Wellness Conference: March 30-31, 2023
Casper College Counseling Services believes in the importance of offering professionals, students and interested community members opportunities to learn about a variety of topics related to both physical and mental health.
Each spring we sponsor the annual Wellness Conference. The Wellness Conference allows professionals and experts in the Rocky Mountain Region to come together and share their expertise.
The Wellness Conference consists of several mini-courses presented by professionals in the community. These mini-courses throughout Thursday are FREE to the public. On Friday the workshop for professionals is presented and a fee is required to attend this workshop.
The Friday workshop, which includes 3 ethics CEUs, is designed for master or doctoral level mental health professionals and requires pre-registration and $30 payment. We hope to see you all there!
12 CEUs will be available this year
For more information, please contact Erin Ford
Casper College Wellness Center 307-268-2255 • erin.ford@caspercollege.edu
Download the 2023 conference brochure (PDF)
Registration for Friday afternoon’s professional workshop
To pay by check:Please return this registration form to: Casper College Counseling
Registration Form (PDF)
Attn: Erin Ford
125 College Drive • Casper, WY 82601
email: erin.ford@caspercollege.edu
To pay by credit card:
- Call Casper College Accounting at 307-268-2244
- Email registration information to erin.ford@caspercollege.edu
Schedule and Session Descriptions
Location: Walter H. Nolte Gateway building, Room 225
Thursday, March 30, 2023
9-10:20 a.m.
Opposite Genders Don’t Exist
- Kristina Pham, MS
Many people believe that biological sex is binary: either you’re male or you’re female. But as with many binaries, things are more complicated than they seem. This informative presentation will begin with an explanation of why thinking of biological sex in the binary is harmful, discuss gender as an
expression of personality, and finally, will offer ways to be a good ally as a person and professional.
10:30-11:50 a.m.
Working with Seniors – The Final Frontier
- Lisa Thomas, LCSW
Aging is a natural process that may present challenges for some individuals and their families. All adults may experience health issues and stress as they age and the support of a therapist or other mental health professional may help ease the transition. This presentation will discuss the importance of working with this population, settings where helpers might work with seniors, their access to health care, and challenges that may arise, as well as other important facts and statistics to consider when working with this population.
Lunch — Each attendee will be responsible for their own lunch.
Refreshments will be provided throughout the conference.
1-2:20 p.m.
Wellness and Sexual Health: Intersections and Decision Making
- Emma Burton-Hopkins, MHE, CHES
Sexual health is an integral part of living an authentic life and it requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships. This presentation will focus on the relationship between wellness and sexual health, the factors associated with risk, and access to care. Finally, this
presentation will elaborate on distinctions between wellness decisions and sexual health decisions to bring participants an informed approach on this challenging topic.
2:30-3:50 p.m.
Drums, Shakers, Flutes and Bells – The Spiritual Practice of a Drum Circle
- Brenda Evans, M.Ed
Every society in the world has music. Music is associated with all aspects of human behavior and emotions. Attendees will learn about the history of each instrument as we add it to our circle, how drum circles have been used traditionally and in contexts such as company team building, improving
communication, as well as in therapeutic interventions. Participants may also engage in creative expression through experiential practices within the drum circle.
Friday, March 31, 2022
9-11:50 a.m.
Beyond Anorexia: Rethinking Eating Disorders
- Grace Shearrer, Ph.D.
Traditionally when we think of eating disorders, we imagine one of two, either anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa. However, disordered eating goes beyond restriction and purging. In this session we will examine the less overt, but still present disordered eating including binge eating disorder, orthorexia,
restrictive eating, and eating competence. We will also consider socio-economic underpinnings of restrictive eating.
Lunch — Each attendee will be responsible for their own lunch.
Refreshments will be provided throughout the conference.
1:00-3:50 p.m.
America’s Mass Murder Epidemic and Ethical implications for Mental Health Professionals
- John Ordiway MS, LPC, LAT
- Diana Quealy-Berge Ph.D., LPC, LAT
With the continued increase in mass murder in the US, more states are looking at passing red flag laws to help stem the tired of mass shooting events. This workshop will focus on the need to develop a sound assessment for red flag laws, the ethical implications of enforcement of red flag laws and examining patient’s rights vs. community safety.
Friday workshops are designed for mental health professionals and requires preregistration and $30 payment.
Includes 3 Ethics CEUS!