Hello & Welcome!

“David’s Mental Health Journey” is an interactive discussion that explains how David was diagnosed with a mental illness while away from home attending college. In this talk, David explains that it is common for those between adolescence and young adulthood to develop a behavioral illness. David also explains that his story is not an isolated case and that several others have had the same situation happen to them. They were young and had behavioral symptoms develop while they were away from home. They didn’t have the resources or knowledge to know what to do and it eventually ended with them in a state of psychosis and attempting self-harm. David uses his experience to raise awareness about these issues. He feels blessed to have overcome his situation and doesn’t want any parents, siblings, friends, or loved ones to lose their child. By informing others about these facts, David hopes it somehow prevents lives from being lost.

This discussion is accompanied by one of our collaborative activities on behavioral health. Although candid, this discussion provides a wealth of knowledge about behavioral health and living with a psychiatric illness. 

(In-Person and Virtual Options Available.)

“We ALL Need a Simon” is a biblical discussion about behavioral health. Within this talk, David mentions St. Simon the Cyrene and how he was an aid to Jesus Christ from the Bible. David uses this example to show that we ALL need help from time to time and that it is okay to accept that help. During this discussion, David explains that it is appropriate to do those two things and that we should use this example as a guide to be empathetic, willing to serve, and open to accepting help from others.

(In-Person and Virtual Options Available.)

“Being At-Risk, Then & Now” is a collaborative discussion related to behavioral health and at-risk youth. Outside of holding a certification in At-Risk Youth, David has also lived the majority of his own life at risk too. Outside of experiencing poverty and homelessness as a child, David was also diagnosed with a behavioral illness while in college at a young age. That being such, he has lived the majority of his life at-risk allowing him lived experience and firsthand knowledge that most lack. David uses his education and experience with these social issues to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and correct misinformation related to behavioral health and the social issues that surround it. David believes that doing such is the best prevention technique available. By educating participants about these issues and their truths, David hopes to save lives and stop self-harm. David wants everyone to know that those in between adolescence and young adulthood are most at-risk for experiencing a mental health crisis or suicidal ideation. With that being said, David does not want any parent, sibling, friend, or loved one to lose their child because they were unaware of these issues and their statistics. David feels educating others about these truths is the first step towards preventing tragic situations and their fatal results. As David always says, "Awareness is Key to Prevention".

This discussion, like the others, is accompanied by one of our collaborative activities that allows participants to experience the issues for themselves.

(In-Person and Virtual Options Available.)

“Surviving the Transition” is a conversation about behavioral health and suicide prevention that is specifically built for teenagers who are still in middle or high school. This discussion is perfect for teaching sensitive subjects like behavioral health and self-harm to groups who are still in development. It explains that those between the ages of adolescence to young adulthood have a higher predisposition to experience a crisis or develop a behavioral illness. It also outlines that in America, over 50% of those diagnosed with a behavioral health condition are within these age ranges. The name of this age range is defined as the “Transitional Age Youth”, hence the name “Surviving the Transition”. Although candid, this discussion presents important topics like behavioral health without being obscene or explicit.

(In-Person and Virtual Options Available.)

“The Wheel of Emotions” is an interactive discussion related to behavioral health that is designed specifically for those between the ages of adolescence and young adulthood. In this activity, groups use a “feelings wheel” to review and discuss the different emotions experienced throughout life. Groups are divided into teams and are then told to portray a different student living in crisis who is trying to make it through a typical school day. For this activity, each group faces multiple life situations that will either help that student succeed in their day or cause them to fall behind. After each situation is read, teams will each spin their wheel of emotions with whatever feeling landed on being their emotional response to that situation. For each situation encountered, we will also review the emotional response given by each team and try to understand why they responded that way. The goal is to make it through these 10 situations without landing on too many negative emotions. The team with the HIGHEST score and the LEAST amount of negative emotional responses encountered is the winner. 

Although this activity is informative, the information is not explicit, making it the perfect activity for teens and those still in development.

