OVERVIEW

Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Illness Course is organized by Professional Development Resources (PDR), Inc.

Course Description:
Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Illness is a 2-hour online continuing education (CE/CEU) course that explores the stigmas around mental illness and provides effective strategies to overcome them.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines mental illness stigma as “a range of negative attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors about mental and substance use disorders.” Mental health and substance use disorders are prevalent and among the most highly stigmatized health conditions in the United States, and they remain barriers to full participation in society in areas as basic as education, housing, and employment.

This course will explore the stigmas surrounding mental illness and provide effective strategies clinicians can use to create a therapeutic environment where clients can evaluate their attitudes, beliefs, and fears about mental illness, and ultimately find ways to overcome them. We will explore the ways in which mental illness stigmas shape our beliefs, decisions, and lives. We will then look at specific stigmas about mental illness, from the fear of being seen as crazy to the fear of losing cognitive function and the ways in which we seek to avoid these fears. We will then look at targeted strategies that, you, the clinician, can use to create a therapeutic alliance where change and healing can overcome the client’s fears. Lastly, we will look at the specific exercises you can use in session with your clients to help them address and overcome their biases and stigmas about mental illness.

Learning Objectives:
• Summarize the ways in which stigmas affect our beliefs, thoughts, and decisions about mental illness
• Describe how automatic assumptions and media exposure impact stigmas of mental illness
• Describe how fears about mental illness affect our attitudes and beliefs
• Identify the impact that mental illness stigmas can have on diagnostic accuracy and rapport with the client
• Explain the ways in which a strong therapeutic alliance can help the client overcome the stigma of mental illness
• List steps the clinician can take to help clients address and overcome the stigma of mental illness