Mental Health Symposium 2023 Schedule of Events (cont.)

 Virtual Ability Presents

the 12th Annual Mental Health Symposium

“Self-Identity and Mental Health”

Friday, May 12, 2023

Sojourner Auditorium,

Virtual Ability Island

In Second Life

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Virtual%20Ability/53/172/23

Mental Health Symposium 2023 Schedule of Events (cont.)

All times are in SLT/PDT.

Start Time: 9:00 am
Presenter: Dr. Kate Cooper

Institution: University of Bath

Presenter Biography: Dr. Kate Cooper is a clinical psychologist and researcher from the University of Bath in the UK. Kate’s work focuses on understanding social identity and gender identity in autistic people to promote psychological wellbeing.

Title of Talk: Autism social identity and well-being

Abstract: This presentation will start by looking at different ways to understand identity. It will focus on research about identity in autistic people and how social identity processes can support psychological wellbeing.

Start Time: 10:00 am
Presenter: Dr. Fred Berlin

Institution: Johns Hopkins

Presenter Biography: Fred S. Berlin, M.D., Ph.D. is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and an Attending Physician at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He is the Director of the National Institute for the Study, Prevention and Treatment of Sexual Trauma and the Director of The Johns Hopkins Sex and Gender Clinic. Dr. Berlin has given addresses at the White House, the US Senate, and the European Parliament, and frequently testifies as an expert witness in addition to his numerous publications.

Title of Talk: Transgender Persons (Gender Dysphoria)

Abstract: The presentation will describe the nature of gender dysphoria (sometimes called gender incongruence), and what is known about its etiology. It will review historical and cross cultural examples of transgender persons and communities. It will discuss whether transgender persons should be permitted to participate in athletic events in keeping with their personal sense of gender identity, and it will address the question of what is a man and what is a woman. It will briefly discuss hormonal, surgical, and mental health supports available for transgender (and non-binary) adults and children.

Start Time: 11:00 am
Presenter: Dr. Bonnie Vest and Dr. Rachel Hoopsick

Institution:     University at Buffalo,
                        University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Presenter Biography: Dr. Bonnie M. Vest is a Research Associate Professor in the Primary Care Research Institute, Department of Family Medicine, at the University at Buffalo. She is a medical anthropologist and her research focuses on the complex relationships between identity, substance use, mental health, and social-environmental factors that impact healthcare utilization and overall well-being of military populations, using qualitative and mixed-methods approaches.

Dr. Rachel Hoopsick (she/her) is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Community Health at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She uses epidemiologic methods and a socioecological lens to understand risk and resilience for problems with substance use and mental health among populations with high-stress occupations and life circumstances. Her research has primarily focused on military populations (including veterans, active duty service members, reservists, and military-connected families), with a particular focus on never-deployed service members and veterans – a population at increased risk for problems with substance use, mental health, and barriers to healthcare services, yet remains understudied.

Title of Talk: Military Identity and Service Expectations among Reservists: Associations with Mental Health and Substance Use

Abstract: Operation: SAFETY is an ongoing longitudinal study (PI: G. Homish) that examines the health and well-being of US Reserve and National Guard soldiers and their spouses. In this presentation, we will share insights into how military identity and military service expectations play into mental health and substance use outcomes among reservists. Specifically, we will discuss relationships between negative emotions related to not deploying and veteran identity centrality on substance use and mental health, as well as the intersections between them.

Start Time: 12:00 pm
Presenter: Wonkyung Jung, PhD, RN

Institution: Johns Hopkins School of Nursing

Presenter Biography: Wonkyung Jung is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the RESILIENCE Center at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Baltimore, Maryland. Her research interests focus on healthy aging and social integration among people with disabilities.

Title of Talk: Social Integration and Resilience

Abstract: We will talk about the concept of social integration and introduce the Resilience Center at the RESILIENCE Center in the School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University.  The RESILIENCE Center funds several research projects for intervention development and dissemination. Among the projects, we will introduce “CAPABLE Family” and “Designed With You.”  “CAPABLE Family” is to adapt the original CAPABLE study for older adults with mild cognitive impairment and early-stage dementia and their family members. “Designed With You” is aimed to identify the needs of caregivers with disabilities and develop tailored interventions using human-centered design.