Beyond Borders: Global Mental Health Conference: Full Schedule

Beyond Borders: Global Collaborations for Mental Health Research and Services Conference

8:00am CDT

Between Reality and Hyperreality: Building Resilience During COVID-19 Through Digital Classrooms

Thursday October 8, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Much has been said and written on the COVID-19 pandemic and its various impacts on our physical and mental health. The objectives of this paper are to analyse certain issues and concerns through a personal memoir, i.e., my experience of teaching and supervising the post-graduate students of Social Work, through digital platforms during the COVID-19 pandemic at my workplace, Bankura...
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Speakers

Suchetana Ghosh

Assitant Professor/Dr., Bankura University

Biography: Dr Suchetana GhoshB.A. in History (Jadavpur University, Calcutta); M.A. in Social Work (TISS, Mumbai); M.Phil. in Social Sciences in Health (J.N.U., New Delhi); PhD (J.N.U., New Delhi).Dr Suchetana Ghosh specialises in interdisciplinary research areas converging Gender Studies-Medical Humanities-Public Health-Social Work.Dr Ghosh’s PhD thesis, “A Social History of Disease and Prostitution in Bengal: From Syphilis to AIDS”, was a comparative and interdiscip... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Student Mental Health

8:00am CDT

Beyond the Silence: Exploring Suicidal Tendencies, Coping Mechanisms, and Psychosocial Challenges among University Students in Bangladesh

Thursday October 8, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Suicidal tendencies among university students have become an alarming public health and social issue in Bangladesh, posing serious challenges to students' mental well-being, academic success, and social relationships. The transition to university life often exposes students to various psychosocial stressors, including academic pressure, financial constraints, family expectations, relationship...
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Speakers

Md. Alim Uddin Al Azad

Administrative Officer, Department of Social Work, hahjalal University of Science and yechnomogy , Sylhet, Bangladesh, Shahjalal University of Science and yechnomogy , Sylhet, Bangladesh

I am Alim Uddin Al Azad. Currently, I am as an Administrative Officer in the department of Social work at Shahjalal University and Science and Technology, Sylhet, Bangladesh and an independent researcher. My research interested is mental health, public health, disability, and... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Student Mental Health

8:00am CDT

College Students’ Mental Health Well-Being and Their Knowledge and Use of Self-Care

Thursday October 8, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

There is a growing mental health crisis on U.S. college campuses. Because of stigma, costs, and limited college counseling services, this study seeks to understand how self-care can promote a college student’s mental health. This mixed-methods survey took place at a public university in the Southwestern region of the U.S. Correlational and regression analyses found that self-care was a predictor...
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Speakers

Dr. Craig Stern

Assistant Professor of Social Work, New Mexico Highlands University

I am an Assistant Professor of Social Work in the Facundo Valdez School of Social Work at New Mexico Highlands University. I am a licensed social worker in the State of Colorado, and I have been teaching in higher education for 19 years. I have published peer-reviewed articles... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Student Mental Health

10:00am CDT

Inherited Wounds: Understanding Generational Trauma, Its Impacts On The Community, And Healing Practices

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

Generational trauma, and intergenerational (or ancestral trauma), refers to the emotional, psychological, and even physical wounds passed down through families and communities. These traumas often stem from unresolved pain, systemic oppression, and deeply rooted cycles of adversity. While it may seem invisible, its impact is far-reaching, manifesting in behaviors, relationships, health issues, and...
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Speakers

Teddie Hill

Director of Outreach & Wellness, Champaign County Christian Health Center

Teddie is a certified holistic wellness coach with 5+ years of experience helping overgivers, high-achievers, caretakers, and service providers prioritize themselves, regulate their emotions, and build more balanced, grounded lives.
With a background in trauma-informed healing, MB... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

Social Determinants

global Y

10:00am CDT

Still called a lunatic: mental health law as structural harm in a small island state

