Phoenix House Texas

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.

Partner Event | Grant Halliburton Foundation - When Life Hands You Teenagers Conference
2026-09-10 08:00 - 15:30 (America/Chicago) | Plano Event Center, 2000 E Spring Creek Pkwy, Plano, TX, 75074, United States
Join the Grant Halliburton Foundation on Thursday, September 10, 2026 from 8 AM – 3:30 PM at the Plano Event Center for When Life Hands You Teenagers – An Educational Conference for People Who Live or Work with Teens. Phoenix House Texas CEO, Drew Dutton, will be presenting Project Empathy: The Neuroscience of Addiction Meets Positive Psychology.
For more information and to RSVP, please visit the Grant Halliburton Foundation website.
