Andrea J Yatsco, PhD, CADC, LCDC, is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor, a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor, and a Certified Clinical Supervisor. Dr. Yatsco received her PhD in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State and wrote her dissertation on the impact of military service on delinquency and substance use over the life course. Her undergraduate work at University of Arizona focused on psychological and sociological predictors of deviant behavior. She has counseled incarcerated populations in Massachusetts and worked with families and adolescent offenders in Vermont. She is a previous adjunct professor at Becker College, teaching curriculum in the undergraduate forensic psychology concentration and developed grant funded substance education. Dr. Yatsco is an Assistant Professor at UT Health Houston working as the Associate Director for clinical research with opioid use disorders at Houston Emergency Opioid Engagement System (HEROES) and related substance use and mental health expansion projects across Texas.
About: Substance use impairs decision making and rebuilding decision making skills in recovery is an important piece of long-term success. Recognizing the ability to prioritize choices, create plans, and set individual goals are all part of empowerment in the decision-making process. This workshop will incorporate skills and informational resources to support recovery journeys, underscore the importance of creating interdisciplinary recovery support teams (either professional or personal), and encourage building recovery capital.