During the past twenty years, it has often been said that Michael Johnson works most effectively with urban populations and clients referred to as “resistant” or possessing a "low level of functioning". Johnson captivates audiences as he thoroughly explains lifestyles and thinking patterns of the criminal drug offender, and provides cognitive approaches to working with today’s addict.

Michael Johnson Workshops - Back to Presenter page

Below are the summaries of Michael Johnson's acclaimed workshops. He can also tailor a workshop or training seminar to meet your needs.

1. “Strategies for Engagement”. This presentation is a collection of didactic presentations and group exercises utilized to stimulate thought and prompt discussion within a group or individualized treatment setting. The presenter will provide attendees with a set of presentations that should aid in developing rapport within the counseling relationship. This session will help the counselor fill their “bag of tricks” in working with client resistance and a “keep the therapy moving”.

2. “Group Therapy With Criminal Justice Clients”: To provide training to counseling staff that facilitate groups with criminal justice populations. The training will focus on the dynamics within a group setting.

Objectives:

1. Assist counselors in understanding the dynamics which occur in each phase of the group and treatment process.

2. Clarify the major tasks of a group leader.

3. Assist counselors with identification and recognition of resistance within the group context, types of resistance, how it manifests, and provide an explanation for its purpose.

4. Gain insight concerning the formation of “teams” and sub groups within the group experience.

3. “Stages of Change; Treatment In A Residential/Outpatient Setting”: The “Stages of Change Model” was developed by DiClemente and Prochaska and is useful as well articulated conceptual framework for understanding the process of change. We will discuss exactly what to expect while the therapy and the client moves through the stages which are: Pre-contemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action and the Maintenance phase. This presentation assists the counselor in “pacing” his/herself through the treatment process. It explains the resistance that will occur at each stage of the therapeutic process and what intervention and treatment strategies to utilize. It also aids the counselor in maintaining treatment focus and adhering to or adjusting the treatment as is appropriate.

Objectives:

1. To understand the conceptual framework described within the “Stages of Change Model”.

2. Learn to identify and understand behaviors within the client that are specific to each phase.

3. Understand the rationale surrounding the resistance at each stage within this model.

4. Explore educational, confrontational and other intervention strategies and their unique application in therapy with addicts/offenders.” i.e.,.

4. “Pre and Post Release Dynamics of The Offender”: This presentation focuses on the issues offenders face, prior to, during and after incarceration. It explains how the offender has “three different personalities and agendas” in each stage. Emphasis is placed on issues of transitioning to the community, home and within the work force, the offenders need for a support system and the frustrations they will experience. This presentation also discusses the time frame for an offender to become re acclimated to society and with himself or herself.

Objectives:

1. Discuss the process and issues that arise during the “re-socialization” process.

2. Participants will be able to identify situations and events that may lead to recidivism and relapse to criminal activity and alcohol and other drug use.

3. Develop intervention strategies to reduce or minimize the potential for recidivism or relapse behavior.

4. Participants will learn how to develop personalized aftercare plans to address, anger, stress, grief, loneliness, etc. associated with the offender’s re-entry into the community.

5. “Attributes of Effective Counselors: This presentation discusses the attributes necessary to being and becoming an effective counselor. It assists the counselor in understanding their role within the therapeutic relationship and its impact on outcome. It discusses the skills of the counselor and just how long it takes to cultivate and understand this particular vocation. This session will also focus on multi-cultural counseling and the adjustments counselors must make in working with diverse populations. The session forces the counselor to explore their values and beliefs concerning other cultures and how this will impact treatment outcomes. Finally, there is a discussion of “vicarious trauma” as counselors suffer a “peculiar denial” concerning the impact of our occupation on daily living.

Objective:

a. Discuss the importance of the counselor in the therapeutic alliance and what it is they bring to this relationship..

b. Discusses the characteristics of an effective counselor i.e., identity, recognition/acceptance of power, expanding the awareness of self and others, development of an individual counseling style, knowing an experiencing the world of the client, the need and use of humor.

c. How to address cultural dynamics as opposed to ignoring them; beliefs and attitudes of the counselor that impact the counseling relationship.

d. How counselors attitudes impact counselor effectiveness; influence of cultural background on thinking and behavior.

e. Discuss the importance of counseling for counselors; importance of insights gained, understanding the dynamics that take place in the counseling relationship; confront/accept unexplained issues in ones personal life.

6. “Understanding Addiction and Criminality”: This training should be provided to alcohol and other drug counselors as well as probation and parole agents. The training discusses the parallels of addiction and criminality and the developmental process leading to a lifestyle of addiction and criminality. It will address the impact of eroding values, changing norms, shifting attitudes and the perceptions of what is normal in the view of the addicted/offender. Its focus is on the anti-social characteristics of the offender and its impact on resistance, relapse and recidivism.

Objectives;

1. How to identify the “primary diagnosis” of the client as with many offenders their criminality is the primary problem which precedes drug and alcohol use.

2. Assist counselors developing a treatment plan which has an improved usefulness to both the therapist and client.

3. Explain the process of dependency i.e., increased tolerance, loss of control and pre-occupation with use of substances and involvement in criminal activity.

4. Explain the motivation of an offender in a drug treatment setting.

5. Discuss the importance of continuity of care, e.g., the role of the treatment, parole/probation officers and out-patient therapists.