3-Hour Program

See Credit Details Below

Overview

Representing Clients Struggling With Mental Health 2024

Why You Should Attend

Struggling with your mental health is difficult. Representing individuals who struggle with their mental health can be complicated and rife with difficult discussions. Through this three-hour presentation, Chelsea M. Donaldson, a noted expert on mental health and experienced veterans attorney, will walk through a variety of scenarios of representing people who struggle with their mental health, how to effectively communicate with someone in crisis, and end with a discussion on how to manage an often unwieldy support network while still keeping your oath to your client.

What You Will Learn

After completing this program, participants will be able to:

  • Conduct effective conversations with individuals who may be in the throes of a mental health crisis.
  • Identify warning signs of those who may be in a mental health crisis.
  • Apply different communication strategies to different clients depending on their symptoms, including over the phone.
  • Integrate support systems into representation while simultaneously managing attorney-client privilege.

Who Should Attend

Attorneys who work with those most likely to experience a mental health crisis (people in extreme poverty, veterans, LGBTQ+ youth, or other vulnerable populations) will gain insight in how to hone their practice to be more effective in terms of communication.

Special Feature(s): Scholarships are available to attend this program.

Program Level: Update

Prerequisites: An interest in enhancing your communication and advocacy skills to effectively represent clients experiencing mental health challenges.

Advanced Preparation: None



Lecture Topics [Total time 00:03:45]

Segments with an asterisk (*) are available only with the purchase of the entire program.


  • Opening Remarks: An Honest Conversation* [00:11:39]
    Chelsea M. Donaldson, Esq., L.M.S.W.
  • Struggling with Mental Health: How Different Diagnoses Impact Communication [00:59:48]
    Chelsea M. Donaldson, Esq., L.M.S.W.
  • Effective Communication While In Crisis: De-Escalation & Suicidality [01:01:00]
    Chelsea M. Donaldson, Esq., L.M.S.W.
  • The Whole Family: Navigating Complex Systems With Clientele [01:02:03]
    Chelsea M. Donaldson, Esq., L.M.S.W.

The purchase price of this Web Program includes the following articles from the Course Handbook available online:


  • Complete Course Handbook
  • Relationships and PTSD, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, National Center for PTSD
    Chelsea Donaldson
  • Additional Resources: Struggling with Mental Health: How Different Diagnoses Impact Communication
    Chelsea Donaldson
  • Risk and Protective Factors for Suicide, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
    Chelsea Donaldson
  • Additional Resources: Effective Communication While in Crisis: De-Escalation and Suicidality
    Chelsea Donaldson
  • Elder Justice Decision-Making Capacity Resource Guide, Department of Justice, Elder Justice Initiative
    Chelsea Donaldson
  • Additional Resources: The Whole Family: Navigating Complex Systems with Clientele
    Chelsea Donaldson

Presentation Material


  • Struggling with Mental Health: How Different Diagnoses Impact Communication (PowerPoint Slides)
    Chelsea Donaldson
  • Effective Communication While In Crisis: De-Escalation & Suicidality (PowerPoint Slides)
    Chelsea Donaldson
  • The Whole Family: Navigating Complex Systems With Clientele (PowerPoint Slides)
    Chelsea Donaldson

Why You Should Attend

Struggling with your mental health is difficult. Representing individuals who struggle with their mental health can be complicated and rife with difficult discussions. Through this three-hour presentation, Chelsea M. Donaldson, a noted expert on mental health and experienced veterans attorney, will walk through a variety of scenarios of representing people who struggle with their mental health, how to effectively communicate with someone in crisis, and end with a discussion on how to manage an often unwieldy support network while still keeping your oath to your client.

What You Will Learn

After completing this program, participants will be able to:

  • Conduct effective conversations with individuals who may be in the throes of a mental health crisis.
  • Identify warning signs of those who may be in a mental health crisis.
  • Apply different communication strategies to different clients depending on their symptoms, including over the phone.
  • Integrate support systems into representation while simultaneously managing attorney-client privilege.

Who Should Attend

Attorneys who work with those most likely to experience a mental health crisis (people in extreme poverty, veterans, LGBTQ+ youth, or other vulnerable populations) will gain insight in how to hone their practice to be more effective in terms of communication.

Special Feature(s): Scholarships are available to attend this program.

Program Level: Update

Prerequisites: An interest in enhancing your communication and advocacy skills to effectively represent clients experiencing mental health challenges.

Advanced Preparation: None

Credit Details

You May Also Like