Presenter: Tara Bruno, MA, ICAADC, CRJP – Community College of Philadelphia 

Location: Marriot Meeting Room 1 & 2

There has been a dominant tradition of utilizing individual therapy as the primary model of direct service care in behavioral health organizations. Recently, we have seen a shift from most organizations toward utilizing the group therapy approach as the primary modality in many treatment settings, however, clinicians and direct service providers may be resistant or overwhelmed by this transition. Additionally, evidence-based practices are the gold standard in delivering direct service care that prevents re-traumatization and further harm for an already vulnerable population. This training provides the resources that direct service providers can utilize in developing and maintaining effective group therapy services with the best outcomes for the participants. This training focuses on utilizing trauma informed, harm reduction and restorative approaches that encompass person centered and holistic care for the participant, the provider and the organization.

Presenters: Mario Paredes, MA, MHP, Terri Vispo, LMFT, & Swilenn Alexandra Almendarez, LMHCA – Consejo Counseling and Referral Service

Location: Marriot Hall (Near Escalator)

We propose to showcase how Consejo Counseling and Referral Service applies a trauma-informed, culturally grounded model of care framework, which incorporates six core principles: safety, trust and transparency, peer support, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural, historical, and gender responsiveness. These principles are embedded across every level of service delivery — from screening and assessment to treatment planning, outpatient services, and discharge coordination — ensuring our approach is healing-centered and designed to prevent re-traumatization.

Presenters: Julie Campbell, MSW, LCSW & Francisco Roman, MSW – Children’s Crisis Treatment Center 

Location: Marriot Library

This workshop reviews the historical origins and intergenerational patterns of physically disciplining children and will include a literature review, which indicates that across cultures, this practice does not improve children’s behavior. Rather, compelling research shows that this practice often has multiple unintended negative effects, including a pattern of aggressive behavior, often into adulthood; anxiety and depression; negative parent-child relationships; difficulty trusting; academic difficulties; and poor social skills. Is physical discipline a missed opportunity? Or a barrier? To teach children, emotional intelligence and develop appropriate ways to resolve conflicts, express their feelings and needs, and develop positive coping skills for intense feelings?

Presenter:  Lic. Juan Vargas Delgado – ASODOPSI

Location: Aloft Tactic Room

This workshop addresses the clinical integration of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Compassion-Based Therapy (CFT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR), and Mindfulness. Through an experiential methodology, participants will explore how these approaches complement each other in the treatment of trauma, anxiety, and emotional dysregulation, enhancing psychological flexibility, self-compassion, and mind-body integration.

Presenter: Paul R. Sachs, MBA, - ReidSachs, LLC: Consulting, Training, Coaching 

Location: Marriot Conference Room 

Colonialism is not just a series of historical events in Afro-Caribbean history. It has present day effects on individuals, communities and socio-political structures. This workshop examines colonialism using a framework of trans-generational transmission of trauma. Attachment behavior, adverse childhood experiences, and family secrets are discussed. Questions for practitioners to consider when evaluating individuals and suggestions for how trauma-informed care can be adapted considering the post-colonial impact of trauma are offered.

Presenter: Dra. Francis Baez – Centro Reside 

Location: Marriot Ballroom 1

Community Centers are first-level mental health facilities offering comprehensive mental health care that promote the prevention, promotion, and treatment of mental health problems. This is done with a focus on the individual needs of individuals and in strict adherence to human rights, with a preventive approach and without discrimination.

Presenter: Arlenys Garcia - Zenit Psychology

Location: Mo'orea Terrace

The presentation will address how trauma impacts our closest bonds and how, using a clinically and culturally sensitive approach, we can promote healing processes in intimate and community settings. I will share strategies I use in consultations and workshops to work on bond repair, emotional communication, and building more conscious relationships.

Presenter:  Vladimir Gondres, M.A. & Marian Rijo, M.A. - Veterans Community Care Abroad 

Location: Marriot Meeting Event Hub 1 & 2

This workshop addresses the understanding and treatment of combat trauma from a neurobiological, emotional, and therapeutic perspective. Drawing on the principles of polyvagal theory, the window of tolerance, neuroplasticity, and evidence-based intervention models (such as EMDR, mindfulness, and narrative therapy), it will explore how veterans' nervous systems become conditioned to remain in states of threat and how appropriate interventions can restore a sense of safety, connection, and meaning. The experience will integrate a scientific dimension, driven by the neurobiological component, and a therapeutic dimension focused on practical strategies for self-regulation and post-traumatic growth, highlighting that trauma, far from being just a wound, can also become an opportunity for transformation.

