E2 - Finding Purpose in the Sea of Despair - Responding to Crisis in Modern Students

This inaugural presentation is titled “Finding the Power of Purpose in the Sea of Despair.” It is based on the book chapter, Responding to Crisis in a Modern Student: Strategy and Tools for “What Do I Do When?” Mental health statistics worsened during and after the pandemic. The growing need to help students and young adults be able to find purpose in their lives, both as a shield for life’s storms and as a foundation for hope. The presentation centers on three areas of engagement for developing teens and young adults: prevention, intervention, and reinvention. Strategic planning, crisis prevention tools, and crisis follow-up charts are included. Religiosity serves as a key tool in all three areas of engagement for the development of students and teens as they learn to utilize the “Power of Purpose.” Religiosity is defined as the practice of one’s faith with others. Using the first area of engagement, long range prevention, builds hope through purpose, community, worth, and meaning. Building lives upon faith, “the rock,” as Jesus would say, results in many students avoiding unnecessary storms in life. Being surrounded with community, purpose, meaning, and hope changes behaviors. As a result of increased personal development, the difficult crises that do come may be handled better. In addition to the prevention provided by living life in a community of faith, when intervention is needed, friends and caregivers participating in this training can use their developed skills to help others weather storms. Ultimately, by practicing religiosity, purpose filled students and teens can reinvent their lives beyond the crisis. Reinvention’s goals are fulfilled when survivors grow in faith, meaning, purpose, worth, and community.

*Profession Specific CEs:

This presentation is approved for 2 PDH from EAPA- Employee Assistance Professionals Association.

2 CE Credits for NAADAC, This course has been approved by International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF), as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider # 87914, International Critical Incident Stress Foundation (ICISF), is responsible for all aspects of the programing.

*Review ICISF World Congress 17 CE website page for additional requirements.