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Brain Development

Maternal and Child Health and Substance Exposed Infant Conference

An educational opportunity to discuss strategies to optimize maternal and child health. Presenters will discuss healthy pregnancy (prenatal and postpartum), healthy infants and children, programs and supports for families and children affected by substance use, innovative approaches for working with families, and the many resources available to this population.
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Emerging Best Practices of Youth Prevention: Using Neuroscience to Reach Developing Brains

A three-part series focused on leveraging prevention best practices to effectively engage youth within our communities.
Come join the Maine Youth Action Network’s team, in this free training series to learn the neuroscience behind why scare tactics miss the mark in adolescent brains; strategies for directly involving youth in prevention-focused research; and how to grow and sustain lasting, supportive relationships with any young person.

Part 1- Using Neuroscience to Reach Developing Brains February 27th @ Bangor Public Library – Bangor, ME 9:30-4:00

Part 2 – Community Driven Research with Youth April 8th @ TBA 9:30-4:00

Part 3 – Relationships as Protective Factors June 27th @ TBA 9:30-4:00

Over the course of these trainings, attendees will be working in peer cohorts to build and strengthen their networks and professional communities. Due to this structure, if you are interested in only attending one of these training please email allyson.gardner@opportunityalliance.org to be placed on our wait list.

Emerging Best Practices of Youth Prevention: Using Neuroscience to Reach Developing Brains

A three-part series focused on leveraging prevention best practices to effectively engage youth within our communities.
Come join the Maine Youth Action Network’s team, in this free training series to learn the neuroscience behind why scare tactics miss the mark in adolescent brains; strategies for directly involving youth in prevention-focused research; and how to grow and sustain lasting, supportive relationships with any young person.

Part 1- Using Neuroscience to Reach Developing Brains December 5th @ The Point – South Portland – 9:30-4:00

Part 2 – Community Driven research with Youth February 6th @ The Opportunity Alliance Timbers Room – South Portland – 9:30-4:00

Part 3 – Relationships as Protective Factors April 2nd @ The Point – South Portland – 9:30-4:00

Over the course of these trainings, attendees will be working in peer cohorts to build and strengthen their networks and professional communities. Due to this structure, if you are interested in only attending one of these training please email allyson.gardner@opportunityalliance.org to be placed on our wait list.

Emerging Best Practices of Youth Prevention Training Series

A three-part series focused on leveraging prevention best practices to effectively engage youth within our communities.
Come join the Maine Youth Action Network’s team, in this free training series to learn the neuroscience behind why scare tactics miss the mark in adolescent brains; strategies for directly involving youth in prevention-focused research; and how to grow and sustain lasting, supportive relationships with any young person.

Part 1- Using Neuroscience to Reach Developing Brains December 5th @ The Point – South Portland – 9:30-4:00

Part 2 – Community Driven research with Youth February 6th @ The Opportunity Alliance Timbers Room – South Portland – 9:30-4:00

Part 3 – Relationships as Protective Factors April 2nd @ The Point – South Portland – 9:30-4:00

Over the course of these trainings, attendees will be working in peer cohorts to build and strengthen their networks and professional communities. Due to this structure, if you are interested in only attending one of these training please email allyson.gardner@opportunityalliance.org to be placed on our wait list.

Opportunities for Change – Addressing Tobacco and Nicotine Use in Behavioral Health Settings

Individuals living with serious mental health conditions die on average 25 years earlier than the general population, most often from tobacco related cancer, heart disease, and lung disease.

If you work in the behavioral health field, you know that tobacco can be a difficult issue to address. Your clients – people with mental health diagnoses – are more likely to use tobacco, to smoke more and to have a harder time quitting than those without such a diagnosis. However, these individuals want to quit and CAN quit. But they may need some extra support.

Join other behavioral health professionals and MaineHealth Center for Tobacco Independence Training and Education staff for a half-day training to learn more about confronting tobacco use in individuals with behavioral health conditions.

FASD Basics: For Parents and Professionals

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is a brain-based physical disability with behavioral symptoms.

The FASD BASICS workshop introduces a neurobehavioral approach to living with, caring for, and working with individuals and families impacted by FASD acknowledges the source of behaviors: the brain, and provides a set of research-based best practices for helping people with fetal alcohol exposure.

Parent Involvement in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Adolescent Substance Use

This workshop will introduce essential principles and skills associated with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for adolescent substance use. Participants will learn how to conceptualize cases within a CBT framework, plan treatment, and apply basic CBT strategies to intervene with adolescents who misuse substances. Case examples and role plays will be used to demonstrate use of the following core CBT skills: positive activity scheduling, problem solving, thought changing, and affect regulation. Early bird fee of $55.00 if you pay by Monday June 17th, 2019.  Fee includes a continental breakfast and lunch.

Loneliness, Longing and Belonging: Connection as Prevention

This 2-day experiential training will explore and address loneliness, longing and belonging from an ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) perspective and some strategies Prevention Professionals can use to integrate this information into their work. We’ll review the basics of the mental, emotional and physical aspects of these unwanted private experiences.   We’ll illustrate how people get “stuck” in these experiences – called psychological inflexibility – and end up acting in ways that keep them disconnected and isolated.   We’ll illustrate how an ACT approach can help make sense and make contact with these painful thoughts, feelings and sensations.  We’ll use the techniques of mindfulness and psychological flexibility to assist making these experiences useful rather than to be avoided.   And with increased psychological flexibility, we help build meaningful connections. Registration fee includes continental breakfast, and lunch for both days. Early bird fee $100.00 if you pay by April 22, 2019.

Prevention on the Brain: Developing Brain-Friendly Prevention Messages for Youth

Adolescence is a time when young people’s brains are changing and developing rapidly, causing them to approach decision‐making in new and different ways. Understanding how youth think about risks and choices around substance use, relationships, sexuality, and other health behaviors is key to developing prevention approaches that are truly effective. This training is geared for a wide range of professionals working with youth around behavior change, risk reduction, and health promotion. Registration fee includes light snacks.