PODCAST: Putting It Together

Putting It Together is a podcast series designed to help people working in mental health to learn new ideas, implement new skills and hear new approaches to their practice. This could include research expertise, clinical experience, lived experience, equity and social justice topics, or a mixture of all those and more. We talk with a range of guests to get their ideas about how to put it together when working in this challenging and amazing field we call Mental Health. We hope you hear some useful information and/or inspiration for your journey--we are extremely grateful to our whole team and guest colleagues who helped this idea come to fruition. Thank you so much for listening, we look forward to connecting with you so we can keep putting it together!

You can listen and subscribe to our podcast through Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts, or listen via our episodes below.

Trauma-Informed Systems of Care: How to See Your Setting Through a Survivor’s Eyes

We welcome back Dr. Lonnie Nelson to discuss how to make clinical and legal environments and processes feel safer and more welcoming to individuals with a history of trauma.

De-escalation: How to Approach Volatile Behavior in a Clinical Setting

We speak with Dr. Lonnie Nelson about de-escalation in clinical settings using principles of rapid rapport building.

Trauma-Informed Decision-Making for Mental Health Professionals

Rebekah Demirel joins us to discuss decision-making through a trauma-informed lens, as well as how we can carry this resilience into our practice as mental health professionals.

More than a DSM Code: Addressing Stigma Experienced by Families

Carol Dickey joins us to discuss how the stigma attached to mental health disorders is entrenched within the child-serving systems and extends to the family members of children living with complex behavioral health challenges.

Responding to Disasters: Principles and Considerations for Behavioral Health

We welcome back Dr. Kira Mauseth to discuss best practices for addressing behavioral health in the context of natural and human-caused disasters as well as critical incidents.

The Geography of Grief

We speak with Jennifer Springsteen about grief and the importance of tending to it as mental & behavioral health professionals.

Crisis Work: Hope (4/4)

Dr. Kira Mauseth breaks resilience down into four "ingredients" we can practically employ in our professional and personal lives. This episode focuses on the fourth ingredient: Hope.

Crisis Work: Adaptability (3/4)

Dr. Kira Mauseth breaks resilience down into four "ingredients" we can practically employ in our professional and personal lives. This episode focuses on the third ingredient: Adaptability.

Crisis Work: Connection (2/4)

Dr. Kira Mauseth breaks resilience down into four "ingredients" we can practically employ in our professional and personal lives. This episode focuses on the second ingredient: Connection.

Crisis Work: Purpose (1/4)

Dr. Kira Mauseth breaks resilience down into four "ingredients" we can practically employ in our professional and personal lives. This episode focuses on the first ingredient: Purpose.

Suicide Prevention Efforts in Idaho

Learn how healthcare clinicians in Idaho are addressing the state's high suicide rate-- the 11th highest suicide rate in the U.S in 2019-- by building resilient individuals and communities.

Queer and Trans Youth Mental Health

In this episode, we speak about queer and transgender youth mental health with Ryan Tieu, who brings their professional experience as a social worker and lived experiences as a first-generation immigrant, queer, transgender, and young person of color.

So You Want to Be an Ally

We welcome back Sherronda Jamerson to discuss the challenging and emotional question, what does it mean to be an ally?

Resilience for Crisis Line Staff and Teams

We speak with Dr. Kira Mauseth about workplace stress and trauma for those working on crisis lines. She also offers strategies on how to manage the impact of these on your wellbeing.

988 in Washington State - Sharing the Journey

Please join us for an informative and interactive discussion as we hear about efforts in Washington State to support implementing the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline as well as the first Native and Strong Lifeline in the country.

Resilience for In-Person Crisis and First Responder Staff and Teams

We speak with Dr. Kira Mauseth about how those doing in-person crisis intervention and first responder work can find resiliency.

Do You See Me? Moving from Intolerance to Acceptance

Join us as we discuss with Sherronda Jamerson, MA, CDP, how to navigate unconscious racism and create a safe environment where clients of color can be seen fully, as they are, without pretense.

When Race/Racism is the Elephant in the Room

Join us as we discuss with Sherronda Jamerson, MA, CDP, how race impacts therapeutic relationships and how providers can show up for their clients of color.

Intersectionality of the Transitioning Veteran

In this episode, we speak with Ahmad Bennett, MA, MHP, LMFTA, a former US Naval Officer about veterans issues, intersections of identity, transitioning into civilian life and how we can be most effective in supporting those who have served.

