2025 Summer Workshop Series
Join us for our 2025 Virtual Summer Workshop Series! These workshops will take place virtually through Zoom.
IDFPR and IL Certification Board Approved:
Counselors, Social Workers, CADC, Employee Assistance Counselors, Psychologists, Nurses
NOTE: These workshops are 3 CEUs each.
Workshop Schedule
| Workshop | Date | Time | Topic | Presenter |
| A | 6/14/25 | 9 AM – 12:15 PM | Creating Safe Spaces for Transgender and LGBTQ+ Clients in Recovery | Dr. Joel Filmore, EdD, LCPC, LPC, LMHC |
| B | 6/21/25 | 9 AM – 12:15 PM | Helping Clients Move Beyond Despair to Experience Hope and Inner Peace in Recovery | Mark Sanders, LCPC, CADC |
| C | 6/28/25 | 9 AM – 12:15 PM | From Hiding to Healing: The Shame and Addiction Connection | Justin Wolfe, LCPC, CADC, CRC, PCGC, CCTP |
| D | 7/19/25 | 9 AM – 12:15 PM | Bridging the Gap: Supporting and Understanding LGBTQ2SIA+ Clients Through Treatment | Dr. Rachael Systma-Ramos, PsyD |
Pricing
| # of Workshops | General | Student/Senior Discount |
| 1 | $80 | $70 |
| 2 | $125 | $115 |
| 3 | $195 | $170 |
| 4 | $260 | $220 |
Contact
For questions or concerns, please contact:
Ryan Patterson, Project Specialist at rpatterson@hcenter.org or (312) 226-7984 Ext. 594
OR
Lisa Abrams, LCPC, CSADC, Director of Staff Training & Development at labrams@hcenter.org or (312) 226-7984 Ext. 581
If you are mailing your payment, please make a check payable to:
Haymarket Center
ATTN: Education Department
932 W Washington Blvd
Chicago, IL 60607
Workshop Details
WORKSHOP A: Creating Safe Spaces for Transgender and LGBTQ+ Clients in Recovery
Saturday, June 14, 2025
9:00AM – 12:15PM
3 CEUs
Presented by Dr. Joel Filmore, EdD, LCPC
(He/Him)
Join us for a powerful, interactive training designed for professionals working in substance use and recovery settings. This session equips clinicians, peer specialists, and support staff with the tools to create safe, affirming environments for Transgender and LGBQ+ clients. This workshop will explore the intersections of identity, trauma, and addiction; deepen the understanding of gender and sexuality; and walk away with practical, evidence-based strategies for inclusive care. Participants will analyze how gender identity, gender expression, and sexual identity uniquely influence the lived experiences, risk factors, and recovery pathways of LGBTQIA+ individuals navigating substance use disorders. Improvement in clinical practice will be discussed by identifying affirming strategies to apply in clinical or support environments, including use of pronouns, trauma-informed care, and inclusive group facilitation. Whether you’re new to LGBTQ+ topics or looking to expand your clinical depth, this training offers something for everyone.
Learning Objectives:
- Address real-world strategies to affirm LGBTQ+ clients in treatment.
- Gain clarity on gender identity, expression, and sexual identity.
- Discuss trauma-informed, culturally humble care principles.
- Review legal and ethical guidance for group and residential work.
- Interactive case discussions and practical tools.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Filmore (He/him) is a nationally known professor, therapist, educator, researcher, author, trainer, and public speaker. As a survivor of human sex trafficking, 10 years of homelessness in Chicago, and addiction to crack and heroin, Dr. Filmore has dedicated his personal and professional career to addressing other’s trauma, focusing on helping them achieve amazing lives, and not merely surviving their traumatic experiences.
Dr. Filmore engages in research related to multiculturalism, LGBTQIA+ issues, race/gender/sexual orientation, identity development, trauma & abuse, sex-trafficking, sex offender issues, as well as addictions/substance abuse. He is a published author and his first edited book titled Affirmative Counseling with the LGBTQI+ Populations is out, and his first edited textbook, Introduction to 21st Century Counseling: A Multicultural/Social Justice Approach.
WORKSHOP B: Helping Clients Move Beyond Despair to Experience Hope and Inner Peace in Recovery
Saturday, June 21, 2025
9AM – 12:15PM
3 CEUs
Presented by Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC
This skill-building workshop integrates principles from Positive Psychology, Logo-Therapy, meditation, mindfulness, visualization and affirmations to help clients move beyond despair towards inner peace and hope in recovery. Special emphasis will be placed upon intervention strategies with clients who have experienced numerous relapses and those experiencing so much despair that they contemplate suicide.
Learning Objectives:
- Utilize principles of Positive Psychology to help increase client hope and optimism in recovery.
- Utilize Principles of Logotherapy to help clients discover reasons to want to live.
- Utilize mindfulness and meditation exercises to help clients experience greater peace in recovery.
- Utilize visualizations to help clients develop positive visions for their future in recovery.
