Workshop Descriptions | Concurrent Session Descriptions
Plenary Sessions
Workshops
Wednesday, March 7, 2:00-5:00
Cultural and Clinical Concerns of Service Members and Veterans on Campus
Ted Bonar, PsyD, Center for Deployment Psychology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Military undergraduates often face unique challenges, including having experienced life-threatening events while deployed, preparing for the next deployment, readjusting back from a war zone, and juggling both academic and military requirements. Yet military undergraduates are often indistinguishable from other students, because if they are in the National Guard or Reserves or are veterans they are usually out of uniform on campus. In addition, for service members in general, there is often stigma associated with reaching out for help given a military culture antithetical to showing weakness. Therefore, university personnel, including counseling center staff, may be less able to identify and connect with these students. The purpose of this presentation is to briefly describe these students, the distinct cultural group they comprise, and their unique characteristics and needs.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills and Concepts for Mental Wellness
JoAnn Heap, MSW, ACSW, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
This workshop will identify Dialectical Behavior Skills of Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Distress Tolerance. Attendees will be able to practice one skill from each of the four categories. Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills are valuable for anyone who wants to learn coping strategies in order to experience higher levels of wellness while accomplishing goals. The concepts that provide a foundation for the delivery of the skills will also be discussed.
Promoting Students’ Resilience and Strengths
Jane Gillham, PhD, Associate Professor, Swarthmore College; Co-Director, The Penn Resiliency Project; Steven Brunwasser, MS, Doctoral Candidate, Department of Psychology, University of Michigan
We will discuss our team’s work promoting wellbeing in adolescents and young adults. This work incorporates cognitive-behavioral techniques that can help students cope more effectively with stress and positive psychology techniques that help students to discover and build upon their strengths. We will discuss the theoretical and empirical foundations of this work and share several intervention strategies that students can apply in their everyday lives. Through blending these powerful approaches, we aim to help students increase their resilience, develop more positive relationships, and experience a greater sense of engagement and meaning.
Treatment of Bipolar Disorder in the University Student Population
Russ Federman, PhD, ABPP, Director, Counseling and Psychological Services, Department of Student Health, University Of Virginia
This three-hour program will address the complex array of issues involved in the assessment and treatment of bipolar disorder within the university student population. The content will include epidemiology, assessment and differential diagnostic information, identification of specific individual and group treatment methodologies, rationale for onsite treatment vs. community referral and in-depth discussion of the problematic intersect between normal late adolescent development and the lifestyle modifications required of the bipolar student.
Student Workshop: Strategies to Maintain Wellness through Exercise, Sleep, and Mindfulness
Richard Dopp, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan; Leslie Swanson, PhD, Sleep and Chronophysiology Laboratory, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan; Elizabeth Robinson, PhD, MSW, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan
In this workshop, Dr. Dopp, Dr. Swanson, and Dr. Robinson will provide a brief overview of the latest research demonstrating the value of exercise, sleep, and mindfulness as elements of a healthy lifestyle which supports positive emotional and physical health. They will also provide practical strategies and techniques for incorporating good exercise, sleep, and mindfulness habits into a busy schedule. This will be an interactive session with opportunities to practice various techniques, and share ideas for addressing the challenges that college students face in trying to maintain balance in their lives.
Concurrent Sessions
Thursday, March 8, 10:45-12:00
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in College Settings
Jacqueline Pistorello, PhD, Counseling Services, University of Nevada, Reno; Matthew Boone, LCSW, Gannett Health Center, Cornell University
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a mindfulness and acceptance-based cognitive behavioral therapy which has shown promise for a wide variety of health problems. In over 50 randomized control trials, ACT has demonstrated efficacy for depression and anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, OCD, substance abuse, chronic pain, smoking cessation, epilepsy, diabetes management, and many other concerns. ACT targets experiential avoidance, or efforts to control, suppress, avoid, or otherwise change thoughts and feelings in ways that prevent values-based actions. ACT attempts to increase psychological flexibility, or the ability to be present to all experience, whether painful or pleasurable, and act in the service of what's important in life. Enlisting a variety of experiential exercises, this workshop will offer a brief introduction to the ACT model of psychopathology and human suffering, review the body of research supporting the efficacy of ACT, and demonstrate strategies for increasing psychological flexibility.
