FCoMI 7th Annual Conference: Transforming Lives: Overcoming Stigma in Mental Illness

Since 2011, Faith Connections on Mental Illness has hosted a day-long annual conference featuring nationally recognized experts to address issues associated with faith and mental illness.This year's conference will focus on the stereotypes, bias, stigma and silence faced by those sealing with mental illness. 
  • Optional Continuing Ed credits offered by Wake AHEC 
  • Average attendance of over 200 clergy, lay persons, mental health professionals, and other individuals interested in the topics.​​ ​
2017 Conference Materials 
Keynote Speaker: Patrick Corrigan, PsyD
Distinguished Professor of Psychology at Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, Il

Fair and False Ways to Beat the Stigma of Mental Illness
Stigma may be as disabling as mental illness itself. Dr. Corrigan will review efforts to erase stigma that 
can often lead to unintended negative effects, and he will present ways that faith communities can help 
​to replace stigma with affirming attitudes and behaviors.

​Dr. Patrick Corrigan  is an author and advocate for people with mental illness, particularly in relation to the issue of stigma. He has written more than ten books and more than 300 papers specialising in issues related to mental illness,including Coming Out Proud to Erase the Stigma of Mental Illness.   Read More
Plenary Lecture Speaker: Don Diefenbach, PhD
Professor and Chair of Dept of Mass Communication at University of North Carolina at Asheville
​
Stereotyping Those Living with Mental Illness
The media shapes our ideas and ways in which we understand those around us. Dr. Diefenbach will discuss the role that the media plays in perpetuating negative stereotypes about mental illness.  He will also discuss ways that faith communications can inform and educate others about the stigma of mental illness. 
Dr. Diefenbach's  research focuses on media violence, media portrayals of mental health issues, television content analysis, and cultivation analysis. 

Breakout Sessions

​#1.  Caregiver Burnout and Compassion Fatigue
Carl Clark, MDiv, Staff Chaplain (Psychiatry),
UNC Hospitals & UNC WakeBrook
  • Objective:  Identify factors that lead to compassion fatigue by those responsible for the care of people living with mental illness.
 
#2.  Fighting Discrimination: Advocacy and Mental Illness
Corye Dunn, JD,
Director of Public Policy, Disability Rights North Carolina
  • Objective:  Recognize the legal and social barriers facing people living with mental illness.
#3.  Race, Culture, and Mental Health Disparities
Jason Ashe, MDiv,
Academic Counselor, North Carolina Central University
  • Objective:  Identify the role of race in perceptions about mental illness disparities.
 
#4.  Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Illness in Schools
Sophie Jin, Abby Roussin, Cali Merron, and Hailey Wunder,
Students at East Chapel Hill High School
Moderator: Deby Dihoff, MA, Faith Connections on Mental Illness
  • Objective:  Discuss how local schools deal with mental illness.​