G.A.P. Academy – An Introduction to the Brain’s Addiction Pathway (Virtual)
The human brain is the most complex organ in the body as it is responsible for every single thought, feeling, and behavior that every human being has ever had or will ever have. It regulates our every function including breathing, consuming food, driving a car, and enjoying everyday activities. But what happens to the brain when it is exposed to a toxic substance such as alcohol, marijuana, and other illicit drugs? This 90-minute session will describe the addiction pathway, also known as the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, or the reward circuit. This scientific session will be taught in a way that the average citizen will walk away with a full understanding of how substances impact the brain, what that exposure means for young people who have under-developed brains, and the long-term consequences that can occur as a result. Once attendees are armed with this knowledge, the session will conclude with some tangible preventative efforts that every caring adult can put into place now to protect themselves and the people in their lives.
Learning Objectives
At the completion of this session, attendees will be able to:
- Identify the addiction pathway of the brain
- Describe the impact of substance exposure to adolescent brains
- Utilize a minimum of 3 preventative measures that can be taken immediately to prevent the negative consequences of substance use and misuse
Trainer: Andrea Hoff, MPA, GPC, OCPC, ICPS
Andrea Hoff is the Owner & President of You Thrive Training & Consulting, LLC, a company that provides training and consulting services in the areas of behavioral health prevention, government and nonprofit leadership, and grant writing. Andrea has worked in the behavioral health field for nearly 27 years, is certified in Ohio as a behavioral health prevention consultant (OCPC) and international behavioral health prevention specialist (ICPS) and is a certified Adult & Youth Mental Health First Aid Instructor, QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Instructor, and Substance Abuse Prevention Skills Training Instructor. She is a coach for the Ohio Coaching and Mentoring (OCAM) Network, and she uses the Gallup Clifton Strengths assessments in her coaching work. Andrea is also a certified grants professional (GPC) with extensive experience in grant writing. She is the Immediate Past President of the Miami Valley, Ohio, Chapter of the Grant Professionals Association (GPA), is an approved GPA speaker, and is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Andrea has a Master’s degree in Public Administration from the University of Dayton.
The G.A.P. Academy is brought to you by the G.A.P. Network, delivered by Andrea Hoff & You Thrive Training & Consulting, LLC with support from the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services.
