2025 Summer Symposium

Suicide rates are at an all-time high. Clients seeking help have experienced multiple traumas in their life. It is common to become desensitized to the pain and hopelessness that our clients are experiencing. During this workshop, we will focus on the impact of counter-transference and critical benefits of empathy in providing care for the traumatized client; introduction to the complexity problem and the emotional health continuum; impact of clients' risk factors and protective factors; and definition and implementation of techniques to differentiate between a client being in a passive risk of suicide and imminent risk for suicide.

Music can be an exceptional tool to use in the classroom -- it can be used to motivate and focus students as well as give them an outlet to express idea, emotions, and cope with stress. This presentation will focus on activities, methods, and ideas to effectively incorporate music in ANY classroom to better the education of students.

Get your groove on and leave with templates for assessments, journal ideas, and QR codes to playlists and videos you can use right away!

Educators are facing the highest levels of stress and burnout in decades, often being forced to address and prioritize the health and well-being of others over their own. Stressed-out educators are less productive, struggle with absenteeism, and have a much higher risk for illness and major medical problems. In this session, learn about the negative impacts of stress on the body from a recovering stress-a-holic and Sudden Cardiac Arrest survivor who was quite literally stressed to death at the age of 28 while working as a school administrator. Hear Heather’s story of survival, learn about the negative impacts of stress on the body, strategies for managing and coping with the many pressures facing educators, and strategies for moving from stressed and overwhelmed to healthy and successful.

This session delves into the often overlooked topic of how men navigate the realm of wellness and self-care, which is traditionally dominated by female perspectives. We will explore how societal expectations and gender stereotypes shape the way men perceive and engage with self-care practices. By examining these barriers, you hope to gain insights into fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment for male self-care within educational settings.

Furthermore, this session offers practical insights into promoting self-care among male students, who may find it challenging to engage with these practices, particularly in their youth. By addressing the unique needs and experiences of young men, attendees will gain valuable strategies for creating inclusive spaces where male students are encouraged to embrace self-care as an essential aspect of their personal growth and academic success.