BARABOO — The second Gathering on Mental Health will be held Friday and Saturday, May 12 to 13, at Durward’s Glen Retreat Center.
The gathering is sponsored by Durward’s Glen Retreat Center, with financial support from SSM Health and in partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)–Sauk County, Prevent Suicide Columbia County, St. Clare Hospital Parish Nurse Coalition, St. Joseph Parish in Baraboo, and Aging & Disability Resource Center of Eagle Country–Baraboo Office.
Creating trauma-sensitive communities
Trauma refers to the extreme stress that overwhelms a person’s ability to cope. It can be a single event, a series of events, or a chronic condition, such as childhood neglect or domestic violence.
Trauma has been found to be the central issue for people with mental health problems, substance abuse problems, and co-occurring disorders. Creating trauma-informed communities helps institutions and community members recognize the symptoms of trauma and shifts their perspective from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you and how are you coping?”
Scott Webb will present the Friday session. He is a trauma survivor who has worked in the behavioral health field for 30 years. His session will be Friday, May 12, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration begins at 9 a.m. Lunch is included in $25 registration fee. All are welcome.
Mental health stigma
Sharing the personal story of people living with mental health challenges is one of the best practices for eliminating the stigma of mental health. The training facilitators at this special session are from WISE, a statewide coalition of organizations and individuals promoting inclusion and support for all affected by mental illness.
The special session only for people living with mental health challenges starts Friday, May 12, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. and finishes Saturday, May 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 noon.
Registration begins at 5 p.m. Friday with snacks. Saturday’s breakfast and lunch are included in $15 registration fee. Optional lodging is available at Durward’s Glen.
To register, visit the Events page at http://www.durwardsglen.org or call 608-356-8113. A limited number of scholarships are available for people living in the Sauk and Columbia County area.