Wednesday November 14 to Friday November 16, 2007
8:30 am - 4:30 pm
Best Western Richmond Inn Hotel & Conference Centre
7551 Westminster Highway, Richmond, British Columbia
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The Speakers Rob Axsen, B.A.
Dr. Steve Grinstead, A.D., M.A., LMFT
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Spanning nearly 30 years in the helping field, Rob has worked in corrections, mental health and addictions programs, with specialized training and experience working with youth. Rob has been instrumental in developing and managing several award-winning and innovative programs for youth, and brings a strong emphasis on working collaboratively with clients. He is also an accomplished trainer in private practice and at the Justice Institute of British Columbia, most notably in the areas of assessment, understanding change processes, Behavior Change Counselling, Motivational Interviewing and Client-Directed Outcome-Informed practices. He currently works half-time as an Addiction Counsellor for Vancouver Coastal Health, at an inner-city Primary Care clinic. Rob has conducted training sessions throughout Western Canada and at National Conferences, and is known for his ability to offer practice-oriented information in an experiential format, encouraging training participants to quickly integrate new ideas and material into their current practice. Rob is a Certified Trainer in the Institute for the Study of Therapeutic Change’s Client-Directed Outcome-Informed (CDOI) Service Delivery Model. 
Dr. Ray Baker practiced family medicine and occupational medicine in Logan Lake BC from 1976 to 1986 until his own burnout motivated him to change course. He followed an eclectic course of training and moved to the Lower Mainland to specialize in Addiction Medicine. Over the years, treating thousands of addicted patients and training many health professionals, he developed expertise in the management of the invisible disabilities: substance use disorders (including nicotine dependence), chronic pain syndromes, stress-related emotional and functional impairment and various process addictions such as pathological gambling or compulsive sexual disorders. He earned certification and then fellowships in both Addiction Medicine and family medicine. He designed and implemented (and won a national award for) the Addiction Medicine curriculum at the University of British Columbia medical school, directing the program for five years. Much of his work is forensic, providing expert medical testimony in Provincial Court, human rights tribunals, disciplinary hearings, and labour arbitrations. He authored the chapter on Alcoholism for Conn’s Current Therapy, 2002 edition. His main vocational focus is in working with corporations and organizations to improve the early detection, intervention and rehabilitation of personnel whose attendance, performance, behaviour or safety has been impaired by substance use disorders or other invisible disabilities.
Neal has over 25 years of experience consulting with all types of public and private organizations regarding addiction issues. He has helped many private organizations, provincial groups and private hospitals in the U.S with the development of addiction treatment facilities. Neal served on the faculty of the University of Nebraska for several years prior to moving to Canada.
David Burns, M.D. is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford University School of Medicine and has served as Visiting Scholar at Harvard Medical School. He is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. His best-selling book Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy has sold over 4 million copies worldwide and is the book most often recommended by American and Canadian mental health professionals to clients suffering from depression. In a national survey of mental health professionals, Feeling Good was rated #1 - from a list of more than 1,000 self-help books - for individuals suffering from depression. His most recent work is titled When Panic Attacks.
Dr. Tian Dayton is author of The Living Stage: A Step by Step Guide to Psychodrama, Sociometry and Experiential Group Therapy and Recovery; best seller Forgiving and Moving On, Trauma and Addiction; twelve other titles; and her upcoming book Emotional Sobriety. Dr. Dayton is a fellow of the American Society of Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy ASGPP, winner of their scholar’s award, executive editor of the psychodrama academic journal, and sits on the professional standards committee. 
Dr. Paul Farnan is the Clinical Coordinator of the Physician Health Program of British Columbia. He graduated from Medical School in Ireland, in 1982 and completed his residency in Family Practice there. He is certified in both Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Family Practice, Department of Medicine, UBC. Dr. Farnan’s practice interests have always included Physician Health, Occupational Health and Addiction Medicine and he has been a regular presenter on these topics at conferences, workshops, etc. He was appointed to the position of Clinical Coordinator of the Physician Health Program in March 2002. His work involves coordinating care of physicians or physicians in training who are experiencing difficulties related to substance use disorders, mental and physical ill health. He serves on the Canadian Medical Association’s Expert Advisory Group on Physician Health.
Donald Meichenbaum, Ph.D., is Distinguished Professor Emeritus, University of Waterloo, Ontario, and currently Research Director of The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and Treatment of Victims in Miami, Florida. The Melissa Institute is designed to bridge the gap between research findings and clinical and educational practices and public policy. Dr. Meichenbaum is one of the founders of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and his book Cognitive Behaviour Modification: An Integrative Approach is considered a classic in the field. He has also authored several other books including Stress Inoculation Training; A Clinical Handbook for Assessing and Treating Adults with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder; and Treatment of Individuals with Anger-Control Problems and Aggressive Behaviors: A Clinical Handbook. He was one of the founders of the Journal of Cognitive Therapy and Research and served as its Associate Editor, as well as being on the editorial boards of a dozen other journals. In a survey reported in the American Psychologist, North American clinicians voted Dr. Meichenbaum “one of the ten most influential psychotherapists of the century”.
