Agenda

Description

Join Sage Chioma - public health practitioner, artist and expressive arts-for-healing workshop leader - for an immersive workshop exploring collaborative change through poetry, storytelling, and expressive arts. Participants will engage in reflection, dialogue, and creative exercises designed to strengthen connections, cultivate empathy, and foster collective problem-solving.

This session emphasizes the power of collaboration - between individuals, within communities, and across systems - to create meaningful and lasting change. Through hands-on activities, participants will discover how shared experiences, and creative expression can enhance resilience, inspire innovation, and transform challenges into opportunities for growth, empowerment, and shared healing.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe ways in which collaboration across systems and between individuals within communities may be used to create meaningful and lasting change to strengthen recovery for women
2. Explain how substance use professionals may apply hands-on activities and group activities to enhance resilience and transform challenges into opportunities for growth, empowerment and shared healing in women's recovery

Sage Chioma is a public health practitioner, published poet and storyteller who blends art and wellness to inspire self-healing, cultural empowerment, and collaborative change.

As Prevention Project Coordinator at Alcohol Drug Services, she is the program coordinator for North Carolina's first in-person Parent Café in High Point. "Her work is dedicated to strengthening families, nurturing resilience, and creating meaningful community connections."

With years of experience in the field of addiction, she draws on both her professional and personal journey of healing to honor the wisdom of those who have navigated the dark night of the soul.

A 2025 Creative Greensboro Artist-in-Residence, she created Sweet Medicine: An Elixir of Hope and Healing - a powerful fusion of poetry, storytelling, movement, and visual imagery inspired by her book Earth is a Mother's Hood.

Her work invites us to see our pain as a sacred threshold to growth and transformation, offering a vision of resilience and collective healing—even in the eye of the storm.

Description

How would you or your clients in recovery live your lives differently if you knew that all heartache, loss, pain and change could be transformed into rocket fuel that could rejuvenate and elevate you in all the best possible ways? Your Soul, or what some call your higher, wiser, most loving Self, is already in support of you, knowing exactly how to rejuvenate your heart and transform anything this crazy world throws at you. Join spiritual psychology and trauma healing expert, Dr. Shannon South, as she takes you on a transformational journey to your Inner Counselor, where you will find your next breakthroughs, realign with your Soul, and let go to discover the grandest version of you yet!

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify how to let go of old patterns of thought, which are not conducive to health and healing
2. Describe at least one method for aligning with one's wiser, more loving Self
3. Explain how practitioners may guide clients as they work to embrace and live in alignment with their own best interests
4. List basic tenets of a process that allows women in recovery to overcome drama and trauma patterns to experience more freedom, peace, and trust
5. Describe at least one method which may be applied to expand and transform one's outlook "from a valley view to a mountain view," to enhance perspective and offer previously unseen avenues for healing

Dr. Shannon D. South, aka the "Joy Doctor", is an award-winning therapist, an Amazon best-selling author, and an inspirational speaker. As an expert in the field of spirituality and healing trauma for over 25 years, she knows how to assist people in finding wholeness, abundance and joy naturally.

In 1994, Shannon had an awakening during meditation that healed her debilitating anxiety and depression permanently. Since this transformative experience, Shannon has helped thousands of clients and clinicians connect to their most loving, abundant, and joy-filled selves.

As the founder of the Inner Counselor Certification Program, the Soul-Shine at-Home healing program, and The Power of Your Inner Counselor: Breakthrough the 3 Biggest Blocks to Lasting Transformation and Healing e-book, Shannon empowers spiritually minded entrepreneurs globally to embody more love, abundance, and joy. She trains clinicians, coaches, and healing professionals to implement The Inner Counselor Process for profound and lasting transformation for themselves and their clients.

Shannon loves dancing, meditation, being in nature, being a mom, and a rowdy game of volleyball.

Description

Ongoing research is now focused on gender differences in the realm of chronic health condition prevalence, patient experience of care, care needs, and progression across the lifespan. While regenerative medicine is emerging as a promising area for improving addiction recovery, research in regenerative medicine has not been fully designed with all populations in mind to make sure health and health care disparities are not perpetuated.

