2023 Covington Curriculum Conference

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.