Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School

11/06/2025

We loved seeing everyone at MARRCH's Annual conference and expo last week in St. Paul, MN! William C. Moyers and Dr. Jorja Jamison stopped by our booth to talk about each other's books! Mr. Moyers' latest book, Broken Open, and Dr. Jamison's book, Wounded Healing, both came out in 2024. Dr. Jamison's keynote on Wednesday included an inspirational note about life's path. Kayla Alberts (right) and Jorja Jamison stopped by our booth after their breakout session about resiliency in counseling.

10/30/2025

Ready to turn your passion for helping others into a career? Apply by November 7 for Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School’s winter online program and start making a difference in the lives of those affected by addiction and mental health challenges: HazeldenBettyFord.edu

10/24/2025

Dr. Zach Hansen and Kristin Williams will present on 𝙎𝙪𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙀𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝘼𝙙𝙙𝙞𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝘾𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙤𝙧 𝙄𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙣𝙨 at the MARRCH conference next week. Providing effective supervision is critical in safeguarding the well-being of clients and the future of the addiction counseling profession. In addition to being a rewarding endeavor, supervising counselors-in-training also brings many challenges. This session, provided by professionals with extensive experience as both on-site and faculty supervisors, will include content related to practical internship requirements, providing effective feedback, creating a supervisory relationship, resolving ethical concerns, and addressing challenges with supervisees.

More information is available at https://www.marrch.org/page/annual-conference

10/23/2025

Margaret Gerty and Dr. Jorja Jamison will present at next week's MARRCH conference on 𝘿𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙎𝙚𝙭 𝙞𝙣 𝙀𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮.

Patients often feel embarrassed discussing s*x, yet it is a vital part of adult life. Developing emotional vulnerability in recovery is essential, and this includes in s*xual matters. This training aims to strengthen the clinical relationship and address barriers in having conversations about s*x. Barriers such as, lack of knowledge in the integrated concern with s*x and substance use, counselor discomfort, societal taboos, and ethical concerns about discussing this sensitive topic. Cultural differences further complicate the conversation and will be addressed in this CEU. It is vital to know that avoiding the topic of s*x in recovery can be detrimental to the patient’s experience in treatment and recovery. It is important to validate discussions about s*x and recognize patient needs to provide appropriate space in the therapeutic setting and as well as safe outside resource recommendations.

Margaret Gerty graduated from Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School in 2023 and is from Lindstrom, MN. More details on the conference at https://www.marrch.org/page/annual-conference

10/23/2025

Pétur Einarsson, MA, LADC, LPCC will speak at next week's conference on 𝙁𝙚𝙖𝙧 𝙄𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙤𝙩: 𝘼 𝙉𝙚𝙪𝙧𝙤-𝙋𝙨𝙮𝙘𝙝-𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙩𝙤 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘼𝙣𝙭𝙞𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮.

This innovative workshop bridges the gap between spiritual recovery principles and evidence-based mental health treatment by examining anxiety through three integrated lenses: neuroscience, clinical psychology, and the 12 Steps. As the Big Book states, "fear is the root of our troubles," yet traditional anxiety treatment often overlooks this spiritual dimension, while 12-Step work may lack clinical tools for severe anxiety. Participants will explore how addiction rewires fear circuits in the brain, why anxiety peaks in early recovery, and how specific Steps function as neuroplasticity interventions. Through interactive demonstrations, case studies, and practical tools, attendees will learn to assess anxiety in SUD settings, integrate Step work with evidence-based therapies, and facilitate process groups combining spiritual and clinical approaches.

Led by a dual-licensed SUD/Mental Health counselor with personal recovery experience, this session provides immediately applicable assessment protocols, treatment planning strategies, and client resources. It is perfect for counselors seeking to honor both spiritual wisdom and clinical excellence in treating anxiety disorders within addiction recovery. Pétur Einarsson holds a Master of Arts in Counseling, Specialty: Addiction Counseling from Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School and is from Reykjavik, Iceland.

More details on the conference at https://www.marrch.org/page/annual-conference.

10/22/2025

Kayla Albers, a current student of ours from Eden Prairie, MN, and Dr. Jorja Jamison will be presenting at next week's Conference on 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝑷𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑮𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒇 & 𝑳𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝑪𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒐𝒓.

Counselors experience grief and loss in their professions regularly whether it is in counseling a client through grief, working through their own losses, or grieving the loss of a client. This presentation examines how counselors can approach their counseling practice when processing grief and loss by understanding the grief process and the impacts it has on their practice.

More details on the conference at https://www.marrch.org/page/annual-conference

10/21/2025

We are proud to note that Dr. Jorja Jamison, PhD, LP will present on Wounded HealING: Leading the Way Into Paradigm Change as the Wednesday keynote session for next week's MARRCH conference. More information is at https://www.marrch.org/page/ac-speakers-2025.

10/17/2025

Congratulations to our 2025 Minnesota Association of Resources for Recovery and Chemical Health (MARRCH) Award Winner alums! Dr. Tom Hegblom (class of 2017), Educator of the Year and Anderson Saint Georges (class of 2018), Advocate of the Year. The MARRCH Awards recognize individuals working in the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) field to build and strengthen professionals by supporting our communities through leadership and education and enhancing access to treatment.

10/16/2025

The application deadline for our winter hybrid graduate program is December 5. Our Alternative Admission Pathway allows people with certain life and work experience to qualify for our program without a bachelor's degree.
Apply now to start your journey in counseling and addiction studies: https://bit.ly/3XyUc1h

10/16/2025

You still have time to order from the Graduate School Merch Fundraiser! Browse new and returning items, including apparel and other fun merch, by visiting our virtual storefront: https://www.bonfire.com/store/hbfgs/
Order before October 26! Items will ship once the fundraiser ends. Proceeds from this sale will go directly back into our Graduate School community, supporting the Professional Development Group (PDG), Gender and Sexuality Alliance (GSA), and Intercultural Student Counselor Association (ISCA).

Hazelden Betty Ford Grad School Merch Fundraiser! Click on each item for more colors. Profits will fund student led groups.

10/10/2025

Lezli Fang (left) and Edith Gonzalez represented Hazelden Betty Ford Graduate School last week in Fort Worth at the Texas Association of Addiction Professionals' annual Recovery in the Park event. We love seeing their happy faces as they help spread the word about our program!

10/09/2025

The Open House is nearly here! Come meet classmates, learn about financial aid and discover the benefits of earning your Master’s in Counseling, Specialty: Addiction Counseling. No GRE required. https://bit.ly/46izCsl