This session is an attempt to bridge that gap; introducing a modality that more specifically addresses women's health and healing. Regenerative medicine focuses on restoring structure and function by stimulating the body's inherent repair systems—stem cells, tissue regeneration, bioelectrical signaling, and immune modulation.

In this workshop, Brett Sculthorp and Kristine Weber will discuss how yoga theory and practice provide a holistic regenerative model of bottom-up (body-centered) and top-down (reflective analysis) tools to guide regenerative processes with purpose and orientation - specifically for those who identify as women. Please dress comfortably as short practices will also be introduced.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Discuss research focused on gender differences in the realm of chronic health condition prevalence, patient experience of care, care needs, and progression across the lifespan
2. Identify strategies which may bridge gaps in women's care in recovery, while introducing a modality that more specifically supports women's health and healing
3. List key tenets and goals of regenerative medicine, focusing on the restoration of structure and stimulation of the body's inherent repair systems (stem cells, tissue regeneration, bioelectrical signaling, and immune modulation)

Kristine Kaoverii Weber, MA, c-IAYT, eRYT500, has been an avid student of yoga since 1989, teaching yoga since 1995, and training yoga teachers since 2003. She is the director of the Subtle^® Yoga Teacher Training for Behavioral Health Professionals program at the University of North Carolina Health Sciences at MAHEC in Asheville and the yoga therapy representative of the Integrative Health Policy Consortium, where she advocates for the integration of yoga into the healthcare system.

Kristine is also a member of the Yoga Advisory Committee of the Alzheimer's Prevention and Research Association. Kristine presents international workshops and trainings and is frequently invited to present at healthcare and mental health conferences. She is the author of Healing Self Massage and has published numerous articles. Her work has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Yoga Therapy Today, YogaU, Redbook, BodySense, Women's World, Natural Health, and Lifetime TV. Find out more at www.subtleyoga.com.

Brett Sculthorp, LCSW, LCAS, CPS, is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), a Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS), and a Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS). He works with individuals, couples, and groups. Brett's clinical focus is on trauma care, and he utilizes the therapeutic modalities of Brainspotting, ego state work, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Trauma Release Exercises, and Psychotherapy in addition to the physical, psychological, and spiritual practices of the yoga tradition.

Brett's prevention work focuses on community building, including educating people about the social determinants of health, integrative futures studies and other strategic planning methodologies, local economics, and social entrepreneurship principles. Brett's writing has been featured in Yoga Therapy in Practice. He has been practicing yoga for more than 35 years.

Description

Organizations and individuals treating substance use disorders often encounter numerous challenges due to funding, reimbursement, customer engagement, geographical limitations, and staffing, just to name a few. Each provider may also face challenges specific to the demographics and cultures of the people they serve. While all providers may face some of these challenges, there are clinical situations that are more often encountered by providers working in rural communities and which commonly have ethical implications.

In this course, participants will discuss some of the common clinical situations rural providers may face, consider the ethical implications, and identify ethical solutions based on the NCASPPB code of ethics. To guide these activities, participants will engage in open discussions about situations they have experienced or know about, review case studies, be presented with findings from research on this subject, and apply the code of ethics to the lived experiences and case studies.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify clinical situations that have ethical implications
2. Demonstrate proficient knowledge of the NCSAPPB code of ethics
3. Apply the code of ethics to clinical situations with ethical implications
4. List solutions for clinical situations with ethical implications
5. Explain the procedures for reporting ethical violations

Daniel Ball, MSW, LCSW, LCAS, CCS, QS, recently transitioned to a new job as a Clinical Specialist with Marine Corps Community Services. For the previous nine years, he worked in Eastern North Carolina at a large, private, not-for-profit behavioral health agency.

Daniel worked as an independent practitioner conducting comprehensive clinical assessments and providing individual and group therapy for mental health and substance use disorders. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Addictions Specialist, and a credentialed supervisor. Daniel provides clinical supervision for CADC-I/R, LCAS-A, LCSW-A, CSI, and LCMHC-A.

