66th Annual Conference

Friday, February 20

Early Bird Open Sessions

7:15 A.M. – 8:15 A.M.

Session 212           

Advising "Twelve Angry Men" About Their Group Process

Presented under the auspices of the AGPA Community Outreach Task Force

Presenter:         

Janet Lial, MSW, LCSW, CGP, Suicide Prevention Coordinator, Veterans Administration, McClellan, California

This presentation's purpose is to increase understanding of combat stress and military trauma (including sexual trauma) and will focus on issues and challenges facing military personnel returning from combat zones, provide information about common stress reactions, and include discussion of treatment approaches and VA resources.  This presentation is intended for those clinicians who may encounter veterans and their family members in their general practices.

Learning Objectives:

The attendee will be able to:

1. Identify issues and challenges facing veterans returning from the war zone.

2. Understand how adaptive defenses may become mal-adaptive in transition from combat to civilian life.

3. Identify the unique benefits of various group modalities in the treatment of returning vets and be able to identify available VA resources.

Course References:

1. Iraq War Clinican Guide, 2nd addition, National Center for PTSD

NCPTSD.org Website

2. "Public Mental Health Service Delivery Protocols:  Group Interventions for Disaster Preparedness and Response" edited by Robert H. Klein, Ph.D., ABPP, CGP, DLFAGPA and Suzanne Phillips, Psy.D., ABPP, CGP