(This discussion comes with its own activity. In-Person Only, No Virtual Options.)

“The Ride Along #1 and #2” is a discussion related to crisis intervention and public safety. In this activity, groups are split into teams of 3 and are given a crisis intervention case study to act out. In each team, group members portray a different individual related to the story (Law Enforcement Officer, Behavioral Clinician, or Citizen in Crisis). They each read these parts together as a group acting the situation out 1 scene at a time and using a feelings wheel to offer an emotional response for that situation. Once each round is complete, I then close that part of the story by explaining the step of crisis intervention covered in that step and answering any questions that remain. We then complete that process over and over until the entire activity is completely read through. 

For this activity, I provide 2 different case studies as options for the group to experience. They are each separate activities but follow the same curriculum. Although both case studies are not explicit, one of them is more mature than the other.

(This discussion comes with its own activity. In-Person Only, No Virtual Options.)

“Understanding Behavioral Health” is an interactive discussion that takes an in-depth look at the common behavioral diagnoses found within society. For this exercise, the activity is broken into 10 rounds allowing the group a chance to discuss each diagnosis one at a time. Along with that explanation, this discussion also provides an opportunity to ask questions about each illness and review the different symptoms associated with that diagnosis. The group completes this process over and over until each type of behavioral illness has been explained. Once this part of the exercise is complete, the group is then divided into two teams to see how much of the information was retained. Although only one team will win the discussion, both groups walk away from this exercise with a basic understanding of behavioral science. This activity is the perfect educational tool to understand behavioral health from a clinical and diagnostic point of view. Although the discussion is partly mature, it is similar to other health videos presented in high school.

(This discussion comes with its own activity. In-Person and Virtual Options Available.)

“The Emoji’s Game” is an interactive behavioral health discussion designed specifically for those who have a difficulty describing or identifying their emotions. In this activity, participants are introduced to behavioral health by matching emojis to the different emotions experienced throughout life. When the exercise starts, each of the participants is given a sheet of paper that has several different emojis on it with words listed at the bottom of the page that match one of the facial expressions above. Each of these expressions/emotional words is used only once and the goal is to match the emojis with the correct emotional word. Once the group has completed that part of the exercise, the class then reviews each of the emojis one at a time, explaining how that emotion relates to life. The person or person’s to get the list completely right or closest to being right is the winner and gets a prize. This is the perfect activity to discuss behavioral health with those who are still in development.

(This discussion comes with its own activity. In-Person and Virtual Options Available.)

In this exercise, David reads aloud 3 different short stories from his book “Life on the Ward”. In this manuscript, David has collected 40 different short stories that summarize memorable moments from his journey with mental health and being hospitalized for Schizoaffective Disorder. Before arriving at the event, David will present you with a list of the various stories related to his mental health journey. You will then choose three of these stories that you think would benefit your group to hear. After that is decided, David will verbally read these stories to the group and answer any questions that remain. Although this activity can accommodate most groups, some stories are considered mature in nature. That being such, we will always discuss the preferences needed before the activity to ensure that no one is exposed to any unsuitable material.

(In-Person and Virtual Options Available.)

Once you have chosen the group discussion that you would like to hear, all you need to do next is choose an activity to accompany it. 

Note. Some discussions come with their own activity. Although the options can vary to accommodate your group's needs, some options work better than others. David will help you make sure that your selection is the best fit for your group experience!

The “Cultural Competency Experience” is an informative activity that addresses social crises like poverty and behavioral health all at the same time. Like other "Poverty Simulations", this exercise teaches a great deal of information in a hands-on format. During this activity, participants “Experience” living in poverty but in a safe environment without bias or judgment. Participants are divided into four groups/families, each with a different pre-existing family crisis. They are then given a limited amount of financial means and are told to select a choice from 8 different categories considered essential resources. Participants go from station to station and try to make their choices as a team/family. Families also encounter barriers similar to those faced in real-life situations related to poverty and social issues. They must overcome these issues as a team/family and find a way to ensure every area needed for survival is provided for. At the end of David’s “Experience”, participants walk away with a new perspective on social crises and the issues that surround them. They empathize and better understand these topics now that they have "Experienced" the issues for themselves.

