What are the Levels of Care for treatment? — Daniel Lettenberger-Klein

Daniel will explain treatment care starting from Detoxto Outpatient care to Inpatient Treatment.

Daniel will discuss the levels of care from detox through outpatient care and what appropriate placement looks like. His goal is for all in attendance to have a thorough understanding of every level of care and to know where to turn when crisis presents. He will also speak to the importance and power of having family involvement.

Daniel Lettenberger-Klein, MS, LMFT, is Executive Director of RiverMend Health Center of Atlanta and Atlanta Addiction Recovery Center where he oversees all business operations, recovery programming and clinical processes related to patient care.

Daniel received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Bradley University and his Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Purdue University. He has worked in every level of substance abuse treatment as a substance abuse counselor, family therapist, Clinical Director and Executive Director.

In 2012, he started his own practice, offering individual, couple and family therapy with a specialization in addiction and trauma. He is trained to provide EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to help patients overcome trauma. A certified instructor for the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI), he also trains employees at healthcare facilities to prevent, identify, diffuse and manage disruptive behavior and aggression.

Before joining RiverMend Health Center, he served as the executive and clinical director, and later regional director, for a detox center with locations in three states. In that role, he oversaw the clinical and admissions departments, worked closely with a multidisciplinary team to coordinate patient care, implemented performance improvement initiatives, ensured compliance with Joint Commission accreditation requirements and worked with leadership teams.

Drawn to help those with addictive disorders because of his own family’s history of addiction struggles, Daniel’s goals are to ensure the admission and patient engagement process is thorough and inviting and to make sure patients receive individualized, integrated care. He is committed to including families in the recovery process, allowing them to provide important support for their loved one and facilitate their own healing.

What Happens After Treatment? Hopes, Fears, Expectations & Realities — Dean Monteleone

When our loved ones return from treatment, it can invoke an array of emotions in us – some expected, some surprising. Navigating these diverse feelings can be both challenging and confusing. Join us for a lively discussion around some of the more common hopes, fears, expectations and realities of the early stages of recovery.

Dean Monteleone is serving as the Clinical Director for Caron Solutions outpatient program – the Atlanta regions’ longest freestanding Intensive Outpatient program for Adolescents and Young Adults.

Dean earned his bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh, his Masters degree in Counseling Psychology from Chatham University and has been a Licensed Professional Counselor in PA since 2005.  Over the course of his career, Dean has worked directly with adults, adolescents and families affected by addiction, cancer, mental health issues and intellectual developmental disabilities as well as the unique challenges faced by healthcare professionals struggling with their own self-care. He has had multiple roles within the addictions field for the last 18 years serving as Clinical Director, Clinical Supervisor, Primary Therapist, Interventionist as well as Adjunct Faculty at local universities. 

 Before joining the Caron team in April of 2012, Dean served as the Clinical Director for the DDT team, a program designed to support dually diagnosed patients & families and prior to that as the Clinical Director for the Admissions, Evaluation, Intervention and UR departments that served the Greater Pittsburgh and Eastern Ohio areas.

Dean was an instrumental part of the original Caron team that launched the My First Year of Recovery Aftercare Program. He provided assessment, consultation and monitoring services to patients and their families for up to four years following their discharge from primary treatment.

Legal Marijuana: The next Big Tobacco? — Jeff Zinsmeister

The legalization of marijuana by some states has had significant consequences for public health and safety, particularly with respect to kids.  The emerging marijuana industry is following the playbook of the large tobacco companies, targeting heavy users and youth.  Understand these new dynamics, as they are increasingly influencing young people’s habits surrounding this addictive substance.

Jeff Zinsmeister is the Executive Vice President of (SAM) in Washington, DC. Smart Approaches to Marijuana, a leading non-profit organization focused on drug policy.  

You Are Not Alone: Hope for Hurting Parents of Troubled Kids — Tom and Dena Yohe

Tom and Dena are from Orlando, Florida and are co-founders of Hope For Hurting Parents,  a ministry to reach out and help parents struggling with their children. They have also written a curriculum for support groups to use.

Dena is the author of newly released book entitled "You Are Not Alone: Hope for Hurting Parents of Troubled Kids" These books will be available Thursday night. This is one of the best books I have ever read for Parents of Prodigals.