Presenter:  Liduvina Cuevas Heredia - Centro Psicologico RD Psicologia

Location: Mo'orea Terrace (Lobby)

In this workshop you will learn to identify the elements that trigger trauma in adolescents and adults, learn about best practice models, the most affected communities, and the most appropriate techniques for intervention.

Presenter: Dr. Gina D. Malagold – Song For Charlie

Location: Aloft Tactic Room (Lobby)

One in ten adults in the United States reports having lost a family member to a drug overdose. Families across the Americas are mourning the loss of their loved ones due to an overdose, but overdose grief is a neglected topic in the scientific literature. In this poster, I present an analysis of how Latino cultural values ​​influenced this experience of grief from a personal and scientific perspective.

Presenters: Erica Angert, Ph.D. – Children’s Crisis Treatment Center & Ari Acosta, Senior Policy Analyst – Center for Innovation in Population Health 

Location: Marriot Hall (Near Escalator) - 2nd Floor

What does Trauma Recovery look like? How do we know if a child or family is recovering from a traumatic event and communities are being served effectively? This workshop will illustrate how one agency evaluates its Trauma Services program using the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths assessment and the Arizona Self-Sufficiency Matrix using a Continuous Quality Improvement cycle. We will discuss culturally responsive strategies for assessing Trauma Services programs for Latino populations.

Presenter: Luz Paulino Difo De Martinez, MA – Psicóloga Clínica Infanto Juvenil

Location: Marriot Conference Room (2nd Floor)

A workshop focused on the identification, prevention, and intervention of compassion fatigue from a psychological and spiritual perspective, thus promoting holistic care for the server. There is a tiredness that cannot be seen. An exhaustion that cannot be cured with sleep. A moment when your body tells you "I can't take it anymore." This workshop is for you who accompany, teach, care for, serve, or support others and feel tired. We will provide you with clinical and spiritual tools for the identification, prevention, assessment, and intervention of burnout and compassion fatigue. This is not just another lecture. It is a space centered on you, a respite; a reset of your holistic self-care.

Presenter: Roberto Cedano – Children’s Crisis Treatment Center

Location: Marriot Ballroom 1 (2nd Floor)

The presentation will showcase the results of a qualitative/descriptive study on invisible loyalties in families with a history of incest. The research used a convenience sample of 10 cases, representing 10 individuals who had been victims of sexual abuse (incest).

Presenter: Gabriela Zapata Alma, LSCW, CADC – GZA INK

Location: Marriot Meeting Event Hub 1 & 2 (2nd Floor)

Emotional exhaustion, detachment, and ethical distress are all too common in helping professions, but what’s causing them isn’t always clear. Is it burnout from chronic overload? Secondary trauma from trauma exposure? Or moral injury from being asked to act against your values? Though these struggles can look alike, their roots and remedies are different. This session will help therapists recognize the signs of each, understand what drives them, and explore strategies for prevention and healing.

Panel Moderator: Melanie Holgui

Presenters:

• Dr. Jorge Aguilar – MLB Consultant
• Raymond Blais – MLB Senior EAP of Latin America
• Dr. Johannes Dalmasy – Sports Psychiatrist for Baltimore Orioles 

Location: Marriot Meeting Room 1 & 2 (2nd Floor)

This workshop about the mental health and wellbeing of Hispanic and Latino players in Major League Baseball will explore several related categories of emotional challenges for Latino athletes. Dr. Jorge Aguilar, Sports Psychiatrist at Montefiore Hospital and MLB Consultant, will review the emotional costs for Latino youth athletes who strive for athletic success, sometimes at the expense of their own emotional development. Dr. Aguilar will share practical coping tools and trauma-informed approaches to account for the cultural nuances and the specific needs of this population.

The second talk led by Raymond Blais, EAP and Consultant Psychologist at MLB’s Dominican Republic Office, will review the family challenges for MLB players entering the U.S. based minor league farm systems, who must travel away from home for the first time, integrate and assimilate into a new culture, and often learn a new style of play in the United States. Even in the face of these challenges, there are built-in programs and a sense of community to combat negative risk factors through proactive prevention efforts. Raymond will describe the programs offered to athletes preparing for this transition.

Dr. Johannes Dalmasy, Sports Psychiatrist for Baltimore Orioles, will review the special problems of reducing stigma around mental health for Latino athletes. Cultural expectations, family values, and gender conflict and how this translates to help-seeking or a lack thereof will be discussed in the mental health and wellbeing context.