Social Justice and Inclusion

In this episode, we talk with Dr. Akansha Vaswani-Bye and Sarah Fikre about their experiences, career paths thus far and what inspires and motivates them to keep pushing for a more equitable landscape in the mental health field. They also discuss how the Social Justice and Inclusion track in the Mental Health Institute will help providers understand that by taking a Social Justice and Inclusion approach to mental health care, we can challenge disparities and inequities in order to provide the most effective and culturally appropriate care for our patients. Listen to learn about the available sessions in the Social Justice and Inclusion Track, how Akansha and Sarah became involved in this work, and what their hopes are for the Mental Health Institute.

Essentials of Care for Supporting Individuals with Serious Mental Illness

In this extended interview, we talk with Faculty & Trainers at the SPIRIT Lab at the University of Washington. SPIRIT stands for Supporting Psychosis Innovation through Research, Implementation, & Training and our Northwest MHTTC team works closely with SPIRIT Lab Faculty as they are core content experts and leaders in that arena. about key training topics for the workforce who support people living with serious mental health conditions. Hear about a training approach backed by experience and research from a training team committed to helping the workforce feel skilled in serving this population. They have worked in the field and are passionate about training others. You will hear how knowledge, attitude and skills to perform this important work and increase your effectiveness and perspective. Come learn best practice strategies that can be implemented in your work with individuals experiencing SMI to support recovery!

Opioid Overdose Prevention

In honor of International Overdose Awareness Day, we speak with Alison Newman about opioid overdose awareness and prevention.

Navigating the Tough Stuff: LGBTQ Suicide Prevention for Families | Part 2/2

In this episode, we speak with Shawna Canaga, Family Support Specialist and the statewide Peer Delivered Services Trainer for Oregon Family Support Network (OFSN) about suicide prevention for LGBTQ people and their families.

Navigating the Tough Stuff: LGBTQ Suicide Awareness for Families | Part 1/2

We speak with Shawna Canaga about increadsing LGBTQ youth suicide awareness from the family perspective. Offered in collaboration with Oregon Family Support Network.

Integration of NCLAS in Health Services Delivery

We speak with Suganya Sockalingam, PhD and Scott van Loo, M about the National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Standards (NCLAS) and how they can be adapted for healthcare systems and educational systems providing school mental health.

Truth, Trauma and Equity-Informed Solutions

We speak with Ashley Stewart, MSW, PhD, LSW, about equity, intergenerational trauma, and strategies to enhance racially equitable standards of practice.

Talking About Equity in Action

We speak with Ashley Stewart, PhD, MSW, LSW, about defining equity and examining actionable steps toward inclusive practices.

Co-occurring Disorders: Compassionate Care for Healing and Recovery

In this episode, we speak with Elizabeth Black, MRC, LADC, about the importance of understanding how each disorder impacts the other is imperative to providing effective interventions.

Increasing Cultural Connection with Hispanic and Latinx Clients: Incorporating Strategies to Effectively Engage Hispanic and Latinx Clients | Part 3/3

In this third epsiode on the topic of Increasing Cultural Connection with Hispanic and Latinx Clients, we discuss cultural needs and treatment adaptations that can best serve the Hispanic and Latinx populations with Michelle Evans, DSW, LCSW, CADC.

Increasing Cultural Connection with Hispanic and Latinx Clients: Assessing the Cultural Needs of the Organization and Clinician | Part 2/3

We discuss cultural needs and treatment adaptations that can best serve the Hispanic and Latinx populations, with a focus on how to assess the organizational environment to identify cultural adaptation needs.

Increasing Cultural Connection with Hispanic and Latinx Clients: Understanding the Needs of the Hispanic and Latinx Client | Part 1/3

Supervising Peer Specialists: How Supervision Can Help Peer Specialists Remain Peer When Working on Clinical Teams

In this episode we speak with Patricia Deegan, PhD, discussing the unique and unduplicated contribution of peer specialists working as members of clinical teams, in particular, issues around supervision.

The Role of the Peer within a Clinical Team

In this episode, Maria Monroe-DeVita, Ph.D, speaks with Patricia Deegan, Ph.D, about the role of the Peer within a clinical team.

Staff Kaleidoscope for Multicultural Providers

We speak with Aleks Martin, MSW, LSWAIC, SUDP, about the term "kaleidoscope" and how it applies to being a mental health provider from their race, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, class, and other "-isms" that break the community apart.

