PALO ALTO, Calif. (PRWEB)
March 04, 2020

Since 2009, CONCEPT Professional Training has valued being part of the American Psychology-Law Society (AP-LS) community and equipping mental health professionals with education and specialized training for continued success in their practice or organization.

At this year’s annual AP-LS Conference, March 5-7, CONCEPT Professional Training and Palo Alto University (PAU) will celebrate the launch of CONCEPT as Palo Alto University’s new Division of Continuing and Professional Studies. Acquired in late 2018 by PAU, Northern California’s leading school of psychology and counseling, CONCEPT is a world-class provider of premium post-graduate professional training for mental health professionals, with a reputation for excellence in forensic psychology.

Together, PAU and CONCEPT will provide expanded program offerings, including new certifications, premier group training programs (online and in-person), and enhanced forensic program certification. All training programs are based on the latest research and evidence-based practices and led by world-class experts. Programs can be customized for both online and in-person formats for mental health and allied professionals around the world, as well as for a wide variety of organizations and local, state and federal agencies.

CONCEPT was founded by Patricia Zapf, Ph.D., who has a deep history with AP-LS, where she has served as President, Past President and on the Executive Committee, among other important roles. The conference is the perfect platform to announce this new division of the university to attendees.

“CONCEPT is uniquely positioned to be at the forefront of online and professional training. Our training programs elevate a professional’s practice and can be custom-built for an organization to meet their training goals,” said Dr. Zapf, Vice President for Continuing and Professional Studies at Palo Alto University.

In addition to professional training, CONCEPT offers free resources for mental health professionals, including webinars, brief research summaries and a translation of how to apply the knowledge to practice, podcasts, and much more to promote lifelong learning and allow professionals to stay at the top of their practice throughout their careers.

For more information about CONCEPT at Palo Alto University, please go to our website or visit our booth at AP-LS in New Orleans March 5-7.

Are you attending the conference?

Stop by CONCEPT’s booth and ask about a special offer to attend CONCEPT’s Summer Training Institute and join Palo Alto University President Maureen O’Connor and Dr. Patricia Zapf at their celebration reception on March 5th @ 7:30 p.m., please email awatkins@paloaltou.edu for more information.

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SANFORD, Fla. (PRWEB)
March 02, 2020

Today the Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling (FCCG) and Seminole Gaming advised Floridians to Keep Gambling Fun! Don’t Let Problem Gambling Affect Your Shot: Rebound with Florida’s Problem Gambling HelpLine, 888-ADMIT-IT during National Problem Gambling Awareness Month. Gearing up for the one-month launch on March 1st, Problem Gambling Awareness Month (PGAM) is a nationwide grassroots public awareness and outreach campaign, first established by the National Council on Problem Gambling 18 years ago, that promotes recognition of problem gambling and the availability of prevention, treatment, and recovery resources. Recent research examining the prevalence rates of various forms of gambling revealed that 79% of Floridians reported engaging in some type of gambling activity in the past year, with 24% acknowledging participation in traditional sports betting, and 18% playing Fantasy Sports . In light of the Supreme Court ruling last year and expansion of sports betting across the country, coupled with a projected $10 billion wagered on the upcoming NCAA basketball championship games (i.e. March Madness), it is imperative to spread the message that help and hope exist for anyone struggling with a gambling problem in the Sunshine State.

“The PGAM campaign is important for Florida, nicely complementing Seminole Gaming’s PlayersEdge Program, which aims to provide a safe and entertaining gaming experience by mitigating harm through the promotion of informed choices, positive play, and understanding of risks. While we recognize the vast majority of our guests will not experience gambling related difficulties, because some will, our responsible play messaging, alongside highly trained employees, makes us well-equipped to assist guests as needs arise,” explained Paul Pellizzari, Vice President of Global Social Responsibility for Seminole Hard Rock. “Our longstanding and ongoing partnership with the FCCG extending beyond two decades has shaped our responsible gaming program, which remains current, innovative, and focused,” added Pellizzari.

“In order for someone who is affected by a gambling problem to seek help, there must first be awareness of the problem and of the solution. This comes through education and awareness of what a gambling disorder is, what it looks like, potential warning signs to look for, as well as by providing access to help, because one can’t get help for a gambling problem if they don’t know that help exists!” said Jennifer Kruse, FCCG’s Executive Director. “Gambling addiction is treatable, and population-specific programs and services for gamblers and their loved ones are accessible any time of the day or night, any day of the year. The FCCG’s 24-hour confidential and multilingual HelpLine may be reached by calling 888-ADMIT-IT (888-236-4848), texting (321) 978-0555, emailing fccg@gamblinghelp.org, initiating a live chat at gamblinghelp.org, or by visiting us on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter,” concluded Kruse.