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

In St Kitts and Nevis, a person experiencing a mental health crisis can still be legally described as a lunatic. They can be ordered into confinement by a magistrate, without legal representation, without the right to be present at the hearing, and without any guarantee of treatment. The law that permits this is the Lunacy and Mental Treatment Act 1956 — a colonial statute that has never been...
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Speakers

Micheleina Charles-Hazelle

Second Year Law Student, University of the West Indies St. Augustine Law Student

Micheleina Charles-Hazelle is an LLB (Hons) candidate at the Faculty of Law, University of the West Indies, St Augustine, where she balances full-time study alongside her role as primary caregiver to her mother, who lives with a mental health condition. A national of St Kitts and... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

Social Determinants

global Y

10:00am CDT

Affirming Care in Restrictive Contexts: Exploring LGBTIQ+ Mental Healthcare Experiences in Zimbabwe

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:00am - 12:00pm CDT

Presentation AbstractMental healthcare access for LGBTIQ+ individuals in Zimbabwe is shaped by structural inequities, social stigma, and heteronormative healthcare systems that often undermine psychological safety and wellbeing. While global mental health research has increasingly recognised the impact of minority stress on mental health outcomes, there is limited evidence from African contexts...
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Speakers

Fennie Mudzi

PhD Candidate, University of Johannesburg

Presenter BiographyFennie Mudzi is a PhD Candidate in Educational Psychology at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa, whose research focuses on the lived experiences of LGBTIQ+ individuals accessing therapy and mental healthcare services in Zimbabwe. She holds a Master of Science in Child Rights... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:00am - 12:00pm CDT

Social Determinants

global Y

10:00am CDT

Beyond Survival: A Survivor-Clinician's Reflections on Trauma, Healing, and Resilience

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:00am - 12:00pm CDT

Resilience is often described as an individual trait, suggesting that people simply “bounce back” from adversity through strength or determination. Yet survivors of trauma know that healing is rarely linear and that resilience is often built through relationships, opportunities, and communities that foster safety and connection. This presentation explores resilience through the unique...
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Speakers

Jennifer Moreno

Director of Clinical Services, Crisis Center for South Suburbia

Jennifer Moreno, MA, LCPC, CADC, is a Clinical Director, counselor, educator, and survivor advocate with nearly two decades of experience working in mental health, substance use treatment, and trauma-informed care. A survivor of human trafficking, domestic violence, and complex trauma... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 10:00am - 12:00pm CDT

Social Determinants

1:00pm CDT

Performing Care, Misreading Relationships, and Cultural Promise: What AI Chatbots Get Wrong and Right About Vulnerable Users

Thursday October 8, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

AI can play a supplementary role in mental health care rather than a replacement. Waitlists, last-minute cancellations, insurance barriers, and geographic shortages make conventional care structurally unavailable to much of the population it claims to serve. Yet current AIs hold assumptions about vulnerable users that actively misrepresent them.This presentation identifies three distinct...
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Speakers

Weihao Ge

Research Scientist, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Weihao Ge is a Research Scientist at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Trained in biophysics and statistical modeling, her work spans computational epidemiology, machine learning, and systems-level analysis of complex human and biological data. Her research experience... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

AI & Mental Health

global Y

1:00pm CDT

When Algorithms Become Therapists: AI Chatbot Use Among Adolescents, Depression Self-Diagnosis, and the Misinformation Gap

Thursday October 8, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

The United States is facing a serious youth mental health crisis. Approximately 18% of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 experience depressive episodes each year, and nearly 40% of those receive no mental health care (McBain et al., 2025). Into this gap, generative AI chatbots have become informal mental health resources. A 2025 nationally representative survey of 1,058 youth aged 12 to 21...
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Speakers

Oluwatodimu Ogunade

MSW Candidate, Illinois State University, Graduate Assistant, Illinois State University

