Schedule
7:30 – 8:30 am Registration and Exhibits
8:30 – 9:00 am Welcome and Logistics
9:00 – 10:30 am Choose one of the two workshops below.
Workshop 1: Managing Mental/Emotional Turmoil Through Ying/Yang Energy Work and Creative Writing
Participants will learn the basic meaning of the yin/yang symbol and how it relates to daily living, and how to use yin/yang energy to ground themselves and manage emotions. Participants will learn how writing can improve consciousness and facilitate living in gratitude. Simple chi gung exercises circulate and ground energy, increase awareness of emotional responses, and cultivate conscious behavior management. Discussion and a brief writing exercise further explore the power of words to make the unconscious conscious, capture fleeting insights, and transcend pain through gratitude.
Presenters: Ms. Monica Gomez
Ms. Gomez is a Certified Sifu/Teacher in Family Style Tai-Chi and is an El Paso Women’s Hall of Fame Inductee. She is a writer, performing songwriter, TV and radio broadcaster, motivational speaker and teacher of creative writing and martial arts. Her experience working with diverse populations including incarcerated juveniles and military veterans is the basis of her creative writing workbook titled EXPRESSERCIZE: Write Answers, which contains more than 100 exercises in expression and self-discovery. For more than 25 years, Mónica has studied the internal martial art of tai chi with masters from around the globe, including Chinese Grand Master Zhu, Tiancai, one of the four Tigers of Chen Village. Her workshops draw upon diverse sources of inspiration to help participants process and cope with turmoil.
Maria E. Lopez, MA, LPC
MS. Maria E. Lopez is currently the Director of The Center for Students with Disabilities at El Paso Community College, and prior to that she was the Assistant Director for over two years. She is currently the President of the Trans-Pecos Counseling Association. Ms. Maria Lopez is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Therapist and has over 15 years of experience in academic, personal, and mental health counseling. She is an experienced grant writer and has developed and implemented grants for various agencies and service organizations in El Paso. Ms. Lopez holds degrees in Social Work – Youth Services, Sociology, and Counseling Psychology, and has worked with different populations such as persons with disabilities, migrant workers, Marriage and Family, Youth, and has been an active member for the past 7 years of Immanuel Baptist Church.
Workshop 2: Detoxing for Mental Health
Toxins in the air, water, and food, unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise, and mental/emotional stress are major contributors to mental illness. In this workshop participants will learn principles of toxicity, and practical detoxification practices to improve brain/mind health. Participants will develop a detoxification plan that will include nutrition, supplementation, movement/exercise, and mind-body skills.
Presenter: Dr. Carlos González, D.C. is a native El Pasoan. He is a Board-Certified Chiropractor and holds certifications in Nutrition, and Integrative Medicine. He owned and managed four clinics in El Paso. He has produced and hosted his own live radio talk shows. Dr. Gonzalez has authored over 100 articles and 2 books and has appeared on local TV numerous times discussing health, wellness, anti-aging, inversion, fitness, weight loss, and holistic healing.
10:30 – 10:45 am Break/Exhibits
10:45 – 12:15 pm Choose one of the two workshops below
Workshop 1: Mindfulness and Its Benefits to Mental Health
Participants will learn what mindfulness is and they will experience five mindfulness techniques: Breathing, progressive relaxation, guided meditation, slow looking, and monkey mind. They will understand how mindfulness plays a central role in our personal well-being and the well-being of our community. Participants will develop a plan for a daily mindfulness practice.
Presenters: Dr. Kim Diaz & Dr. Juan Ferret.
Dr. Kim Diaz is a full-time instructor in Philosophy at El Paso Community College, and Dr. Ferret is a full-time instructor at UTEP. Molecular Philosophy. Both are recognized researchers, writers, and public speakers in their respective disciplines. They have developed the Shadows to Light Program. It is a life-skills educational and mentoring program that fosters life-long learning and positive thinking with community engagement for the participants. They teach philosophy and mindfulness in two US Department of Justice Federal Re-entry and Diversion programs. Their students are returning citizens (people who have been incarcerated and are reintegrating into our community), Federal Probation Officers and Federal Pre-trial officers. The program has been helpful to participants who often struggle with depression, anxiety, ADD, ADHD, Trauma, and drug Dependency.
