I went to my first NYAPRS (New York Association for Psych Rehab Services) annual conference this September 10-13. It was their 20th anniversary conference. I had wanted to go last year, even before being hired by Venture House, having heard Mr. Rosenthal speak and having participated in a spring trip to Albany to lobby legislators.
It was even more informative and electrifying than I had anticipated. The workshops I attended were thought-provoking and the dialogues fascinating.
One highlight of the conference was the award presentation to Mr. Rosenthal for his decade-long dedication and leadership of NYAPRS. Not only was this an occasion to recognize Mr. Rosenthal's achievements, it was also a way to trace the growth and dynamism of the organization. One of the speakers who paid him tribute mentioned the small basement office without air conditioning that the organization had when Mr. Rosenthal became executive director, and the tensions engendered by the tight, uncomfortable quarters. The cooperative effort among many individuals to sustain and nourish the organization despite these conditions, and the vision and dedication this required was a theme that emerged clearly from the tribute. The vision born of a belief that change is possible, the tenacity and the sheer courage required to make change also emerged as one of the major themes of the conference.
The workshops I attended ranged from the dangerous situation in adult homes, to how to treat yourself with loving kindness, to how to integrate dialectical behavioral therapy into strength-based therapeutic approaches, to empowerment through advocacy and organizing, to celebrating life with the power of joy.
At the adult home workshop, I was struck by the courage and tenacity required by individual adult home residents to bring to light the deplorable, unsafe conditions in these homes and stand up to intimidation by management. Their perseverance in the face of this intimidation, as well as the perseverance of organizations and individuals such as CIAD, NYSCAHR and the New York Times' Clifford Levy, was inspiring.
Another workshop I went to dealt with the power of negative self-image in blocking healing and recovery and the importance of taking time and paying attention in order to eradicate these images.
The dialectical behavioral therapy workshop focused on the use of a recently developed method by practitioners that combined a form of radical self-acceptance and commitment to change. In this approach practitioners use humor as an unblocking mechanism to help consumers move toward their objectives.
In the empowerment through advocacy and organizing workshop, a detailed, step-by-step approach was presented to encourage consumers' involvement and leadership in advocacy and organizing on their own behalf. Dealing with agency policymakers to ensure real decision-making power for consumers, as well as the nuts and bolts of organizing and leadership development were discussed.
The workshop celebrating life concentrated on discovering those activities which enabled participants to lose themselves in joyful activity, whether fishing, baking, writing or dancing. These activities, where participants transcended their ordinary selves, were celebrated as essential to enriching our lives.
One of the most memorable moments at the conference was the ceremony honoring the victims of 9/11. It featured a multi-cultural tribute, including prayers, speeches and a chorus. The ceremony ended with all participants shining flashlights in the dark as a symbol of our rededication to hope and healing. In a way, this moment symbolized the meaning of the conference as a whole.