2024 Conference on Mental Health

A Superior Educational Experience

June 12 - 14, 2024 at the We-Ko-Pa Resort

Attendee Registration
Exhibitors & Sponsorships
Workshops Registration
Golf Tournament Registration

Our Conference Partners

Our Major Sponsors

This Conference Is Designed For...

Counselors  •  Therapists  •  Interventionists  •  Social Workers  • Psychiatrists  • Psychologists  •  Case Managers  •  Ed Consultants  •  Educators

Conference Rates

Clinical Attendee: $95   |   Non-Clinical Attendee: $250
Exhibit Hall Pass: $150  |  Exhibit Hall Pass with Lunch: $225

A Great Value for Attendees

Each registrant will receive:

Up to 5 Continuing Education Units (eligible attendees)
An Invitation to our Thursday afternoon Poolside Munch & Mingle
An Invitation to our Thursday evening Opening Reception
Access to our Hosted Networking Lunch 
Full, Unlimited Access to the Exhibit Hall throughout the Day
A Chance to Win One of many Fabulous Prizes

We are expecting up to 100 vendors in our beautiful We-Ko-Pa Resort venue.
So, please join us for up to three days of fun, education, and great networking.

Hotel Reservations

Conference hotel room rates start at $149/night at the We-Ko-Pa Resort.
Soon after registration, you will receive a link to make your reservation at an incredible rate while rooms last.

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Our Featured Presenters

Dr. Laurie Little, PsyD

Chief Experience Officer — Lindner Center of HOPE

Topic: An Unlikely Couple: The Pairing of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy and DBT Skills

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Dr. Kerry Horrell, PhD

The Menninger Clinic

Topic: Self-Compassion in the Recovery Process

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Dr. Karlyn Pleasants, PsyD

Chief Clinical Advisor — Anew Treatment Center Scottsdale

Topic: The “Well” Siblings: From Shadow to Shine, Supporting the Journey to Visibility

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Dr. Kevin McCauley, MD

Meadows Behavioral Healthcare

Topic: “4E” Cognition – A New Approach to Addiction and Recovery

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Dr. Rob Gent, PhD

Chief Clinical Officer — Embark Behavioral Health

Topic: The Neurobiology of Relationship: A Model for Creating Healthy Healing and Development

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About Us

The Partners In Treatment 2nd Annual Conference on Mental Health is the brainchild of five partner facilities— Anew Treatment Center Scottsdale, Lindner Center of Hope, Meadows Behavioral Healthcare, The Menninger Clinic, and Embark Behavioral Health. Our team objective is to bring a superior educational experience for healthcare professionals seeking the latest information on the treatment of mental illnesses. We have brought together some of the most knowledgeable clinicians in the industry who will be presenting on timely topics with useful information designed to support our attendees desire to learn the latest in mental health treatment advances.

We are not a “pay to play” conference. Unlike other conferences, we do not let facilities pay to present a topic. We choose the presenters and approve the topics. The presenters at this conference are the best each of the partner facilities have to offer. The commitment to our valued attendees is that we will present important information on a bevy of topics but not be a commercial for any of the facilities.

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Dr. Laurie Little, PsyD

Chief Experience Officer

The Lindner Center of HOPE

Dr. Little is Chief Patient Experience Officer and a staff psychologist at the Lindner Center of HOPE. Her areas of expertise consist primarily of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for patients with mood disorders, anxiety, PTSD and binge eating disorder. Dr. Little also specializes in working with patients who are considering, or have had, bariatric (weight loss) surgery. Dr. Little is certified in Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy.

Dr. Little earned her Doctorate of Psychology degree from the University of Hartford in Hartford, Connecticut. She completed a two-year internship in Westfield Massachusetts that specializes in the training and implementation of Dialectical Behavior Therapy for adults with mental illness.

Her dissertation studied how training clinicians in DBT helps to reduce therapist burnout.

Presentation Topic:

An Unlikely Couple: The Pairing of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy and DBT Skills

This presentation will discuss how treatment with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) works synergistically with Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy (PAP). Participants will learn how knowledge of DBT skills and principals will help facilitate all three stages of PAP including preparation, the medicine session as well as integration.

Dr. Kerry Horrell, PhD

Staff Psychologist, Assistant Professor

The Menninger Clinic

Kerry Horrell, PhD, is a staff psychologist at The Menninger Clinic as well as the coordinator of the Youth Division. In addition, she is the co-host of Mind Dive, Menninger’s podcast for mental health professionals. She is also an assistant professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM).

Her clinical expertise includes the treatment of shame and trauma, with a particular focus on self-compassion, vulnerability and mindfulness.

Her research interests include experiences of gender and sexuality, as well as religion and spirituality, in how they relate to mental health and well-being. Her research has been published in the Journal of Psychology and Theology and has been shared at the annual conference of the Association of Psychological Science.

