The Eye of the Survivor Storytelling Retreat: Your Hero’s Journey About Surviving Suicide – How to Tell Your Story Safely and Effectively

A full-day training on Monday, 2/26 from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm at the JE Dunn Headquarters. The ticket includes all training materials.

At the heart of any community and culture change effort are the stories. We lack stories that stir fire in the belly and fuel our actions to make changes.

The basic narrative of a transformational story is this: “This is me. This is how my life and others like me have been systematically destroyed. This is how I see change is possible.”

Yes, the story needs to take us into the crisis. We need to understand the depths of pain in despair and the challenges experienced, but the majority of the story is about the overcoming of it. We are hardwired for storytelling - stories move our hearts and build community.

As part of a suicide prevention, addiction recovery, and mental health promotion strategy, stories let others know they are not alone and collectively, they can tell a powerful tale of hope, recovery, and change.

Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to -

1. To articulate why should we consider sharing personal stories in our community’s efforts in mental health promotion, addiction recovery, and suicide prevention.

–For storyteller
–For listener
–For society

2. To reflect on whether storytellers are ready to share their stories

3. To identify effective story structure and practices

4. To understand key aspects of safe and trauma-informed messaging

The ticket includes all training materials.

Course Overview:
Addiction, specifically substance use disorders (SUDs), is a significant public health concern in the United States, affecting nearly 43 million Americans aged 12 and older. With approximately 23 million in recovery and another 20 million in active addiction, it’s evident that this treatable, chronic medical disease permeates many sectors, including construction. Within the construction industry, the physical demands and stresses of the job mean that some professionals may turn to substances as a coping mechanism. Given these unique challenges, understanding the medical nature of addiction and its intricate effects on the brain becomes paramount in addressing and mitigating its impact in the construction environment.

This course explores the neuroscience behind addiction, focusing on how substances impact the brain. Participants will also explore the cause and risk factors for developing SUDs and learn about the transformative potential of treatment and recovery through brain neuroplasticity.

What You Will Learn:

• Gain insight into how the brain is affected by substances that are commonly misused within the construction industry.

• Discover the underlying factors contributing to addiction development.

• Understand brain neuroplasticity and how the brain can change/reset through treatment and recovery.

Course Outline:

I. A Glimpse into Addiction: Historical Perspective with Emphasis on the Construction Sector

II. Defining Addiction

a. Detailed Definition (ASAM)

b. Concise Overview

III. The Scope of Addiction: Understanding the Numbers, Treatment Gaps, and Barriers in the Construction Industry

IV. Unpacking Causes and Risk Factors for SUDs

V. The Brain Under the Influence

a. Brain Regions and Their Functions

b. The Limbic System: Understanding the Reward Pathway

c. The Role of Dopamine and Other Neurotransmitters

d. Concepts of Dependence, Tolerance, and Impaired Self-Control

e. How the Brain Gets "Rewired"

f. Impacts on the Brain's Survival Hierarchy

g. Synthesizing the Knowledge

VI. The Mechanics of Withdrawal

VII. Understanding Relapse: Causes and Prevention

VIII. Neuroplasticity: The Brain's Resilience and Potential for Change

IX. Classifications of Drugs Common in the Construction Industry

X. Engaging Activity

XI. Resources and Closing Notes

The ticket includes all training materials.

Course Overview
The construction industry faces unique challenges regarding safety, health, and well-being. This course is designed to impart a specialized understanding of harm reduction applied within the construction sector, focusing on substance use disorder (SUD) among construction professionals.

Harm reduction in this context acknowledges that not all workers can abstain but might benefit from strategies to minimize the risks associated with substance use. This approach incorporates evidence-based strategies that range from safer use to managed use to abstinence.

Participants in this course will:

• Understand the specific challenges the construction industry faces related to SUD.

• Learn the importance of harm reduction within construction, focusing on the well-being of individual workers and the broader community.

• Identify ways to implement harm reduction principles in their workplaces or organizations effectively.

By the end of the course, construction professionals, site managers, health professionals, and concerned stakeholders will have gained insight into harm reduction's value in the construction environment. They will also be equipped with tools and knowledge to safeguard the well-being of workers better and reduce associated risks.

What You Will Learn:

• Understand the definition of harm reduction explicitly tailored for the construction industry and its role in supporting workers who may use substances.

• Enumerate the benefits of harm reduction tailored to the construction context for workers and the broader community.

• Dive into the history of harm reduction, understanding its connection to structural inequalities, and emphasizing its relevance in the construction sector.

• Pinpoint the principles and philosophy of harm reduction, identifying concrete examples of harm reduction tools and services suited for construction. Differentiate between effective harm reduction practices and superficial ones within the construction context.

The ticket includes breakfast, lunch, and all training materials.

