Please register here. BTLC Credit: IS, SEBMH Presenter: Jeff Walls, Associate Professor of Educational Leadership Description: A widespread sense of belonging at school is essential for a healthy school culture, academic success, and healthy peer and adult relationships for students. The gateways of belonging exist along a spectrum from inflexible to highly flexible. The purpose of this session is to introduce attendees to a spectrum-based understanding of belonging, and share a tool to...

Please register here. BTLC Credits: IS, SEBMH Presenter: Ashley Banta, MA, LPSC, Counseling Psychology PhD Student  Description: Participants will learn how to identify signs of mental health concerns, such as anxiety and depression. Participants will also learn how to broach mental health and respond with empathy. Participants will engage in simulations to practice broaching mental health and responding with empathy. Learning Goals: 1) Define common signs of mental health concerns. 2) Learn...

Please register here.  Connection with others and a sense of genuine belonging are essential for student success and engagement. Relationship-building practices are therefore a foundational component within a trauma-informed framework that aims to support students affected by trauma.  Tune into this webinar to review the impacts and prevalence of trauma, explore the importance of connection and belonging in a learning environment, and practice trauma-informed relationship-building strategies...

Please register here.  During this presentation, participants will gain an understanding of the function of self-harm behaviors and why individuals engage in self-harm behaviors. Participants will gain knowledge and understanding of how skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy can be beneficial when working with individuals who engage in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). What You Will Learn:  Learn functions of self-harm behavior Increase knowledge of distress tolerance skills Gain...

Please register here.   Students presenting with both high cognitive/academic ability and a disability (e.g., Autism, ADHD, Learning Disorder) are referred to as “twice exceptional.” This population presents with a unique set of social-emotional needs due to their asynchronous development and limited access to specialized support. This presentation will provide an overview of twice-exceptionality, identify key challenges and vulnerabilities for this population, and offer evidence-based...

Please register here.  Participants will be provided psychoeducation on grief, including different types of grief, common symptoms of grief, and how grief can manifest differently across people. Strategies that educators can use to support students who are experiencing grief and loss will be reviewed.   What You Will Learn:  Define aspects of grief and loss Discuss various presentations of grief and loss Identify common emotions associated with grief and loss Learn ways to emotionally...

Please register here.  Topic 1: Begin with framework of trauma experiences that are common to youth in Iowa. Then we will further mental health outcomes of trauma and how that might result in classroom behaviors. We will then wrap up the session discussing level 1 interventions that would provide support for students whom may have experienced trauma in their life. Topic 2: Disruptive Behaviors through a Mental Health Lens: Let's talk about what disruptive behaviors look like in the classroom...

Please register here. In this interactive workshop, educators will explore the signs and symptoms of burnout, understand its impact on both personal well-being and professional effectiveness, and learn practical strategies for prevention and recovery. Participants will gain valuable tools for identifying burnout early, managing stress, and creating a sustainable balance between work and self-wellness. This workshop is designed to help educators feel supported, connected, and confident in...

Please register here. Eating disorders in students have more than doubled over the last several years and school mental health providers may be the first to notice. Build awareness of the signs and symptoms of eating disorders and how to connect students and families with resources and support.   What You Will Learn:  Develop awareness of signs and symptoms of eating disorders. Increase knowledge about the levels of care and support available for individuals with eating disorders. Gain...

Please register here.  In this session, we will discuss the role that emotions, and emotional labor, play in the professional lives of teachers. Then, we will focus on strategies to effectively instruct in an affectively healthy and beneficial manner. The professional development will provide teachers with tools to improve their vocational health, along with strategies to implement in the classroom.   What You Will Learn:  Participants will recognize the ways in which emotional labor, and...