Journaling as a Tool for School-Based Mental Health

4:00pm - 5:30pm

LIVE WEBINAR

Presenter: Stephanie L. Carnes, LCSW, LL.M.

NASW-NYS Members: $15

NASW Other Chapter Member: $22.50

Non-Members: $30

This workshop is approved for 1.5 continuing education credit hours for licensed social workers, licensed mental health counselors, and licensed marriage and family therapists

Workshop Description

More than ever, school mental health professionals are being asked to do more with less. Growing caseloads with high rates of trauma exposure often make it difficult for clinicians to reach all students, despite valiant efforts. This course will present structured journaling as a specific school-based tool that is easily turn-keyed, cost-effective, and widely beneficial to students who have experienced trauma. Multiple large research studies have shown that disclosing trauma via expressive writing activities is beneficial not only psychologically, but also for physical health and well-being. Participants will learn about this research highlighting journaling’s efficacy and will hear from one school-based clinician who implemented a successful two-year journaling project with English Language Learner students who experienced complex trauma. Participants will develop a clear understanding of how to implement a structured journaling project to improve mental health outcomes at their schools.  

Learning Objectives

After the completion of this webinar, participants will be able to:

• Describe the conclusions of existing research on the efficacy of journaling for improved mental health;
• Highlight the benefits of journaling, in general and in the context of school mental health;
• Identify the potential challenges/contraindications to journaling as a tool for mental health;
• Understand the “ingredients” necessary for the journaling project to flourish, and how such “ingredients” can be cultivated in the school setting;
• Develop a toolkit of journaling prompts to take back to their school.

This workshop is approved for 1.5 continuing education credit hours.

NASW-NYS is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers (Provider ID #0014), licensed mental health counselors (Provider ID #MHC-0053), and licensed marriage and family therapists. (Provider ID #MFT-0037)

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Presenter:

Stephanie Carnes, LCSW, LL.M., is a school social worker with expertise in trauma treatment and culturally competent practice. She works in a large public high school, where she provides individual therapy in both Spanish and English. She previously worked as the Lead Clinician in a federally-funded shelter program for unaccompanied children from Central America. She is the founder of Create Cultural Competence, LLC, a New York-based educational consultancy that helps school districts and community agencies develop a nuanced understanding of the student and client populations they serve, particularly recent immigrants. In addition to a Master’s degree in clinical social work, Stephanie holds a Master’s of Law degree in International Human Rights Law.