10th Annual Wellness Together Conference: Full Schedule

arrow_back View All Dates

10:30am PDT

Laughing Together

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT

Improvised comedy has placed many legendary actors in television shows and movies - but it all started as social work. Laughing Together brings improv back to its roots, providing schools with workshops that allow participants to connect through the power of improvised play, bond through laughter, feel the joy of failure, practice unconditional support, and teach ways to communicate ideas simply and clearly. During our workshop, audience members will have a chance to play games and look at the many ways comedy is a Trojan horse that increases social health.

Continuing Education Session Information:

Course Syllabus | Speaker Resume | Session Flyer | Course Attendance | Course Evaluation

Upon completion of the course, attendance form, and evaluation, you will receive a Confirmation of Attendance Certificate through email. If you do not receive your Confirmation of Attendance Certificate within ten business days, please contact [email protected]

This course meets the qualifications for 1.0 hours of Continuing Education Credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Wellness Together, Inc., Provider #141369, is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor Continuing Education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Wellness Together maintains responsibility for this course and its content.

Speakers

Chris Gethard

Comedian, Actor, and Author, Wellness Together

Chris Gethard is a comedian, podcaster, author, actor, and former television host. He’s been an active performer for over two decades. His work expanded to include mental health advocacy and activism after the release of his 2017 HBO special Career Suicide, in which he detailed... Read More →

Laughing Together Flyer pdf

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
33 A

Breakout

Audience Community Partners & Nonprofits, Corporate Leaders, District Administrators, Education Leaders, Higher Ed Faculty, Mental Health Professionals, Parents & Caregivers, Policy & Advocacy Professionals, School Site Admin, HR Staff, Teachers & Instructional Leaders
Continuing Education Tracks BBS Continuing Education

10:30am PDT

Under Construction™: Adolescent Brain Development in Real Classrooms

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT

32 A-B

Under Construction™: Adolescent Brain Development in Real Classrooms is a highly interactive session translating adolescent brain science into practical, educator‑ready strategies that improve behavior, engagement, and learning. The session begins by addressing a common challenge in middle and high schools: adolescent behavior is often misunderstood and punished rather than interpreted through a developmental lens shaped by brain maturation, stress sensitivity, and evolving executive functioning.

Participants are introduced to the BUILD™ Model—Belonging, Understanding risk‑reward systems, Impulse buffering, Learning through errors, and Dignity‑preserving accountability—as a framework for aligning instruction, discipline, and MTSS supports with how the adolescent brain develops. Brain myth‑versus‑fact polls engage participants in debunking common misconceptions and building shared understanding of impulse control, decision‑making, and emotional regulation.
Using real‑world school scenarios, participants engage in facilitated, small‑group problem solving to apply the BUILD™ framework to classroom responses, discipline decisions, and policy alignment while maintaining accountability and safety. Structured discussions explore how misaligned policies can unintentionally escalate adolescent behavior.

The session concludes with guided application and reflection, ensuring participants leave with ready‑to‑use tools, including a Decision‑Making Delay Tool, Risk‑vs‑Reward Interview Guide, and a Brain‑Aligned Discipline Planning Sheet. Grounded in evidence that brain‑aligned approaches improve self‑regulation and decision‑making, this session equips educators to respond to behavior with clarity and purpose while supporting mental well‑being as a foundation for learning.

Continuing Education Information

Course Syllabus | Speaker Resume | Session Flyer | Course Attendance | Course Evaluation

Upon completion of the course, attendance form, and evaluation, you will receive a Confirmation of Attendance Certificate through email. If you do not receive your Confirmation of Attendance Certificate within ten business days, please contact [email protected]

This course meets the qualifications for 1.0 hours of Continuing Education Credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Wellness Together, Inc., Provider #141369, is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor Continuing Education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Wellness Together maintains responsibility for this course and its content.

Speakers

Dr. Tiffany Chaney

LPC S, PSC, Climate & Culture Specialist, Harris County Department of Education

At the heart of everything I do is a deep commitment to children. I believe every child deserves champions who see their strengths, nurture their potential, and help them navigate life's challenges. As a School Climate and Culture Specialist, I work to build school communities where... Read More →

Dr. Michelle B. Calhoun, LPC-S, PSC

Climate and Culture Specialist, Harris County Department of Education

The Adolescent Brain and Student Success Participant Slides pdf

Tools Adolescent Brain Development Tools.docx pdf

Under Construction Flyer pdf

Thursday September 10, 2026 10:30am - 11:30am PDT
32 A-B

Breakout

Audience Community Partners & Nonprofits, District Administrators, Education Leaders, Policy & Advocacy Professionals, Mental Health Professionals, Teachers & Instructional Leaders
Continuing Education Tracks BBS Continuing Education

2:30pm PDT

Its Bigger Than Burnout: Naming the SPIN That Keeps Us in Hustle Mode

Thursday September 10, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT

31 C

Chronic stressors across every dimension of our lives, not just workplace demand, shape how we show up in the classroom and for ourselves. No matter how hard we try, a path out of hustle mode feels elusive. In a culture that keeps us teetering on burnout, what will help us anchor ourselves in sustainable practices that fit our lives, unravel shame, and find our way back to connection to ourselves, to others, and what we value most?

