Home EducationFaithNet 2009 Addictions Conference

|  |

On Monday, April 27, 2009, FaithCEP of NAMI Indianapolis held its 8^th Annual Mending the Mind & Minding the Soul Mental Health Education Conference for clergy & congregational leadersat Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis. The topic this year was:

Addictions in the Congregation? The Role of Faith and Community in Recovery.

Our guest speakers were David Holling, M.Div., M.S., Ph.D. and Joan Esterline Lafuze, M.S. Ph.D.

David Holling is Director of Buchanan Counseling Center, Clarian Health, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Marriage and Family Therapist, an ordained United Methodist Elder, North Georgia Annual Conference and has served churches in Wisconsin, Iowa and Georgia.  He is a clinical member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy. Rev. Holling is a native of Wisconsin.  He and his wife Kathleen have two young adult children.  His interests include collecting Milwaukee Braves memorabilia and college athletics memorabilia (particularly Iowa Hawkeyes and Wisconsin Badgers), reading and front porch sitting. 

Dr. Lafuze is Professor of Biology, Indiana University East and a Research Associate at the Indiana University School of Medicine with expertise in Human Physiology as it relates to Neuroscience.  She holds a B.A from Indiana University Bloomington; M.S. in Physiology, Ball State University; Ph.D. Physiology, Indiana University.  At IU, she teaches courses on The Biology of Mental Illness and The Biology of Addictions, and a graduate course on topics related to brain physiology.  She received the Indiana University all campus Frederic Bachman Lieber Distinguished Teaching Award and the FACET (Faculty Colloquium on Excellence in Teaching) Award.  She is a member of the American Physiological Society, the American Chemical Society and NAMI.

Dr. Holling’s presentation Addictions in the Congregation? included:

• The meaning, scope, and key elements of addictive behavior
• Spiritual dimensions of addiction, how faith, religion and faith communities help in recovery and prevention
• Practical ways to assist the addict, his/her family, and the community

Dr. Lafuze’s session “Understanding the Biology of Addictions: Smoothing the Road to Recovery”

• identified the areas of the brain associated with addiction.
• explained the influence of genetic factors in addiction
• discussed the vulnerability of adolescents to addictions

This conference was sponsored by Faith Communities Education Project (FaithCEP) of NAMI Indianapolis, a local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness with generous support from Clarian Health and Christian Theological Seminary Lifelong Learning Division.

You may download copies of Dr. Holling and Dr. LaFuze’s presentations by clicking on the links at the bottom of this page:

Related Files

|  |