(In-Person Only, No Virtual Options.)

“Reality” is a hybrid activity that like other "Poverty Simulations” allows participants to experience poverty and living in crisis for themselves. Every day within our communities, the mentally ill struggle to access the basic resources needed for survival. No matter how hard they work or try, their efforts never seem to amount to anything. Although they do everything required of them, they continue to be met with one crisis situation after another. It is no wonder that this portion of our society is struggling. “Reality” highlights these real-life crises and allows participants to portray these citizens individually while in a safe environment without bias or judgment. Like our other activities, “Reality” leaves its participants informed, empathetic, and aware.

(This discussion comes with its own activity. In-Person Only, No Virtual Options.)

“The Wheel of Emotions” is a collaborative group activity that pairs up with “The Wheel of Emotions” discussion. This exercise is perfect to help those between adolescence and young adulthood understand social topics like mental health. In this activity, groups are divided into teams and are told to portray a different student living in crisis. They are then given a feelings wheel to help this student navigate their day at school and understand the various emotions encountered there. Groups use this wheel one at a time as they regularly encounter life situations faced by students in poverty. The team whose individual makes it through the day encountering the least amount of bad emotions is the winner.

(In-Person Only, No Virtual Options.)

“The Ride Along #1 and #2” is an interactive team-building exercise that pairs up with “The Ride Along” discussion. In this activity, groups are provided an in-depth look into the work of public safety and crisis intervention. In this experience, participants are split into groups of three where they work together as a team to solve a crisis intervention case study. The activity is broken into several rounds to identify and discuss each of the 7 steps of crisis intervention. As groups go through these steps, they use a feelings wheel to provide an emotional response to the crisis which is also discussed. This activity is the perfect tool to understand crisis intervention and the challenges faced by those in public service. Although the material is mature, it is not explicit and can be suitable for most ages and groups.

For this activity, I provide 2 different case studies as options for the group to experience. They are each separate activities but follow the same curriculum. Although both case studies are not explicit, one of them is more mature than the other.

(This discussion comes with its own activity. In-Person Only, No Virtual Options.)

“Understanding Behavioral Health” provides an in-depth look into the common behavioral diagnoses found within society and how they differ from negative personality traits like psychopathy, sociopathy, and narcissism. For this activity, the exercise is broken into 10 rounds. For each round, the operator will present a common behavioral diagnosis that can be encountered within society. After explaining that diagnosis, the group will then discuss the symptoms associated with that diagnosis and the operator will answer any questions the class has about the condition. After the rounds have been completed, and the diagnoses have been fully explained, the room is split into two groups to play a game and see what information was retained. This activity is a great way to get a basic understanding of the common diagnoses associated with behavioral health and how they differ from the negative portrayals found within television and the news.

(In-Person and Virtual Options Available.)

“The Emoji’s Game” is a collaborative activity specifically designed for those who have trouble verbalizing or identifying their emotions. In this activity, participants are engaged in a discussion about feelings by using emojis to represent the different emotions experienced throughout life. For the first half of the exercise, participants are given a sheet of paper that has several different emojis on it with words listed at the bottom of the page that match each of the expressions above. The goal is to match each emotional word to the correct emoji facial expression listed on the page. After that part of the exercise is complete, the answer for each of the emojis is provided one at a time, providing an opportunity to discuss that emotion and how it relates to life. This simple exercise is the perfect educational tool to teach behavioral health and inspire group discussions.

(This discussion comes with its own activity. In-Person and Virtual Options Available.)

