29th Annual Conference

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Complimentary for NEFESH members · Paid registration required for non-members

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Queer Recovery Through A Different Lens: Trauma‑Responsive Trust Work in Co‑Occurring Disorder Treatment

Sunday, December 20th, 2026   1:45 PM EST -4:45 PM EST
Mark McMillan LMSW, CAADC
$59.99 USD

Queer and trans clients enter substance use treatment carrying layers of identity based trauma, medical harm, systemic invalidation, and attachment ruptures that profoundly shape their recovery trajectories. Traditional addiction models often overlook these lived experiences, resulting in treatment plans that unintentionally reinforce shame, compliance based expectations, and structural harm.

This training introduces a trauma responsive, culturally attuned framework for supporting LGBTQ+ clients navigating substance use and co occurring mental health concerns. Grounded in CBT, somatic awareness, trauma informed care, and relational trust building, the session equips clinicians with practical tools to deepen therapeutic connection, reduce shame, and foster non linear healing.

Participants will examine how trust functions as a core therapeutic mechanism in queer recovery, explore case vignettes illustrating identity based trauma, and engage in expanded experiential exercises that promote safety, embodiment, and connection. This presentation aims to allow for deeper clinical application, including advanced skills practice, documentation shifts, role plays, and trust centered conceptualization of co occurring disorders.

Clinicians will leave with immediately usable interventions that strengthen relational safety, support gender identity diversity and inclusivity, and enhance culturally responsive care across individual, couples, group, and intensive clinical settings. Emphasis is placed on reframing resistance as protective wisdom, understanding out of control behavior patterns through a trauma responsive lens, and applying practical interventions that reduce shame and increase engagement.

About the Presenter

Mark is a Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW) and Certified Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (CAADC) with nearly a decade of experience specializing in trauma responsive, culturally attuned treatment for Queer & LGBTQIA+ communities. He earned his MSW from the advanced standing program at Wayne State University and holds a certification in Trauma Informed Care through the Michigan State University School of Social Work. In 2020, Mark founded McMillan Behavioral Health and Addiction Services (MBHS), a Metro Detroit group practice dedicated to providing affirming, evidence based care for individuals navigating substance use, co occurring disorders, and identity based trauma. His clinical expertise includes group therapy facilitation, couples counseling, and the development of three hour intensive sessions designed to deepen trust, strengthen attunement, and support non linear healing. Mark is an experienced facilitator in ethics, implicit bias, cultural humility, and trauma responsive practice—bringing a national perspective to the systemic barriers faced by oppressed and stigmatized populations and advancing culturally competent approaches to addiction and behavioral health treatment. He also serves as part time faculty at the Wayne State University School of Social Work, where he teaches graduate level coursework in trauma informed and culturally responsive clinical practice.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Assess identity‑based trauma — Assess identity‑based trauma, medical harm, systemic invalidation, attachment ruptures, and out‑of‑control behavior patterns that shape substance use and recovery in LGBTQ+ clients, with attention to gender identity diversity and inclusivity.
  2. Demonstrate trust‑centered clinical skills — Demonstrate culturally humble, trust‑centered interventions across individual, couples, group, and intensive clinical formats, using immediately applicable skills that strengthen relational safety and therapeutic connection.
  3. Integrate advanced clinical applications — Integrate advanced skills practice, case‑based conceptualization, role‑plays, and documentation shifts to enhance clinicians’ ability to conceptualize co‑occurring disorders through a trauma‑responsive, trust‑centered lens.

Agenda:

10 mins— Welcome, Grounding, & Intention Setting

• Sensory friendly grounding exercise

• Introduce trust as a radical healing mechanism

• Frame recovery as relational, embodied, and culturally responsive

25 mins— Why Queer Recovery Requires a Different Lens

• Limitations of traditional addiction models

• LGBTQ+ disparities in co occurring disorders

• Introduce trust centered care and non linear healing

• Align recovery with identity, embodiment, and belonging

45 mins— Identity Based Trauma & Trust Ruptures

• Medical harm, misgendering, and systemic invalidation

• Attachment ruptures and identity based trauma

• Case vignette: Queer client navigating detox intake trauma

• How trust ruptures shape substance use patterns

65 mins — Trauma Responsive CBT & Somatic Trust Building Tools

• Somatic cues of safety

• CBT interventions for boundary setting and self trust

• “Body Map of Trust” guided reflection

• Immediate use strategies for reducing shame and increasing engagement

85 mins— Therapeutic Power, Presence, & Cultural Humility

• Ethical use of therapeutic power

• Gender identity diversity & inclusivity in clinical spaces

• Reframing resistance as protective wisdom

• Clinician self reflection and bias awareness

105 mins — Applied Clinical Skills for Trust Centered Care

Participants practice immediately usable interventions:

• Trust timeline mapping

• Affirming intake questions

• Out of control behavior conceptualization (DSM 5 aligned)

• Trauma responsive language shifts

• Boundary setting scripts for individual, couples, group, and intensive work

115 mins— Clinical Application & Integration

Small group application of the framework to real world scenarios:

• Chemsex related shame

• Medical mistrust in early recovery

• Identity fluidity and chosen family as coping strengths

• Co occurring disorders through a trust centered lens

• Applying interventions across individual, couples, group, and intensive formats

120 mins— Liberatory Reframes, Documentation Shifts, & Closing Questions

• From compliance to compassion

• Trauma responsive documentation practices

• Language that reduces shame and increases safety

• Guided breathing and questions 

This presentation is open to:
  • Social Workers
  • Professional Counselors
  • Therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
  • Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
  • Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services
Course Level: intermediate
Level of Clinician: intermediate
  • New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
  • Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
  • Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
  • Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives

Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.

Disability Access - If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification. Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling. The grievance policy for trainings provided by NEFESH INTERNATIONAL is available here Satisfactory Completion Participants must have paid the tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire workshop, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate (If this is a pre-recorded program, a post-test with a passing grade of 80% to receive a certificate.) Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion by clicking here.
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed creative arts therapists. #CAT-0122.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0129.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0325.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0275.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0129.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0325.
  • Therapist Express is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0774.
Refund Policy:
Full Refund until 48 hours before scheduled date.
48 hours before: full refund less $5.00 processing fee. After event no refund will be given.
*exclusions apply for reasonable need and cause.