Finally, the speakers will take part in a discussion with the audience about mental health stressors, challenges, and potential solutions for Latino athletes. 

Presenters: Ibet Hernandez, LMSW and Gaby Cadena, M.S., LDAC – Sanctuary Institute

Location: Marriot Library (Lobby)

Latinx professionals face heightened risks of burnout due to intersecting factors such as systemic workplace inequities, discrimination, and the compounding effects of political and social stressors. This workshop explores how organizations can use the Sanctuary Model, a trauma-informed, equity-centered framework, to create cultures of safety, healing, and resilience that align with Latinx cultural values of community, dignity, and connection. Through research insights, case examples, and interactive practice, participants will learn strategies to reduce burnout, strengthen organizational culture, and design culturally responsive interventions that support the well-being of Latinx staff and the clients they serve.

Presenter:  Ravi Ganesan, President & CEO – Core Solutions

Location: Master Suite 2009 (20th Floor) - Marriott

Latino communities face compounding barriers in behavioral health: cultural stigma, language barriers, workforce shortages in underserved areas, and systemic inequities that leave high-risk individuals invisible to overstretched providers. The promise of AI in healthcare is significant, but without intentional design, these technologies can perpetuate existing disparities.

Ravi Ganesan, CEO of Core Solutions, will explore how AI-powered clinical intelligence can advance health equity when built with Latino communities in mind. Drawing from real-world implementations, he'll demonstrate how predictive analytics can identify at-risk individuals before crisis — analyzing assessment scores, medication adherence, appointment patterns, and social determinants — while respecting cultural context and community-based care models.
Ravi will address the critical questions: How do we ensure AI tools are culturally responsive and linguistically appropriate? What safeguards protect patient privacy and build trust? How can community health centers actually implement these technologies affordably?

Attendees will leave understanding how AI can be a tool for equity rather than disparity — and what it takes to ensure technology serves the communities who need preventive, proactive behavioral health care most.

Presenter: Sabina Isaura Polanco Almanzar 

Location: Mo'orea Terrace (Lobby)

To provide the general population with a safe space to understand the impact of trauma following a tragedy and strengthen their mental health through psychoeducational, physical, and community tools.

Presenters: Rosa Julia Martínez Santos – Psicóloga Clínica & Angelica Garcia Ariza – Psicóloga Clínica 

Location: Marriot Library (Lobby)

This workshop aims to provide participants with a deep understanding of different types of trauma. Through practical activities and discussions, attendees will learn to identify and address these traumas in their personal and professional lives.

Presenter: Joel Nuñez - Psicologo Clinico

Location: Marriot Conference Room (2nd Floor)

The immaturity of adolescents' biopsychosocial development puts them at risk for coming into contact with the justice system. Risks increase when normative development is disrupted by exposure to adverse childhood experiences and other social determinants of health. While most juvenile offenders exit crime by their mid-twenties, a minority persists, causing disproportionate harm to their communities. However, the same developmental immaturities that put youth at risk make them more rehabilitable than adults. Harnessing the neurobiology of the developing brain, rather than squandering it, is necessary to prevent and halt youth delinquency and criminality and to increase the likelihood that young offenders can reintegrate into society as meaningful contributors.

Presenters: Dr. Guarav Kulkarni, Dr. Jairam Das, & Dr. Naveen Yarasi– Compass Health 

Location: Aloft Tactic Room (Lobby)

The increase in opioid use during pregnancy mirrors the broader opioid epidemic affecting the general population. This trend presents serious public health implications for both expectant mothers and their infants. However, pregnancy also offers a critical window for healthcare professionals to identify opioid use disorder and initiate appropriate treatment interventions. Currently, Canada and the United States lead the world in opioid consumption on a per-person basis. 

Presenters: Dr. Gina D. Malagold – Song for Charlie & Mr. Rafael Campos – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

Location: Marriot Ballroom 1 (2nd Floor)

"La Nueva Drug Talk" is a groundbreaking bilingual mental wellness and drug prevention program, culturally tailored for Latinx youth and families.  Developed by Latinx medical professionals, experts, and impacted family members, it extends Song for Charlie’s mission to empower families and prevent fentanyl-related tragedies in every community.  The youth mental health crisis is driving self-medication and substance misuse, leaving Latinx/LatAm youth especially vulnerable.

