Student Mental Health Screening & Discussion

Student Mental Health Matters Screening & Discussion | November 1

Join Buffalo Toronto Public Media on Wednesday, November 1 at 5:30pm for screening part of Now Return Us to Normal, a presentation of a new student mental health toolkit, a panel discussion, and dinner!

Public media stations across New York State are focusing on youth mental health and suicide prevention. Public media is renowned for its thoughtful and thorough approach to public affairs and social issues, and Student Mental Health Matters touches on topics as wide-ranging as adverse childhood experiences, stress and self-harm, suicide prevention, and the role of social media.

About the Documentary

Now Return Us to Normal is a film written and directed by Leslie Koren, produced by Leslie Koren and Laura Heberton.

SYNOPSIS: With a quiet and contemplative tone, Koren hasn’t made an alarmist expose on a questionable industry but rather focuses on her own journey as she processes the power Oakley once held over her. Participants include her parents, who speak comfortably about their choices once Koren easies their tensions regarding the project. They are not to blame––they simply thought they were making the right choice.....The stories are mostly familiar with some choosing to remain anonymous as they hope to build careers and live their lives following their traumatic experiences. For Koren, the focus is on personal growth as she logs thousands of cross-country miles to investigate the origins of her condition which includes recurring nightmares and anxiety about Oakley. Now Return Us to Normal is a kind of personal, poetic road movie, interested in the journey even if the destination is somewhat unclear.

WATCH

Now Return Us to Normal | Preview

In this ultimately healing personal essay, a filmmaker and her diverse classmates confront the trauma brought on by their years at a behavior modification boarding school. Pressing ahead to alleviate her crippling PTSD and shame about her time at a behavior modification boarding school, a high-school ice hockey star asks questions for which there most likely will be no answers, attempting to connect the dots of her disjointed memories. She speaks with her parents, former staff, and former classmates - a Latinx dancer; a young professional from NY; a Lakota youth activist; and a lawyer- and have their own varied memories. She questions what kind of youth deserves this treatment, if any. Through this process, like many with PTSD, she wonders if she will ever be a reliable narrator of her own story, and if not, how much does that matter?

About the Student Mental Health Toolkit:

Student Mental Health Matters: A Toolkit for Educators is designed to equip educators, school staff, and school mental health professionals with critical knowledge and strategies needed to support the mental well-being of their students. Digital media resources — curated from expert mental health organizations and public media sources — cover suicide prevention, stress and anxiety, self-harm, adverse childhood experiences, and social media, and offer:

Expert perspectives from mental health professionals, school administrators and educators aimed at helping teachers better understand a topic;
Student perspectives that reveal the lived experience of elementary, middle, and high school students;
Strategies that provide real-world applications for teachers’ practices.

All resources and accompanying support materials are intended to be used in a professional development setting and may contain material considered sensitive to some viewers.

There will be many related organizations present with resources and information.

Reserve your seat today for this free event. Dinner will be provided.