Todimu is an emerging scholar and MSW candidate at Illinois State University, where her research sits at the intersection of social work, media literacy, and youth psychosocial wellbeing. She holds an MA in English Rhetoric and Writing and is the developer of the REAL Framework, a... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

AI & Mental Health

global Y

3:00pm CDT

Beyond visibility: Cultivating resilience among learners with Albinism and MIDD in Soweto Township through an Ubuntu Lens

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Learners with albinism and mild intellectual developmental disorder (MIDD) in Soweto township demonstrate resilience as they navigate complex and intersecting challenges within their educational and social environments. Moving beyond visibility, this study foregrounds how these learners respond to barriers associated with visual impairments, visible physical differences, and cognitive and adaptive...
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Speakers

Prof Daphney Mawila-Chauke

Professor, University of Johannesburg

Prof Daphney Mawila is an academic and researcher affiliated with the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Her work is situated within the field of educational psychology, with a particular focus on the psychosocial wellbeing, mental health, and resilience of learners with diverse... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Lived Experience

global Y

3:00pm CDT

Creative Agency in Crisis: High-Stakes Negotiation and the Lifelong Journey of Trauma Recovery

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

How does the human mind maintain resilience and exercise autonomy when entirely stripped of physical freedom? This presentation explores the extraordinary lived experience of surviving a violent kidnapping, utilizing creative psychological framing to negotiate release, and navigating the long-term, non-linear realities of post-traumatic stress.Far from a passive narrative of endurance, this...
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Speakers

Stephanie Speidel

President, Genesis Mental Health Inc

Stephanie Speidel is a Licensed Professional Counselor, Certified Employee Assistance Professional, and National Certified Counselor dedicated to helping individuals navigate life’s challenges with clarity, compassion, and confidence. She attended the University at Buffalo wh... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Lived Experience

global Y

3:00pm CDT

Living Alongside Voices: A Lived-Experience and Clinical Framework for Building Resilience in Psychosis Spectrum Experiences

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Psychosis spectrum experiences (PSE), including hearing voices, are too often understood only through a deficit-based, symptom-focused lens — one that centers medication, underemphasizes relational approaches, and leaves little room for the perspectives of people who live with these experiences. This session presents a co-developed, peer-and-clinician framework for serving voice-hearers, their...
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Speakers

Jeannie Bass, CPS

Director of Peer Support, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Jeannie Bass, CPS, is a Certified Peer Specialist with over a decade of experience providing peer support in the public sector, community, and private mental health settings. She is a recognized leader in the international Hearing Voices Movement. Jeannie brings her lived experience... Read More →

Carina A. Iati, PsyD

Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Commonwealth of Massachusetts

Carina A. Iati, PsyD, is a licensed clinical psychologist specializing in psychosis spectrum experiences, complex trauma, and the unique needs of transitional age youth. She earned her doctorate from Indiana State University and completed advanced training at the University of Massachusetts Medical School/Worcester... Read More →

Thursday October 8, 2026 3:00pm - 4:00pm CDT

Lived Experience

global Y

8:00am CDT

How Addressing Employee Trauma Can Increase Workplace Productivity and Your Bottom line (HR executives, corporate leaders, change management professionals)

Friday October 9, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Employee trauma, whether stemming from personal experiences or workplace stressors, has a profound impact on organizational effectiveness. Left unaddressed, it manifests in absenteeism, disengagement, high turnover, and diminished innovation. This paper argues that proactive trauma-informed practices are not only ethical but also economically advantageous. By integrating trauma-sensitive policies,...
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Speakers

PAMELA J. PINE

Keynote Speaker, Trainer, Director of Department of the Institute of Violence, Abuse and Trauma (IVAT), +1 (240) 351-7740

Dr. Pamela J Pine (PhD, MPH, MAIA, RCHES) has been an international health, development, and communication professional throughout her adult life, concentrating on enhancing the lives of the poor and otherwise underserved groups throughout the world. For the past 2.5 decades, she... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Workplace Mental Health

