Mental Health Professionals
You support the mental health of adolescents—we are here to support you.
Professional development for school-based mental health professionals on suicide prevention and intervention, self-injury, violence/threat assessment, and cyberbullying; as well as consultation services.
Start where you are.
Expertise expected (on everything!). Adolescent-based problems that are somewhat unfamiliar to you can arise and may require specialized skills. The need is high and there is only one of you. Everyone expects suggestions, solutions, and resources. Often you have them, but sometimes you need them.
Searching for relevant resources. When you are in need of more information, it should be current, relatable, and ready to use. INLIGHT Psychological Services started this search for you, so you can focus on the adolescent in your office.
Needing current training. Whether you need to refresh knowledge and skills, gain foundational knowledge, or train others, INLIGHT Psychological Services has solutions for you. Professional development on commonly requested topics is available when you need it (even if it’s the night before).
Professional Development Sessions
In-person professional development sessions are currently available to be scheduled for school-based mental health professionals in select areas in the East Bay area of San Francisco and for small groups (<30) in the INLIGHT office conference room in Walnut Creek, CA. Sessions are LIVE Sessions designed to be 3 hours in length and include information updated through 2024 with a focus on interventions for adolescents. Sessions can be customized to be 1-6 hours in length. Remote-learning and web-based options are also available.
Request a specific topic for your group
Adolescence can get complicated.
Previous Professional Development Sessions
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Niznik, M. & Poland, S. (2024, May). School-based suicide risk assessment as a process. Presentation for American Association of Suicidology Annual Conference (AAS24), Las Vegas, NV.
Niznik, M. (2021, April). Strategies for school-based mental health providers: Managing student self-injury, suicide, and related mental health issues within an online learning environment [webinar]. Presentation for PESI, Inc. Presentation for Georgia Cyber Academy.Niznik, M. (2019, October). Understanding and responding to self-injury in adolescents and young adults. Presentation at 25th Annual Asian American Mental Health Conference, Los Angeles, CA.
Niznik, M., Poland, S., & Lieberman, R. (2019, February). Understanding and responding to self-injury in the schools. NASP Annual Convention: Paper Presentation, Atlanta, GA.
Niznik, M., Cumming, S., & Lemon, D. (2007, October). Suicide prevention in the schools. Presentation to district high school health teachers at Cypress- Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (2005, March). Suicide prevention. Presentation to Hamilton Middle School staff at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (2005, March). Cutters: Understanding self-mutilation in the schools. Presentation to school staff at the Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (Fall 2004, 2003). Suicide prevention. Presentation to Cypress-Fairbanks Department of Transportation at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
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Niznik, M. (2013, September). Cypress-Fairbanks Psychological Services crisis response for Spring ISD high school. Presentation to the Department of Psychological Services at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (2007, February). Suicide and Violence Prevention. Presentation to Spillane Middle School staff at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (2006, February). Suicide and violence prevention in the schools. Presentation to Department of Transportation at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (2003). Suicide prevention in the schools. Presented to district staff at the Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
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Niznik, M., Jacobs, K., Pettit, S., & Dobbins, A. (2012, September). ADHD rating scales: Information for school counselors. Presentation to elementary school counselors at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M., Allain, A., & King, R.A. (2011, October). ADHD rating scales: Information for school counselors. Presentation to new elementary school counselors at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (2008, November). ADHD rating scales: Information for school counselors. Presentation to new elementary school counselors at Cypress- Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M., Clanton, G., Olinger, E., & Johnson, S. (2007, March). ADHD rating scales: Information for school counselors. Presentation to elementary school counselors at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (2005, September). ADHD in the Schools: An educator’s training program. Presentation to psychology pre-doctoral interns at the Cypress- Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M., Dyer, A., Schanding, T., & Schifano, R. (2005). ADHD rating scales in the schools. Presentation to counselors at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (2004, February). ADHD and oppositional behavior: A focus on interventions. Presentation to staff at the Special Opportunity School at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (Fall 2003, 2004). ADHD rating scales. Presentation to new counselors at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005). ADHD in the Schools: An educator’s training program. Presented to educators in the Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (2000, February). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: A focus on interventions. Presentation to elementary school, Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (2000, July). ADHD in the schools: An educator’s training program introduction. Presentation to elementary counselors at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (2000, August). ADHD in the schools: An educator’s training program. Presentation to all diagnosticians at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (1996, October). Interventions for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Presentation at the 32nd Annual Conference of the Learning Disabilities Association of Texas, Austin, TX.
