Prairie State College to Host 10th Annual Mental Health Conference

CHICAGO HEIGHTS, IL - Prairie State College (PSC) will host its 10th Annual Mental Health Conference featuring keynote speaker Jasmin Ford, a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner & Patient Advocate. The conference will be hosted on Thursday, May 16, 2024, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the PSC Conference Center on the main PSC campus at 202 S. Halsted in Chicago Heights. Join us for a day of insightful discussions and learning in the mental health field.

The theme this year, “The Many Faces of Mental Health,” will explore the diverse aspects of mental health. The guest speaker and presenters will share strategies and discuss various topics including: understanding different mental health conditions, promoting mental well-being, destigmatizing mental health, and exploring innovative approaches to treatment and support. Attendees will have the opportunity to attend the keynote address and choose from various breakout sessions listed below. 

Breakout Sessions: 

The Science of Resilience

Presented by: Kristine Argue-Mason, MPA; Executive Director, Partnership for Resilience

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs and Trauma)

Presented by: Maria Dorner-Kroener, MA, LPC, NCC, CRADC; Licensed Professional Counselor, Beyond Healing and Counselor II, Symetria Recovery

Mental Health Recovery and Schizophrenia 

Presented by: Lisa Guardiola, MHP, RSS; Community Outreach and Education Trainer, Sertoma Star Services; President, NAMI Alliance of Peer Professionals; Vice President, NAMI South Suburbs of Chicago

Healing Through Play: A Primer in Theraplay®

Presented by: Mandy Jones-Fischer, LCSW, RPT, JD;  Executive Director, The Theraplay Institute

Coping with Complicated Grief

Presented by: Jessie Monreal, CADC; Treatment Advocate, Recovery Centers of America

A (Hopefully) Not Depressing Talk about Depression

Presented by: Leanne M. Mull, MHA; Co-Director, Blue Tower Solutions, Inc.

Food, Mood, and Body

Presented by: Tina Musselman, MA, LPC, RD, CLT; Owner, Functional and Integrative Dietician and Counselor, The Pointe, Inc.

Fostering Inclusive Environments to Support LBGTQ+ Mental Health

Presented by: Carolyn Wahlskog, LCSW; Director of Operations and Programming, Youth Outlook

Deliberately Ensuring Inclusion in Providing Counseling & Mental Health Services

Presented by: Krista Woods, MSW, LCSW;  President and Clinical Director, Integrity Clinical Counseling and Training, LLC

Registration Information: 

Standard Registration Cost: $59 ($79 including CEU/PD)
Late Registration Cost (beginning May 1, 2024): $79 ($99 including CEU/PD)

Deadline: May 10, 2024

Registration Link: 10th Annual Mental Health Conference

The Mental Health Conference is open to participants from all backgrounds, with a special focus on professionals in healthcare, education, counseling, social services, and emergency services. For additional details, please email at wdceprofessions@prairiestate.edu or visit https://prairiestate.edu/about-us/events.aspx.

About the Keynote Speaker | Jasmin Ford

Jasmin Ford is a Board Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Patient Advocate. She graduated from Rich East High School in Park Forest and later earned her Master’s in Nursing from the University of Illinois Chicago. With a background in bedside mental health nursing and risk management, she now specializes in inpatient psychiatry, providing acute care and crisis intervention. Jasmin is dedicated to advocating for accessible mental health care and is committed to urban psychiatry, offering compassionate support to individuals of all ages.

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