Welcome & Opening Keynote

The presentation offers a unique perspective on both recognizing and understanding the development and maintenance of stigma in American culture, how it fuels shame in children and adolescents, persists into adulthood, and ultimately is related to resistance to mental health care and the persistence of suicide and suicidal behaviors. In addition to discussing the broad influence of stigma and shame, a model for responding will be offered, one that can easily be applied in educational and clinical contexts.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will develop an understanding of how mental health stigma develops and is maintained in American culture.
2. Participants will develop an understanding of the relationship between individual shame and mental health stigma.
3. Participants will recognize the relationship between shame and suicide.
4. Participants will develop basic skills in how to respond to shame in educational and clinical contexts.