Untying the Human Knot:
Managing Stress and Anxiety in Today’s World
Feeling “stressed out”? Anxious about school or work performance, a life change, relationship, or recent events? You are not alone!
On Saturday, June 10, 2023 we explored the stress response and the impact it can have on our physical and mental health, as well as when everyday anxiety becomes an anxiety disorder, one of the most common mental health challenges in the US. We also learned what we can do to manage stress, and about local community resources.
The conference opened with a light breakfast and a community provider exhibit hall, followed by a panel presentation. It featured breakout sessions on several topics connected to understanding and managing stress and anxiety.
Of those surveyed 95% rated the conference as excellent/very good and are likely to attend/recommend future NRCI conferences.
We thank our panelists and presenters, sponsors, volunteers, and our host, Evanston Township High School.
An annual event since 2002, the NRCI Community Mental Health Conference brings together persons with lived experience, those that care for them, mental health and other professionals and interested community members.
Save the date for our 22nd Annual
Community Mental Health Conference
Date: Saturday, June 8, 2024
Location: Evanston Township High School
2023 Annual Conference Panelist Information
Gabriela Diaz
Program Coordinator, Erasing the Distance
Gabriela Diaz is a Chicago based actor, teaching artist and mental health advocate. Originally from Houston, TX, Gabriela received her BFA at Webster University’s Leigh Gerdine College of Fine Arts. She has collaborated with Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, as a performer and teaching artist, bringing shows to schools across Missouri and Illinois. She has also had the joy of working with The Art Institute, Steppenwolf Theatre, Firebrand Theatre, Jackalope Theatre and others.
Gabriela worked as an intake coordinator for a creative arts therapy clinic, InTouch & Motion, where she was exposed to the power of the arts in the therapeutic process. She has found a creative home in Erasing The Distance (ETD), where she gets to combine her passion for the arts and mental health. Gabriela has been working with ETD since 2018 as a teaching artist facilitating programs throughout the Chicagoland area in order to disarm stigma through the power of storytelling. As a person living with anxiety, Gabriela finds immense joy in sharing her own story to create space and spark dialogue about the human experience.
Orson Morrison, PsyD
Associate Director, DePaul University Counseling & Psychological Services
Owner, LifeSpan Counseling & Psychological Services, LLP
Dr. Orson Morrison (he/him) is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, consultant, educator and the co-owner of LifeSpan Counseling & Psychological Services, a group psychological services practice. He is also the Associate Director of the DePaul University Counseling & Psychological Services. Dr. Morrison has worked in a variety of clinical settings including college counseling centers, community mental health centers, inpatient and outpatient medical settings, private practice, and in academic-clinical research units. Dr. Morrison has also taught graduate-level coursework in Psychology and offers trainings to the community on a variety of mental health topics.
Dr. Morrison’s professional interests and areas of expertise include psychotherapy with children, adolescents, adults and families, racial and intergenerational trauma, psychological assessment, and contemplative practices. Dr. Morrison’s approach to clinical leadership and practice is under-pinned by a commitment to social justice, multi culturalism, inclusivity, and anti-racism. He has spent his career working towards improving access to quality mental health services for all.
Paula Young, PhD
Senior Clinical Director at Rogers Behavioral Health
Dr. Paula Young is a licensed clinical psychologist and Senior Clinical Director at Rogers Behavioral Health where she oversees the training of staff and delivery of care for patients in the outpatient PHP and IOP programs. She received her Doctor of Philosophy degree in psychology from Rosalind Franklin University of Health Sciences and has received advanced training from experts in the field of Cognitive Behavior therapy at the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Young has been involved in NIH-funded treatment studies using Cognitive Behavioral therapy to treat depression and anxiety and has presented to numerous clinical and academic audiences across the country. She has taught the CBT courses for both Clinical Psychology and Counseling students at Northwestern University for over 15 years and has maintained a practice at The Family Institute for over 20 years. She is a diplomate of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, and a Fellow of the Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy.
Moderated by Mark Reinecke, PhD
Professor Emeritus Northwestern University
Dr. Reinecke is Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and past Chief of the Division of Psychology at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. He served for 14 years as the Director of the Center for Cognitive Therapy in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Chicago. He is a Distinguished Fellow and former president of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, and a Diplomat of the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) in Clinical Psychology and Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology. Dr. Reinecke is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, the Association for Psychological Science, and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies. His research and clinical interests center on understanding and treating depression, suicide, and anxiety among children and adolescents. He has lectured internationally and has served as a visiting professor at institutions in Europe and Asia. Widely published, he has authored or edited 11 books including Little Ways to Keep Calm and Carry On (Twenty Lessons for Managing Worry, Anxiety, and Fear).
