Anthony has prepared the following draft presentation outline. I understand you're still working with the committee to decide on the content direction. He's able to customize his presentation to best meet your event goals.

Breaking the Cycle: Healing, Recovery & Resilience

Objective:
To provide real-life insight into addiction recovery, mental health struggles, and the power of resilience—while equipping AODA students with tools to navigate their own challenges and support others in the field.

Session Length: 90 minutes (interactive keynote with built-in Q&A and reflection prompts)

1. Opening: My Story & Why This Matters (15 mins)

• Personal journey: addiction, recovery, and loss
• The ripple effect of addiction – beyond the individual to families & communities
• Reflection Prompt: "What personal or professional experiences have shaped your understanding of addiction & recovery?"
• Q&A Moment: Open space for early thoughts

2. Understanding Trauma, Stress & Addiction (20 mins)

• The connection between stress, trauma, and substance use
• Breaking the cycle: From survival mode to healing
• The science of resilience – how our brains respond to trauma & stress
• Reflection Prompt: "What are the biggest stressors in your life right now? How do you typically respond?"
• Q&A Moment: What stood out? What experiences resonate?

3. Self-Management & Recovery Strategies (30 mins)

• Managing stress, grief, and triggers in real life
• Tools for self-regulation & mental health maintenance
• Guided Exercise: A practical grounding or mindfulness technique
• Reflection Prompt: "What’s one small change you can make today to better manage stress?"
• Q&A Moment: Sharing insights and challenges

4. Navigating Family & Support Systems (20 mins)

• Healing relationships in recovery – setting healthy boundaries
• The power of peer support & community in lasting change
• Reflection Prompt: "Who are the key people in your support system? How can you strengthen those connections?"
• Final Q&A Moment: Open dialogue on personal & professional experiences

5. Closing: Finding Purpose & Paying It Forward (5-10 mins)

• The impact of sharing your story & supporting others
• Final takeaways & next steps
• Final Reflection Prompt: "What’s one commitment you’ll make to yourself after today?"

Why This Works for NWTC’s Audience

✔ Engaging & Interactive: Q&A throughout, not just at the end
✔ Personal & Reflective: Writing prompts allow for deeper individual insights
✔ Practical & Actionable: Students leave with real tools they can use

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Anthony has prepared the following draft presentation outline. I understand you're still working with the committee to decide on the content direction. He's able to customize his presentation to best meet your event goals.

Fire Up Your Mental Health: Self-Care Strategies for Future Counselors

‍Counseling is meaningful, impactful work—but it can also be emotionally demanding. To support others effectively, future counselors need to prioritize their own well-being. Stress, secondary trauma, and emotional fatigue can take a toll, making self-care an essential skill, not just a luxury.In this engaging, high-energy session, Anthony McLean equips students with practical tools to manage stress, build resilience, and maintain their mental health as they step into helping professions. With humor, real-life stories, and science-backed strategies, Anthony helps students develop a self-care routine that allows them to show up as their best selves—for their clients and themselves.

Learning Takeaways:

• Recognize the early signs of stress and emotional fatigue in helping professions.
• Learn simple, science-backed self-care strategies to maintain mental resilience.
• Develop a personal well-being routine to prevent burnout and sustain energy in a demanding career.

“Anthony’s workshops have had a significant impact on our school. He was equally impactful while working with parents from our community. I would wholeheartedly welcome him back anytime.” - Greg Farrell, Principal, York Region District School Board

Biography:

Katie Kurtz, MSW LISW-S (she/her) is a verified subject-matter expert on trauma-informed care.  As a licensed social worker & certified coach, she has spent over 15 years specializing in trauma-informed training and consultation across multiple disciplines and industries such as the University of Southern California, Ohio Health Hospital System, Diabetes UK, and the State of Ohio.

Katie has a proven resilience roadmap that she has created and used to train thousands of professionals in multiple industries across 6 continents. Katie’s subject matter expertise and leadership has been awarded and internationally recognized.

Katie is the author of the reflective self-care tool, the Contain Card Deck© and host of A Trauma-Informed Future Podcast.  Additionally, she is represented by Consciousness Leaders, is the regional co-chair of the State of Ohio’s Trauma-Informed Care Collaborative, vetted Subject Matter Expert with the Integrate Network, Adjunct Professor at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland State University Social Work Graduate Programs.

Katie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Gender Studies from the University of Dayton as well as a Master of Social Work degree and Certificate in Non-Profit Management from Case Western Reserve University.  Katie is a licensed independent social worker with supervision designation (LISW-S) in the state of Ohio, an Internationally Certified Coach with  BYCA, and a trauma-informed 200hr registered yoga teacher.

Katie’s approach is her own but instructed & inspired by so many teachers & modalities most notably but not limited to: Julie Parker, Resmaa Menakem, Brene Brown, Nadine Burke Harris, Bruce Perry, Ann Linnea and Christina Baldwin. Katie lives as a guest on the unceded land now known as Cleveland, Ohio with her partner and two dogs.

Presentation Topic:

From Katie: "I would focus on trauma-informed strategies for recovery professionals. This would focus on introducing the concept of trauma-informed leadership (the integrative model I specialize in) and then discusses specific strategies participants can utilize within their role and practice.

My training model is inclusive for all professions and industries so is applicable to anyone who may be in attendance. I also bring my lived and learned experiences to my presentations to help demonstrate the application and integration of trauma-informed principles, strategies and skills. For context purposes, I am a person in long term sobriety so when I work with AOD folks, I usually work that in because I bring that perspective to help make this an experiential training."

Some of the companies Katie has worked with:

• University of Southern California
• OhioHealth Hospital System
• Courage to Caregivers
• Cuyahoga County Department of Senior & Adult Service
• Kadabra Consulting
• State of Ohio, Department of Health
• State of Ohio, Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services
• Oberlin College
• Diabetes UK
• Mental Health Marketing Conference

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