The Florida Council on Compulsive Gambling is a not-for-profit 501(c)3 under contract with state government and is one of more than 30 affiliates of the National Council on Problem Gambling NCPG.

Interested in joining the FCCG’s Problem Gambling Awareness Month Campaign? Call the 24-hour HelpLine, 888-ADMIT-IT, or visit the organization’s PGAM website at reboundyourlife.org.

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The U.S. Army celebrates the U.S. approval of tafenoquine (photo courtesy of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command)

GSK must take appropriate action to better emphasize that approved use of Krintafel® is limited to those receiving appropriate antimalarial therapy for acute P. vivax infection and that the drug is NOT indicated for presumptive anti-relapse therapy

WHITE RIVER JUNCTION, Vt. (PRWEB)
February 28, 2020

The Quinism Foundation has sent correspondence to Evan Berland, at GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Global Public Health, calling on GSK to take appropriate action to protect the health of asymptomatic U.S. travelers, including proposing further changes to the “Limitation of Use” section of the U.S. Prescribing Information for Krintafel®, to better emphasize that the drug is not indicated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for presumptive anti-relapse therapy [1].

“Since the 2018 U.S. approval of Krintafel® for prevention of relapse of P. vivax infection in those receiving appropriate antimalarial therapy for acute P. vivax infection,” wrote Remington Nevin, MD, MPH, DrPH, executive director of The Quinism Foundation, “the drug has been widely recommended for off-label use in presumptive anti-relapse therapy among asymptomatic U.S. travelers, including in published recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).”

“Although the prevention of relapse of P. vivax malaria infection and presumptive anti-relapse therapy of asymptomatic travelers are clearly separate and distinct indications,” Dr. Nevin noted, “CDC recommendations nonetheless confuse these terms, and even state erroneously use of Krintafel® in asymptomatic U.S. travelers for presumptive anti-relapse therapy ‘is consistent with FDA labeling’.”

In his correspondence, Dr. Nevin noted that in a “Dear Health Care Provider” letter, dated February 6, 2020 [2], GSK released data from a recent clinical trial that demonstrates that tafenoquine lacks efficacy in preventing P. vivax relapse when used with antimalarial drugs other than chloroquine. Dr. Nevin noted that the proposed change in the indication for Krintafel® as described by GSK in its “Dear Health Care Provider Letter”, which would limit the use of the drug to co-administration with chloroquine only, has critical safety implications for use of the drug by asymptomatic U.S. travelers.

“CDC recommendations for Krintafel® to be co-administered with other drugs, such as atovaquone-proguanil and doxycycline that are commonly used by asymptomatic U.S. travelers for the prophylaxis of malaria,” [3] Dr. Nevin wrote, would be “clearly at odds with the proposed change in indication for Krintafel®, which would limit the use of the drug to co-administration with chloroquine only, and presumably only at appropriate doses for treatment of acute P. vivax infection.”

“Given that tafenoquine has been demonstrated to lack efficacy in preventing P. vivax relapse when used with antimalarial drugs other than chloroquine,” Dr. Nevin noted, “current CDC recommendations for use of Krintafel® with other drugs in presumptive anti-relapse therapy may endanger asymptomatic U.S. travelers by placing them at risk of acute malaria from failed elimination of dormant hypnozoites. Consequently, GSK must take appropriate action to better emphasize that approved use of Krintafel® is limited to those receiving appropriate antimalarial therapy for acute P. vivax infection and that the drug is NOT indicated for presumptive anti-relapse therapy.”

Dr. Nevin concluded his letter by recommending removal of the ambiguous term ‘radical cure’ from the U.S. Prescribing Information to reduce the risk of confusion between prevention of relapse and presumptive anti-relapse therapy.

“Tafenoquine, originally developed by the U.S. Army, is a member of a class of antimalarial drug known as 8-aminoquinolines found during World War II-era studies to be uniformly neurotoxic,” said Dr. Nevin. “A leading researcher involved in testing of this class of drug in rhesus monkeys has noted ‘all of nearly one hundred and forty 8-aminoquinolines examined… produce rather remarkable and highly specific lesions in the central nervous system [CNS].’” [4] “Publicly-available data support a conclusion that tafenoquine shares the liability to CNS neurotoxicity of related 8-aminoquinolines,” said Dr. Nevin.

About The Quinism Foundation

The Quinism Foundation, founded in January 2018, in White River Junction, Vermont, promotes and supports education and research on quinism, the family of medical disorders caused by exposure to quinoline drugs, including mefloquine and tafenoquine.

Dr. Nevin is a board-certified occupational medicine and preventive medicine physician and former U.S. Army medical officer and epidemiologist. He is author of more than 30 scientific publications on malaria and the quinoline antimalarials.