Workshop 2: The 5 Dimensions of Mental Health
Participants will learn about the Five Domains of Healthy Living and the benefits of practicing these Five Domains. They will learn how to introduce the concepts of the Domains to clients and adopt them themselves into their lives. This presentation will help individuals become behaviorally activate in 5 key areas of their lives. Each domain will be discussed in depth and tips and methods will be shared to engage and stay motivated. Following the 5 Domains of Healthy Living will lead to better physical and mental health. It will help alleviate depression and anxiety and promote improved physical health. Adopting the 5 domains is a change in lifestyle.
Presenter: Richard Salcido, LPC, SLPC
Mr. Salcido is the Executive Director of Family Services of El Paso, a non-profit social services agency that provides counseling services to anyone in the community regardless of their ability to pay. Mr. Salcido has over 40 years of experience as a therapist and is licensed as a Professional Counselor, and as a Professional Counselor Supervisor. He has been awarded various recognitions as a mental health professional among them the Award for Advancing Minority Mental Health in 2011 by the American Psychiatric Foundation, and 2018 Outstanding Supervisor by the Texas Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. He has conducted numerous presentations and trainings and published numerous articles in the field of mental health.
12:15 – 1:30 pm Lunch/Keynote/Exhibits
Keynote: Toxins in Water and Their Effects on Mental Health
Dr. Carlos Gonzalez (30 Min)
1:30 – 3:00 pm Choose one of the two workshops below
Workshop 1: Pranic Healing for Body and Brain Wellness
Participants will learn the connection between the body’s bioplasmic blueprint (energy body) and the physical body and how health issues occur. They will experience the energetic effects of the environment on the physical, mental, and emotional bodies and how the movement of energy can promote healing, reenergize the brain for mental clarity, and support physical rejuvenation. Pranic Healing® is a no-touch modality that cleanses and energizes the energy body to develop wellness physically, mentally, and emotionally. It introduces Super Brain Yoga, a simple and effective technique that recharges the brain with benefits for anyone seeking brain wellness.
Presenter: Ms. Lynn Provenzano is an Associate Certified Pranic Healing® Practitioner and Licensed Pranic Healing® Instructor/Facilitator. She has practiced Pranic Healing® since 2006 and has conducted numerous trainings and clinics in the El Paso Border Region as well as in Albuquerque and southern New Mexico. She also has over twelve years practicing and teaching meditation and holistic wellness in the OLLI program at UTEP and at local organizations and schools. Ms. Provenzano has extensive experience in Administration, Management, and Leadership in private and non-profit organizations. She has a private practice in Pranic Healing and facilitates free clinics in the El Paso Border Region.
Workshop 2: Music, Suggestion, and Imagery for PTSD and Mental Health
Participants will learn the concept of synergy in healing, and how by integrating different healing modalities such as relaxation, music, affirmations, and Imagery therapies into a single modality for treating mental illness the efficacy of the modalities increases exponentially and positive results can be obtained much faster. Participants will learn two integrative interventions they can use themselves and/or use with their clients. Research and experiential case studies will be shared by the presenter to substantiate the effectiveness of this integrative approach to improve or prevent mental illness and other diseases of the body.
Presenter: Dr. Jose M. Baltazar holds a doctorate degree in Mind-Body Medicine and is a Certified Practitioner in Mind-Body Skills for Health and Wellness, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Accelerated Learning, and Reality/Choice Therapy. He’s practiced Mind-Body Medicine for over 10 years and is a multiple award-winning Counselor, Instructor, Administrator, Author, and Speaker. Dr. Baltazar owns and operates El Paso OASIS, a private practice specializing in Mind-Body Medicine and Accelerated Learning. He and the TPCA are the initiators of the Mind-Body and Integrative Medicine Conference.
3:00 – 3:15 pm Break/Exhibits
3:15 – 4:00 Certificates of Attendance and CEU’s / Closing Remarks