Tom and Dena will share their journey with their own daughter who struggled with addictions, self-injury and mental health issues. They will focus on what they have learned and what helped them cope over the past 12 years.

Topics will include grief and loss, guilt and shame, enabling, and how they guarded their marriage and the relationships with their other children. They also know the power of prayer and what we need most -Hope!

Relapse and the Family Relationships — Marsha Stone

Marsha Stone is the CEO of BRC Recovery in Austin, TX and the Founder/ CEO of Spearhead Lodge, and extended care treatment facility for young adults.

Marsha will share her experience on Relapse and Family Relationships. Having worked in the treatment industry since 2009, almost exclusively with chronic relapses and young adults, Marsha is well versed in family dynamics and the role relapse plays in the journey to recovery. She will explore how parents and family members can play an active role in the healing process of the identified patient. Beyond the role of Alanon, parents and family members have an incredible opportunity to be active participants in the recovery of the loved one. Marsha will combine her own recovery story, along with her professional experience providing hope, insight and encouragement. 

Night of Hope — Dick Forbes, MA

Dick Forbes, MA. Is the director of the Cartersville Pastoral Counseling Center.  Dick will speak on “Parents of Estranged Adult Children”

One of the most painful things that a family can go through is for a child to become an adult and then disown and estrange themselves from their parents because of drug or alcohol abuse, or for any reason.  The results for estranged parent (parents) is devastation that is so severe, it affects almost every facet of their lives. 

We will examine some of the issues parents go through in estrangement, guilt, anger, bargaining, depression, shame, feelings of being judged as a bad parent, lacking parenting skills, etc…

Dick Forbes, MA, is Director of Cartersville Pastoral Counseling Center. He has been counseling families, couples and individuals for 30 years. His services include a wide variety of issues dealing with stress, trauma, depression, addiction, and marriage and family issues. His clients include a diverse population, which has given him a wealth of experience. Mr. Forbes also does corporate training regarding multiple issues including: stress management, coaching, team building, diversity, goal setting and multiple management issues, substance abuse in the workplace. Mr. Forbes works with the United States Military service members and their families. Mr. Forbes has a Masters degree in counseling from Western, located in Portland Oregon. 

Panel of Prodigals

These 4 young adults share their personal journey of addiction and recovery:

• Jordan Gardner
• Stephen Hankins
• Joey Knapp
• Nacho Vargus

The Emotional and Spiritual Recovery — Jennifer Angier

A  veteran in the behavioral health field, Jennifer Angier has more than two decades of clinical experience. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of Black Bear Lodge, a 115-bed integrated treatment residential program of Foundations Recovery Network located in north Georgia. She is a Level II National Certified Addictions Counselor and is Level II certified with the Georgia Addiction Counseling Association. A nationally recognized expert on addiction treatment techniques, she regularly speaks at national conferences, to paraprofessionals groups and in Employee Assistance Programs (EAP), healthcare and collegiate programs.

During her career in addiction treatment, Jennifer has worked in administration, case management, crisis response and in private practice. Before accepting her current position, Jennifer served as executive director of Foundations Roswell’s Outpatient Program and program director of Talbott Recovery's Assessment Stabilization Unit.  She has also worked as a clinical outreach coordinator for a young adult program.

Jennifer earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia State University, graduating Summa Cum Laude, as well as, a Master’s in Organizational Leadership from Mercer University, again graduating with honors.

Jennifer’s Talk -  Often, young adults and their families experience a broad range of difficulties in their efforts to treat their disease, even as they have reconciled to the idea of choice and have a desire to build a sustained recovery. 

As a result of this presentation, participants will come to view recovery as not merely a sterile interaction to elicit change, but as an emotional and spiritual experience that will empower the young adult and their families to dedicate their efforts to connect with their truth. This spiritual pathway leads the patients from their obstacles and struggles to solutions and a place of hope.

Another objective of this workshop will enable participants to understand the dynamics of early recovery and treatment.  Treating chemically dependent young adults can, at best, be described as challenging.  Even the most seasoned clinicians find themselves up against many obstacles with this population.  Unresolved biases toward the young adults can interfere with intervention at the most critical stage of their addiction. Biases include the ideas that "this behavior is normal at this age”, “they are spoiled and undisciplined”, that “treatment will be a luxury" and a common belief that the progression of the disease is “their choice”.  In this workshop, families will be challenged to look at ways that they may unwittingly participate in the enabling system that can keep a young adult in the throes of addiction.  Treating the young adult now rather than waiting is a hurdle families have to face at every turn. Ways to challenge "stories" that can interfere with getting the young adult into treatment will be discussed.