Presenters: Joanna Otero-Cruz – Women Against Abuse & Ana Maria Rodriguez – Congreso de Latinos Unidos 

Location: Marriot Meeting Event Hub 1 & 2 (2nd Floor)

This workshop is a collaborative effort between Congreso de Latinos Unidos and Women Against Abuse (WAA), two leading organizations committed to supporting families impacted by domestic violence in Philadelphia. Congreso brings deep roots in the Latino community of eastern North Philadelphia, providing culturally responsive services that promote economic self-sufficiency and well-being. WAA offers compassionate, nonjudgmental services and leads the city’s 24-hour Domestic Violence Hotline. Together, we aim to equip professionals with trauma-informed tools to support youth healing.

Presenter: Halssin Altagracia Ramos- Psicóloga Clínica

Location: Marriot Hall (Near Escalator) - 2nd Floor

Studies from the Dominican Republic indicate that domestic violence exposes children and adolescents to harm, and according to comprehensive health care standards, it directly affects their behavior, psyche, emotions, and physiological development.

Presenter: Dra. Biaris Rodriguez – Psiquíatra 

Location: Marriot Meeting Hall 1 & 2 (2nd Floor)

This workshop proposes a comprehensive analysis of the biological, psychological, and social impact of intensive social media use on the construction of identity, self-esteem, and interpersonal relationships in the digital age. Through a critical and humanized perspective, the relationship between virtual social validation—such as "likes"—and mental health will be explored, highlighting the neurobiological mechanisms involved in reward and social comparison. The effects of "digital silence," such as disconnection, social anxiety, and emotional isolation, which arise in contrast to hyper-technological contact, will also be addressed. Finally, the workshop invites reflection on the importance of balancing digital life with mental health, promoting self-care strategies, regulating technology use, and a collective understanding of responsibility in contemporary mental health from the perspective of modern psychiatry.

Presenters: Erica Angert, Ph.D. – Children’s Crisis Treatment Center & Ari Acosta, Senior Policy Analyst – Center for Innovation in Population Health

Location: Marriot Master Suite 2009 (20th Floor)

What does Trauma Recovery look like? How do we know if a child or family is recovering from a traumatic event and communities are being served effectively? This workshop will illustrate how one agency evaluates its Trauma Services program using the Child and Adolescent Needs and Strengths assessment and the Arizona Self-Sufficiency Matrix using a Continuous Quality Improvement cycle. We will discuss culturally responsive strategies for assessing Trauma Services programs for Latino populations.

Presenters: Victor Tabaac, Peter Mastrogiacomo, Julian Makarechi, Edwin Desamour – The Lighthouse Sports Complex and Field 

Location: Aloft Tactic Room (Lobby)

This presentation will speak to the initiatives that the oldest non-profit in the city of Philadelphia, The Lighthouse Inc, is implementing to create an oasis in the midst of chaos, and a sense of belonging and peace. Lighthouse team members will dive into how some as simple as a chicken laying an egg or grass field will help calm the nerves of any visitor and allow them to be themselves, and in turn bring the community closer together. Lighthouse Board members will explain how they themselves and their peers know the importance of being part of our vision to see our vision, and they don't back down from getting involved to further the initiatives that The Lighthouse implements for its community. We use our green space, animals, and dedicated board members, and loving team members to help battle trauma. 

Presenter: Albania Diaz – Children’s Crisis Treatment Center y TEDANPSI & Margaret Sosa – TEDANPSI 

Location: Marriot Hall (Near Escalator) - 2nd Floor

"A Few Little Bites" is a monologue that describes Frida Kahlo's life and work, her accidents, abortions, addictions, heartbreak, and artistic development, told from the stage, touching the most sensitive fibers, awakening emotions that manifest spontaneously, and, through this production, simultaneously managing to channel those emotions into a level of well-being and strength. Just as Frida Kahlo showed us.

"A Little Piece of Quisqueya" is a presentation and presentation by historical figures, reflecting and illustrating how Mama Tingo, Salome Ureña, María Trinidad Sánchez, and Pedro Mir are examples to the homeland and symbols of Dominican identity. Despite all the difficulties of the era, they can be resilient, even in conditions where there are no support networks, but they develop traumas due to illness, war, heartbreak, etc.

Our proposal is aimed at opening the event with A Little Piece of Quisqueya, and allowing us to explore the traumas experienced on our island through history, manifested through cognitive empathy, or collective feelings. We will feature art in various forms — music, ballet, and theater — accompanied by feedback on the defense mechanisms developed by the victims.

