VitAL Alabama

EMDR Therapy: A Clinical Framework for Trauma-Informed Assessment & Treatment Planning
2026-05-26 14:00 - 15:30 (America/Chicago)
1.5 DSM CEs for Social workers, counselors, and nurses

Presenter: Wendi Hogue, M.Ed., LPC, NCC

This continuing education webinar offers mental health clinicians a practical, clinically grounded framework for connecting DSM-5-TR diagnosis to EMDR treatment planning. Participants will examine the trauma related diagnostic categories most encountered in EMDR practice. Including post-traumatic stress disorder, dissociative disorders, major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorders, and consider how each diagnosis points toward specific memory networks and treatment targets.

We will walk through the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model and the 8-phase protocol, exploring how theory translates directly into clinical decision-making including where to start, what to target, and how to sequence treatment across complex presentations.

A clinical case example will be used throughout to demonstrate how diagnostic conceptualization becomes an EMDR treatment plan, with specific attention to protocol modifications for dissociation, complex PTSD, and borderline personality disorder.

At the conclusion of this training, participants will be able to:

Discuss contraindications, stabilization strategies, and clinical decision-making for when and how to modify standard EMDR protocols with complex presentations.

Identify the core DSM-5-TR diagnostic categories most associated with trauma presentations and their clinical relevance to EMDR practice.

Explain the theoretical foundations of EMDR therapy, including Shapiro’s Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model and its neurobiological basis.

Apply EMDR’s 8 phase protocol to clinical case conceptualization across a range of DSM-5-TR diagnoses.

Differentiate EMDR target selection and protocol modifications for PTSD, complex trauma, opioid use disorder, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and dissociative presentations, including adaptations for trauma-related symptoms in individuals with comorbid opioid use disorder.

Understanding Perinatal OCD: Reducing Fear, Improving Care
2026-05-27 12:00 - 13:00
Speaker: Lauren Amacker, LICSW, PIP

S.A.V.E. Webinar
2026-05-28 13:00 - 14:00
This webinar will provide an overview of the VA S.A.V.E. Training, an evidence-based suicide prevention training designed to help individuals recognize and respond to Veterans who may be experiencing a crisis or suicidal thoughts. Participants will learn how to identify warning signs, confidently ask the important questions about suicide, validate a Veteran’s experience, and encourage treatment and immediate support. The training emphasizes practical intervention strategies, compassionate communication, and connecting Veterans with appropriate resources and care. Attendees will leave with increased confidence in supporting Veterans and promoting suicide prevention within their communities.

By participating in this training, participants will be able to:

Describe the scope and impact of suicide among Veterans in the United States.

Identify current and emerging efforts by the Department of Veterans Affairs to address mental health and suicide prevention.

Explain the value of community partnerships in supporting Veterans’ mental health and suicide prevention efforts.

Recognize warning signs and risk factors associated with suicide among Veterans and other individuals.

Demonstrate appropriate steps to take when identifying and responding to a Veteran or individual at risk for suicide.

Alabama Opioid Prevention Summit (Birmingham)
2026-06-03 08:00 - 17:00 | The Wynfrey Hotel, 1000 Galleria Circle, Birmingham, AL, 35244, United States

Webinar: The Role of Employment in Recovery
2026-06-03 10:30 - 12:00
Learning objectives:

· Learn why work matters and its impact on people’s recovery.

· Learn and apply the different IPS principles to support people’s recovery journey.

· Learn that integrated mental health treatment and employment services lead to better employment outcomes.

Ruth Brock, M.S., joined the IPS Employment Center in January 2020. Ruth provides IPS training, technical assistance, and fidelity reviews to states and countries in the IPS International Learning Community, as well as to other jurisdictions and contracts. Ruth educates leaders on infrastructure to implement IPS in a sustainable way. She serves as a seasoned vocational professional with decades of progressive multi-level responsibilities in service and program delivery for people with different abilities. Ruth is inspired by the words of singer/songwriter Toby Mac “yes, it’s going to be hard but hard is not impossible.”

Alabama Opioid Prevention Summit (Prattville)
2026-06-05 08:00 - 17:00

Not Another Puff: Youth Tobacco, Vaping and Treatment Summit
2026-07-28 08:00 - 17:00 | The Wynfrey Hotel, 1000 Galleria Circle, Birmingham, AL, 35244, United States
Nicotine use and dependence among young people are rising quickly due to vaping. This has become a serious public health issue that warrants urgent attention. The lack of programs designed specifically for youth who vape nicotine, tobacco and other mood altering substances makes it harder for them to recover and stay healthy. Research shows that teens who are dependent on nicotine and tobacco often struggle to find care to treat their individual needs. When service providers lack the latest information about vaping, and the clinical tools needed to support decreased use, adolescents may become more dependent on different substances instead of receiving the treatment they need. Learning about vaping trends, the availability of cessation resources, and how to access different options can help providers in Alabama guide youth to quality treatment services that result in decreased use and sustained recovery.

VitAL Annual Conference
2026-08-20 08:00 - 2026-08-21 17:00 | Bryant Conference Center, 240 Paul Bryant Drive, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, 35487
Join Us for the 2026 VitAL Annual ConferenceAlabamians are leading the way in building a better future for behavioral health. The VitAL Annual Conference brings together professionals, advocates, and changemakers from across the state to share ideas, inspire action, and strengthen our collective impact. This year’s event will feature dynamic keynote speakers, practical workshops, and opportunities to connect with others who are passionate about improving mental health, substance use, and trauma-related outcomes. Don’t miss this chance to gain new tools, fresh insights, and renewed energy for your work.

Justice and Substance Use Alabama Summit (Birmingham)
2026-09-10 08:00 - 17:00

Justice and Substance Use Alabama Summit (Huntsville)
2026-09-11 08:00 - 17:00 | Jackson Center, 6001 Moquin Dr NW, Huntsville, AL, 35806, United States

Justice and Substance Use Alabama Summit (Mobile)
2026-09-17 08:00 - 17:00

Justice and Substance Use Alabama Summit (Prattville)
2026-09-18 08:00 - 17:00