Description

Through the art of storytelling and poetry, Sage Chioma's keynote address awakens our shared humanity and reminds us that true change begins with the simple act of connecting. Through artful language and lived experience, this keynote address illustrates how communities can grow stronger, more resilient, more compassionate - and how weaving our stories together can be the spark that ignites collaborative change, collective healing, and transformation.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe how connection to community fosters sustained wellness in women's recovery
2. List at least three ways in which community connection in recovery cultivates inner strength, resilience, and compassion, allowing for collective healing and positive transformation

Sage Chioma is a public health practitioner, published poet and storyteller who blends art and wellness to inspire self-healing, cultural empowerment, and collaborative change.

As Prevention Project Coordinator at Alcohol Drug Services, she is the program coordinator for North Carolina's first in-person Parent Café in High Point. "Her work is dedicated to strengthening families, nurturing resilience, and creating meaningful community connections."

With years of experience in the field of addiction, she draws on both her professional and personal journey of healing to honor the wisdom of those who have navigated the dark night of the soul.

A 2025 Creative Greensboro Artist-in-Residence, she created Sweet Medicine: An Elixir of Hope and Healing - a powerful fusion of poetry, storytelling, movement, and visual imagery inspired by her book Earth is a Mother's Hood.

Her work invites us to see our pain as a sacred threshold to growth and transformation, offering a vision of resilience and collective healing—even in the eye of the storm.

Description

One of the foundational aspects of trauma recovery and substance use recovery is learning how to self-soothe, to gently return to a sense of safety within one's body. A strong connection with the Self is essential for cultivating the capacity to return to safety. When individuals can internally anchor themselves, they may more effectively navigate difficult life experiences and the challenging emotions that may surface when triggered. Through research, theory, and experiential interventions, we will explore embodiment as a method for bringing curiosity to internal states, gentle self-soothing, and responding with greater compassion and care.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. List at least three methods for breaking through old emotional patterns by self-soothing to discover a sense of security in recovery
2. Describe ways in which women in recovery may counter common triggers through anchoring techniques and self-knowledge
3. Define "embodiment" and explain how experiencing one's "stillpoint" may simultaneously enhance compassion and self-care

Debra Alvis, PhD, C-IAYT, MMT, is a licensed psychologist, mindfulness meditation teacher, and yoga therapist. She offers international training for mental health professionals, focusing on mindfulness, Polyvagal theory, and compassion resilience. Debra developed and led a mindbody program, co-led a research team dedicated to investigating mindfulness, and maintained a private practice for more than twenty-five years.

Debra's professional training includes completion of the Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training program with Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield. Her decades-long study of hatha yoga and participation in Body/Soul/Rhythms with Marion Woodman further inform her approach, emphasizing the importance of embodiment and secure attachment to the Self as pathways to healing and resilience.

Description

In a time of rapidly advancing treatment and media exposure, the science and attitudes surrounding substance use and medicine are constantly changing. In this session, we will explore how HIV, mental health, and drug use intersect, and how risk factors, common to all, contribute to the need for a specialized understanding and approach to treatment. We will explore these issues within the context of women's health, and take a brief look at the changing face of HIV, including the latest treatments, with a focus on harm reduction principles.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Discuss the history of HIV and its relevance to women's health and substance use treatment
2. Describe common risk factors and relationships of HIV, substance use, and mental health disorders
3. Explain the importance of symptom recognition, timely linkage to care, and current treatment guidelines
4. Discuss Harm Reduction and the importance of its core concepts and strategies in relation to HIV and substance use from an ethical perspective

Behavioral Health Provider, Addictions Specialist
Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences - Social Work
Duke University Health System

Keith McAdam, LCSW, LCAS, received his Bachelor of Science in psychology from the University of New Orleans, and his MSW from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He currently works in fully integrated systems at the Duke University Medical Center's Infectious Diseases Clinic and the Wake County Health Department, providing mental health and addiction therapy for people living with HIV, funded by the Ryan White Care Act, NIH, and SAMHSA. Before his current position, he participated in 13 years of unfunded, unsanctioned research into addiction, mental health, homelessness, and public health. He lives in Durham with his wonderful wife and 2 rescue dogs from Kosovo.