About the Speaker:
Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC is an international speaker and consultant in behavioral health whose presentations have reached thousands throughout the United States, Europe, Canada, West Indies, and Guam. He is the recipient of four lifetime achievement awards including the prestigious NAADAC Enlightenment Award.He was one of three finalists for the National Association for Addiction Professionals 50th Anniversary Legends Award. Mark is also therecipient of the Illinois Certification Board’s Professional of the Year Award, The Illinois Certification Board, Jessica Hayes Lifetime Achievement Award, and The Barbara Bacon Awardfor outstanding contributions to the social work profession as a Loyola University of Chicago alumni.
Mark is the author of five books on behavioral health recovery. Recent writings include Slipping Through the Cracks: Intervention Strategies for Clients with Multiple Addictions Disorders and Relationship Detox: A Counselors Guide to Helping Clients Develop Healthy Relationships In Recovery. He was lead writer on a trauma informed gun violence prevention curriculum which is being implemented in several large cities in the United States. His groundbreaking monograph Recovery Management co-authored with historians William White and Earnest Kurtz helped shift addictions treatment and recovery from the acute care model solely towards a recovery-oriented system of care. Mark has had two stories published in the New York Times bestselling book series, Chicken Soup for The Soul.
Mark has also had a 30-year career as a university educator having taught at The University of Chicago, Loyola University of Chicago, and Illinois State University School of Social Work. He is co-founder of Serenity Academy Chicago, a program which sponsors recovery-oriented peer groups in local high schools.
WORKSHOP C: From Hiding to Healing: The Shame and Addiction Connection
Saturday, June 28, 2025
9:00AM – 12:15PM
3 CEUs
Presented by Justin Wolfe, LCPC, CADC, CRC, PCGC, CCTP
Shame is often the silent driver behind substance use and compulsive behaviors. When we carry shame in our body, we have a hard time living in it. Shame can be present before use begins and/or the result of the behaviors and actions that occurred during one’s active use. The only idea being held when shame is present is the idea “I am not enough.” These emotional experiences that many individuals with substance use and mental health disorders experience act as barriers to one’s recovery journey. The experience of shame can leave one feeling disconnected from themselves and the world around them. This powerful experience can impact the trajectory of an individual’s life if it is left unaddressed. The presentation will focus on the power of shame and how it is formed, the influence over one’s actions and beliefs and how to support and guide individuals in the journey of developing a sense of purpose and compassion for themselves in the process.
Learning Objectives:
- Discuss the role of attachment styles and relational experiences impact the development of shame.
- Explain the relationship between shame and substance use.
- Identify what self-compassion is and how it can be applied to alleviate shame.
About the Speaker:
Justin Wolfe is a private practice therapist who serves both adolescents and adults. He also facilitates an Adult Dual Diagnosis Support Group through NAMI DuPage. Justin completed his master’s in counseling with a specialization in rehabilitation from Adler University, and his addictions training at the College of DuPage. Justin is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT). Justin has actively collaborated in program development for multiple organizations to develop evidence-based curriculums for both adolescents and adults.
WORKSHOP D: Bridging the Gap: Supporting and Understanding LGBTQ2SIA+ Clients Through Treatment
Saturday, July 19, 2025
9:00AM – 12:15PM
3 CEUs
Presented by Dr. Rachael Systma-Ramos, PsyD
(She/her)
This workshop aims to equip therapists with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide ethical and effective therapy to marginalized populations in divisive political landscapes. Through interactive discussions, case studies, and experiential exercises, participants will explore the unique challenges and strengths of diverse communities, develop cultural humility, and learn practical strategies for culturally responsive care.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify and understand the specific challenges faced by marginalized populations in accessing and engaging in mental health services.
- Develop cultural humility and self-awareness regarding personal biases and assumptions.
- Learn practical strategies for building rapport and trust with clients from diverse backgrounds.
- Apply ethical guidelines for working with vulnerable populations.
- Develop culturally responsive assessment and treatment planning skills.
- Explore advocacy and systemic change strategies to address disparities in mental healthcare.
About the Speaker:
Dr. Rachael Sytsma-Ramos (She/her) completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2016, with a concentration on Diversity and Multicultural Counseling at the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. Her clinical training and work have focused on working with LGBTQ2SIA+ folks with culturally relevant practices in a variety of settings, using Feminist Relational and Abolitionist approaches. She is passionate about working with individuals who identify as LGBTQ2SIA+, specializing in working with Transgender/Gender Variant clients. In addition, as a certified domestic violence counselor, Rachael has worked with survivors of violence from all backgrounds and gender identities. Rachael is an advocate for reducing barriers to mental health care and her private practice, Relational Psychology Group, is focused on decolonizing therapy practices and providing quality and competent care to historically marginalized communities.
Outside of therapy, Rachael is busy chasing after two kids, hoping to tire them out for bedtime. To unwind, you’ll catch her listening and dancing to Beyonce, Chappell Roan, Fleetwood Mac, or the original Wicked soundtrack. Her advocacy work includes welcoming refugee families to Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, and connecting them to community and job opportunities, advocating for change in her kids’ schools through PTA involvement, and rallying around important causes like gender-affirming care, abortion access, and debt cancellation efforts.