S’more Wellness: Mental Health and Community Care at Camp

Presenter: Emily Golinsky, Bright Moose Training

Behavior is basically the Titanic…so if we’re not asking “what’s below the surface?”, then we’re missing the key element to managing it well. Effective behavior management involves going beyond what we see, and looking deeper to determine what’s really going on. Join me to learn a failsafe decoding strategy that will keep your behavior boat from sinking!

Outcomes: Participants will learn (a) the importance of decoding the feelings/needs behind seen behaviors, and (b) an easy, effective technique for decoding.

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Presenter: Jeremy Wernick, LCSW, NYU Langone

Learn how to recognize, respond to, and understand self-harm using a non-judgmental approach. This workshop will help participants identify risk factors for self-harm and learn to respond effectively in situations in which campers are struggling to cope effectively with the unique challenges at camp. We will also discuss the importance of differentiating our responsibilities as camp leaders versus the role of licensed mental health professionals. As the incidence of self-injurious behaviors among young people increases, it is important that camps are prepared to identify and respond appropriately to these dangerous behaviors that impact campers as well as their peers, counselors, leadership, clergy, and caretakers.

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Presenter: Donna Chioke, MSW-LCSW-C, S’more Melanin

Camp is an opportunity to create a sense of belonging for each camper and community member – if we consider the range of experiences and identities we are welcoming into camp. In this session, you’ll learn frameworks for thinking about mental health for first time campers, delve into understanding a little more about trauma, and explore how race and identity impact and intersect with mental health – and how camp experiences influence all of the above.

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Presenter: Jory Hanselman Mayschak & Emily Heeren, BaMidbar

While stress and anxiety have always been present, we are living through a uniquely stressful period. What are stress, anxiety, and trauma – and how do they impact youth? What behaviors might we see this summer as a result of a year of uncertainty and shared adversity? How does an understanding of stress and anxiety help us prepare for a successful summer camp season? This interactive session will provide a framework to understand the impact of stress, anxiety, and trauma on our mind and body. Together, camp staff will explore facilitation strategies and techniques to create a stress-informed summer camp environment to support both campers, peers, and selves.

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Presenters: Lianne Forman & Sharon Darack, Jewish Communities Confronting Substance Use & Addiction

Learn about the dangers of substance use while addressing general mental health concerns in camp. This training will cover recognizing signs and symptoms of campers and staff who may be facing challenges, how to approach someone you are concerned about, coping mechanisms for those struggling, and protective factors vs. risk factors for addiction. Participants will also be introduced to current trends in substance use and recognizing devices, stash items, and substances (including everyday products).

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Presenters: Kyrah Altman, LEAD Inc.

Participants will be empowered to: 

• Distinguish situational anxiety and homesickness, or “moments of sadness,” from symptoms of diagnosable mental illnesses. 

• Discuss the impacts of social and cultural identities on care-seeking and help-seeking behaviors at camp. 

• Build a toolbox of strategies to support campers or staff experiencing moments of sadness at Jewish Summer Camp. 

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Youth Mental Health First Aid is designed to teach caregivers of all kinds how to help an adolescent (age 12-18) who is experiencing a mental health or addictions challenge or is in crisis. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5-step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations. 

7 Hours (2-hours of self-paced online pre-work + a 5-hour instructor-led synchronous course on zoom) 

Register Here for courses being offered (all costs covered!) in partnership with the Jewish Teen Engagement & Education Funder Collaborative powered by JFNA. 

• Sunday, May 15 and Wednesday, May 18th @ 7 pm – 10 pm ET (4 pm – 7 pm PT)  PASSED
• Thursday, May 19th @ Noon – 5 pm ET (9 am – 2 pm PT)  Register Here WAIT LIST
• Monday, May 23rd @ 9:30 – 3 pm ET (6:30 am – 9 am PT) with The Jewish Education Project & RootOne  Register Here
• Wednesday, June 1st @ Noon – 5 pm ET (9 am – 2 pm PT)  Register Here WAIT LIST
• Sunday, June 5th @ Noon – 5 pm ET (9 am – 2 pm PT)  Register Here Interest List Open (Priority for BBYO Summer Staff)
• Tuesday, June 14 and Thursday, June 16th  @ Noon – 3 pm ET (9 am – 12 pm PT)  Register Here Interest List Open (Priority for Israel Travel Alliance)
• Sunday, June 26th @ Noon – 5 pm ET (9 am – 2 pm PT)  Register Here Interest List Open (Priority for BBYO Summer Staff)

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Camp Mental Health Certification introduces camp staff to risk factors, warning signs, and prevalence of mental illness in adolescent campers. Training is provided through L.E.A.D.: Let’s Empower, Act, Do. The course requires 2-hours of self-paced online pre-work + 2-hour instructor-led synchronous course on zoom. 

Register here using the “FJC-Affiliated” ticket option for $50/person discount. Choose from courses on May 18th or May 25th, both from 2-4pm ET!