In this 2-hour webinar, led by Dr. M. Evan Thomas, participants will be provided with an overview of rural communities and the unique culture that resides in them. Multiple studies conducted by the presenter will be discussed, and these studies have focused on: screening for substance misuse in rural communities, church leaders' experiences discussing mental health in rural communities, the unique language that some rural communities have to discuss their healthcare symptoms, and the use of Trauma-Informed Care in rural communities.
Based on the content of this session, participants will be able to:
- Understand unique characteristics of rural communities.
- Understand small changes that they can make when working in rural communities.
- Understand what evidenced-based practices are working in rural communities.
M. Evan Thomas is an Assistant Professor and Associate Program Director of the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at the University Center Greenville. He obtained a BS in Psychology from the University of Georgia, an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy from Purdue University, and his Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Sciences with an emphasis in Marriage and Family Therapy from Virginia Tech.
He is a native to the Georgia Appalachian Mountains, and this influences his research that focuses on Appalachian mental health and the opioid epidemic that is occurring in Appalachia. His dissertation was a qualitative study that focused on the experiences that church leaders in Appalachia had discussing substance misuse with members in their community. Additionally, he is a two-year recipient of the prestigious Minority Fellowship Grant that is funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA), and this grant allowed for him to focus on his research centered on Appalachian and substance use and advocate for the field of Marriage and Family Therapy.
CEs have been approved by AAMFT for LMFT and LPC in SC. Please verify with your state licensing board as to whether AAMFT approved events are applicable for your license in your state.
You will receive a link to the Zoom webinar in your confirmation and reminder emails.