Dion Menser graduated with honors from Texas Woman’s University with her Masters of Science in Family Therapy. She is a Washington State Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage Family Therapy (AAMFT) and a clinical member of the Washington Association of Marriage & Family Therapy (WAMFT). Dion has 15+ years of professional and volunteer experience working in the field of chemical and behavioral dependencies. She specializes in working with families, individuals and couples in recovery. Dion previously resided in British Columbia practicing as a Registered Clinical Counselor (RCC) in private practice. Currently she is the owner of Mount Vernon Counseling Services and supervises Master Level Family and Counseling interns for Seattle Pacific University, Antioch University and LIOS (Leadership Institute Of Seattle).
Jane Middelton-Moz is currently living in the State of Vermont and is the Director of the Middelton-Moz Institute, a division of The Institute of Professional Practice, Inc. Ms. Middelton-Moz is on the advisory board of the National Association for Native American Children of Alcoholics. She has a Masters Degree in Clinical Psychology and over thirty-five years experience in the treatment of mental health and substance abuse problems. She has held numerous direct service, management and executive positions in community agencies. Over the last several years, Ms. Middelton-Moz has become well known nationally and internationally for her work in the areas of Adult Children of Alcoholics, Multi-Generational Grief in individuals and families, Children of Trauma, Ethnic and Cultural Awareness, Differential Diagnosis, Cultural Self-Hate and Multi-Generational Sexual and Physical Abuse in families. Ms. Middelton-Moz has appeared on national television including Oprah, Maury Povich, Montel Williams and had her own PBS special.
Joe Solanto, Ph.D, served as a School Psychologist for nearly 18 years in the public schools of New York. For the next seven years he acted as Director of an outpatient mental health centre which treated the full range of psychiatric disorders in youth and their families, using combinations of clinical and complementary therapies. Since coming to BC in the early 1990’s he has been teaching trauma related courses at the Justice Institute and consulting across Canada in First Nations and Inuit communities.
Wedlidi is a member of the Namgis First Nation of Alert Bay. He is a hereditary Head chief of the g’ixsam Clan of the Kwakiutl proper. Self-described as a bi-cultural First Nations man caught in the web of contemporary times, Wedlidi is committed to helping the aboriginal and non-aboriginal community build relationships, safe communities and cross cultural tolerance. He applies this vision to his work, friendships, family and community life. Wedlidi worked for the John Howard Society of North Island for over 18 years working with youth, family and community as an aboriginal therapist, alcohol and drug group leader and counsellor. Wedlidi is currently the Executive Director of the Wachiay Friendship Centre, and a Board of Director at the John Howard Society. When there is time permitting, Wedlidi provides cross cultural awareness training. He is a visual artist, storyteller and traditional dancer. Wedlidi has been trained in western and aboriginal models of substance abuse counselling and strategies. 
Dr. Tonigan’s programmatic research focuses on how, and under what circumstances, problem drinker’s benefit from mutual help participation. A K02 award by NIAAA supports Dr. Tonigan’s work, and he serves on numerous editorial boards, is a member of the AA-3 review panel, is actively engaged in several institutional review boards to ensure the protection of research participants, and he publishes extensively on AA-related change mechanisms and their catalyst. During his career Dr. Tonigan has served as co-director of CASAA and he has participated in many clinical trials including Project MATCH, COMBINE, and REPP. Currently, Dr. Tonigan is conducting two NIH supported longitudinal studies that are mapping the trajectories of over 300 AA-exposed substance abusers.
Dr. Vaillant is a Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. Vaillant has spent his research career charting adult development and the recovery process of schizophrenia, heroin addiction, alcoholism, and personality disorder. A graduate of Harvard College and Harvard Medical School, Dr. Vaillant did his residency at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center and completed his psychoanalytic training at the Boston Psychoanalytic Institute. He has been a Fellow at the Center for the Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, is a Fellow of the American College of Psychiatrists and has been an invited speaker and consultant for seminars and workshops throughout the world. His published works include Adaptation to Life, The Wisdom of The Ego, and The Natural History of Alcoholism-Revisited.
Dr. Mel Vincent was raised in Guelph, Ontario. He has a BSc-Nutrition from U of Guelph and MSC-Nutrition U of Toronto, a Medical Degree from McMaster 1984, and completed Psychiatry training in 1988. Dr. Vincent worked at Homewood Health Centre in Guelph for 5 years, 3 of which were full time addictions, and passed the American Society Addiction Medicine exam in 1992. In 2002 Dr. Vincent became Director of Psychiatric Services at Edgewood, an 84 bed residential treatment program for addictions. He has done numerous presentations on addiction and concurrent disorders, and initiated an annual conference on addiction at Edgewod. Dr. Vincent is a past President of the British Columbia Psychiatric Association. He is currently a clinical instructor for the newly approved Addiction Division of the Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia. Dr. Vincent is married with 3 adult children.All content copyright © 2007 Jack Hirose & Associates, HealthQuest and Ray Baker, M.D., except when property of the conference presenters