RESPOND: Partnering for Campus Mental Health
Mental health problems affect each of us. You can take action to RESPOND effectively. About 1 in 5 of us will experience a diagnosable mental illness this year. All of us experience emotional pain or distress at times in our lives. Most of us want to help yet often feel uncertain about what to do or say. RESPOND will empower you to offer effective support and useful referrals to a student or colleague. The course provides a basic overview of symptoms often associated with mental health problems and offers an action plan to help you RESPOND effectively. The course will address campus policies such as FERPA, as well as mental health resources.
RESPOND Refresher
This training is a 90 minute "refresher" course for past participants in the full day RESPOND training. We will review RESPOND, emphasize the highlights and practice some skills.
Who should attend?
Any Idaho State University faculty, staff, or administrators who wish to learn more about how to RESPOND to students or colleagues who are in distress. Graduate and undergraduate students who work in student-assistance roles are also welcome to attend these trainings.
What is the cost?
In our commitment to improving campus mental health, the RESPOND training is offered free of charge to participants at this time.
The Counseling and Mental Health Center is happy to facilitate a RESPOND training for an established group. Please contact Sally Bodkin at sallybodkin@isu.edu to request a RESPOND training.
Thursday, March 13, 2025
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
College of Business BA506
Talk Saves Lives is American Foundation for Suicide Preventions' standardized, 90 minute program that provides participants with a clear understanding of this leading cause of death, including the most up-to-date research on suicide prevention, and what they can do in their communities to save lives.
Participants will learn common risk factors and warning signs associated with suicide and how to keep themselves and others safe.
Topics covered include:
- Scope of the Problem: The latest data on suicide in the U.S., worldwide, and at ISU.
- Research: Information from research on what causes people to consider suicide, as well as health, historical, and environmental factors that put individuals at risk.
- Prevention: An understanding of the protective factors that lower suicide risk, and strategies for managing mental health and being proactive about self-care.
- What You Can Do: Guidance on warning signs and behaviors to look for, and how to get help for someone in a suicidal crisis.
Check back soon for upcoming dates!
Losing a loved one to suicide can be a profoundly painful and isolating experience. The complexity of the emotions can feel overwhelming and often survivors struggle to know who to talk to for fear others won't understand. In this presentation we will discuss some of these factors, normalize reactions, and engage in a discussion designed to help participants gain greater understanding and support.
Check back soon for upcoming dates!
Check back soon for upcoming dates!
CMHC Connections brings individuals together who may benefit from learning and supporting others with similar aspects of identity. Meetings are held weekly for one hour and are facilitated by a staff member from ISU's Counseling and Mental Health Center.
Check back soon for available CMHC Connections groups!
SUMMARY AND LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Monday, May 12 (in-person only):
1:00-4:15 pm
Breathing Techniques: Knowledge and Techniques for Better Health and More Effective Counseling
Matt Ashton, Ph.D., BCB
This 3-hour workshop will present research-based information on the science of breathing and respiration, its relevance to emotional and physical health, and how it can be addressed in the context of mental health counseling. Evidence-based breathing techniques will be discussed and practiced to assist mental health practitioners in understanding how to administer, coach, and discuss healthy breathing practices with their clients and gain personal experience with the nuances of breathing techniques.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the anatomy and physiology of respiration and its connection to other physiological functions
- Understand and identify overbreathing and its effects
- Understand aspects of healthy breathing and its effects
- Gain practical experience with healthy breathing techniques
- Be able to accurately explain and administer healthy breathing practices
- Understand how to apply breathing techniques within a counseling context
Tuesday, May 13 (in-person only)
8:30-11:30 am
Self-Compassion Amidst Climate Anxiety
Rick Pongratz, Ph.D.
Kristin Stewart-Yates, Ph.D.
As forest fires, smoke, and storms of increasing intensity remind us of our changing climate, we see increasing levels of anxiety, particularly in younger generations. This workshop will examine direct ways of addressing the anxiety and hopelessness they face, with a primary focus on the role self-compassion can play in helping us heal ourselves and the world around us.
1:00-4:00 pm (in-person only)
Boundaries for Balance: Tackling Burnout with Effective Limits
Blaney Hanvey, LCPC
Amy Christensen, LCPC
This presentation will explore the critical role of setting boundaries in preventing and addressing burnout. Attendees will learn how clear, well-defined boundaries can create a healthier work-life balance, reduce stress, and enhance overall wellbeing. The session will cover practical strategies for establishing and maintaining
boundaries, the importance of self-compassion , and how to effectively implement these limits to foster a sustainable and fulfilling professional and personal life. Interactive elements and real-world examples will help participants apply these concepts to their situations.
Wednesday, May 14 (in-person and online)
8:30-11:30 am
Understanding, Recognizing, and Addressing Vicarious Trauma and Burnout in Supervisory Relationships
Conner Vrba, M.Coun
A three-hour advanced supervision training that addresses the critical issues of vicarious trauma and burnout in the helping professions, with a focus on counselors and the supervisory relationship. Recognizing that these phenomena are inherent risks across various disciplines, the session explores the ethical obligation of professionals to identify, recognize, and mitigate their impact.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify the signs and symptoms of vicarious trauma and burnout in themselves and their supervisees
- Explain the ethical responsibilities of counselors and supervisors in addressing and preventing vicarious trauma and burnout.
- Develop proactive strategies to mitigate the impact of vicarious trauma and burnout on themselves and those they supervise.
- Ways to Implement specific techniques into supervision to reduce the risk of professional impairment and potential harm to clients resulting from vicarious trauma and burnout.
1:00-5:00 pm (in-person and online)
Ethics of Client Autonomy
Cliff Rone, Ph.D.
This four-hour ethics training focuses on the ethical principle of client autonomy and how mental health professionals can honor it. By utilizing approaches that honor client autonomy we are creating opportunities to bolster clinical effectiveness and treatment outcomes, while aligning with our professional ethics codes. This training is intended for mental health professionals seeking continuing education credits and seeks to fulfill the following learning objectives:
- Review and understand the professional ethics codes and
considerations for client autonomy - Increase ability to identify and ethically address the clinical variables that
impact honoring client autonomy - Think through the application of honoring client autonomy with multiple
clinical presentations/topics
REGISTER
Complete a voluntary and anonymous Questionnaire to assess your current state of mental health and well-being.