Presentation Topic:

Self-Compassion in the Recovery Process

People who are attempting to recover from a variety of mental illnesses commonly use self-criticism to motivate themselves toward healing. This often exacerbates their symptoms rather than reduce them. Thus, it is vital for clinicians to understand the importance of self-compassion and facilitate clients’ ability to engage in this skill.

This presentation will aim to provide a robust understanding of what self-compassion is, how it aids in recovering from mental illness, and why it can be challenging for clients to access. Special attention will be paid to the relationship between self-compassion and shame. Interventions for increasing self-compassion will be provided

Dr. Karlyn Pleasants, PsyD

Chief Clinical Advisor

Anew Treatment Center

Dr. Karlyn Pleasants is a clinical psychologist, international speaker and trainer, and leading clinical advisor with a whole-hearted commitment to shifting paradigms and rewriting cultural and familial narratives about mental health and healing.

For twenty-five years, Karlyn has helped create thriving therapeutic environments that have supported thousands of individuals and their families build lives rooted in purpose and hope that extend far beyond the bounds of psychiatric diagnoses.

Dr. Pleasants is the Chief Clinical Advisor at the Anew Treatment Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, and has made it her mission is to carry on the fidelity of the deeply transformative milieu model of recovery and change. She is the author of Feathers from the Fire, the tale of one family’s journey through fear, stigma, and generational secrets in search of healing and hope.

Presentation Topic:

The “Well” Siblings: From Shadow to Shine, Supporting the Journey to Visibility

It is well known and extensively documented that mental illness takes up a considerable amount of space within a family, bringing a myriad of challenges to the entire system. Existing research consistently reveals a wide range of adverse influence on emotional well-being, financial and other functional burdens, chronic stress, and concomitant psychiatric disorders. While much of the investigation centers on the parental experience, very few studies have been dedicated to the impact on siblings.

Siblings are at the heart of one’s longest living relationship and poised to be a life-long support, yet often exist in the shadows, eclipsed by the needs of the sibling with mental illness and in an effort to avoid taxing already burdened parents. Within a cloak of invisibility, the well-sibling is at risk of becoming a lonely bystander, unseen and unknown.

The “Well Sibling Syndrome” is a term coined by researchers, mental health experts, and siblings themselves who have begun taking a closer look into how siblings are affected and shaped by growing up with a sibling with a mental illness. This presentation will provide an overview of this indispensable exploration, including clinically minded strategies for supporting sibling and whole-family health.

Visit Karlyn's Website

Dr. Kevin McCauley, MD

Senior Fellow

The Meadows

Dr. Kevin McCauley is a Senior Fellow at Meadows Behavioral Healthcare. He graduated in 1992 from Drexel University School of Medicine and first became interested in the treatment of substance use disorders while serving as a Naval Flight Surgeon.

Kevin wrote and directed two films: “Memo to Self” about the concepts of recovery management, and “Pleasure Unwoven” about the neuroscience of addiction which won the 2010 Michael Q. Ford Award for Journalism from the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers. 

Kevin lives with his wife, Kristine, in Sedona, Arizona and recently completed a Master’s Degree in Public Health at the University of Arizona.

Presentation Topic:

“4E” Cognition – A New Approach to Addiction and Recovery

This lecture summarizes the current state of addiction neuroscience and how its findings validate the lived experiences of people with addiction. The lecture will then address criticism of the Brain Disease Model of Addiction (BDMA) – namely, that it does not address the social and ecological factors crucial to a complete understanding of addiction and recovery. An enactivist approach based on “4E Cognition” goes beyond the brain to explore the role of the body and environment in choice-making and addiction. Focusing on recent developments in psychoneuroimmunology, computational psychiatry, and embodied consciousness, this “4E” approach answers criticisms of the traditional BDMA without losing its explanatory and predictive power.

Visit Kevin's Website

Dr. Rob Gent, PhD

Chief Clinical Officer

Embark Behavioral Health

Dr. Rob Gent, PhD, LPC is the Vice President of Clinical Development & Training and founding member of Embark Behavioral Health. Rob has led the Embark organization in clinical development and growth of numerous programs and is the lead developer of the proprietary CASA Developmental Framework which is pervasive throughout Embark’s programs. Through his dedication to the advancement of clinical development, practice, and research, he has become a nationally recognized expert in the field.

Rob’s dedication has led him to pursue his Ph.D. in Psychology with an emphasis on development and attachment. He remains passionate about neurological, psychological, and physiological development and continues to focus on the advancement of research and the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions.

Presentation Topic:

The Neurobiology of Relationship: A Model for Creating Healthy Healing and Development

This presentation will provide an overview for understanding the science of interpersonal relationships and their impact on neurological, physiological, and psychological development. It will define, explore, and provide a methodology for accurately assessing “attuned” therapeutic interventions and address topics such as resiliency, trauma, neurobiological window of tolerance, co-regulation, and self-regulation. Additional concepts of integrative health and systemic functioning will be integrated into this therapeutic methodology to enable clinicians, clients, and caregivers to reliably create healthy healing and development.