Caring for others is a beautiful, humanistic trait; however, without boundaries those same traits can lead to emotional bankruptcy. Are you or someone you know a careaholic? This workshop helps to identify root causes leading to careaholism and strategies for recovery and establishing healthy boundaries.

This presentation will cover a brief overview of some daunting statistics, the warning signs, risk factors and protective factors of suicide. The session will look at how things might not always look as they truly  are and the importance of asking questions and assisting those experiencing mental health situations to not ignore their pain. Participants will be given guidelines on how to talk to friends and family about suicide.

Discussing mental health with parents can be a challenging topic as it is often neglected or considered uncomfortable to talk about. However, it's important to create an open pathway for our children to discuss their feelings with us. So, how can we make it easier for them to talk about what's uncomfortable but necessary? By normalizing the conversation and actively encouraging them to share their thoughts and emotions with us. Let's prioritize discussing mental health and create a safe space for open and honest conversations.

You are more likely to encounter someone in an emotional or mental crisis than someone having a heart attack. This session will help people recognize the signs and symptoms of mental illness  and what steps to take.  This session is for anyone - parents, neighbors, students, first responders, teachers, leaders of faith communities, human resources professionals, and caring citizens.  Be part of the solution.

Dr. Bernice Gordon-Young is a licensed psychotherapist, entrepreneur, not-for-profit founder, and social change agent. She is employed at the Peoria County Jail, where she counsels detainees and assist with crisis management. She is the owner of Smart Recovery Intervention Counseling Center, where she provide counseling services to children, adolescents, and adults. To support the surge in mental health challenges associated with pandemic fatigue and race-based trauma, she also counsels men, women, and children around the globe through telehealth. Dr. Gordon-Young is the Founder and President of It Takes a Village of Peoria, Inc. a not-for-profit organization founded in 2016 and is aimed at assisting children and their families with basic needs at no cost. She serves on numerous Boards, including the Illinois Opioid Remediation Advisory Board, Health and Human Services Committee of the Racial Justice Commission for the City of Peoria, Central Illinois Friends, the Women’s Fund, Central Illinois Lupus Support Group, and Central Illinois Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired. She has received numerous awards for her efforts, including WEEK 25 Women in Leadership, Peoria Public Schools Community Contribution Award, and most recently, Dr. Gordon-Young was elected to serve on the Peoria City Council.

Ryan Hobson Sr. has dedicated almost 27 years of his career to the mental health community. He graduated from MacMurray College and began working at an ICF, which is commonly referred to as a nursing home. After this, he became a psycho-social rehabilitator service coordinator. He then continued to further his career at the Human Service Center as an outpatient mental health casemanager. Ryan also facilitated many mental health groups and was a member of the psycho-social team. He later joined the Emergency Response Service team, where he completed county and city field psych evaluations, which largely involved calls for suicidal and homicidal ideation, as well as assessing and addressing family disputes and linkage for public intoxication.

Ryan is a member of the Illinois Crisis Negotiators Association and has been involved in crisis counseling for many years. He is only two months away from completing 25 years of work as a crisis counselor for the same company. Additionally, Ryan sits on boards and is involved in a mentor group for at-risk youth. He is a proud member of The Church Of Living God and is actively involved in the youth ministry. Ryan is grounded in his faith and gives unselfishly to his community.

Denise King graduated from Bradley University with a Master's in Community Clinical Psychology.  With over 31 years of experience in community mental health, she is dually licensed and certified in both mental health and substance use services. Currently, King serves as the Manager of Community Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Use Services at Trillium Place, an affiliate of Carle Health.