Companies often conduct annual trainings for employees around physical safety, sexual harassment, and violence in the workplace. According to a recent Gallop poll, 1 in 4 employees reside in a home where addiction is present and family members of those struggling are 5X more likely to end up in the hospital, yet no training is done on substance use disorder (SUD) in the workplace or at home.

Youturn Health developed a training called Recovery First Aid to help organizations communicate with their employees.

Construction has seen rising overdose rates, increased deaths by suicide, and increased problems with alcohol use. Alcohol and drug misuse in construction is almost 2X higher than the general population and over 80% of workers say they have struggled with mental health in the last 12 months, yet less than 1 in 3 will ask for help.

Learn how to create a culture that addresses substance use disorder, how it impacts your employees and their families, and how to be an ambassador within your organization.

As a part of the meeting, Youturn Health’s Chief Clinical Officer, Rich Jones will deliver Recovery First Aid Training, including:

• Common signs of someone who may be struggling with substance use disorder (SUD)

• How to recognize SUD on the jobsite and in family situations

• The impact on family members and how to approach the subject

• The proper mindset to approach someone and how to speak with them

• How to have informed conversations across your company

Participants will receive a Certificate of completion in Recovery First Aid from Youturn Health.

Course location at the Westin. The ticket includes breakfast, lunch, and all training materials.

Course Description:
The VitalCog in Construction Train the Trainer is a program offered to the construction industry to assist in the training of employees at all levels of a construction organization. In the training, participants will learn to appreciate the critical need for suicide prevention while creating a forum for dialogue and critical thinking about mental health challenges, and by promoting help-seeking and help-giving behaviors. Our vision is to cultivate a construction community of employees who are aspiring to eliminate the devastating impact of suicide. By attending this training, participants will become certified as VitalCog trainers and be supported in the implementation and facilitation of the VitalCog in Construction training.

Objectives:

-Promote critical thinking about suicide prevention

-Open dialogue about mental health and suicide prevention in the construction industry

-Increase the confidence of facilitators to deliver this training to others

Course located at the Westin. The ticket includes breakfast, lunch, and all training materials.

Course Description:
Psychological First Aid (PFA) is an evidenced informed, modular approach to assisting individuals to reduce distress after a potentially traumatic event such as natural disasters, terrorism, a public health emergency, or a personal crisis. PFA is a set of 8 core action steps that operate on the assumptions of human resilience and a recognition that strong reactions to potentially traumatic events are common and normal. PFA is based on the evidence-informed principles of safety, calming, connectedness, hope and Self/Community efficacy. PFA is intended to be able to be used by non-clinically trained individuals to assist in supporting their community after a potentially traumatic event. PFA is culturally informed and able to be provided to all age groups. The PFA training is a full-day training and trainees will be provided a certificate of completion.

Objectives:

Participants will be able to list 5 common reactions to potentially traumatic events

Participants will be able to identify the 5 evidenced-informed principles of Psychological First Aid.

Participants will be able to describe the 8 Core Actions of Psychological First Aid

Course located at the Westin. The ticket includes breakfast, lunch, and all training materials.

Course Description:
Developed and delivered by internationally-recognized experts in peer support, Peer Ally 1 is a foundational training in values, principles, and techniques for supporting others with life transitions, mental health, and addiction challenges. This experiential one-day seminar replicates in-depth peer support skills training provided to construction industry leaders around the world.

What Participants Learn:

-What makes peer support special? Who is a peer?

-Peer Support Values and Ethics

-How to create Alliance and Connection Core Communication/Supportive listening techniques

-Effective and appropriate use of personal shared experiences

-How to avoid the advice-giving and the therapy “danger zone”

Seminar participants receive the Peer Ally Training Workbook and 8-hour course certificate / Humannovations-U credit hours.

Resilience is the process of bouncing back from adversity to continually learn and grow. Resilience-to-thriving (R2T) is a positive wellness-oriented and lifestyle approach to the prevention of substance misuse and mental health risks.

Course is located at the Westin. The ticket includes breakfast, lunch, and all training materials. Sign up early to receive pre-read materials and best prepare for the training.

Course Description:
This evidence-based, highly interactive course, taught by hundreds of facilitators, is a cognitive-behavioral toolkit to transform stress. R2T is recognized as effective by the US Surgeon General. Participants receive a workbook, toolkit, facilitator notes, session ratings, and a slide deck; a copy of “Raw Coping Power: From Stress to Thriving,” and practice facilitation in the class. Typically delivered in a 90-minute session (either online or in person), R2T can be adapted for participants’ own training and coaching and expanded into a full-day workshop.

Student Objectives:

• Identify the effects of stress, signs of not coping well, and methods for healthy coping

• Recognize one’s own ability to treat stress as a positive resource, enhanced with a healthy lifestyle and coping style

• Learn a practical 5-step method to thrive from stress

Resources
Please download for training details and a sample flyer you can use after the training to advertise FLYER. (coming soon)