Behind Happy Faces: Depression and Suicide, Let’s Talk About It

Too often, we hear stories of young people taking their own lives, and we find ourselves asking what could have been done to prevent these deaths. According to the CDC, suicide is the second leading cause of death among teens. The time to talk about this critical public health issue is NOW. Join us as we bring two important perspectives together for this conversation.

When Ross Szabo was a freshman in college, everything on the surface seemed to be fine. He was making friends, getting good grades, and had a fun social life. However, no one could have imagined how many emotions he was suppressing. Hospitalized for attempting to take his own life during his senior year of high school, he tried to hide what he was feeling to convince everyone that everything was ok, but that can only last for so long. Ross will share his story that resonates with the millions of young adults who are putting on a happy face to hide their true emotions.

Joining us to help provide an understanding of common mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression and their individual differences, is licensed clinical psychologist Jason Washburn, Ph.D. Dr. Washburn will talk about suicide myths and facts, suicide contagion, risk factors, as well as warning signs, and will provide prevention tips for parents and students.

Ross Szabo is an award-winning pioneer of the youth mental health movement and the CEO of the Human Power Project. He is the author of Behind Happy Faces: Taking Charge of Your Mental Health and A Kid’s Book About Anxiety. He has spoken to more than 1 million students about the importance of mental health and provided a positive example to empower them to seek help.

Dr.  Washburn is the director of the Center for Evidence-Based Practice at Amita Health, a professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine where he is the director of graduate studies for the MA and Ph.D. programs in clinical psychology, and director of research in the Center for Childhood Resilience at Lurie Children’s Hospital. Dr. Washburn has over 20 years of experience as a board-certified clinical child psychologist working with children, families, and caregivers in school, community, and hospital settings.

This event will be presented virtually. The link will be posted here when available to log in to this webinar from your computer, tablet or phone.