Description

This session explores trauma-informed approaches to perinatal care for birthing people with lived experiences of trauma, intimate partner violence (IPV), or systemic discrimination. Attendees will gain practical strategies for integrating peer support and crisis response tools, including the NC Peer Warm Line and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, into perinatal and recovery care networks.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Define trauma-informed perinatal care and explain how it supports individuals with histories of trauma, IPV, or systemic oppression
2. Identify common perinatal triggers for individuals with trauma histories and how to recognize signs of distress during pregnancy, birth, and postpartum
3. Describe the principles of trauma-informed care in perinatal settings, including safety, choice, empowerment, and cultural responsiveness
4. Integrate peer-based and crisis support resources such as the NC Peer Warm Line and 988 into perinatal care plans and referrals
5. Apply practical strategies for collaboration between healthcare, behavioral health, and peer support systems to improve outcomes for birthing people in recovery

Brittany Jones MA, LCAS, CCS, CD(DONA), PMH-C, is a DONA International certified Birth doula and DONA trained Postpartum doula. She is also the Crisis Services Team Lead at the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services at NC DHHS. She holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Psychology and a Master of Arts from North Carolina Central University in Clinical Psychology. She has more than eight years of experience working in the mental health field, ranging from roles as a clinician to a consultant. She is a champion of both health and mental health equity and focuses on self-advocacy and shared decision-making when working in the birth settings and beyond.

Description

This session offers an overview of perinatal tobacco use in North Carolina, including the impact of emerging products like vapes and cannabis. Tobacco use and cessation in the context of treatment for other substances will be discussed, as well as progress made toward implementation of tobacco-free treatment settings in North Carolina.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Describe the overlap of perinatal tobacco use in the context of treatment for other substances, including the impact of cessation on long-term treatment outcomes
2. Identify concerns with secondhand smoke and vape in treatment settings, especially those including pregnant people and babies/young children
3. Summarize emerging guidance regarding cannabis during pregnancy and lactation

Megan Scull Williams, MSW, MSPH is a Research Associate at the Collaborative for Maternal and Infant Health (CMIH) at UNC Chapel Hill, where she provides training and technical assistance to help disseminate evidence-based information on a variety of maternal and child health issues. Her work includes the provision of training and technical assistance in perinatal tobacco screening and cessation as well as the transition to tobacco-free practice settings.

Megan has spent more than 20 years serving in a public health capacity, where she has provided program/research management, evaluation, training/technical assistance, and direct service in settings which include non-profit organizations, universities, and the US military. As the only Asheville-based member of the CMIH team, Megan has a particular focus on the Western region of North Carolina. She completed her undergraduate studies in Sociology at The University of Notre Dame and completed both a Master of Public Health and Master of Social Work from UNC Chapel Hill, where she was a Public Health Leadership Fellow.

Description

For individuals who use or have a history of using drugs, the impact of stigma can permeate nearly every aspect of their lives, including relationships with family, friends, employers, and health care providers. While many expectations are often placed on drug users to change their behaviors, the social context that creates and reinforces drug-related stigma is rarely explored or challenged. A greater understanding of ways in which internalized stigma can lead to harmful behaviors is valuable for working more effectively with drug-using participants. Additionally, by evaluating one's own potential role in perpetuating drug-related stigma, we can develop new strategies for building more authentic and productive relationships with participants.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify and explore the reach of drug-related stigma
2. Name strategies for confronting, addressing, and correcting drug-related stigma
3. Promote productive service provision that avoids stigmatizing people who use drugs

Ashley Wurth, MA, serves as the Justice Services Lead for the Substance Use, Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Section of the North Carolina Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities and Substance Use Services at NCDHHS. Prior to this role, Ashley led the NC Division of Public Health's Overdose Prevention Team, working to promote harm reduction and access to other evidence-based interventions aimed at reducing overdose across the state. Ashley's work originated in the world of direct services, where she served as a peer support specialist, case manager, licensed clinical mental health counselor, and licensed clinical addictions specialist for the Mediation and Restorative Justice Center/Homestead Recovery Center's LEAD and Recovery on the Inside programs. Her direct service experience solidified in her the personal and professional goal of changing systems to change lives.

