2023 Mental Health Awareness Month

Inaugural Suicide Prevention Conference For Students and Trainees, May 17-18, 2022 8 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Hill Student Center Ballrooms

Graduate Resilience Outreach and Wellness (GROW) invites you to the Mental Health Awareness Month Wellness Wednesdays.

Join us every Wednesday for learning, storytelling, professional development, and community building.

Every Wednesday from May 3 – 24, 2023
9:00 – 10:00 am Presentation
12:00 – 1:00 pm Lunch and Learn*
Volker Hall Lecture Room C and Virtually via Zoom, unless otherwise indicated
Open to UAB students, faculty^ and staff^

* Lunch provided on first come, first served basis
^ Except De-Stress Power Hour event – for students and trainees ONLY

Open to UAB students, trainees, faculty, and staff

Keynotes Open to All through Zoom

May 3 | 9am – 10am

Chris James, Author and Mental Health First Aider
Chris James passionately reminds those who provide wellness services for others to never forget to do the work to maintain wellness for self. Don’t forget the ME in MEntal health. Let’s talk emotional, psychological and social health for thriving professionals.
Attendance open to all virtually via Zoom

May 17 | 12pm – 1pm

My Story: Dr. Sade Williams-Clayton, Rita Levi-Montalcini Postdoctoral Fellow and UAB Alum
Dr. Sade Williams-Clayton will tell her inspiring story of where she started, to where she is now, highlighting the triumphs and challenges she encountered along the way.

Featured Discussions

Click here to view the featured discussion speakers!

Overall Conference Goals

Click here to view
1. Provide training to community on the prevention of suicide and related behaviors
2. Implement research-informed communication efforts designed to promote overall wellness by changing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors
3. Increase knowledge of the factors that offer protection from mental illness that promote wellness and recovery
4. Promote and support research on mental health and wellness
5. Skill-build in resilience, professional development, and storytelling to promote overall wellness in personal and work life

Conference Schedule

May 3

Chris James Keynote Address
9:00am – 10:00am
Zoom
Chris James passionately reminds those who provide wellness services for others to never forget to do the work to maintain wellness for self. Don’t forget the ME in MEntal health. Let’s talk emotional, psychological and social health for thriving professionals.

Join Zoom MeetingOpens an external link.

Meeting ID: 884 5187 9122 | Passcode: 695611

How to Share Your Story Lunch and Learn
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Volker Hall Lecture Room C
Learn effective and evidence-based skills for journaling with health behavior researcher and advocate, Kimberly Eaton.
May 10
QPR Gatekeeper Training
9:00 – 10:30 am
Student Health and Wellness Center (SHWC) Room 390B
Question, Persuade, Refer framework and training offers hope through positive action. As a trained QPR Gatekeeper, you will learn to recognize the warning signs of people in trouble, and will have the tools to act vigorously to help. Registration required:
Click to RegisterOpens an external link.

Mental Health, Culture, and Identity
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Volker Hall Lecture Room C
A panel discussion hosted by Herb Wilkerson that will address the intersection of culture and identity with mental health and wellness.

Panelists include Joshua Lewis (Doctoral Student, Department of Sociology), Jazmine Benjamin (Doctoral Student, Department of Medicine), Dr. Anne Ramsey (Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Medicine), Aye Myat Thiri (Master’s Student, MPH-MBA Program), and Dr. Chad Petit (Associate Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics).
May 17

My Story Seminar
9:00 – 10:00 am
Zoom
Question, Persuade, Refer framework and training offers hope through positive action. As a trained QPR Gatekeeper, you will learn to recognize the warning signs of people in trouble, and will have the tools to act vigorously to help.

Join Zoom MeetingOpens an external link.

Meeting ID: 886 1479 0886 | Passcode: 665884

De-Stress Power Hour
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Volker Hall Lecture Room C
Join UAB Masters of Arts in Counseling Student Clinicians as they lead a group discussion on Imposter Syndrome. Vent, de-stress, and learn skills that you can use to advocate for yourself in your position and in your personal life. Join us as we create space for you to de-stress in a safe environment, then learn skills that you can take back into your personal and academic life to advocate for yourself.

Join Zoom MeetingOpens an external link.

Meeting ID: 834 6935 7417 | Passcode: DeStress
May 24

Resiliency in Research Takes Practice
9:00 – 10:00 am
Zoom
Dr. Bobby Jones and Dr. Lisa Schwiebert present their research on resiliency in the training environment and lead a discussion on the importance of and barriers to accessing individual resiliency.

Join Zoom MeetingOpens an external link.

Meeting ID: 863 2574 1200 | Passcode: 164411

Crafting Your Job and Life
12:00 – 1:00 pm
Volker Hall Lecture Room C
Join Dr. Laurence Boitet as she discusses Job Crafting, an evidence based approach to improve well-being and engagement at work. Come skill-build in job crafting, how to engage authentically in the workplace, and negotiate difficult job-crafting conversations.

For questions or disability accommodations, please contact Dr. Laurence Boitet, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..