2025 Fall Workshop Series
Join us for our 2025 Virtual Fall Workshop Series! These workshops will take place virtually through Zoom.
IDFPR and IL Certification Board Approved:
Counselors, Social Workers, CADC, Employee Assistance Counselors, Psychologists, and Nurses
NOTE: Workshops are 3 CEUs each.
Workshop Schedule- 2025 Workshop Lineup
| Workshop | Date | Time | Topic | Presenter(s) |
| A | 9/20/25 | 9AM – 12:15PM | Being Curious, Not Furious | Aaron Karmin, LCPC |
| B | 9/27/25 | 9AM – 12:15PM | Facilitating Breakthroughs with High-Conflict Couples; Tools for Regulation, Repair & Communication | Melanie Hall, LCPC |
| C | 10/4/25 | 9AM – 12:15PM | The Top 25: Strategies for Reducing Resistance and Increasing Motivation to Recover | Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC |
| D | 10/11/25 | 9AM – 12:15PM | Engaging Responders & Veterans: Enhancing Cultural Awareness and Boosting Effectiveness | Dan DeGryse, Battalion Chief (Ret), CFD |
| E | 10/18/25 | 9AM – 12:15PM | Feminist Counseling Theory in Action | Shannon McCray, LCPC |
Workshop Registration & Pricing
| # of Workshops | General Admission | Student/Senior Discount |
| 1 | $80 | $70 |
| 2 | $125 | $115 |
| 3 | $195 | $170 |
| 4 | $260 | $220 |
| 5 | $300 | $260 |
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
Course Descriptions
WORKSHOP A: Being Curious, Not Furious
Saturday, September 20, 2025
9:00AM – 12:15PM
3 CEUs
Presented by Aaron Karmin, LCPC
Everyone gets angry. Some clients can express anger but then feel guilty about it. Others suppress angry feelings, because they think anger is not nice. Others have difficulty expressing anger and get angry at themselves for not being able to get angry. Getting to know what triggers anger and how to react effectively can help your clients manage anger in a positive way.
Attendees will also explore how to recognize, manage, and process anger that is directed at home, work, society, and us. Aaron will offer quick and simple “try this” interventions—such as breathing, acceptance, and self-expression—you’ll learn to stay grounded, identify your triggers, and balance your emotions. You’ll also find tips and strategies to help you maintain a more positive outlook on life.
Learning Objectives:
This workshop will offer solution focused strategies to enhance participants’ knowledge of:
- How Anger Works
- Taking Care of Yourself
- Building Frustration Tolerance
- Maintaining a Positive Outlook
- Expressing Yourself
About the Speaker:
Aaron Karmin is a licensed clinical professional counselor and owner of Karmin Counseling based in Chicago, IL. Aaron has over twenty years of experience working at every level of mental health care. In addition, he is a Gottman Seven Principles Program Educator, certified clinical hypnotherapist and holds an advanced certification in stress management. Aaron is also the author of The Anger Management Workbook for Men and Instant Anger Management: Quick and Simple CBT Strategies to Diffuse Anger on the Spot. His approach focuses on identifying physical cues, recognizing thoughts, considering consequences, implementing solutions, choosing behaviors, and promoting expression. He is passionate about teaching techniques to enhance communication skills and develop conflict resolution strategies.
WORKSHOP B: Facilitating Breakthroughs with High-Conflict Couples; Tools for Regulation, Repair & Communication
Saturday, September 27, 2025
9AM – 12:15PM
3 CEUs
Presented by Melanie Hall, LCPC
This dynamic, interactive workshop is designed for mental and behavioral health professionals working with couples who struggle with emotional regulation and unresolved anger. Blending clinical insight with real-world language and examples, this training offers tools, strategies, and a framework to help couples communicate more effectively, de-escalate conflict, and reconnect without shame or shutdowns.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify common emotional regulation breakdowns in couples presenting with chronic anger and differentiate between reactive patterns and unresolved emotional injuries.
- Apply trauma-informed and culturally responsive approaches to de-escalate emotional intensity in session while maintaining therapeutic alliance with both partners.
- Utilize a framework (Language, Lens, Listening, Limits) developed by the facilitator to help clients interrupt conflict cycles and repair communication.
- Facilitate deeper emotional insight and accountability within couples by integrating personalized scripts, emotion mapping, and experiential prompts.
About the Speaker:
Melanie Hall is a compassionate licensed clinical professional counselor and personal coach based in Homewood, Illinois. She is dedicated to fostering personal growth and resilience, specializing in enhancing communication skills to improve overall mental health and relationships. At her thriving group practice, Melanie merges clinical expertise with actionable strategies, empowering clients to navigate life’s transitions smoothly.