Ashley holds a Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Appalachian State University, yet Ashley will tell you that she has learned more about life and this work through a history of use with substances, loving people who have used drugs, and having lived on the fringes of society than she ever has in a classroom. Those experiences, as well as her personal journey through harm reduction, treatment, and recovery spaces, ignited within her a fierce drive to help others. Ashley lives in Boone, NC, with her partner, Rio; three amazing children - Blaze, Delilah, and Alma; and their dogs, Copper and Gus.

Description

This session will examine the 40-year evolution of recovery and housing models designed for women and children, exploring how changing policies, treatment philosophies, and family-centered approaches have shaped access, equity, and outcomes. Participants will analyze the intersection of recovery, child well-being, and housing stability - and identify strategies to strengthen integrated, gender-responsive, and trauma-informed systems of care for the future.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Trace Historical Milestones in the development of recovery housing and treatment models for women and children
2. Identify key funding and political shifts that have impacted access to treatment and housing
3. Hear stories of Home and Healing: Lessons Learned from a cross-generational panel of women with lived experiences
4. Identify best practices to promote long-term recovery and housing stability

Clinical Instructor, UNC Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Director of Community Engagement/Integrated Treatment Services
Project Director, Outpatient SUD and Co-Occurring Reentry Services

Essence Hairston, PhD, LCSW, LCAS, CCS, is a faculty member at the UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Ob/Gyn-Horizons Division. She has extensive experience in the field of addiction treatment that encompasses development, implementation, evaluation, training, and treatment of perinatal women and their families. Dr. Hairston has presented on both a national and international level, on the intersectionality of perinatal and maternal substance use and mood disorders, adverse childhood experiences, the legal system, reproductive health, and non-stigmatizing integrative care models. Her favorite part of working in the addiction field is collaborating with women with lived experience and subject-matter experts to develop, evaluate, and strengthen services.

Description

Join Hilary Beeler, North Carolina's new Women's Services Coordinator, for an overview and update on current North Carolina clinical policy, system transitions, and legislation impacting the care of women and their families in recovery and substance use disorder treatment. Due to its vital nature, this "must know" information is presented to all conference attendees.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Summarize current North Carolina system transitions and legislation impacting the care of women in recovery and their families, and substance use disorder treatment

Women's Services Team Lead
Substance Use Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Services Section
Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Use Services
NC Department of Health and Human Services

Description

NC DHHS is proudly sponsoring a statewide training effort. The goal of this project is to help support our Perinatal & Casaworks residential communities, and along with allies and partners, by training 60 substance use disorder professionals in the manualized, evidence-informed parenting curriculum, Circle of Security Parenting. This brief session will provide information on the purpose, status, and hopes of this important state-wide project.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Explain the purpose of the NC DHHS Circle of Security Parenting Project
2. List three reasons why it is important to support the NC DHHS Circle of Security Parenting Project

Evette Horton, Ph.D., LCMHCS, RPT-S, IMH-E^® is an Associate Professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's School of Medicine. She is the Director of Child Services at the UNC Horizons program and is Adjunct Faculty in the department of Psychiatry and a site internship supervisor for the UNC Psychology Internship program. She's Past-President of the Association for Child and Adolescent Counseling (ACAC). She serves on the editorial board for the Journal of Child and Adolescent Counseling. She is also a founding board member of the North Carolina Infant Mental Health Association (NCIMHA). Most importantly, she is honored to serve as a parent educator and child therapist for the women and children at UNC Horizons.

Description

This engaging and interactive session explores how clinical supervision can spark growth, resilience, and empowerment for both women in recovery and the professionals who support them. Participants will address real-world challenges such as compassion fatigue, stress, burnout, and codependency, while learning practical strategies for self-care, setting healthy boundaries, and maintaining ethical supervision practices. Attendees will leave with tools to enhance professional development, protect their well-being, and foster effective, sustainable supervision.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the personal and professional costs of caring for women in recovery, including compassion fatigue, stress, burnout, and codependency
2. Recognize and navigate ethical challenges in clinical supervision to uphold professional standards
3. Apply practical strategies for self-care and maintenance of healthy boundaries in supervisory roles
4. Enhance supervisee support, professional growth, and client outcomes while protecting their own well-being
5. Foster a culture of resilience, accountability, and ethical practice within recovery-focused teams

Dr. Kendra Davis is a dynamic speaker, trainer, and counselor known for her energizing and empowering approach to education. Described by many as a "vitamin B12 shot," Dr. Davis has delivered impactful presentations for numerous organizations, including the North Carolina Foundations for Alcohol & Drug Studies, NC Department of Public Safety, YWCA Hawley House, and The Bethesda Center for the Homeless, among others. Her eclectic presentation style, combining audio-visual aids and interactive activities, ensures that learning is both engaging and practical.