Objectives: Following the workshop, participants will be able to 1. define the six components of psychological flexibility – acceptance, defusion, self as context, contact with the present moment, values, and committed action; 2. understand experientially the difference between approaching life in psychologically flexible and inflexible ways; and 3. identify resources for further training and study in ACT.
Bridging Student Affairs and Academics: Engaging Students in Online Courses that Promote Personal Wellness and Success
Jerri Kjolhaug, MPH, RD, LD, Senior Associate Director, Rothenberger Institute, University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota’s Rothenberger Institute (RI) offers several elective courses focused on enhancing students’ personal wellness: Success Over Stress; Sleep, Eat & Exercise; and Alcohol & College Life. Each course counts as one academic credit and is taught entirely online. Students can interact with course content at a computer, print lesson transcripts, or listen to lesson audio from an iPod or other mp3 player; these options cater to various learning styles and fit into students’ busy lifestyles. Students are encouraged and required to think about how the course topics apply to their own lives; they monitor their health-related behaviors, set goals, and reflect on their progress as well as their attitudes related to course topics. They receive personalized feedback and support from undergraduate teaching assistants (TAs) who are trained and certified peer health educators. This session will provide an overview and demonstration of the RI curriculum as well as the peer education model used to facilitate RI courses. Impacts on students and TAs will be shared. Interested participants will also have an opportunity to learn how RI curriculum could be brought to their campus.
Reframing the Focus of Student Mental Health Services to Increase Utilization: Is Stigma an Impediment to Help-Seeking?
Victor Schwartz, MD, University Dean of Students, Yeshiva University; Associate Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine
There is much data to suggest that stigma is a significant impediment to utilization of mental health services and that there is an association between religiosity and stigma (people and communities who identify as more religious tend to have higher rates of stigma regarding mental illness). This presentation describes a multi-faceted program put into place to increase acceptance and utilization of counseling services and to decrease stigma at a small religious university and the impact of this program. We will then examine the (surprising) relationship between stigma and utilization of services at this university, based on data from the Healthy Minds study. The relationship between stigma, the “framing” or “branding” of campus mental health services, and impact on utilization will be discussed in light of the Healthy Minds findings. Finally, the implications of these finding for further research and strategic planning for campus mental health systems will be analyzed.
Utilizing Educational Theater to Raise Awareness and Reduce Stigma
Callie McKee, Director, Educational Theatre Company, Office of New Student Programs, University of Michigan
In this session, participants will learn more about the University of Michigan educational theatre company’s work to promote mental health awareness. Participants will get an inside look into the process of using theatre to educate, inform and reduce stigma around mental health issues on college campuses. Participants will also be given tools for incorporating theatre and performance into mental health outreach efforts on their own campus, including learning and practicing a variety of theatre techniques and methods.
Thursday, March 8, 1:30-2:45 p.m.
Addressing the Unique Mental Health Needs of Students in the Arts
Joe Behen, PhD, Executive Director of Counseling, Health, & Disability Services, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
In considering the unique mental health needs of art students, this presentation will review the scientific literature on the relationship between creativity and mental illness, describe the School of the Art Institute of Chicago's approach to the assessment and support of students' mental health needs, and present examples from the work of several contemporary artists who deal directly with issues of mental health and illness in their art-making.
First Year Experience: Self-Management, Wellness, and Academic Functioning
Nance Roy, PhD, Director of Health Services, Sarah Lawrence College
This session will present findings and recommendations from The First Year Experience (FYE) Initiative at Sarah Lawrence College. The FYE Initiative originated from data collected at Sarah Lawrence College on the efficacy of student self-care management as the result of our participation in the National College Depression Project. Briefly, we found that students who engaged in self-care management with either a medical or mental health professional demonstrated significant improvement in mood and academic, social and emotional functioning and retention. The FYE was then designed with the hope of assisting all first year students in developing a self-care management plan to assist them with their transition to SLC. It consists of a six week collaborative workshop series led by Residential Life, Medical Services, Psychological Services, Disability Services and Sports Center staff. Individual workshops are geared toward working with students to develop strategies to keep them healthy both medically and psychologically, learn how to live in a diverse community with peers, develop effective study skills, and address issues of diet, nutrition and exercise. Preliminary assessment data suggests that students feel better informed about resources on campus and indicated that they would be much more likely to access services on campus as a result of their participation in the First Year Experience.
