The 8th annual PSD Mental Health Matters K-12 event will take place in person from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., Monday, April 17, at Rocky Mountain High School, 1300 West Swallow Road, Fort Collins. Speakers will cover a range of mental health topics that affect all grade levels. This district-wide K-12 event is free.
The event will begin with a keynote address from Aaron Wiemeir, MS-LPC and owner of High Mountain Counseling and Training Institute, on the effects of COVID on students and families and how to move forward.
After the keynote address, participants can choose to attend sessions on other mental health topics in two breakout sessions. A resource fair bringing together representatives and information from more than 30 community organizations will also be available. Food trucks will also be on site throughout the evening.
For a complete list of breakout sessions, event resources and more information, please visit the Mental Health Matters websitewhere you can also view an online art exhibition created by a PHS student.
First session in small groups from 6:25 p.m. to 7:10 p.m.
- Help For Billy – Trauma with Young Children with Zach Rae from GOAL High School in Greeley. Zach Rae is an expert in working with young children suffering from trauma. Zach will discuss key points from the book “Help for Billy.”
- Raising Resilient Children with Brian Messinger
Brian Messinger is a pediatric psychologist at the Youth Clinic of Fort Collins who will speak about raising resilient children in the age of hysteria. An open discussion forum will take place.
- Conscious Parenting with Joshua Emery
Josh is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker at Emery Counseling Center.
- Brainwise with Aloha Arceo-Apitz, Emely Mugica, Sandra Martinez and Alessandra Vassaux (the presentation is in Spanish)
Brainwise is a program aimed at understanding our emotions and accessing our “wise brain”.
- Marijuana and What to Look for with Cpl Sargent and Officer Jim
- Substance Prevention with Tiffany Dillon
Tiffany is the Outreach and Marketing Manager at Northpoint Recovery. She will present on substance use disorders and prevention.
- What You Need to Know About Fentanyl with Brandi Drtina
Brandi is a peer recovery supervisor at the Northern Colorado Health Alliance. She will provide training on fentanyl and harm reduction.
Second small group session from 7:20 p.m. to 8:05 p.m.
- REPLY to the Suicide Prevention Alliance is collectively composed of Dawn Kirk, Traci Sandoval, Kim Pratt and Rachel Olssen
REPLY means resilience, education, protection of the lives of young people. They will discuss suicide prevention and coping skills. - Trauma and Resilience Language with Joshua Gaylord
Joshua Gaylord is a doctoral candidate at Colorado State University working specifically in the areas of trauma and resilience. He works to destigmatize language in the areas of trauma and resilience, so that we all speak the same language with young people.
- QPR with Aloha Arceo-Apitz, Emely Mugica, Sandra Martinez and Alessandra Vassaux (Presentation in Spanish)
QPR stands for Question, Persuade, Refer. This is the suicide prevention model used in the Poudre School District.
- Emotional Intelligence (EQ) with Aaron Wiemeier
Aaron Wiemeier is the owner of High Mountain Counseling and Training Institute in Lakewood and also tonight’s keynote speaker. He will give a presentation on EQ or emotional intelligence.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Adolescents with Meredith Vasa and Anica Zvonika
Meredith Vasa is a Certified Addiction Specialist and Licensed Professional Counselor at Northpoint Recovery. Anica Zvonika is a licensed substance abuse counselor and licensed professional counselor candidate.
- SART training with Rocky Mountain High School peers
SAVA-trained peers provide information to learn more about what sexual assault and sexual harassment are and how to get help.
