with Cassio Campello, MD, LAC
Brown Bag Lunch Series
March 12, 2025 12:00 – 1:00 pm
On Zoom Only – 1 CE
Participation is FREE. There is a $17 ADMIN FEE for each CE.
Addiction is a complex bio-psycho-social condition influenced by neurobiological, psychological, and environmental factors. This Brown Bag Lunch will explore opioid addiction through affective neuroscience and neuropsychoanalysis, drawing on the insights of Jaak Panksepp and Mark Solms to enhance our understanding and treatment approaches.
Panksepp’s research highlights how opioid use disrupts the SEEKING system, leading to compulsive substance use driven not only by pleasure but also by the need to alleviate distress and emotional instability. Solms further explains that addiction often reflects challenges in self-regulation and executive functioning, where cravings can override impulse control.
We will examine the neural mechanisms of opioid dependence, the psychological drivers of drug-seeking behavior, and the social factors influencing recovery. Our focus will be on trauma-informed, strengths-based, and person-centered interventions to support individuals facing opioid addiction.
Join us for an engaging discussion on addiction and treatment.
Course Objectives – Participants will be able to:
- Incorporate the bio-psycho-social framework of opioid addiction, when assessing clients, examining the interplay between neurobiological vulnerabilities, psychological factors, and social determinants in the development of substance abuse disorders.
- Apply insights from affective neuroscience and neuropsychoanalysis to deepen clinical understanding of opioid addiction.
- Recognize the impact of emotional dysregulation and social isolation on substance misuse behaviors.
- Identify some holistic approaches that address both neurobiological and psychosocial factors: evidence-based, trauma-informed, and person-centered interventions that support individuals struggling with opioid dependence in recovery.
Cassio Campello, MD, LAC
Cassio Campello de Menezes is a certified anesthesiologist in Brazil and a Licensed Associate Counselor (LAC) in New Jersey, currently training as a psychoanalyst at the Academy of Clinical and Applied Psychoanalysis (ACAP). He works as a psychotherapist at the New Jersey Consultation Center (NJCC) and is the Coordinator of the Applied & OutReach Division at ACAP. Additionally, he teaches Biopsychology and Sensation and Perception at Caldwell University.
With over 20 years of medical experience, Cassio practiced as an anesthesiologist at The Clinics Hospital of the University of São Paulo, where he was part of the Emergency Anesthesia Team for four years. He spent 14 years with São Paulo Anesthesia Medical Service (SMA) as Chief of the Anesthesia Residency Program, Chief of Anesthesia at Hospital Oswaldo Cruz, and a Member of the SMA Board of Directors.
Six years ago, Cassio moved to the U.S. and began his psychoanalytic training at ACAP, completing a Master’s and Post-Master’s in Mental Health Counseling. His work combines neuroscientific, psychodynamic, and clinical perspectives, blending his medical and psychotherapy expertise to enhance patient care.
ACAP is an approved CE provider for:
Art Therapists
Counselors
Marriage and Family Counselors
NJ Psychoanalysts
Social Workers
NY Creative Arts Therapists
Psychologists
For CE Information- visit our website, https://acapnj.org/ce-information/
For questions or information email Cassio Campello at [email protected]
or call 973-629-1002