8:00am CDT

Reflective Supervision as a Pathway to Workforce Resilience in Home Visiting Programs

Friday October 9, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Background Home visiting programs promote child development, family health, and positive parenting, yet workforce stress, burnout, and turnover threaten service quality and continuity. This study examined how reflective supervision, tenure, stress, and burnout influence turnover intentions among home visitors and supervisors. It also explored work-related stressors, resilience strategies, and how...
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Speakers

Shahana Begum

Statistical Analysis Leader, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Social Work - Center for Prevention Research and Development

Shahana Begum is a Statistical Analysis Leader with the Center for Prevention Research and Development (CPRD) at the University of Illinois. Sha has a master’s degree in mathematics, majored in Statistics from the University of New Orleans. She has been with the center since December... Read More →

Tuyen Bui

Assistant Research Scientist, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Social Work - Center for Prevention Research and Development

Tuyen Bui is an Assistant Research Scientist at the Center for Prevention Research and Development (CPRD), School of Social Work, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). She received her PhD in Social Work from UIUC and her MSW from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri... Read More →

Viviana Deltas

Assistant Director Research Programs, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign School of Social Work - Center for Prevention Research and Development

Viviana Deltas is the Assistant Director of Research Programs at the Center for Prevention Research and Development (CPRD) within the University of Illinois School of Social Work in Urbana-Champaign. In her role, she serves as the Principal Investigator for research and evaluation... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 8:00am - 9:00am CDT

Workplace Mental Health

10:00am CDT

Lost in Translation: The First Generation

Friday October 9, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

This panel explores the experiences and perspectives of first-generation Americans and the unique challenges that can come with growing up between cultures. Many of these children take on responsibilities early in life, often serving as translators and advocates while also trying to figure out their own sense of identity and belonging. Having to balance family expectations, cultural values, and...
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Speakers

Samantha Knight (she/her)

MSW Student, University of Illinois at Urbana Champiagn

Samantha Knight is a first-generation mixed Palestinian American from the northwest suburbs of Chicago and a Master of Social Work candidate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Clinical Psychology from UIUC in 2023, where she... Read More →

Asia Ahmed

MSW student, University of Illinois- Urbana-Champaign

Asia Ahmed is a graduate student in Social Work at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with a passion for mental health advocacy, community engagement, and creating more open conversations around emotional wellbeing. As a first generation American of Indian descent, much... Read More →

Manuela Haddad

iMSW Student, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Manuela is currently a graduate student in the iMSW program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She obtained a B.A. in English and Psychology from the University of Tennessee in 2016 and served as a high school English teacher with Peace Corps Madagascar from 2018 to 2020... Read More →

E. Daniela Vergara

MSW student, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Daniela or Danie Vergara is a graduate student in Social Work at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. She obtained a B.A. from the University of California San Diego in 2013 in Ethnic Studies. She’s currently the Associate Director and Department of Justice Accredited Representative... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

Migration & Resilience

global Y

10:00am CDT

Resilience and Trauma: How to Cultivate Societal Resilience in an Ongoing War? Lessons from Ukraine’s Youth

Friday October 9, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

Across the world, communities are navigating intensifying collective stress: war, displacement, polarization, ecological instability, historical distortion, and prolonged uncertainty. This panel discussion explores resilience as the capacity of individuals, communities, and institutions to maintain coherence, identity, and ethical judgment while undergoing transformation and crisis.Drawing on our...
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Speakers

Kosha Joubert

CEO, Pocket Project

Kosha Joubert is the CEO of the Pocket Project, where she works closely with Thomas Huebl and a global team to grow a culture of trauma-informed care. Kosha is an expert facilitator, coach and organisational development facilitator who has worked on systems regeneration, trauma-informed lea... Read More →

Adrian Wagner

Researcher (currently working on a PHD), Universität Witten/Herdecke & Pocket Project

