PDA: Mental Health in Library Settings Training Course

SCELC partners with peer library consortia around the country to form the Professional Development Alliance (PDA)! The PDA is dedicated to sharing our professional development opportunities with other alliance members. This new initiative multiplies the number and variety of online professional development opportunities available to the member libraries of each participating consortium. PDA webinars are freely available to librarians and staff at all SCELC Member and Affiliate Institutions.

Session Details:

This webinar will provide a basic overview of common mental health situations that may arise in library settings, with the goal of emphasizing an empathic understanding for the patrons experiencing these mental health challenges. The webinar will discuss strategies for crisis management including de-escalation and effective communication skills to use with patrons in distress. Lastly, this webinar will describe strategies library professionals may use to avoid compassion fatigue and burn-out.

Presenters

Tom Miebach is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) with fifteen years of experience providing a variety of mental health services to the Champaign-Urbana community. He has a background in crisis intervention that includes working in community mental health, emergency room, and inpatient hospital settings. He has also worked at the University of Illinois Counseling Center for six years, where he provided a variety of clinical services to diverse groups of students, including individual and group therapy, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention outreach. Tom is also an adjunct instructor for the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois.

Tom Miebach PhD is the Director of Online Education for the School of Social Work at the University of Illinois, helping to create and support courses and programs for both for-credit and professional education components of the School. He has extensive experience in instructional design, course development, and online pedagogy, and enjoys helping faculty and instructors to develop and improve their teaching practice.