The SPIN cycle (Shame, Pressure, Isolation, Neglect) gives language to the forces that keep us in hustle mode despite our best efforts--especially those who are most impacted by systemic forces of inequity. Inclusive wellness offers a framework for addressing structural change and access to resources at the collective level, while supporting individual wellness in context, honoring how lived experience shapes unique wellness needs.

When we understand and address the SPIN in our own lives, we model what is possible for our students. Giving language to our own struggles helps our students to name their own without shame. Together, we work as a collective to create the conditions and structural support required to thrive, not just survive.

Continuing Education Session Information:

Course Syllabus | Speaker Resume | Session Flyer | Course Attendance | Course Evaluation

Upon completion of the course, attendance form, and evaluation, you will receive a Confirmation of Attendance Certificate through email. If you do not receive your Confirmation of Attendance Certificate within ten business days, please contact [email protected]

This course meets the qualifications for 1.0 hours of Continuing Education Credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Wellness Together, Inc., Provider #141369, is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor Continuing Education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Wellness Together maintains responsibility for this course and its content.

Speakers

Portia Jackson Preston

California State University, Fullerton

It's Bigger Than Burnout Flyer pdf

Thursday September 10, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
31 C

Breakout

Continuing Education Tracks BBS Continuing Education

2:30pm PDT

The Journey of Healing and Growth: How Moana Can Teach Us All

Thursday September 10, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT

31 A

Identity. Community. Purpose. Meaning. Bravery. Renewal. Hope. Our teens need to see themselves as part of a bigger story. Disney's Moana gives a model. This session will glean insights from the film that those who help kids can use to provide a sense of direction and purpose. Our kids' challenges and wounds are framed as opportunities for living out a life that embraces adventure, service, discovery and purpose.

Continuing Education Session Information:

Course Syllabus | Speaker Resume | Session Flyer | Course Attendance | Course Evaluation

Upon completion of the course, attendance form, and evaluation, you will receive a Confirmation of Attendance Certificate through email. If you do not receive your Confirmation of Attendance Certificate within ten business days, please contact [email protected]

This course meets the qualifications for 1.0 hours of Continuing Education Credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Wellness Together, Inc., Provider #141369, is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor Continuing Education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Wellness Together maintains responsibility for this course and its content.

Speakers

Scott Leiker

Clinical Supervisor, Wellness Together

Scott has been a therapist and clinical supervisor for a long time. Several years ago his youngest child started watching Moana - a lot. So that meant that Scott watched it. And, instead of being more and more annoyed, he became more and more intrigued. Like so many great... Read More →

The Journey of Healing and Growth Flyer pdf

Moana Worksheet pdf

Thursday September 10, 2026 2:30pm - 3:30pm PDT
31 A

Breakout

Continuing Education Tracks BBS Continuing Education

3:45pm PDT

Winning Beyond the Game: Coaching Strategies that Strengthen Mental Health and Performance

Thursday September 10, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT

33 B

This presentation equips coaches, athletic directors, educators, and school leaders with practical strategies to support student-athlete mental health while improving performance and long-term development. The session begins by examining the growing prevalence of anxiety and depression among adolescents and highlights the influential role coaches play in shaping athletes' confidence, resilience, and emotional well-being. It introduces key concepts from child and adolescent development, including Erikson's stages of psychosocial development, to explain how coaching impacts identity and self-esteem.

Participants engage in interactive discussions exploring how anxiety manifests in sports and the effects of negative or highly critical coaching environments. The presentation then shifts to evidence-based coaching practices that foster confidence, reduce anxiety, and create psychologically safe team cultures. Topics include providing descriptive feedback, emphasizing effort over outcomes, using constructive praise, and applying the "Support–Instruction–Encouragement" feedback model. The session concludes with actionable takeaways emphasizing that positive coaching environments not only enhance athletic performance but also contribute to healthy emotional development, increased motivation, and lifelong success both on and off the field.

Continuing Education Session Information:

Course Syllabus | Speaker Resume | Session Flyer | Course Attendance | Course Evaluation

Upon completion of the course, attendance form, and evaluation, you will receive a Confirmation of Attendance Certificate through email. If you do not receive your Confirmation of Attendance Certificate within ten business days, please contact [email protected]

This course meets the qualifications for 1.0 hours of Continuing Education Credit for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. Wellness Together, Inc., Provider #141369, is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor Continuing Education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Wellness Together maintains responsibility for this course and its content.

Speakers

Clete Purinton, M. Ed.

Principal, Roseville City School District

Ashleigh Purinton

Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist, Oasis Kids Counseling, Inc

Ashleigh is a licensed clinician with over 15 years of experience supporting youth and young adults ages 10–21. She is passionate about walking alongside tweens, teens, and college students as they navigate the changes and challenges of growing up. Ashleigh equips students with... Read More →

Winning Beyond the Game Flyer pdf

Winning Beyond The Game Slides pdf

Thursday September 10, 2026 3:45pm - 4:45pm PDT
33 B

Breakout

Continuing Education Tracks BBS Continuing Education

10:30am PDT

10:30am PDT

2:30pm PDT

2:30pm PDT

3:45pm PDT

Get help with the event