Testimony of Her Battle with Addiction, Abuse, and Living on the Streets — Allison Basham

Allison Zito Basham, LPC will be sharing her testimony about her battle with addiction, both growing up in an alcoholic family and being an addict herself. Her story includes being a victim of sexual abuse, living on the streets, and being in treatment six times all before the age of 15. She believes her story of addiction and recovery is a testament to God’s unconditional love and forgiveness. Allison's mother, Ann will also join her to share her perspective of being a mother and parent of an addict in active addiction and recovery. Allison has been working in the addiction field for over 10 years both in residential treatment, intensive outpatient treatment, and private practice. She uses her story and recovery to help adolescents, young adults, and families who have been impacted by substance abuse and/or addiction to find a way to recovery and faith.

Wholeness, Boundaries, and Compromises — Larry McKenna

Pastor Larry McKenna is the Founder and CEO of The Jericho House. Larry also serves as the Senior Addictions Counselor, the Director of Ministry Training and Family Recovery classes, and the staff manager and trainer. Pastor McKenna has worked in ministry and in the field of addictions counseling and recovery for over twenty years. Before starting The Jericho House in 2009 and Waypoint Center in 2005, he served for seven years as Program Director at No Longer Bound in Cumming, Georgia, and he served on staff at Dunklin Memorial Christian Training Center in south Florida from 1995 to 1998.

Larry accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior in 1975, and is an ordained minister of the Gospel, earning his ordination from Calvary Chapel and Shiloh Youth Revival Center. Further education includes diplomas in Restoration Ministry Training and Addictions Training at Florida’s Net Training Institute, a Christian Counseling Center for Addiction Studies with a focus on the biological, social and spiritual aspects of addiction, and identification of the different roles of the family in addiction and support group facilitation. Larry is a Board Certified Christian Life Coach as well as a Certified Crisis Trauma Response Professional and Professional Interventionist. He is also a member of AACC (American Association of Christian Counselors).

Larry has traveled the country ministering to people in the inner cities of Atlanta, GA, Jacksonville, FL, South Lake Tahoe, NV, Eugene and Portland, OR, as well as many other Cities across the United States. He is also the grateful husband of 37 years to his beloved wife Vicki, and a proud father to his daughter

F-O-R-G-I-V-E-N — Matthew Euler

Matthew is a son of the King, a healed, delivered and forgiven son of the Living God, a joint heir to the Throne of Grace with Jesus Christ!  This is an amazing thing for me to be able to say because I used to be a lot of other things; a drug addict, an alcoholic, a liar, a dead beat Dad, a cheating, scamming sorry excuse for what God created, but that all changed when I came into a personal relationship with The Lord Jesus Christ.

I was raised in a good home with loving Christian parents; they gave me everything I needed and more.  I was a normal kid for most of my youth; I played sports, went to church and was active in several groups including FCA.  During the fall of my senior year in High School I had a major shoulder injury which not only ended my High School football career, but it also took away all of my college scholarship opportunities.  Shortly after the injury was the surgery and the subsequent prescription to oxycotin, a high powered opioid pain killer which rivals heroin.  Although I had been a social drinker in the past this was my first taste of drugs and would be the beginning of an addiction that would last over a decade.

The addiction took everything I had including my wife and son, who at one point I had not seen or spoken to in five years.  I am here to tell you that our God is in the restoration and renewal business, He is in the healing business, and HE IS IN THE MIRICLE BUISNESS.  I am so excited to share the testimony that the Lord has given me.  I believe my testimony will open a realm of possibility for all those who hear it.  If God will do it in my family’s life, He will do it in yours.

"and they overcame him by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony" - Revelation 12:1

About Matthew Euler

Matthew is a son of the Living God.  He is a husband to Kinser Lee Usrey Euler and father to River Euler.  Matthew and his family currently live in Acworth, Georgia and attend Vineyard Community Church in Marietta.  He is employed at Eco-Tech Inc in Holly Springs.  Although Eco-Tech pays the bills his real job is sharing the Love of God everywhere he goes.  Included in these efforts was the formation of his ministry, “Hope Dealers Ministry. “  In his spare time, Matthew enjoys spending time with his family and their dog, Blue.  

