Fragmentation and Dissociation in the Wake of Complex Trauma | In-Person| Presented by Becky Carter, LCPC
2026-05-29 09:00 - 15:00 (America/Chicago) | McHenry County Mental Health Board, 620 Dakota Street, Crystal Lake, IL, 60012, United States
REGISTER HERE!
*There will be a 1 hour lunch break on your own.
FREE: 5 IDFPR CEU for LSW/LCSW, LPC/LCPC, Psychologists, and IAODAPCA (Pending)

SUMMARY

Fragmentation and dissociation are the protective and adaptive responses to trauma – especially when escape, resistance, or external support is unavailable. Survivors of trauma, particularly those abused in early childhood, create ways to minimize pain and preserve functioning.
Understanding dissociation as a survival response and recognizing fragmentation in the therapy process is essential when working with survivors of trauma like abuse, neglect, torture, domestic violence, oppression, and combat. Dissociated experiences create immense shame for survivors and are often underreported, unrecognized, and underassessed in the therapeutic relationship.
This training explores the spectrum of dissociation, from numbing and disconnecting to severe disruptions in consciousness, body sensation, awareness, memory, identity, and perception. This training will include an exploration of the connection between trauma fragmentation, different types of dissociative disorders, symptom presentation, as well as contemporary treatment modalities.
OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of training participants will:
1. Be able to identify dissociative disorders and associated criteria.
2. Gain an understanding of dissociative and fragmented responses in clinical interactions.
3. Identify conditions in which trauma leads to dissociation and fragmentation.
4. Learn at least two treatment approaches for working with dissociation.

PRESENTER
Becky Carter, LCPC, is a biracial, cisgender, transracially adopted female with West African and Sicilian ancestors. She has two black adopted children.
Becky has been a trauma therapist for over 20 years helping heal the wounds of relational trauma that occur in-utero and beyond. She is trained in Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems, Transformative Touch Therapy for the treatment of Developmental Trauma, and in the Treatment of Complex Trauma and Dissociation.
Becky works with adults, teens, couples, and groups with expertise in healing the wounds associated with Racial Trauma, Complex Trauma and Dissociation, Sexual Trauma and Issues of Trauma and Loss in Adoption. Becky facilitates groups for Male Survivors of Sexual Trauma. She also provides support and community education on Racial Trauma and Decolonizing Therapy Methods; with focus on the somatic impact of the chronic and sustained experience of oppression.

Intake Coordinators Meeting
2026-06-09 09:00 - 10:15, 2026-07-14 09:00 - 10:15, 2026-08-11 09:00 - 10:15, 2026-09-08 09:00 - 10:15, 2026-10-13 09:00 - 10:15, 2026-11-10 09:00 - 10:15
The purpose of this meeting is to enhance Network Providers’ knowledge of resources to aid families and individuals in service navigation and care coordination.

Trauma 101: Key Principles and Practical Approaches | Virtual | Presented by Gary Rukin, LPC
2026-06-11 14:30 - 16:00, 2026-08-13 14:30 - 16:00, 2026-11-12 14:30 - 16:00 | Virtual, IL
REGISTER HERE!
FREE: 1.5 IDFPR CEU for LSW/LCSW, LPC/LCPC, Psychologists, and IAODAPCA

SUMMARY

This training covers basic trauma-informed principles. It distinguishes developmental trauma—chronic, relational, and attachment-based—from shock trauma, caused by sudden overwhelming events. Participants learn how each influences emotional, cognitive, and physiological functioning.
The presentation covers the normal stress-response system and how trauma disrupts it, leading to hyperarousal, hypoarousal, and dissociation. It highlights the roles of biology, genetics, epigenetics, and environment, emphasizing that trauma reactions stem from neurobiology rather than character or willpower.
Attendees are introduced to mindful, expressive, and somatic interventions that support stabilization and nervous-system regulation. The training concludes with an overview of effective and evidence-based trauma therapies.
Participants leave with an understanding of trauma foundations and some practical tools to support clients safely and effectively.
OBJECTIVES

Differentiate between developmental trauma and shock trauma, including their origins and clinical presentations.
Explain the functions of the normal stress-response system and its role in maintaining safety and regulation.
Describe how the stress-response system becomes altered under traumatic conditions.
Discuss how biology, genetics, epigenetics, and environment interact to shape trauma responses.
Apply mindful, expressive, and somatic-based interventions to support trauma recovery in clinical settings.
Identify evidence-based therapeutic approaches effective in treating both shock and developmental trauma.