Adrian Wagner, Social Worker, works at the intersection of applied complexity and emotional attunement, holding space for both individual and collective blind spots with care and discernment. He is a researcher with The Pocket Project and collaborates with Complexity Partners as a consultant.Over the past 15 years... Read More →

Daria Yemets

Ukraine Trauma Relief project manager, Pocket Project

Daria Yemets is a psychologist and researcher, born in Kharkiv, Ukraine. She works in the field of collective trauma and aims to address the transgenerational trauma transmission and to maintain historical truth in Ukraine. Currently, is working in alliance with the Pocket Project, developing... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 10:00am - 11:00am CDT

Migration & Resilience

global Y

1:00pm CDT

A 101 Year Journey of Mindfulness: Childhood through the Golden Years

Friday October 9, 2026 1:00pm - 1:30pm CDT

Dr. Dave will present both his personal and professional experiences with the practice of mindfulness across diverse populations, including children, adolescents, adults, and communities. He will discuss the applicability of mindfulness in a variety of situations and contexts, such as managing grief, resolving conflict, and strengthening interpersonal relationships. His approach is grounded in...
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Speakers

Sandhya Dave

IMSW Student, University of Illinois Urbana Champaign

Sandhya Dave is 29 years old. She received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the field of special education and has 6 years of teaching experience. She is now pursuing a master’s degree in the field of social work with the focus of working... Read More →

Jagdish Dave

Retired, N/a

Dr Dave is from Gujarat, India and currently resides in Tempe, Arizona. Dr. Jagdish P Dave received a M.A. and Ph.D. in Education from the University of Chicago and Doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology, Psy.D, from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. Dr. Dave is a retired... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 1:00pm - 1:30pm CDT

Mental Health Across the Lifespan

1:00pm CDT

Rewiring Resilience: The Neuroscience of Recovery and Human Potential

Friday October 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

Rewiring Resilience: What the Neuroscience of Addiction Teaches Us About Healing, Hope, and Human Potential explores how adversity, substance use, and other high-risk behaviors affect the developing brain while highlighting the remarkable capacity for healing and growth. Participants will gain an accessible understanding of brain development, the neuroscience of addiction, and the ways addiction...
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Speakers

Jordan Blanks

Counselor Intern, Phoenix House Texas

Jordan Blanks is the Executive Assistant at Phoenix House Texas in Dallas, where she supports senior leadership and advances the organization’s mission of providing comprehensive substance use and mental health treatment, prevention, and education services across Texas.
She holds an Associate of Applied Science in Administrative Child Development from Tyler Junior College and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a minor in Child Development from Texas Christian University. She is currently enrolled in Texas Christian University’s CACREP-accredited... Read More →

Drew Dutton

CEO, Phoenix House Texas

Drew Dutton, LPC-S, LCDC, ACPS, is a nationally recognized leader in adolescent and adult substance use treatment, prevention, and mental health. He serves as President and CEO of Phoenix House Texas, a statewide nonprofit known for its evidence-based programming and impactful work... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

Mental Health Across the Lifespan

1:00pm CDT

Unlock Resilience. Embrace Possiblity.

Friday October 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

This workshop, Unlock Resilience. Embrace Possibility., examines how early experiences shape brain development and influence well-being from birth through adulthood. During the earliest years of life, the brain is highly adaptable, forming neural connections that serve as the foundation for learning, behavior, and health. Positive, responsive relationships with caregivers and supportive...
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Speakers

Jessica Smiley

SOC Specialist, PATH, University of Illinois

Jessica Smiley, MSW, LCSW, CCTP is a SOC Specialist at University of Illinois. Prior to that role, she was a Project Director for Community Together, a $2.1 million initiative building a Systems of Care in Macon and DeWitt Counties in partnership with over 100 organizations. A Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master’s from the University of Illinois, Jessica has nearly 20 years... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 1:00pm - 2:00pm CDT

Mental Health Across the Lifespan

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