Sessions for mental health professionals

Three online seminars related to mental health will be offered this summer by Kankakee Community College’s Office of Continuing Education and Career Services.

All of the sessions feature Mark Sanders, a licensed social worker and certified alcohol and drug Counselor. Sanders has presented on behavioral health throughout the U.S., Europe, Canada, Caribbean and British Islands. He also is the author of five books, most recently “Recovery Management and Relationship Detox: Helping Clients Develop Healthy Relationships in Recovery.” Sanders has had two stories published in the New York Times bestselling book series, “Chicken Soup for the Soul.”

These courses do not award college credit.

The first session “Mental Health & Wellness During Pandemics” will be Tuesday, July 14 from 9-11 a.m.

It will offer techniques to help participants “go from surviving to thriving” during catastrophic crises such as Sept 11th, natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina and pandemics such as COVID-19.

These events, Saunders said, can traumatize, increase stress, and undermine our sense of well-being and mental health. The session will cover “whole person” wellness; the use of technology for social interactions; positive and negative emotions and activities; helping children cope; coping with panic, grief and trauma; and creating balance while working from home. The session includes lessons from astronauts on dealing with isolation. The cost is $19.

Those in professions including nursing, counseling, social work, physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing home administration, dietitian and respiratory care can earn two contact hours from the Illinois Certification Board upon completion.
The “Effective Co-Occurring Disorders Treatment” seminar will be Thursday, Aug. 20 from 9 a.m. - noon. It will have information including tips to engage clients with co-occurring disorders within the first five minutes of contact, retaining clients within the first 2 sessions, evidence-based approaches to improving outcomes and creating community and the effective use of peers to increase retention and improve outcomes. The cost is $29.

Those in professions including nursing, counseling, social work, may be able to earn Illinois Certification Board contact hours. The contact hours have been applied for and are pending approval.

“The Pursuit of Happiness for Mental & Addiction Professionals” will be offered Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 9 a.m. - noon.
This session will explore happiness, identify problems that may occur in its pursuit, and discuss healthy ways to create a more satisfying life. The session will cover how happiness is seen as a basic American freedom, and how it remains an elusive goal for many who have painful struggles including substance use disorders, depression, anxiety, and loneliness. It will include information on happiness from a therapists’ perspective, and issues including professional burnout, compassion fatigue, and perfectionism. The cost is $29.

Those in professions including nursing, counseling and social work may be able to earn Illinois Certification Board contact hours. Three contact hours have been applied for and are pending approval.

To register online, visit kcc.edu/comejoinus, sign up or login, then search for and select the course, then click on the date and add it to your cart. Within the cart, checkout. To register by phone, or for more information, phone 815-802-8207.

After registering, participants will receive the link and password for the class.