Addiction in the Young Adult Years — Dr. Steven Lee

What is an addiction? What are the major Use disorders of Young Adults? How to distinguish a psychological problem caused by the addiction versus a Co-occurringDisorder? What can I do as a parent or caregiver and what should I not do that may make the addiction worse? Dr. Lee has over 30 years experience as a General Psychiatrist and Addictionologist. He currently holds the following leadership positions at Ridgeview Institute: Program Director, Adult Psychiatric Outpatient Services; Program Director, Young Adult Addiction Program; Program Director, Young Adult Psychiatric Program.

From Darkness Into Light — Mark and Jackie Oerther

Mark and Jackie Oerther will share a powerful parallel testimony through childhood into addiction as well as into "recovery" where they met, fell in love and got married. Mark got sober at age 21 and has worked in the treatment industry for 17 years and just celebrated 20 years of sobriety. Mark has made it his life's mission to help young adults find a new way of life from active addiction, through treatment, meetings and 12 Step work. Jackie a former heroin addict, who had been in and out of jail and wanted by the FBI, was looking at 15 years in prison when a judge instead offered her treatment. Jackie just celebrated 17 years of sobriety and has a ministry working with women who are incarcerated and is also a Speaker and Bible teacher at Women's events. Mark and Jackie will also share their experience with their son who is also a prodigal and in the process of creating his own "powerful testimony" and how to stay unified in marriage & have peace in the midst of a prodigal.

Stories from Parents of Prodigals — Susan Folger, Phil and Marti Blackstock

We are excited to have parents from our POP support group come to share their personal stories of their journey with their prodigals. They will address the feelings, family dynamics, issues they dealt with, and the steps they took to get help for their prodigal. They will also share where God was and continues to be along their journey and how He continues to work in their lives.

A Life-Changing Story of Heroin Addiction — Missy Owen

Missy Owen shares her powerful and heartbreaking story of how her life was forever changed. Missy is the mother of Davis Owen, whose life was taken by the disease of heroin addiction. This terrible tragedy prompted Missy to start the Davis Direction Foundation.

Role of the Family in Relapse Prevention — Laura Pugsley

Laura Pugsley, director of Outpatient services at Foundations Recovery Network in Roswell, will speak about the role of the family in relapse prevention, specifically focusing on communication and accountability. We will be looking at the differences between accountability and monitoring as well as open and direct communication of thoughts/feelings/needs to generate discussion versus shaming and passive-aggressive styles. The goals are to educate family members as to what a relapse prevention plan looks like, the role of the family in the relapse prevention plan, benefits of open and direct communication and finally the accountability versus monitoring.

Good Intentions Bad Outcomes — Susan Pea

Susan is a licensed clinical social worker, and has ten years of experience with Metro Atlanta Recovery Residence, a long-term residential drug and alcohol treatment facility. She has counseled family members on loving and supporting addicted loved ones in healthy ways.

The Biology of Addiction and Associated Psychiatric Disorders — Dr. Michael Lyles

Dr. Michael Lyles, a well-known psychiatrist in the Atlanta area will speak on “The Biology of Addiction and Associated Psychiatric Disorders” - There are some drugs that are more prone to causing addiction than others. There are some drugs that tend to trigger craving and increase the risk for relapse. There are some drugs that tend to trigger depression, anxiety and psychosis. This talk will discuss the biology of how these issues occur in the brain.

Dealing with a Family Health Crisis — Kevin and Harriet Sulcer

Promise Point

By Harriet Sulcer

Kevin and his mom Harriet share their amazing story of God's faithfulness and deliverance as their family went through a serious family health crisis. This is also the subject of Harriet's book Promise Point.

Embracing Powerlessness — Dr. Mark Crawford

It is so difficult to accept powerlessness in our lives - (i.e., the things we cannot change) - and how this is where we have the greatest opportunity to experience a depth of faith and God’s grace and how we can get there. Dr. Crawford is a well-known clinical psychologist in the Atlanta area. He works with individuals, couples, and families, and he maintains an interest in performing neuropsychological evaluations.