Public, practitioners invited to symposium

April 2, 2019 | UHCL Staff

Mental health professionals will explore ethics, multicultural issues, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders and more during the 29th Annual Emily G. Sutter Symposium for Mental and Behavioral Health Friday, April 12, 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., at University of Houston-Clear Lake, 2700 Bay Area Blvd., Houston. In addition, the public is invited to hear keynote speaker, Peace of Mind Foundation founder and Baylor College of Medicine Assistant Professor Elizabeth McIngvale.

“What’s great about the symposium is that attendees have a chance to learn, meet like-minded people, and engage in rich, meaningful conversations about promoting mental health,” said UHCL Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology Steven Bistricky. “Symposium presentations and workshops not only help mental health professionals to stay current with the latest evidence-based knowledge and practices, they allow professionals to exchange ideas about their own different experiences and approaches to delivering mental health services.”

Bistricky added that the keynote presentation by McIngvale will be appealing to the professionals as well as the public who is familiar with McIngvale’s foundation and her poignant personal story.

“We are honored and excited to welcome Dr. McIngvale to UH-Clear Lake to address the highly important issue of providing effective mental health programs for those who may not have access to assistance,” said Bistricky, who notes McIngvale’s passionate advocacy for accessibility of care.

McIngvale has served as a spokesperson for the International Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Foundation and has spoken throughout the country on obsessive-compulsive disorder, mental illness and mental health stigma, as well as access to mental health care. Her presentation, “The Importance of Mental Health Programs for Marginalized Communities and the Positive Impact of Mental Health Services on the Healing Process,” is open to the public and will be held at 10 a.m. in the university’s Bayou Theater.

Hosted by UHCL’s Psychological Services Clinic, the symposium is named for UHCL Professor Emerita Emily Sutter, who joined the faculty in 1981 and twice served as interim dean for the College of Human Sciences and Humanities. She proposed the creation of the mental health symposium.

The fee for the symposium for professionals is $140, with discounts available to school district employees and university students. Admission to the keynote address at 10 a.m. is free. The remainder of presentations will be specifically for mental health professionals and require registration. Proceeds from the symposium support UHCL’s Psychological Services Clinic, which trains graduate students in clinical psychology, health service psychology, marriage and family therapy, applied behavior analysis and school psychology.

To register for the symposium, visit https://www.uhcl.edu/psychological-services-clinic/emily-sutter-symposium/ or call 281-283-3330.