1. GSK. Krintafel® (Tafenoquine) U.S. Prescribing Information. July 2018.

2. GSK. Dear Health Care Provider Letter. February 6, 2020.

3. CDC. Guidance for Using Tafenoquine for Prevention and Antirelapse Therapy for Malaria – United States, 2019. MMWR. 2019;68(46):1062-1068.

4. Schmidt IG, Schmidt LH. Neurotoxicity of the 8-aminoquinolines. III. The effects of pentaquine,isopentaquine, primaquine, and pamaquine on the central nervous system of the rhesus monkey. Journal of neuropathology and experimental neurology. 1951;10(3):231-254.

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JOHNS CREEK, Ga. (PRWEB)
February 27, 2020

On Saturday, February 15th five hundred community leaders and Summit supporters celebrated the joy of generosity, a passion for community, and a commitment to support mental wellness at the Summit Counseling Center’s 5th Annual Summit Gala at The Hotel at Avalon.

Fox News anchor Russ Spencer was the honorary emcee for the evening. Mr. Spencer addressed many of the Summit’s historical highlights over the past 30 years, recognized Summit’s community partners and spoke to the rising need for mental health services in our community.

Festivities of the night included a VIP reception, silent auction, fund-a-need and live auction that raised over $330,000 to support the Summit’s cause.

The celebration culminated with Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Amy Grant talking openly about how mental health has touched her life through friends and family members. In true songwriter style, Ms. Grant captivated the audience with her personal stories woven through speech and song, singing several of her award-winning hits and personal favorites.

About the Summit Counseling Center

Since 1990, The Summit Counseling Center has been a trusted community partner; bringing hope, healing, and restoration to children, teens, adults, couples, and families. Through their partnerships with local community organizations, The Summit serves North Atlanta at 33 locations, including 28 local public schools where there is a therapist onsite. To learn more about The Summit Counseling Center, their school counseling services, and how they support communities, visit http://www.summitcounseling.org.

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DALLAS (PRWEB)
February 25, 2020

David and Jane Melone have donated 100 polychromatic light therapy systems to the Light Up To Live Foundation. In turn, the foundation will donate them to members of the U.S. Armed Forces and Veterans living with Post Traumatic Stress (PTS), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), pain, and depression. The systems are used to increase blood flow and reduce pain in the body. The total retail value of all of these systems is an estimated $500,000.

“We are excited to share this wonderful technology with members of the U.S. Armed Forces and Veterans who are living with pain and service-related injuries. Light therapy is one more tool in the toolbox that can be used to help get our Veterans back to their best health,” said David Melone, co-owner of inLight Therapy, Inc., along with his wife, Jane Melone. “Polychromatic light therapy is ever-evolving, and there is hope in the industry that its use will continue to grow.”

Randall Reed, founder of the Light Up To Live Foundation based in Dallas and a proponent of polychromatic light therapy, said “This gift from David and Jane Melone will help us get some real traction in terms of putting polychromatic light therapy systems in the hands of Veterans with PTS who may most benefit from its use. We raise money to purchase them, but this gift will allow us to do other things to support our Veterans including fund highly trained service dogs and support programs for Veterans with injuries that may require adaptive training and support.”

Reed, his wife, Sherry, and daughter, Shelby — who are best known as owners and founders of World Class Automotive Group based in Dallas — have supported Veteran causes for years in Texas and around the U.S. both personally and through Reed Family Enterprises.

Reed said Veterans may submit a brief application at LightUpToLive.org to be considered for a polychromatic light therapy system. Ultimately, they will need to have a DD214 form to demonstrate their military service and related health needs. All communications are HIPPA compliant.

“I want to encourage our Veterans who are struggling with pain, depression, suicidal thoughts, adaptive living challenges, to simply reach out to us as a resource,” added Ben Michael (USN Ret.), a Light Up To Live board member and 38-year-old Veteran. “We want to help and connect you with some of our charitable partners including: 22KILL, Adaptive Training Foundation, REACT, Task Force Dagger and the Patriotic Service Dog Foundation. Together, we are doing some amazing work to help our Veterans.“

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PEKIN, Ill. (PRWEB)
February 25, 2020

Often with addressing eating disorders, the terms “binge eating” and “emotional eating” are used interchangeably, yet there are distinct differences. Even though binge eating and emotional eating can be similar, knowing when to treat clients for overeating is a crucial counseling skill. In the interactive workshop, “Binge Eating Disorder Vs. Emotional Eating: When Do We Treat “Overeating”? — participants will learn how to effectively treat binge eating disorder while supporting clients to have a healthy relationship with food, which may include emotional eating as an appropriate response to life circumstances.

Now in its 35th year, the 2020 iaedp™ Symposium will be held in Orlando at the Omni at ChampionsGate, from March 26-29. Nearly 70 presentations and events will occur over four days and will be attended by over 1,000 eating disorders professionals from around the world.

