Promoting Optimal Mental Health

Your Course Description

Your Competency Focus Area

Mental Health Basics

Mental health conditions are increasing worldwide. Youth workers see the effects of mental health challenges in young people daily.
That often creates mental health challenges for youth workers too. It is critical to sharpen your self-care skills, and increase support systems for optimal mental health for yourself and young people.
Gain insight and a more expansive understanding about mental illness and mental health. Learn about mental flourishing as a framework for supporting your own mental health and a tool to help young people manage their mental health.

Your Learning Objectives

Distinguish between the terms “mental illness” and “mental health”
Explore the components of mental flourishing
Shift your thinking around the common narrative about mental health in the United States
Name three common and effective methods of self-care
Understand current mental health struggles through the lens of loss, grief, and trauma

Your Course Details

Completion Certificate
Youth Worker Track
This training will count as 1.5 CE hours for most boards. Please contact your board directly with questions on submitting. Course details for CE submissions provided.

Your Trainer

Cari Michaels is a public health educator who works in partnership with leaders across campuses and community organizations to promote mental well-being. For over 25 years, she has served in community and university settings to strengthen families and children. Her work has brought her to rural health centers, urban crisis agencies, and many projects and partnerships in higher education. Currently she works as an Extension Educator within the University of Minnesota's Center for Family Development. Cari holds a Master of Public Health degree from the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and a self-designed undergraduate degree from the University of Minnesota in public health and child development.

Through strong community engagement, Cari creates educational curricula, interdisciplinary training events, and long-term partnerships that address social determinants of health and promote equity. She is passionate about addressing the needs of parents of young children, and using socio-ecological approaches to educate about mental wellness.