A dynamic speaker and community advocate, Melanie actively enriches her local area with workshops, retreats, and partnerships with local businesses. She is the author of Change Your Words to Change Your World, which provides guidance on transforming communication in marriages, relationships, and workplaces. Melanie is also the creator “We Didn’t Have That Conversation” relationship cards, designed to deepen connections at various stages of life and relationships.
Melanie’s experience makes her an ideal guest for discussions on life’s transitions affecting personal and professional growth. Her approach is practical and engaging, advocating for mental wellness and effective teamwork across various settings. Her sessions are not only informative but also motivational, filled with insights that resonate deeply on both personal and professional levels.
WORKSHOP C: The Top 25: Strategies for Reducing Resistance and Increasing Motivation to Recover
Saturday, October 4, 2025
9:00AM – 12:15PM
3 CEUs
Presented by Mark Sanders, LCSW, CADC
Client relapse, recidivism and premature termination from counseling remain high. In this skill-building presentation you will learn 25 strategies which will enable you to: engage clients in addiction and mental health treatment more effectively; address conflict in individual, group and family counseling; instill hope; empower clients; facilitate change and recovery.
Learning Objectives:
- Engage clients more effectively in addictions and mental health counseling.
- Manage conflict in individual, group and family counseling.
- Integrate techniques from a range of theoretical approaches.
- Instill hope.
- Reduce client resistance.
- Use techniques to facilitate change and 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 the recipient of the Illinois Certification Board’s Professional of the Year Award, The Illinois Certification Board, Jessica Hayes Lifetime Achievement Award, and The Barbara Bacon Award for 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 D: Engaging Responders & Veterans: Enhancing Cultural Awareness and Boosting Effectiveness
Saturday, October 11, 2025
9:00AM – 12:15PM
3 CEUs
Presented by Dan DeGryse, Battalion Chief (Ret), CFD
First responder occupations and the armed services are as varied as the individuals who choose them. With forty years of experience in behavioral health alongside firefighting, Dan brings a wealth of knowledge and personal life experiences to share his views on how to effectively support these unique populations. In this session, he will offer insights into what clinicians, chaplains, colleagues, and peer supporters should consider when engaging with these individuals in efforts to build trust and foster meaningful, successful connections. Subject matter will include case studies, similarities, and differences between these responders and branches, the importance of cultural awareness with these unique populations, the impact of cumulative trauma over the course of one’s career, and practical tips working with these professionals.
Learning Objectives:
- Helpful insights for clinicians, clergy, and peer supporters working with first responders and veterans.
- Similarities and differences between occupations of first responders & armed services.
- Benefits and impact of being culturally aware with these populations.
- Awareness of potential impacts of the cumulative trauma over their respective career.
About the Speaker:
Dan DeGryse is a nationally recognized leader in first responders’ behavioral health and peer support programming. A retired Battalion Chief from the Chicago Fire Department and former coordinator of the Chicago Firefighters Union Employee Assistance Program, Dan has spent four decades in the clinical arena while advancing mental health awareness, crisis intervention, and substance use recovery among first responders. He now serves as a consultant for Recovery Ways, Responder Strong, NVFC, and other first responder organizations where he offers his expertise towards training, curriculum development, and connects emergency personnel with culturally competent care. Dan is a sought-after speaker and trainer, known for blending professional expertise with lived experience, practical strategies, and deep compassion. His work has shaped peer support systems across North America.
WORKSHOP E: Feminist Counseling Theory in Action
Saturday, October 18, 2025
9:00AM – 12:15PM
3 CEUs
Presented by Shannon McCray, LCPC
In the treatment world, the unique needs of women are often overlooked (think: having no childcare but being mandated to attend treatment). This workshop aims to provide a historical context for the emergence of feminist counseling theory and introduces participants to the basic techniques of feminist counseling theory that they can immediately use in their interactions with clients. Additionally, this workshop will help participants understand and identify how gender bias affects treatment outcomes, and how to build therapeutic alliances with clients utilizing appropriate gender-responsive interventions.
Learning Objectives:
- Participants will be able to describe the principles of feminist counseling theory.
- Participants will be able to understand the historical context of feminist counseling theory’s development.
- Participants will be able to identify gender bias and its impact on the clinical process.
- Participants will learn how to utilize feminist counseling theory techniques to build therapeutic alliances with clients.
About the Speaker:
Shannon McCray (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor based in Chicago, Illinois. Shannon is the Director of Behavioral Health at the Inner-City Muslim Action Network (IMAN), where her professional work addresses the intersections of mental health, racial trauma, community violence, childhood adverse experiences, and organizing for social change –all of which are her clinical interests. Additionally, Shannon is a professional consultant and facilitates training/professional development workshops for other professionals that are gender-responsive, trauma-informed, socially just, and culturally responsive.