Binge Eating Disorder is on the rise, estimated to affect about five percent of the total population. This statistic dramatically increases to 30 percent of individuals seeking weight management interventions.

This presentation will focus on behavioral health interventions and medical nutrition therapy for the treatment of binge eating disorder, while redefining emotional eating as being a positive outlet in the life of someone who suffers with the disease. The session also will focus on the many subjective definitions of emotional eating, including when emotional eating is truly binge eating disorder that deserves eating disorder treatment.

According to presenter, Jennifer McGurk, RDN, CDN, CEDRD-S, true emotional eating will be presented as a coping skill for healthcare professionals to use during treatment.

McGurk is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist whose mission is to help people heal from eating disorders and to support other dietitians to build a business specializing in eating disorders and intuitive eating. She is the owner of the group private practice Eat With Knowledge in Nyack, NY and is a Certified Eating Disorders Registered Dietitian and Clinical Supervisor.

The presentation also will feature presenter, Elyssa Toomey, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and a Registered Yoga Teacher. She specializes in eating disorder recovery and intuitive eating and is an Associate Dietitian at Eat With Knowledge, a private practice in Nyack, NY.

About the iaedp™ Foundation: Since 1985, the International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals has provided education and training standards to an international and multidisciplinary group of various healthcare treatment providers and helping professions. MemberSHARE.iaedp.com is an iaedp™ business journal and online member resource to learn about noteworthy member achievements, continuing education webinars and U.S. and international chapter activity and events; for more information, visit MemberSHARE.

The Presidents Council provides iaedp™ support and includes: Center for Change; Center for Hope of the Sierras; Center for Discovery; Eating Recovery Center; Willow Place; Laureate Eating Disorders Program; McCallum Place Eating Disorder Centers; The Meadows Ranch; Rogers Behavioral Health; Rosewood Centers for Eating Disorders; Selah House; The Renfrew Center; Timberline Knolls; Veritas Collaborative; Alsana Eating Disorder Treatment & Recovery Centers; Silver Hill Hospital and Walden Behavioral Care.

The 2020 iaedp™ Symposium is proud to announce Bronze Sponsors: ViaMar Health, Eating Disorder Recovery Specialists, Simple Practice, Transcend ED, Fairwinds Treatment Center and Monecatini.

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BRISBANE, Australia (PRWEB)
February 21, 2020

In a world with billions of social media accounts, one might say there is more connection than ever, but for transformational speaker Kirsten Barfoot, it’s actually trending in the opposite direction. Instead of connection, we are suffering from a “Disconnection Virus,” where technology and the pressures and distractions of modern life disconnects us from ourselves and, ultimately, other people, according to Barfoot.

In her upcoming speaking tour, “Self Love, The Missing Link In Leadership And Business,” with its first stop in Brisbane, February 20th, at the Relaxation Centre Of Queensland, from 7 to 9PM, Barfoot is setting out to transform the way people connect to themselves and others, especially in business contexts. The second tour stop is on the Gold Coast, at TFI Dentistry, in Labrador, on February 26th, from 7 to 9PM. From there, the tour continues into the Sunshine Coast and beyond, with dates and exact locations to be confirmed and announced.

Prospective audience members can anticipate a talk which is informational and transformational. The informational portion of the talk addresses what Barfoot calls the “contagious cultural conditions” which influence and reward behaviors which separate people, even though we assume we’re creating connection. “Working with people one on one, I often see patterns and observe things the client cannot see, or what we call blindspots. These blindspots are happening at the cultural level, and are causing disconnection at an epidemic level, and it’s time to speak out,” Barfoot said.

In the transformational portion of her talk, Barfoot guides participants through her five step “Lead With Your Soul” method (“Clear,” “Connect,” “Clarify,” “Create,” and “Change”), where they can quickly work through any disconnection problem showing up in their personal life, relationships, and/or businesses. Recent client Randa Mayers adds, “Through her self love teachings and firm, gentle guidance, she facilitated a situation which reconnected me to increased confidence, higher income, and an expanded support network.”

• 
  Transformational Speaker Kirsten Barfoot launches multi-city speaking tour in Australia to help people reconnect through self-love
• The Self Love Tour starts in Brisbane on February 20th, from 7 to 9PM, at the Relaxation Centre Of Queensland
• In the talk, “Self Love, The Missing Link In Leadership And Business,” audience members learn a modern transformational method they can apply anywhere and anytime

Kirsten Barfoot International is an Australian based, transformational education business, whose mission is to help the world remember what self-love is and to apply it profitably to leadership and commerce. For more information, or to request Kirsten bring the Self Love Tour to your location, go to https://kirstenbarfoot.com/self-love-tour/.

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