The 2018 State of Mind Conferences will be held at Gibson Ek High School on March 3 and 24.
Sponsored by Swedish Hospital and organized by the Issaquah Schools Foundation, the Issaquah Youth Advisory Board and Influence the Choice — the Drug Prevention Alliance for Youth, the State of Mind conferences this year will offer education for students and adults around stress management, healthy relationships, teens and technology, body image, suicide prevention, drug use and more.
The keynote speaker will be Josh Cutler presenting on the “Choice Point.” Whether it is anxiety, depression, social and academic pressures, family problems, drugs and alcohol, or the stress of growing up in uncertain times, teens face a daily set of challenges that they must choose how to respond to. The Choice Point highlights the difference between choosing behaviors that move people away from their values versus those that lead toward a more positive life.
Cutler is a licensed independent clinical social worker and behavioral health specialist with 13 years of professional experience in the mental health field.
The conferences offer similar presentations with two date options, March 3 and March 24. They are free and open to students, parents, school staff and community members.
The keynote speaker and breakout sessions will run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. Although free, registration is needed and is available online at www.healthyyouthinitiative.org.