Niznik, M. (1996, February). Teaching and understanding students with attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Presentation at the Conference on Behavioral Disorders, Austin, TX.
Niznik, M. (1993). Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Presentation for teachers at Wells Branch Elementary School at Round Rock ISD, Austin, TX.
Niznik, M. (2004, October). Behavioral disorders in the schools. In-service presentation to entire staff at Hamilton Middle School at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (Fall 2003, Fall 2004). Behavioral disorders in the schools. Presentation to administrators and support staff of Hamilton Middle School, Cypress- Fairbanks, ISD, Houston, TX.
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Niznik, M. (2007, November). Bipolar disorder and ADHD: Manifestation and differentiation. Psychological Services pre-doctoral intern colloquium at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (2005, May). Bipolar disorder: Manifestation and comorbidity. Presentation to Kirk Elementary School staff at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. & Sears, J. (2005, March). Bipolar disorder: Manifestation and comorbidity. Staff development presentation to elementary school counselors at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Niznik, M. (Fall 2004). Bipolar disorder. Presentation to elementary counseling staff at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD, Houston, TX.
Adolescent Resources for Mental Health Professionals
These easily accessible resources about commonly requested topics have been selected specifically for supporting adolescents.
Suicide Prevention Resources
Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)
The Columbia Lighthouse Project
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The Columbia Protocol, also known as the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), supports suicide risk assessment through a series of simple, plain-language questions that anyone can ask. The answers help users identify whether someone is at risk for suicide, assess the severity and immediacy of that risk, and gauge the level of support that the person needs. It is free and easy to use. See also: Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale video training
Suicide Safety Plan
A safety plan is created with students to help guide them through a crisis. The template of the Safety Plan from Stanley & Brown (2008) is available free.
The Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality (CAMS)
CAMS (The Collaborative Assessment and Management of Suicidality) is a treatment framework in which a client and a clinician work together to keep the patient stable, ideally in outpatient therapy, and identifies the “drivers” that compel the client to take their life. The therapist and the client work on treating those drivers to reduce stress, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation while increasing hope. See also:
Columbia Protocol–Helping Schools Save Lives
The Columbia Lighthouse Project
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People working in academic settings can help save lives, increase school safety, and use school resources more efficiently by identifying students who are most at risk for suicide and directing them to the support they need. Schools also need to be better prepared when a student asks for help; many teachers report being approached by an at-risk child. And students themselves need to know the questions to ask a friend or classmate when they believe they have reason for concern. The Columbia Protocol, also known as the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), provides the right questions to ask. The protocol is the ideal risk assessment tool for any school’s suicide prevention strategy.
Empowering Schools, Campuses & Communities to Prevent Suicide & Violence with The Columbia Protocol
The Columbia Lighthouse Project
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Dedicated to improving suicide risk assessment prevention across all sectors of society, the suicide assessment method developed in collaboration with other academic medical centers, the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale, is used extensively in education and healthcare systems, state-wide suicide prevention programs, the military, as well as academic and industry research in the US and abroad.
Preventing Suicide: A Toolkit for High Schools
SAMSHA
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Funded by the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to help high schools, school districts, and their partners design and implement strategies to prevent suicide and promote behavioral health among their students.
JED Set-to-Go High School Initiative
The Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention for High School Students
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This Comprehensive Approach to Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention for High Schools provides high schools and districts with a framework to support and improve student mental health, reduce risk for suicide, and prepare students emotionally for the transition out of high school and into young adulthood.
Mental Health Resources
R U Ok?
Our mission is to inspire and empower people to meaningfully connect with those in their world and lend support when they are struggling with life. The R U OK? vision is a world where we're all connected and are protected from suicide.
