One positive fallout from Clint Eastwood’s latest movie, “American Sniper,” has been the growing awareness of and discussion about mental health.
The movie, as you know by now, tells the story of Chris Kyle, an American sniper who suffered his own scars with post-traumatic stress disorder. Kyle returned to his native Texas and was then shot to death by another veteran who also was suffering from PTSD.
In the aftermath of the movie’s release, we learned that the number of American veterans who served in Afghanistan or Iraq who have committed suicide has surpassed the number of American veterans who died in combat in those wars.
In other words, now more than ever, the topic of mental health needs to take on a greater focus in the American conversation. With that backdrop, the theme of the 2015 Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Wellness Summit presented by BizTimes Media will be “The Competitive Advantage of a Mentally Healthy Workplace.”
The event will take place Friday, March 27, at the Sheraton Milwaukee Brookfield Hotel on Moorland Road from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m.
A panel of speakers will provide insights on several aspects: techniques for managing stress; identifying the warning signs of mental health problems; the importance of mental health for overall wellness; and best practices for creating a mentally healthy workplace.
The keynote panelists will include:
- Craig Modell, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist who is the owner and director of the Stress Management and Mental Health Clinics in the Milwaukee area. Modell is a consultant and trainer in skill development and stress management in the workplace.
- Paula Carlton, DNP, a doctor of nursing practice with Aurora Advanced Healthcare in West Bend. She works closely with physicians to identify and treat patients suffering from mental health problems. Her practice features a strong emphasis on patient education and wellness.
- Dawn Zak is the associate director of Mental Health America of Wisconsin. She has more than 27 years of experience in the mental health and substance abuse field. She developed and provided statewide training and coordination for workplaces on mental health, substance abuse and wellness.
BizTimes invites all of its readers to attend the conference, which will be especially insightful for business owners and other executives, including human resource directors and office managers.
After the panel discussion, several exhibits and breakout sessions will take place, providing the latest and greatest insights about wellness, including nutrition, fitness, stress management and best practices for implementing a wellness program.
To learn more about the conference and register to attend, visit www.biztimes.com/wellness.
