from others.

Note: Beyond Violence is for those providing services in criminal justice settings; Beyond Anger and Violence is for those providing services in non-criminal justice settings. The training covers both populations.  

Helping Men Recover (Second Edition)
Rick Dauer and Shane Pugh

The first gender-responsive and trauma-informed addiction treatment curriculum for men, Helping Men Recover was updated in 2022. The 21-session program addresses male socialization in recovery, the relational needs of men, as well as abuse and trauma. It includes gender-expansive language and examples.

Note: The criminal justice version is for those providing services in jails and prisons; the community version is for those providing services in the community.  The training covers both populations. 

A Young Man’s Guide to Self-Mastery
Rob Rodriguez

This program is designed to help adolescents who have a masculine experience of the world mitigate the effects of adversity and trauma in their lives. The training describes the world of boys and includes the topics of cyber-bullying, emotional development, process of trauma and substance misuse.

Evening Sessions

Hidden Healers: Women in the Criminal Justice System 
Dr. Stephanie S. Covington

The focus of this special evening session is on the most invisible women in our society—women in the criminal justice system. By sharing her more than 30 years of experience working within this system, Dr. Covington takes you on her journey as well as that of the women. Her newest book, about to be published, is Hidden Healers: Women Surviving Prison. The inspirational anecdotes from the book are accompanied by challenging questions for us all.

Refreshments available. Open only to conference attendees. 

A Woman’s Way through the Twelve Steps
Dr. Stephanie S. Covington

The focus of this evening's special event is on the best-selling book, A Woman's Way through The Twelve Steps. This book empowers women to take ownership of their recovery and to grow and flourish in sobriety. Dr. Covington discusses some of the interactive exercises from the workbook and facilitator guide, highlighting how women use the Steps and sharing examples of their wisdom and inspiration.

Invite Friends and Associates: This special session is open to registered conference participants as well as members of the recovery community and those who provide care and support. Please share this registration link with your network and invite them to join you for this special evening. All attendees must register online in advance.

Free books while supplies last! Limited to one per person. Refreshments available.

Brief Curriculum Tracks

Healing Trauma+: A Brief Intervention for Women and Gender-Diverse People
Eileen Russo

This introductory training presents an evidence-based, six-session trauma curriculum that includes the experiences of transgender and nonbinary people. With a focus for staff members and clients alike, the program provides an understanding of what trauma is, its process, and its impact on both the inner self (thoughts, feelings, beliefs, values) and the outer self (behavior and relationships). Topics include the process of trauma, power and abuse, grounding and self-soothing techniques, and healthy relationships. The curriculum incorporates cognitive-behavioral therapeutic strategies, mindfulness, guided imagery and expressive arts. The program is ideal for settings requiring a shorter intervention such as jails, domestic violence agencies, short-term treatment programming and sexual assault services.

Exploring Trauma+ A Brief Intervention for Men and Gender-Diverse People
Shane Pugh

With an increased understanding of the impact of trauma, clinicians are beginning to recognize specific issues for men and for trans and nonbinary people. This includes the silence that surrounds men’s abuse and other adverse childhood experiences, the effects of male socialization on a person's response to such experiences, the risk of victims becoming abusers and perpetrators of violence, and the need to understand the shame and reluctance to explore trauma. Key topics addressed in this innovative and evidence-based, six-session program include: defining trauma, understanding the process of trauma, trauma’s impact on the inner self and the outer self, building resilience, and coping and calming strategies.  

The Trauma-Informed Effective Reinforcement (TIER) System
Tammy Rothschild and Christina M. Villatoro (nee Cicero)

Research-based, gender-responsive and trauma-informed, the TIER System is an alternative to compliance-focused behavior management approaches in residential and custodial settings. This model reduces staff focus on traditional compliance methods (rules) and, instead, teaches skills that are effective in motivating positive behavior. The key principle of the TIER System is creating and maintaining a safe program culture, an empowering paradigm in which residents can learn helpful life skills while also improving safety conditions in facilities. The training focuses on reinforcing positive, safe behaviors by applying innovative practices that are relational, trauma-informed, and strengths-based.

Closing Session

Endings . . . and New Beginnings
Dr. Stephanie S. Covington

In this interactive closing ritual, Dr. Covington reviews key therapeutic principles and practices of gender-responsive and trauma-informed services while also sharing about resilience and self-care. Dr. Covington will center the conference closing ritual as a way for participants to think about the process of closure in their own lives. As you let go of what you no longer need, what new beginnings are you creating? This session provides a valuable tool to bring back to your organization or colleagues.

Hotel and Travel

We want to make your visit to Minneapolis as convenient, memorable and rejuvenating as possible. The Royal Sonesta Hotel in downtown Minneapolis offers elegance and unrivaled comfort at the hub of this dynamic city. The hotel’s modern and spacious guest rooms and suites provide a calming retreat, while the conference event spaces provide sophisticated meeting experiences. At the end of the day, unwind over imaginative, Minnesota-inspired cuisine at Wood + Paddle Eatery adjacent to the main lobby.

Book Within the Block

Hotel Reservations

Your stay at the Royal Sonesta Hotel in downtown Minneapolis provides a hassle-free booking experience and puts you at the heart of conference activities.

The conference rate for the spacious Preferred King Room, Deluxe King Room and Deluxe Queen Room (offering 2 queen beds) is $219 per night. The conference rate is available for 3 days prior and 3 days after the conference dates of June 7-9 if you would like to extend your stay. Subject to room availability.

Book early! Room block available until April 21, 2023. 

Covington Curriculum Conference Venue

Sponsors

Cancelation Policy

Registration cancelations received by May 1, 2023 via email to Jennifer Kirchberg at JKirchberg@HazeldenBettyFord.org are eligible for a refund of 75 percent of the conference registration fee. All cancelations received after May 1 or no-shows are not eligible for refunds.

Questions

For any ADA needs or questions please contact Jennifer Kirchberg at JKirchberg@HazeldenBettyFord.org

CE Boards 

CE credits provided for Counselors, Psychologists and mental health providers, Social Workers, and RN’s. May qualify for other credentials, please confirm with your boards.

The Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies, provider #1487, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 11/22/2020-11/22/2023.

Social workers participating in this conference will receive up to 19 continuing education credits.

Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation 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-0529.  The Graduate School is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Graduate School maintains responsibility for this program and its contents. The Graduate School is an NBCC approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP # 6547, and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements. The ACEP solely is responsible for all aspects of the program.  The Graduate School is approved to provide continuing education by CAADE Provider # CP20 975 C 0325, CCAPP Provider Number 1N-88-860-1123, CADTP provider # 125, and CA BRN CEP 16722.  

Participants are required to keep their certificate for a minimum of six years. For information about this continuing education program, please contact the Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School of Addiction Studies, P.O. Box 11 CO9, Center City, Minnesota 55012, 1-651-213-4538.

Image Policy Disclaimer

HAZELDEN BETTY FORD FOUNDATION PHOTO POLICY: By attending this public event, I hereby grant the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation the right to use and publish photographs and videos of me, or in which I may be included, for editorial trade, advertising, and any other purpose and in any manner and medium and to alter the same without restriction. I hereby release the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and its legal representatives and assigns for all claims and liability relating to said photographs and videos.