Dr. Davis holds a Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from Winston-Salem State University. She also earned a Master of Divinity and a Doctor of Ministry degree in Biblical Studies from Apex School of Theology. Her professional credentials are extensive, including certifications as an Internationally Certified Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor, Master Addictions Counselor (MAC), Licensed Clinical Addiction Specialist (LCAS), and Certified Clinical Supervisor (CCS). She is also certified as a Criminal Justice Addiction Professional (CCJP) and a Sex Offender Treatment Specialist (CSOTS).

In 2010, Dr. Davis founded K*Metamorphosis, a counseling and professional development firm dedicated to filling critical treatment and training gaps in the community. Through K*Metamorphosis, she empowers individuals with the tools and resources needed to transform their lives. Dr. Davis is also the author of It's ONLY a Test: Mastering the Addiction Counselor's Exam, a hands-on study guide designed to help addiction counselors succeed.

Her life mission is rooted in the belief of the butterfly effect, where small changes can lead to significant transformations.

Description

Experienced mental health and SUD clinician, Geri Miller, delivers a practical collection of group therapy exercises for women in recovery from process addictions and substance use disorders. She draws on more than four decades of frontline experience treating the SUD population, as well as the latest research and evidence-based best practices, to curate a selection of group exercises that enhance health outcomes among a wide variety of patient populations. In this session, Dr. Miller draws key information from her most recent textbook, Group Exercises for Substance Use Disorders Counseling (2nd ed.) (2025) (Wiley, Inc.).

Easy-to-understand instructions accompany in-person, online, and hybrid group exercises which are organized into the categories of opening/closing groups and SUD recovery topics. These exercises assist SUD individuals in developing awareness of their harmful behavior patterns and realistic strategies they can use to address them. The exercises also help individuals identify SUD recovery stressors/triggers and offer techniques to avoid or resist them.

During a targeted Q&A session, participants will have the opportunity to apply the information to their own clinical setting.

Objectives

Upon completion of this session, participants will be able to:

1. Discuss research evidence guiding best practices for group sessions serving women in recovery
2. List at least six group exercises designed to foster long-term success for women in recovery
3. Identify harmful behavior patterns and triggers which may be mitigated with the use of curated group exercises

Geri Miller, Ph.D., ABPP, LP (NC), LCAS (NC), CCS (NC), MAC (NCCAP) is a Human Relations Trainer/Consultant. She taught in higher education from 1990 until she retired as Professor in 2022. Dr. Miller has worked in the mental health counseling field since 1976 and the SUD counseling field since 1979. In both fields she has been a counselor, educator, trainer, and researcher. She worked as a volunteer psychologist at the Watauga County Health Department for 25 years through December 2020. Since 2001, she has a history of working as a volunteer with the American Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Services. Dr. Miller has published and presented research on counseling and substance use disorders (SUD). Her most recent SUD book is Group Exercises for Substance Use Disorders (2nd ed.) (2025) with Wiley Inc. In 2024 she published an SUD book with Cognella, Inc., A Practical Guide to Facilitating Substance Use Disorder Recovery. She has also published a book with with Wiley Press [Incorporating Spirituality in Counseling and Psychotherapy (2003), Fundamentals of Crisis Counseling (2011), Group Exercises for Addiction Counseling (2012), and Learning the Language of Addiction Counseling (5th Edition) (2021)]. She is a member of the American Counseling Association's divisions of the Association for Spiritual, Ethical, and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC) and the International Association of Addictions and Offender Counselors (IAAOC). Dr. Miller has served on the North Carolina Addictions Specialist Professional Practice Board.