2013 SUMMER INSTITUTE

INTERACTIVE BEHAVIOUR THERAPY

June 3 - 7, 2013

Dr. Daniel Tomasulo

Dr. Tomasulo will train participants to use Interactive Behavior Therapy, an approach that he developed, and to use  peer supervision to support its implementation. Interactive-Behavioral Therapy employs applied behavior analysis by identifying and strengthening passive interactive social behaviors (e.g., eye contact) as well as active means of social interaction (e.g., moving a chair to allow for another member to fit into the group comfortably.) Additionally, behavioral strengthening of member-to member (M-M) verbal interactions while fading member to facilitator (M-F) actions is measured through the use of baseline comparison. Outcome studies suggest attention to strengthening these and other indicators of socially interactive behaviors leads directly to fewer negative symptoms. IBT is the subject of Healing Trauma: The Power of Group Treatment for People with Intellectual Disabilities, the American Psychological Association’s first and only evidenced–based group psychotherapy book on treatment for people with intellectual disabilities.
 

Dan Tomasulo, PhD, MFA TEP, MAPP is a psychologist specializing in psychodrama, and author of Confessions of a Former Child: A Therapist’s Memoir (2009 Written Arts Award winner). He is a faculty member in the Masters of Applied Positive Psychology with Martin Seligman at the University of Pennsylvania. He writes a daily column, Ask the Therapist, and Proof Positive blog on applying positive psychology in the real world for PsychCentral.com. A former visiting faculty member on fellowship at Princeton University he has been honored with both an Innovator’s and Scholar’s Award for developing IBT and co-authoring the APA’s first book on psychotherapy for people with intellectual disabilities. He writes for Psychology Today as their expert in group therapy and has been honored by Sharecare as one of the top ten online influencers on the topic of depression.
 

Completion of this course will apply to either the Level 1 (Core Program) or Level 2 (Clinical Applications) certificate.
Course Coordinator - Dr. Frances Owen, Brock University

ABUSE AWARENESS, IDENTIFICATION & REPORTING: Rights & Biopsychosocial Perspectives

June 10 - 14, 2013

Deborah Richards MA, CHMH & Dr. Shelley Watson

The recently ratified United Nations Declaration of Rights for Persons with Disabilities ensures the fundamental right to be free from abuse and neglect. Keeping individuals with intellectual disabilities safe from maltreatment requires every person in a supportive role to have the knowledge and awareness of physical, sexual, emotional/psychological, financial abuses and neglect. In this course, participants will gain a clear understanding of the Quality Assurance  measures that will ensure the right to an environment free and safe from abuse. Topics to be covered include biopsychosocial vulnerabilities to abuse, such as specific behavioural phenotypes, mental health issues, or environmental factors; abuse awareness, identification and reporting of abuse and neglect; as well as legal  obligations to reporting abuse. Participants will also develop skills in the administration of the Social Sexual  Knowledge and Attitudes Assessment Tool (SSKAAT-R) in order to identify abuse or vulnerability to abuse. Finally, the human rights and ethical issues that often present when dealing with the complex issue of abuse will be examined.

Deborah Richards, MA., CHMH. holds an MA in Counselling Psychology with extensive experience in the Community Living sector. She is a sex educator with a focus on sexual abuse prevention. Deborah is also a licensed psychotherapist with a specialization in the area of sexuality.

Shelley Watson, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor at Laurentian University, Educational Psychology. Her research focuses on intellectual disability and human rights issues, with specific emphasis on sexuality and abuse prevention.
Shelley has created specialized courses on disability issues and teaches within the Psychology and Human Development programs.

Completion of this course will apply to either the Level 1 (Core Program) or Level 2 (Clinical Applications) certificate.
Course Coordinator - Dr. Dorothy Griffiths, Brock University