Season 4, Episode 20: EPSD Mental Health Symposium 2022

While many of us hope the pandemic is beginning to finally come toward a resolution, the focus and attention on student mental health will not  easily go away, as students will continue to face the challenges of the world around them. On this episode, we preview the 2022 EPSD Mental Health Symposium being held February 21 through March 6 which hopes to continue on previous work to help parents and members of the community understand more about this topic.

Co-chair Stephanie Cignarella, School Psychologist at Emmaus High School; details all of the amazing opportunities to learn about a variety of mental health tools and tips applicable to students of all ages. 

For all of the information regarding the symposium and to access over 10 virtual asynchronous sessions on a wide-ranging variety of topics, go to https://sites.google.com/eastpennsd.org/virtuamentalhealthsymposim2021/home?authuser=0.

Highlights of the Symposium Include 

Keynote In-Person Kickoff Event - Monday, February 21, 2022, at 6:30 pm at Eyer Middle School

• Dr. George DuPaul - Professor and Associate Dean of Research at Lehigh University will be speaking to participants on how to parent a child with a mental health condition, the epidemiology of these conditions, what parents can do, what has worked, what hasn't worked, how to be empathetic and relate to their children during these challenges and addressing the threshold for when to seek professional help.
• Mock Teen Bedroom - This interactive experience challenges parents and caregivers to find more than 100 hidden items including mock drugs/ drug paraphernalia, seemingly real containers that are actually "stash safes", and common household items that can indicate abuse.
• EPSD Therapy Dogs

A Survivor's Message: Parenting a Child with Disordered Eating - March 2, 2022 at 7 pm virtual Zoom session

After years of experiencing undiagnosed depression, coupled with a poor sense of self and family stress, Kirstin Day developed an eating disorder at the age of 13. Her disorder continued for the next 6 years taking her through several rounds of outpatient therapy finally culminating in inpatient treatment. She has spent the past ten years speaking about her experience sharing the message that "It's okay not to be okay."

Interactive Mini Panel Discussion - March 3, 2022 at 7 pm virtual Zoom session

Several of the Symposium's presenters will be available to discuss pertinent mental health topics and challenges and will be available to answer participant questions. Conversation topics will include the importance of sleep on the developing brain, parenting strategies,  coping strategies, organizational strategies, and the effects of mental health on school performance.

Shave for the Brave Announcement

At the end of this episode, you will hear and see a commercial produced for the 2022 Emmaus High School Shave for the Brave event. To help support the fight to end childhood cancers, please donate at the link below. We will be featuring stories about the event in an upcoming podcast episode.

https://www.stbaldricks.org/participants/mypage/1088409/2022