Mental health expert to speak at Sacred Heart Schools on May 4
Stanford visiting professor Michael Lindsey, Ph.D., will give a lecture on the rise of suicide attempts among Black youths on May 4 at Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton (SHS). Lindsey holds a doctorate and master’s degrees in social work and public health and is a noted scholar in the fields of child and adolescent mental health.
The goal of the presentation is to raise awareness about mental health struggles in young people and provide access to the community on better comprehending what it means to acknowledge and protect young Black lives, especially in the realm of mental health.
“During the course of my work I have found that mental health struggles aren’t always recognized as such in our young people,” said Lindsey. “I hope to illuminate ways for students and their families to understand each other better and have the tools to support each other in having difficult conversations about mental health.”
The lecture, which is in person and open to the greater community, will take place in Harman Auditorium in the Homer Science Center at Sacred Heart Schools, 150 Valparaiso Avenue. It will also be streamed online.
Register here
SHS Chief Mission, Culture, & Strategy Officer James Everitt, Ed.D., said the discussion will provide a safe space for SHS community members — and the greater community — to engage with an expert on the topic of adolescent suicide prevention.
“SHS places upmost importance on social-emotional support and psychoeducation, through personal counselors at every grade level and additional, comprehensive services through our Personal Counseling Office, Academic Support Center (ASC), and the Office of Mission, Culture, and Strategy (OMCS),” said Everitt.
Everitt went on to explain that SHS has increasingly mirrored the diversity of the Bay Area, representing greater socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural diversity on its campus.
“Currently, 50 percent of the SHS student body racially self-identifies as something other than Caucasian,” said Everitt. “It is important to us to engage with important thinkers from a wide range of fields and academia to serve our community.”
With the easing of pandemic-related restrictions, the school has resumed in-person guest lectures. For Lindsey’s upcoming presentation, a key focus will be on “helping teens and families speak candidly on what it means to navigate depression together,” said Lindsey.
“My work aims to [advocate] for teens facing difficulties with depression by recognizing that they are not alone and that there are individuals and information available to help.”
