Timely Topics Sessions
Experts provide clinicians and other attendees with accessible evidence-based information on timely topics encountered in the practice setting. Attendees will learn the very latest in evidence-based practice on an array of topics. Please note that sessions are subject to change. Check back soon for additional content!
Implementing Evidence-Based Mental Health Interventions in Black Churches + −
Bernadine Waller, PhD; Atasha Jordan, MD, MBA; Kimberly Arnold, PhD
The Black church is a well-known, trusted pathway that has long been leveraged to decrease inequities. Given that over 80% of Black people in America identify as Christian, employing community-engaged approaches may be a viable way to deliver care and create treatment linkages for a community that is largely distrustful of mental health providers. Religious and faith-based communities are now partnering with mental health scholars along the research continuum – from understanding community needs and mental healthcare promotion to implementing evidence-based interventions and dissemination – to improve the mental health and overall well-being of the community. We will share best practices and learnings from our work to increase mental health literacy and resource utilization within religious and faith-based communities.
Increasing Access by Bringing Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to Schools + −
Alec Miller, PsyD and Mona Potter, MD
- Learn the rationale for adapting DBT to school settings, as Tier 1-3 interventions
- Understand the biosocial theory of emotion dysregulation and hot DBT skills specifically help students and staff reduce dysregulation in the school
- Become familiar with the range of DBT mindfulness, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills taught in classrooms, groups and school advisory meetings
- Identify common challenges to implementing DBT in schools
Beyond Brick and Mortar: Leveraging Technology to Extend the Reach And Scope of Supported Care for Childhood Anxiety Disorders + −
Jonathan S. Comer, PhD
Hacking Burnout for Professionals Who Do Too Much + −
Karen Cassiday, PhD, ACT and Elizabeth DuPont Spencer, LCSW
Professional burnout is an increasing and real risk for mental health professionals. Rates of professional burnout have been increasing since the Pandemic due to a magnification of previously existing risk factors. This presentation will review the science of professional burnout, both employer risk factors and employee risk factors that place can place those who know most about mental health at risk for suffering the ill effects of burnout. Employer risk factors include unrealistic expectations for work hours, time away from work, administrative requirements and lack of high quality workplace relationships and meaningful expression of concern or appreciation for employees. Employee risk factors include professional perfectionism, imposter Syndrome, poor negotiation skills, inability to switch from a competitive academic mindset to a collaborative team first mindset and inability to recognize and accept personal limitations. Additionally, the most common misperception from employers and employees is that moments of self-care will solve burnout. In short, fragrant candles, yoga and self-affirmation is inadequate for addressing professional burnout.
Mental health professionals face some unique risk factors such as a shortage of providers in relation to the public's need for mental healthcare, lack of adequate funding that often interferes with the desire to provide the ideal mental health treatment, severe shortage of psychiatric prescribers and low density of providers and psychiatric facilities in rural or impoverished areas creates a burden of professional guilt. Graduate and undergraduate loans can create barriers for choice of employment or the belief that one has limited choices for employment. Lengthy years spent competing for grades, scholarships and evaluations trains many mental health professionals into a perfectionistic and competitive lifestyle that promotes burnout. Lastly, over focus upon taking the perspective of others can interfere with negotiating contracts and workplace responsibilities.
Evidence-based strategies for ameliorating and preventing professional burnout will be described. Strategies that address Imposter Syndrome, professional perfectionism, poor negotiation skills, competitive mindset and that build a collaborative workplace with colleagues will be reviewed. The role of gratitude, good humor and self-compassion will also be explained as it relates to creating a healthier workplace.