Leader Kaleidoscope for Multicultural Supervisors: Supporting Our Teams

We speak with social worker and LGBTQ activist Aleks Martin about how supervisors of behavioral health/mental health providers can support their diverse teams.

Wisdom to Know the Difference for Direct Service Providers

We talk with Rebekah Demirel of Trauma Integration Programs, how we can view decision-making through a trauma-informed lens and explore one's own personal history, psycho-neuro patterns, and habitual thought processes to build new decision-making paths towards a more stable and dependable foundation of clarity and heart.

Wisdom to Know the Difference for Supervisors

From a Supervisory perspective, Rebekah Demirel of Trauma Integration Programs, discusses how we can view decision-making through a trauma-informed lens and explore our own personal history, psycho-neuro patterns, and habitual thought processes to build new decision-making paths and lead a team from the heart.

Homelessness + Mental Health: Providers with Lived Experience

In this episode, we speak with Steven Samra, MPA, of C4 Innovations, and Will Connelly, CEO, Park Center, about how their lived experience with homelessness and mental health has not only informed their practice in the field but dealing with the challenges of public misconceptions around homelessness.

Opioids, Overdose and Naloxone Administration

We speak with Sean Hemmerle, Overdose Education and Naloxone Distribution Consultant at the Washington State Department of Health, about opioids, mental health, and the importance of a harm reduction approach.

Maximizing Therapeutic Alliance in Suicide Care

Learn about suicide care with Dr Kate Comtois, a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Washington and Director for the Center for Suicide Prevention and Recovery (CSPAR).

Transgender Mental Health

Healthcare and mental health systems have a long history of pathologizing and marginalizing people who identify as transgender. In this episode, we speak with Ryan Tieu, who brings their professional experience as a social worker and lived experiences as a first-generation immigrant, queer, transgender, and young person of color.

LEND A HAND: A Crisis Management, Triage & De-escalation Model

Dr. Kira Mauseth speaks with us about disaster behavioral health and a model she developed for crisis management, triage, and de-escalation called LEND A HAND.

Safe, Sane, and Stable in Turbulent Times

Rebekah Demirel draws from evidence-based, psychotherapeutic modalities to soothe frazzled nervous systems and offer self-care practices to ease burnout.

A Framework for Whole-Person Care in Behavioral Health

We speak with Ken Kraybill, MSW, Senior Trainer at C4 Innovations, about the importance of whole-person care in behavioral health.

Listening to Voices of Lived Experience in Recovery

We speak with three people in recovery about the recovery process, the impact of trauma on recovery, posttraumatic growth, dealing with stigma and racial discrimination, harm reduction, and what they’d like behavioral health practitioners to consider in supporting recovery.

Grief, Exhaustion, and Finding Vitality in Behavioral Health Care for Supervisors & Leadership

We talk to Dr. Kira Mauseth about the impact of long-term, pandemic and other life stressors, and how they affect us as supervisors and leaders in the mental health field.

Grief, Exhaustion, and Finding Vitality in Behavioral Health Care for Staff

We talk to Dr. Kira Mauseth about supports for behavioral healthcare providers in addressing grief, loss, and bereavement.

Disaster Behavioral Health - Health Support Team to Poland for Ukraine Crisis

We talk to Dr. Kira Mauseth her upcoming trip to the Poland to help with the Ukraine refugee crisis.

Cultural Elements of Native Mental Health with a Focus on Rural Issues

In this episode we speak with Raymond Daw, MA, Diné (Navajo) about the disparities Native populations in rural areas suffer from, and cultural elements that can help improve mental health for Native people living in these rural areas.

HOST

CHRISTINA N. CLAYTON, LICSW, SUDP, NORTHWEST MHTTC CO-DIRECTOR

Christina has been working in the behavioral health field since 1993 working with people and programs addressing severe mental health issues, substance use, co-occurring issues, chronic homelessness, integrated care, outreach, physical health, trauma and diversity/equity/inclusion topics. Christina has education and licenses/credentials in clinical social work, mental health and substance use. She is also a Clinical Assistant Profession and Field Instructor for the University of Washington School of Social Work (MSW ’97). Learn more about MHTTC Staff & Faculty

Terms of use and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) disclosure statement

Find a Center

US-Based MHTTCs

US-Based National MHTTCs

Northwest MHTTC Navigation (Select to expand / collapse menu)