Phoenix House Texas

Partner Event | West Coat Symposium on Addictive Disorders
2026-05-29 10:45 - 12:15 (America/Chicago) | La Quinta Resort & Club, 49-499 Eisenhower Drive, La Quinta, CA, 92253, United States
Join Phoenix House Texas’ CEO, Drew Dutton, MEd, MBA, MAPP, LPC-S, LCDC, ACPS, at the West Coast Symposium on Addictive Disorders in Palm Springs, California! Drew will be presenting Project Empathy: The Neuroscience of Addiction Meets Positive Psychology on Friday, May 29, 2026 from 10:45 AM – 12:15 PM.
Embark on a transformative journey with Project Empathy, a workshop designed to dismantle the stigmatization surrounding substance use disorders. Rooted in evidence-based practices, this innovative session provides a profound exploration of the neuroscience of addiction. By seamlessly integrating the latest research, we unveil barriers, shedding light on why current treatment models often fall short and leave a significant population unsupported. Introducing solution-focused therapy, strength-based approaches, positive psychology, and empathy as potent tools, this workshop offers practical insights for incorporating these principles into a range of substance use disorder-related interactions. Whether in casual engagements or professional treatment methodologies, discover how to infuse empathy and positive intervention into every facet of your approach. Stay informed with up-to-date information on the impact of substance use, with a dedicated focus on the unique challenges faced by adolescents. Project Empathy serves as your gateway to a more compassionate and effective understanding of substance use disorders. Join us in breaking down barriers, fostering empathy, and reshaping the narrative around addiction. It’s time to transform knowledge into action and ensure that everyone, without exception, belongs and matters.
For more information and the link to register for the conference, visit the West Coast Symposium on Addictive Disorders website.

Partner Event | Texas Annual Prevention Providers' Meeting - Charting the Course: Journey to a Healthier Texas
2026-06-01 - 2026-06-04 | Hyatt Regency, 123 Losoya, San Antonio, TX, 78205, United States
Join Phoenix House Texas’ CEO, Drew Dutton, MEd, MBA, MAPP, LPC-S, LCDC, ACPS, at the Texas Annual Prevention Providers’ Meeting in San Antonio, Texas from June 1, 2026 – June 5, 2026! Drew will be presenting Project Empathy.
Project Empathy is a research-based workshop dismantling stigma around substance use disorders using neuroscience, positive psychology, and practical strategies. It bridges research with real-world application, showing why many treatment models fall short and how to improve them. The session introduces solution-focused therapy, strength-based practices, and empathy as actionable tools. Participants learn to integrate these concepts into clinical care, education, legal systems, and daily interactions. Emphasizing adolescent development and addiction neuroscience, it explains behavior patterns and recovery potential. This is a practical toolkit, not a lecture—equipping professionals, educators, and caregivers to respond compassionately with science-based understanding and human-centered care.
Hosted by Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and Texas Prevention Training (TPT), the Annual Prevention Providers’ Meeting (APPM) is a meeting for HHSC-funded substance use prevention providers and their stakeholders. This event is designed to support and build capacity among the substance use prevention and behavioral health promotion workforce across Texas. APPM is an opportunity for participants to learn from local and national subject matter experts, connect with one another, and consider new or improved ways to conduct behavioral health best practice in their role in the system.
More information on event registration coming soon!

Partner Event | 43rd Annual TNOYS Conference on Services to Youth & Families
2026-06-09 - 2026-06-12 | Renaissance Austin Hotel, 9721 Arboretum Blvd, Austin, 78759, United States
Join Phoenix House Texas’ CEO, Drew Dutton, MEd, MBA, MAPP, LPC-S, LCDC, ACPS, at the 43rd Annual TNOYS Conference on Services to Youth & Families in Austin, Texas from June 9, 2026 – June 12, 2026! Drew will be presenting Project Empathy.
Project Empathy is a research-based workshop dismantling stigma around substance use disorders using neuroscience, positive psychology, and practical strategies. It bridges research with real-world application, showing why many treatment models fall short and how to improve them. The session introduces solution-focused therapy, strength-based practices, and empathy as actionable tools. Participants learn to integrate these concepts into clinical care, education, legal systems, and daily interactions. Emphasizing adolescent development and addiction neuroscience, it explains behavior patterns and recovery potential. This is a practical toolkit, not a lecture—equipping professionals, educators, and caregivers to respond compassionately with science-based understanding and human-centered care.
For more information about the conference and to register, visit the TNOYS conference website.

Partner Event | Education Service Center (ESC) Region 8
2026-08-07
Phoenix House Texas is grateful to be partnering with Education Service Center (ESC) Region 8 in Pittsburgh, Texas where PHT’s CEO, Drew Dutton, M.Ed., MBA, MAPP, LPC-S, LCDC, ACPS, will be presenting Project Empathy.
Project Empathy is a research-informed, interactive workshop that reframes adolescent addiction through the lens of neuroscience, development, and connection. The session breaks down how the teenage brain processes reward, stress, and decision-making—offering a clear explanation for why adolescents are uniquely wired for risk, bonding, and rapid learning. Participants explore how dopamine, impulse control, and prefrontal cortex development influence substance use patterns and recovery potential. Instead of relying on fear-based or punitive strategies, the workshop demonstrates how empathy and strengths-based communication interrupt shame and increase buy-in. Attendees learn practical ways to use accurate empathy, clarity, and modeling to keep adolescents engaged, even when they appear resistant or ambivalent. The session also challenges common misconceptions in youth treatment, highlighting how outdated models can unintentionally reinforce stigma and shut down communication. Real examples illustrate how to translate brain science into conversations that parents, schools, and youth can actually understand. By the end, participants will have a developmentally informed framework for supporting adolescents that emphasizes possibility, relationship, and long-term resilience.
