Dennis Potter, LMSW, CAAC, FAAETS
Dennis Potter is a licensed social worker
and certified addiction counselor, who along with Paul LaBerteaux helped to form one of the first community based Crisis Response Teams in the country. He was one of the founding members of the Mid-West Michigan CISM Team and the Michigan Crisis Response Association. Dennis is recognized as a Fellow, by the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. To achieve this credential, Dennis completed a comprehensive application and examination, along with supporting documentation, to validate his experience in working with survivors of traumatic events, knowledge of the literature, and level of education.
Dennis has received training and supervision in Cognitive Therapy from the Beck Institute in Philadelphia, PA. He has participated in a train the trainer course in Motivational Interviewing and has provided this training to a variety of mental health and substance abuse agencies. Dennis has experience in providing these therapies to people with a severe and persistent mental illness. Dennis also provides training programs on various topics of mental health and substance use disorders.
Since 1989, Dennis has helped to train many of the CISM teams in Michigan and frequently is called upon for consultation after particularly difficult events. Through their association with these teams, Dennis, Paul, and Jim have conducted or consulted on all manner of traumatic events for communities, businesses, schools, police, fire and emergency services personnel, the U S Post Office, and community mental health agencies.
Dennis has presented at many local, state, regional, national and international conferences. He and Paul were presenters at the last
8 International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) World Congresses.
Click here for a review of Dennis Potter Training Experience.
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Paul LaBerteaux, PsyD.
Dr. LaBerteaux is a licensed clinical psychologist who, since 1975, has worked in Community Mental Health and private practice. In 1990, Paul and Dennis formed a private consulting firm, Kantu Consultants, specializing in Critical Incident Stress Management training. Paul's specialties have been community based and school populations. Over the last 15 years, Paul has helped to train hundreds of crisis teams throughout Michigan, and has been especially focused on school-based teams in West Michigan.
Paul helped to form one of the country's first community-based CISM teams in 1985, and continues to serve on this group of 60 trained volunteers after more than 400 responses. His training service through the Michigan Crisis Response Association at their yearly conference has helped to establish teams across the state. Paul has a wealth of practical experience and imparts it in a relaxed and effective manner, building skills through experience and practice. He has presented at many conferences at the local, state, national, and international level.
Paul and Dennis were presenters at the last 6 International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) World Congresses.
Dennis and Paul authored the model for Post Action Staff Support which is featured in the ICISF Advanced Training Workbook. Paul is a co-author of the book, Practical Concepts and Training Exercises for Crisis Intervention Teams.
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Jim Stevens, M.A.
Jim Stevens has his B.A. and M.A. degrees in education and school administration. He is a retired school administrator and teacher. He was a licensed paramedic in the State of Michigan for several years and retains his EMT (emergency medical technician) basic and his IC (instructor-coordinator) license. Jim is an adjunct faculty with Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, where he teaches medical continuing education with area fire departments. Jim also serves as a consultant to the Calhoun County Intermediate School District
Jim received his initial ICISF training from Dr. Jeffrey Mitchell in 1992. He is a member of the Michigan Crisis Response Association Board of Directors and has served on the planning committee for the Annual MCRA Training Conference for several years. At the MCRA Annual Conference, he has taught courses on Basic CISM for EMS, Level II CISM for EMS and Community Responders, and Difficult Debriefings. In addition, Jim has taught the Advanced CISM course with Dennis Potter and an Advanced Skill Building course with Paul LaBerteaux.
Jim is the founding president of the Calhoun County CISM team and a coordinator for the Barry, Branch, and Calhoun County CISM team.
Jim presented at two International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF) World Congress with Dennis and Paul.
Jim is a co-author of the book, Practical Concepts and Training Exercises for Crisis Intervention Teams.
