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Faculty briefs

Deborah Barrett has had a number of recent developments related to her new book, “Paintracking.”

  • The Chronic Pain and Fibromyalgia Association features an interview with Barrett in the September/October issue of its “Fibromyalgia and Chronic Pain Life Magazine” (pdf).
  • A book review of “Paintracking” was published by Portland Book Review.
  • On Wed., Sept. 26, she is presenting “From the Patient’s Perspective,” for the Chronic Pain Initiative Care Manager Training Agenda, held by Northern Piedmont Community Care Network Division of Community Health and Duke University Department of Medicine.
  • On Sun., Oct. 14, at 2:00 p.m. she is giving a book talk at [words] Bookstore in Maplewood, N.J.
  • On Thurs., Oct 25, at 7:30 p.m. she is speaking on “Understanding and Managing Chronic Pain,” for Fearrington CARES, in Fearrington Village, Pittsboro, N.C.
  • On Sun., Oct. 28, at 2 p.m. she is presenting, “Oy! The Pains!” An Evidence-based Approach to Managing Chronic Pain,” at the Levin Jewish Community Center in collaboration with Chronic Connections, Durham.
  • Her online PAINTRACKER tool was among projects chosen for enhancement and development by students in UNC’s Computer Science 523 class, taught by Diane Pozofsky, for their class project. They plan to improve the usability of the self-tracking program for people with chronic pain, and the class may develop a mobile app version as well.

Sherry Mergner; her son Noah Hrynewych; his former speech therapist and a SSW/AHEC training consultant, Virginia Thompson, contributed to the development of a new book by Michelle Garcia Winner, “Social Town Citizens Discover 82 New Unthinkables for Superflex® to Outsmart!”. This came about when NWAHEC brought Winner to Winston-Salem for the 2010 Autism Conference. Thompson had been studying with Winner on the social thinking curriculum she developed that features “Superflex,” a super hero who battles a team of characters called unthinkables (a cognitive behavioral approach to helping kids with autism deal with social thinking issues).  Thompson also was using this program with Mergner’s son at Perry Harrison School in Chatham County.  The three, along with other children, teachers, and professionals at Perry Harrison, developed new characters for the book. Three of Mergner’s son’s character creations were selected to be included in the book. “We are very excited about this new book,” said Mergner.  “I have been training with Michelle Garcia Winner every year since 2010 and include her information in my presentations on autism.”  The presentation that Mergner and Thompson do is entitled, “Accepting Differences:  Educating the School Community About a Child’s Disability.”

Bebe Smith wrote an article for the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Orange and Wake chapters’ newsletters, on “Mental Health Group Homes and Care for Persons with Severe Mental Illness.”

Kim Strom-Gottfried presented on “The Ethics of Social Networking” and “The Ethics of Supervision,” on Aug. 16 in Greenville at the Children’s Services State of the Art Conference.

Jennifer Swanberg, a visiting research professor this year from the University of Kentucky, attended the 2012 Center for Disease Control National Cancer Conference on Aug. 22, in Washington D.C., where she and co-author, Robin Vanderpool, Dr.PH,  presented their paper, “Navigating Breast Cancer Treatment and Recovery Among Low-wage Workers: First Hand Experiences.”

Upcoming Faculty AHEC Presentations

EASTERN AHEC
Sept. 28 – Anne Jones — Ethics in Working with Couples and Children
Oct. 2 – Susie Eguez – ISP Development: Focus on Long Range Goals and Short Term Objective Writing
Oct. 11 –  Susie Eguez – Ethics and Developmental Disabilities –  part of the 8th Annual Eastern Region Developmental Disabilities Services Conference at City Hotel and Bistro, Greenville, N.C.
Oct. 12 – Robin Gault-Winton – Caring for Caregivers – part of the 8th Annual Eastern Region Developmental Disabilities Services Conference at City Hotel and Bistro, Greenville, N.C.

GREENSBORO AHEC
Sept. 26 – Kim Strom-Gottfried — Ethics and Crime

CHARLOTTE AHEC
Oct. 2 – Jodi Flick – Advanced Issues in Suicide

MAHEC
Oct. 4 – Connie Renz – Treatment and Recovery for Pregnant Women with Substance Use Disorders and their Newborns
Oct. 8 – Jay Williams – Psychodynamic Brief Therapy
Oct. 10 – Jodi Flick – Bipolar Disorder and Its Impact on the Family

NWAHEC
Oct. 9 – Jodi Flick – Defusing Potentially Violent Situations
Oct. 31 – Susie Eguez – Ethics and DD