Education

Albany Health Management Associates is involved in a wide variety of educational projects and initiatives.

Continuing Education
In conjunction with Brattleboro Retreat Hospital (a Dartmouth Medical College affiliate), AHMA initiated a clinical training program for practitioners who treat chronic syndromes. The project continues at AHMA offering clinical retreats, didactic presentation, externships, group training, and individual supervision as part of the ongoing program.

The Sydney Albert Institute of Parsons Child and Family Center recently underwent a two-year Phase training in countertransference and intervention applied to prevention, emergency stabilization, residential, foster care, and adoption.

Training retreats for professionals are also offered and are tailored to specific clinical or organizational concerns. Topics include chronic illness and trauma, as well as issues personal to the professional such as work stress, the changing healthcare environment, and countertransference. As always, the retreat experience provides a supportive, relaxing environment.

Curriculum Development
AHMA offers a newly created Chronicity Studies Program in conjunction with academic institutions. The program, currently in development, will include a 140-hour, 2-year certification program utilizing Patricia Fennell's original content and curricula. Ms. Fennell will be responsible for directing the research and lecture components as well as overall program development.

Practicum Site/Academic Research Support
Albany Health Management Associates is a clinical and research practicum site for doctoral students at the Counseling Psychology program at State University of New York at Albany and at Capella University. Patricia Fennell and AHMA provide dissertation support for a variety of students in the U.S. and abroad.

Keynotes, Lectures & Presentations
Patricia Fennell lectures and teaches widely throughout the US and abroad, utilizing her original content and curricula. She has been an invited speaker at the annual meetings of the American Psychological Association (1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003) and has served on the faculty for biannual conferences of the American Association for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004). She has also provided keynote addresses for the Organization for Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Education and Research (2003), the Association of Addiction Professionals (2001), New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault (2001), and many other organizations. A more complete list of Patricia Fennell's presentations can be found here.

Retreats for Patients
Albany Health Management Associates directs retreats that combine spirituality, creativity and clinical treatment to those dealing with chronic illness or trauma on a daily basis. The Fennell Four-Phase Therapy (FFPT)™ is offered as a personal guide to positively rewrite the illness experience and integrate it as part of a more meaningful life. Participants are provided with a safe, supportive and relaxing environment in which to explore their own illness experience. Spiritual elements of the retreat such as meditation, reflection and contemplative prayer, are empowered by the expression of the illness experience through group participation, creative arts and bodywork.