Presenter: Dr. César Castellanos – IDESIP

Location: Marriot Meeting Room 1 & 2 (2nd Floor)

This presentation summarizes intimate partner violence by reviewing its general prevalence, typology (including violence perpetrated by women), and bidirectional violence, emphasizing that the phenomenon is multicausal and not monolithic—it appears in different formats, intensities, and directions, and cuts across genders and sexual orientations. It also integrates a comparison of divorce rates by sexual orientation with international sources (CDC, ONS-UK, Andersson et al., among others) to place the problem in a broader demographic context, and concludes with a reflection on evidence-based policies and practices, away from ideologized readings. The theoretical and empirical framework is based on key references (Straus; Dutton & Nicholls; Capaldi et al.; Johnson; Cook; Andersson et al.), which supports a comprehensive approach that combines measurement, typologies, and population scope, and guides prevention and intervention approaches that consider symmetries and asymmetries of risk depending on the context.

Presenter: Luz Elena Cunha Romero – CENAF IDEAS 

Location: Mo'orea Terrace (Lobby)

The workshop "Resilience and Neuroplasticity: How a Therapeutic Approach Can Transform the Relationship Between Trauma and ADHD" offers a scientific and humanistic perspective, moving away from limiting labels. It will explore how neuroplasticity opens paths to recovery and growth, integrating neurocognitive stimulation strategies, family support, and educational inclusion. The workshop seeks to strengthen quality of life, highlighting resilience as a bridge between experience.

Presenter: Raysa Cancio, Abogada - Latinos Solutions Center

Location: Marriot Meeting Event Hub 1 & 2 (2nd Floor)

This presentation will discuss how to recognize the emotional impact of migration processes from a legal perspective. The seven forms of migration grief and how they manifest in legal counseling will be discussed. Finally, a call for collaboration between legal and mental health professionals will be made.

Presenter: Kenneth Scott Ureta Aquino – Universidad Cayetano Heredia - Lima, Perú

Location: Marriot Library (Lobby)

This workshop, inspired by practical experiences such as those developed at the Children's Crisis Treatment Center (CCTC) in Philadelphia, proposes a formative and experiential intervention that connects DBT theory and practice, with cultural sensitivity and an emphasis on the human connection.

Presenter: Yanira Lara Caba – Directora Ejecutiva del PACAM

Location: Marriot Ballroom 1 (2nd Floor)

In the Dominican Republic, where the study "Distorted Thoughts about Women and the Use of Violence in the Dominican Population" was conducted, 41.8% of women aged 15 years or older have suffered some type of abuse from their partner at some point in their lives, and 35.6% in the last twelve months (ENESIM, 2018). Misconceptions or cognitive distortions reflect habitual ways of thinking and are used as strategies to make aggressive behavior more tolerable (Echeburúa & Corral, 2006; Echeburúa and Redondo, 2010; Echeburúa et al., 2016). The results of the study indicated that there were no statistically significant differences between the different regions (North, Southeast, and Southwest), neither in relation to marital status nor level of educational education.

Presenter: Dra. Vanessa Espaillat - Psicóloga

Location: Marriot Conference Room (2nd Floor)

In this workshop, we will reflect on the importance of preserving the mental health of all victims of emergencies and crises, and how actively working during the recovery phase can foster resilience and trauma healing. Due to our geographic location and the poverty that still affects Latin American countries, the lack of foresight in risk management that involves the population in self-care significantly affects the mental health of our population and leads to loss of human life and material damage.
We will also discuss the interventions applied to each phase of emergencies, crises, and recovery by emergency psychologists to assist in trauma recovery.

Presenters:  Ibet Hernandez, LMSW and Gaby Cadena, M.S., LCAC – Sanctuary Institute

Location: Marriot Master Suite 2009- 20th Floor

Across the world, behavioral health organizations are facing unprecedented levels of complex trauma among clients, staff, and within the systems themselves. In response, organizations are seeking ways to restore hope, strengthen their workforce, and create cultures where healing is both possible and sustainable. The Sanctuary Model provides a blueprint for the kind of transformation organizations need in this moment. The Sanctuary Model is an evidence-informed change framework that turns trauma awareness into collective healing. In this session, the Sanctuary Institute will share how collaboration and intentional practice can reshape workplaces into communities grounded in safety, trust, and shared purpose. Together, we’ll explore how staff and clients alike can thrive in environments that nurture respect, connection, and renewal.