#chatsafe for Educators
How teachers can support safe online communication about suicide
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We have created #chatsafe for educators to help educators better equip the young people they have contact with to talk safely on social media about suicide. This resource will provide information on how you can model safe language when talking about suicide, empower young people to safely engage with suicide-related content on social media, and equip young people to make decisions about the way they engage with this content. This resource also provides direct links to social media content that has been designed by young people, which you may wish to share or discuss with your students. Also included are some downloadable resources, and a list of youth-friendly support services.
Directing Change
This page is intended to offer a comprehensive overview of suicide prevention resources for schools.
The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS)
The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) monitors six categories of health-related behaviors that contribute to the leading causes of death and disability among youth and adults.
The Trevor Project
Creating Safer Spaces for LGBTQ Youth
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The majority of young people spend many of their waking hours at school, surrounded by teachers, administrators, and peers. For LGBTQ young people, school can be a tricky place to explore who they are and how they identify, especially if they face harassment, discrimination, or a lack of resources. The Trevor Project is here to offer nonjudgmental support to all LGBTQ young people who may be in crisis, need immediate help, or just need someone to talk to.
#BETHE1TO
These posters highlight the 5 action steps of #BeThe1To. Download them, print them out and hang them up in your communities to spread the word that we can all take action to help prevent suicide.
American Association of Suicidology
We are an inclusive community that envisions a world where people know how to prevent suicide and find hope and healing. AAS promotes research, public awareness programs, public education and training for professionals and volunteers. In addition, AAS serves as a national clearinghouse for information on suicide.
HelpGuide
Dealing with Teen Depression
HelpGuide.org is an independent nonprofit that runs one of the world’s leading mental health websites. Each month, millions of people from all around the world turn to us for trustworthy information they can use to improve their mental health and make healthy changes.
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
AFSP's mission is to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. We fund research to improve interventions, train clinicians in suicide prevention, and advocate for policy that will save lives. We work to find better ways to reach those who suffer, and encourage schools, workplaces, and communities to make mental health a priority.
Suicide Prevention Resource Center
The Suicide Prevention Resource Center (SPRC) is the only federally supported resource center devoted to advancing the implementation of the National Strategy for Suicide Prevention. SPRC is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Teen Line
Teen Line is a 501(c)3 organization that helps teens and provides education and support to the community. Resources include a list of mental health resources and printable materials to support teens, parents, and schools.
Self-injury Resources
Cornell Research Program on Self-Injury and Recovery
The website of the Cornell Research Program on Self-Injury and Recovery shares new research and insight about self-injury and translates the growing body of knowledge about self-injury into resources and tools useful for those seeking to better understand, treat, and prevent it.
Orygen
Factsheet Working with young people: Exploring reasons for self-harm
For clinical and non-clinical professionals who with work with young people. This factsheet explores reasons for self-harm in young people to help us understand and respond appropriately, drawing on the latest evidence from research.
Orygen Training Resources
Resources directly aimed at helping mental health professionals, including webinars.
S.A.F.E. (Self-Abuse Finally Ends)
At S.A.F.E., we help clients learn to delay the urge to self-harm, reflect on what they are feeling and choose an alternative mode of coping. We call this process “enlarging the window of opportunity” between the urge to self-injure and the actual act. Educators are often the first adults to know of a child’s self-destructive behavior. We hope to supplement the protocol you already have in place in your school and increase your awareness and insight into impulsive behaviors.
ADHD Resources
CDC
ADHD in the Classroom: Helping Children Succeed in School
The CDC is the nation’s leading science-based, data-driven, service organization that protects the public’s health. For more than 70 years, we’ve put science into action to help children stay healthy so they can grow and learn; to help families, businesses, and communities fight disease and stay strong; and to protect the public’s health.
Bullying/Cyberbullying Resources
Get Digital: Bullying Prevention, Educator Collection
This collection draws from engagement and wellness pillars to teach key social and emotional learning skills that allow students to think about who they area, how to treat others with respect and kindness and how to take care of themselves when they are experiencing bullying online.
JED Foundation
Understanding Cyberbullying
We are sharing resources to help navigate online interactions to mitigate negative consequences.