PRESENTER
Gary Rukin, LPC, MA, MS, has worked in Community Mental Health for the past thirteen years. He serves as the Trauma-Informed Coordinator for the McHenry County Mental Health Board, and has presented trainings on Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Understanding Psychosis, Understanding and Treating Emotional Trauma, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Thresholds, The Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Recovery Conference, Northwestern University Hospital, and the Illinois Department of Human Services.

MHB Finance and Audit Committee Meeting
2026-06-16 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-09-15 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-11-17 17:00 - 18:00 | McHenry County Mental Health Board, 620 Dakota Street, Crystal Lake, IL, 60012, United States

MHB Committee of the Whole Meeting
2026-06-16 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-09-15 17:00 - 18:00

MHB Regular Board Meeting
2026-06-23 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-07-28 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-08-25 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-09-22 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-10-27 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-11-24 17:00 - 18:00 | McHenry County Mental Health Board, 620 Dakota Street, Crystal Lake, IL, 60012, United States

Opioid Overdose Prevention & Reversal: Overdose Responder Training | In-person | Presented by Teagan Ferraresi of Liv4Lali
2026-07-09 13:00 - 14:30, 2026-10-08 13:00 - 14:30 | McHenry County Mental Health Board, 620 Dakota Street, Crystal Lake, IL, 60012, United States
REGISTER HERE!
FREE: 1.5 IDFPR CEU for LSW/LCSW, LPC/LCPC, Psychologists, and IAODAPCA

Summary
Attendees will learn what opioids are and how they work, the opioid overdose epidemic, identify the signs of an opioid overdose & learn how to respond and reverse it, all about Naloxone, a little about Harm Reduction, and overdose prevention and policies.
Presenter
Teagan Ferraresi (she/her) is an Outreach Coordinator in McHenry County. With personal experience with Substance Use Disorder, her desire to make a change locally brought her to Live4Lali. After volunteering for a year, she joined the team as a SMART Recovery Facilitator and Overdose Education & Naloxone Distribution (OEND) trainer. She’s a fierce believer in harm reduction and destigmatization through community education, and is passionate about helping others with anything from peer support to treatment navigation.

A Trauma Informed Approach | Virtual | Presented by Gary Rukin, LPC, MA, MS
2026-07-09 14:30 - 16:00, 2026-10-08 14:30 - 16:00 | Virtual, IL
This is not a series. The same session is repeated monthly.
REGISTER HERE!
Free: 1.5 CEUs for LSW/LCSW, LPC/LCPC, Psychologists, and IAODAPCA
Summary:
The presentation, A Trauma Informed Approach, is replacing the monthly ACE Interface Trainings provided by the McHenry County Mental Health Board and differs in several respects. While it incorporates information from the ACE Study conducted by Kaiser Permanente and the Center for Disease Control, it also explores other causes of childhood and adult adverse experiences. These include the role of genetics and epigenetics in transmission of trauma reactions from one generation to the next, environments in which violence is commonplace, behaviors which result from trauma, and begins to delve into ways to mitigate these reactions, and how we can do better as individuals, organizations, and as a society.
Presenter:
Gary Rukin, LPC, MA, MS, has worked in Community Mental Health for the past thirteen years. He serves as the Trauma-Informed Coordinator for the McHenry County Mental Health Board, and has presented trainings on Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Understanding Psychosis, Understanding and Treating Emotional Trauma, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Thresholds, The Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Recovery Conference, Northwestern University Hospital, and the Illinois Department of Human Services.

MHB Ethics and Compliance Committee Meeting
2026-07-28 17:00 - 18:00, 2026-10-27 17:00 - 18:00

Community Connections Summit | In Person
2026-09-11 09:00 - 15:00 | McHenry County College, Luecht Auditorium, 8900 US-14, Crystal Lake, IL, 60012, United States
VISIT OUR SUMMIT PAGE

MHB Special Board Meeting
2026-10-07 17:00 - 19:00

MHB Special Board Meeting
2026-10-14 17:00 - 19:00 | McHenry County Mental Health Board, 620 Dakota Street, Crystal Lake, IL, 60012, United States