Fostering Resiliency in Graduate Students Completing Foreign Fieldwork
Todd Favorite, PhD, Director, Psychological Clinic, University of Michigan; Gary Brown, LMSW, Post MSW Fellow, Psychological Clinic, University of Michigan; Carolyn Dayton, PhD, LMSW, Psychological Clinic, University of Michigan
Many academic programs at the University of Michigan and across the United States require graduate students to conduct fieldwork abroad as part of their academic training (e.g., Departments of Anthropology, Archeology). In other programs, international fieldwork is an optional component of graduate training that many students choose to complete (e.g., Schools of Social Work, Language Studies, Health Sciences). Students who undertake international fieldwork as a part of their graduate training often travel to dangerous areas where they conduct research or provide aid to groups and societies affected by war, natural disaster, and other traumatic events. In the process of their work, graduate students are often exposed to environmental and psychosocial stressors, ranging from the challenges of acculturation to the experience of witnessing overwhelming human suffering and trauma. In some cases the students themselves are victims of trauma while conducting their fieldwork far from supportive resources. Despite these known risks, graduate students are often psychologically unprepared for the challenges they will face overseas.
The UM Psychological Clinic has developed a resiliency program designed to meet the needs of graduate students completing their field work abroad through the utilization of an evidence-based intervention called Stress Inoculation Training (SIT) (Meichenbaum, 1996; 1988). SIT is a cognitive-behavioral therapy developed to enhance effective coping strategies for individuals who have been exposed to stressful events. It has also been applied to the prevention of future expression of stress related symptoms (Meichenbaum, 1993; 1983; 1978). SIT is a flexible method of intervention that can be administered within a small group format. The UM Psychological Clinic has adapted this intervention to meet the needs of UM graduate students preparing to complete their field work abroad, and examine the efficacy of a modified SIT group protocol on enhancing psychological resiliency.
Plenary Sessions
Opening Keynote: Wednesday, March 7, 1:00-2:00 p.m.
Love is Louder: Building Connectedness and Resiliency on College Campuses
In 2012, actress Brittany Snow, The Jed Foundation and MTV started the Love is Louder movement to strengthen emotional health by building resiliency, creating connectedness, promoting acceptance and empowering peers to support each other. Love is Louder has now spread across the country and beyond with hundreds of thousands of people joining the movement online or in their communities. In 2012, The Jed Foundation is expanding Love is Louder through technology, grassroots efforts, celebrity partnerships and campus-based programming. During this keynote, Brittany and Courtney Knowles will share the Love is Louder story -- how it started and what they learned watching an idea expand to touch so many lives. They will also share how the Love is Louder brand and the resources can help you engage students around a range of issues including mental health conditions like depression, bullying and mistreatment, self-image and community.
Panel Discussion: Thursday, March 8, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Supporting Student Resilience: Strategies for Parents
This panel discussion will explore from multiple perspectives how parents, colleges, and students can work together to support student mental health and resilience. Panelists include a parent, student, advisor and counseling center director. They will discuss their personal experiences and offer suggestions for how parents can best help to guide their student’s transition to college, offer appropriate intervention during college, while still fostering autonomy.
Closing Keynote: Thursday, March 8, 3:00-4:00 p.m.
Finding our Footholds: College Students Reflect on Positive Mental Health
The premiere performance of a new, original work by the U-M Educational Theatre Company (UMetc), based on interviews with U-M students who discuss how they strive to maintain balance and stay emotionally healthy while facing the stresses and challenges of college life.
updated: 03/06/2012