“The Crossroads Activity” is an interactive discussion that offers 16 different options for groups to experience. (Law Enforcement Officer, Firefighter, First Responder/EMT, High School Educator, College Educator, College Student, Leader/Manager, Call Center Worker, Coach, Doctor, Nurse, Social Worker, Retail Worker, Non-Profit Worker, Clergy, and Librarian Versions.) Each of these versions was constructed with the hopes that it would create a platform to reduce the stigmas associated with behavioral health. In this activity, the group acts as a team while they portray a fictional person struggling to survive a month of living in crisis. They then work together as a group to decide the trajectory of this individual’s month, hoping that their decisions enable the person to survive their emotional experiences. Although the individual in this activity is made up, the circumstances they face within it are not. Like some of our other exercises, each of the stressors/crises experienced within this exercise has happened to real people. This activity is the perfect tool to highlight behavioral health and how stress can leave anyone in a state of crisis when not managed with healthy coping strategies.

Note. This activity pairs well with our "Restoring the Light" simulation used as the closing material.

(This activity provides a data report and overview of the group's mental health.

In-Person and Virtual Options Available.)

This "Experience" is considered more of an interactive group discussion than an activity. In this exercise, David reads aloud 3 different short stories from his book “Life on the Ward”. In this manuscript, David has collected 40 different short stories that summarize memorable moments from his journey with behavioral health and being hospitalized for a severe mental illness. Before arriving at the event, David will present you with a list of the various stories related to his mental health journey. You will choose three of these stories that you think would benefit your group to hear. After that is decided, David will then read these stories to the group and answer any questions that remain. Although this activity can accommodate most groups, some stories are considered mature in nature. That being such, we will always discuss the preferences needed before the activity to ensure that no one is exposed to any unsuitable material. (In-Person and Virtual Options Available.)

In this fast and ever-changing world we live in, life can be quite unpredictable at times. Although we may strive to function in the capacity we are meant to, there always seems to be something that challenges and interrupts that stability. These types of modern-day inconveniences happen to us one after another without us ever having any control over them. They come and go impacting our lives greatly and then leave us alone to clean up the mess made from those experiences. If that wasn't bad enough, the repeated exposure to such situations can also lead to other types of personal crises too. Experiencing constant stress without intervention has widespread implications that leave a negative impression on our jobs, relationships, personal connections, and every other aspect of our lives. The result of those experiences in turn does everything but build up our character or help us offer our best. The continual exposure to these negative situations produces a temperament that is overwhelmed, lackadaisical, selfish, and opposing productivity or success. It's no wonder organizations are struggling to find employees who don't exhibit such attributes. The majority of society is so stressed out from life in general that hardly no one can offer their best anymore, even if they want to. Their lives are shrouded with so much negativity and stress that they cannot see past those emotions and function in a manner that is acceptable to others or beneficial to themselves.

That is why Belmont Behavioral C.C.E. is offering “Restoring the Light”, an exercise specifically built to restore those attributes and teach healthy coping skills for stress. We all have a light inside each of us that wants to shine out brightly for others to see. Unfortunately, the stress and negativity of this life dim that light and make it nearly impossible for the individual to let it shine. "Restoring the Light" addresses these emotions by using positive affirmations and deep breathing techniques to remind each participant that they can hold on to their peace regardless of whether everything around them is chaotic or not. Although life may be out of our hands, "Restoring the Light" reminds us that we can control our actions, perspectives, and responses to life and its stressors. Although we cannot control everything, we can remain positive, focused, and determined to never give up. 

To learn more about “Restoring the Light” and how it can revitalize your group’s productivity and mental health, make sure to contact us today! 

Note: This activity includes three videos that are differentiated by visual stimulation. We also include one version that is "Only Sound" for those who cannot be exposed to such stimuli. Each version can be used to accompany another activity as the closing material, but pairs best with "The Crossroads Activity".   

(In-Person Only, No Virtual Options. This experience requires technological access and a working space that is conducive to the use of electronics.) 

Now that you've chosen your group's activity and discussion, all you have to do next is schedule the event with David and go over the "Experience" details. You can schedule your appointment by scrolling down, clicking the "book here" button below, and emailing me. Or You can contact David directly using the "Contact Me' button on this site and receive a callback.