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Professional Development for Teachers

Teachers who focus on their mental health inspire students to focus on their mental health. They also foster a collaborative environment that empowers students to perform better academically.

Programs:

“Mike did a great job at presenting to our staff! In fact, our exit ticket indicated that he was the best speaker that we have brought to our district. We are definitely looking to bring him back if willing to speak to our students/parents. I would really like to continue our work together!”

– Tiffany Owen, Director of Curriculum and Professional Learning, Horseheads Central School District

Approach

Mike uses his lifetime experience as a person living with depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder and his passion as a professional musician to deliver engaging and interactive presentations. The goal is always the same: to add exceptional value to your event and provide participants with actionable steps and practical tools to help them solve problems. It’s that simple!

Promotional Resources

IMPORTANT: All of the programs below are remarkably customizable. Whether it’s professional development for teachers, a summer workshop, or a school assembly, Mike and his team will work with you to find a solution to achieve your goals. You choose from the options below to create an awesome program for your attendees.

Transforming Stigma® in the Classroom

This educational, energetic, entertaining keynote has been a source of MOTIVATION and SUICIDE PREVENTION for teachers throughout the USA. It’s an abundance of simple and practical steps (with colorful examples) that teachers can take to transform self-destructive behavior – IMMEDIATELY. This presentation offers HOPE and TOOLS for teachers that work with students who are struggling with mental health challenges, behavioral health challenges, and self-destructive behavior.

Mike Veny shares his personal story about growing up with depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. He then introduces The Stigma Cycle™: “Stigma starts with shame. Shame leads to silence. Silence leads to self-destructive behavior and suicide.” This is behavior repeats and creates a downward and endless spiral.

Learning Outcomes

Through this informative, engaging and entertaining keynote, teachers learn actionable steps to help them:

  • Understand how The Stigma Cycle™ stops students from asking for help.
  • Understand how to use self-care to replace shame.
  • Use conversation to transform student silence.
  • Transform the sabotage, self-destructive behavior and social injustice while also preventing suicide by connecting with others and helping students to do the same.

CAS learning and development outcomes this workshop focuses on:

  • Intrapersonal development
  • Humanitarianism and civic engagement
  • Practical competence

Presentation details:

  • 1-hour keynote presentation.
  • Includes the option to purchase a book and a workbook for each student.
  • It can be used as part of an existing training program or Active Minds programming.
  • Download the Rider for logistics and room setup details.

“With humor, optimism, and quality interventions, he provided us with useful strategies to employ in our classrooms. Mike’s gift for working with children with special needs is apparent to all who had the privilege of listening to his message.”

Cheryl Rosenfeld, Director of Westcop Therapeutic Nursery and Head Start

The Unleash Your Groove™ Workshop

This program is designed exclusively as a professional development program for teachers that focuses on DIVERSITY & INCLUSION. Teachers learn simple music skills, rhythms, and how to work as a team. Most importantly, they learn rhythms by repeating phrases such as, “I Feel Happy When I’m With Friends!” that promote INCLUSION.

By the end of this session, teachers will have created a stronger bond with each other through performing an original percussion composition and a complex percussion rhythm together as a group. There will be plenty of music and laughter throughout the interactive games!

Learning Outcomes:

Through this energetic and engaging workshop, teachers will learn practical tools to help empower:

  • Belonging – Everyone has a yearning to belong to something. When you intentionally create an environment that facilitates belonging, it’s the first step to building trust among a school community. Teachers are empowered to do this through guidelines that teach them RESPECT and to embrace DIVERSITY.
  • Bonding – Once teachers feel a sense of belonging, they become open to bonding with each other. We have a deep desire to bond with others– we long to connect. Teachers are empowered to do this through the guidelines that teach them how to WORK TOGETHER and BE HONEST with one another.
  • Believing – Once teachers in a school community genuinely bond with one another, they become open to believing in themselves and something bigger. This believing leads to a profound sense of CONFIDENCE, SELF ESTEEM, MOTIVATION, & HEALTHY EXPRESSION.

CAS learning and development outcomes this workshop focuses on:

  • Interpersonal competence
  • Humanitarianism and civic engagement
  • Practical competence

Workshop details:

  • 1-3 hour interactive workshop.
  • Often used as part of existing training.
  • Every teacher gets a percussion instrument to use.
  • Download the Rider for logistics and room setup details.

“The feedback we received was highly positive in terms of his ability to engage and inspire the students, and in fact, out of all the speakers, Mike received a standing ovation from the audience. Shortly after the Youth Summit Event, we also hosted a drum circle, which Mike led as part of team building event for our staff during Mental Health Awareness Week. The staff also provided excellent positive feedback on Mike and his abilities to engage, motivate and facilitate a great and fun time for all participants.”

– Marie Hoy, Chief Operations Officer, Canadian Mental Health Association, Halton Region Branch

Mike Veny & the Wounded Warrior Project’s Physical Health & Wellness Team

“He was successful in engaging anywhere between 24 and 100 students for a period of one hour, something many veteran teachers have difficulty doing.”

– Jenny Goldberg, Everybody Deserves Music

No harm in finishing this page off with a freebie or an invitation to get in touch via a contact form.


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