10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Crossings: Storytelling and Healing Through Documentary Film

This session explores documentary film as a vehicle for digital storytelling about migration, safety, and belonging in the United States through the Crossings film project. Featuring the stories of Samira, Johannes, and members of Los Caribeños, presenters will examine the lived experiences of refugees and immigrants seeking asylum, including the emotional impact of migration, family separation, immigration detention, resilience, and community belonging. Presenters will introduce the Crossings educational website, which includes documentary films and expert interviews designed to support practitioners and educators in understanding asylum, migration, and the role of storytelling in healing and advocacy. Participants will identify ways to deepen understanding of the lived experiences of refugees and immigrants, describe the role of storytelling and documentary film in promoting empathy and mental health awareness, and apply strategies for listening to individuals' stories with presence

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Holding Space, Holding Place: Rooting Future Success in Past Lessons

As managers, we are trained to incorporate self-care, address implicit bias, and examine the impact of whiteness in our work. Yet we are often left with questions about how to hold space for our staff's individual needs while rooting our teams' success in effective collaboration. As leaders, we have come to understand that a one-size-fits-all management approach does not work. In this session, we will share lessons learned and practical tools for effective staff supervision, including consistent scheduling of one-on-one supervision, small and large team check-ins, dedicated time for visioning with direct service staff, self-care practices, and transparent and accountable feedback loops. Participants will leave with practical strategies to identify approaches to effective staff supervision, describe methods for supporting collaboration and staff well-being, and apply leadership practices that foster safe, supportive, and accountable work environments.

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Arab Americans with Disabilities: Culture, Religion and Identity Shaping a New

Arab Americans are a diverse community with varied migration experiences, religious affiliations, cultural traditions, languages, and socioeconomic backgrounds that contribute to a rich and complex collective identity. This community-centered session explores the intersection of Arab identity, disability, immigration, and culture while distinguishing between Arab identity and Muslim identity. Presenters will examine how immigration experiences, acculturation, cultural identity, and religious connections can influence access to disability services, as well as the impact of ableism, Islamophobia, stigma, and harmful stereotypes on Arab people with disabilities. Participants will strengthen their cultural awareness and intercultural communication skills, identify strategies for building trust with Arab individuals and families, and apply culturally responsive practices that promote accessibility, inclusion, and meaningful community partnerships.

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

Our Wellness, Our Way: A Culturally Responsive WRAP® Approach for Immigrant Co

This interactive session explores how the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP®) can be adapted to address the impacts of historical trauma, displacement, and acculturative stress on immigrant wellness. Presenters will examine how traditional, Indigenous, and community-based healing practices can complement the core concepts of WRAP® to support the wellness and recovery of immigrant individuals, families, and communities. Participants will identify family- and community-centered wellness strategies, develop a personalized Mini-WRAP® to strengthen individual wellness, and apply practical tools for recognizing stressors, building support systems, setting healthy boundaries, and planning for recovery and times of crisis.

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

What If You Don’t Come Back? The Impact of Separation Fears, Trauma, and Chron

Young children often experience separation long before they understand why it is happening. For immigrant children and families, separation related to immigration enforcement, deportation, or migration can profoundly affect attachment, emotional regulation, behavior, and development. This interactive session explores separation-related stress and ambiguous loss through the lens of infant and early childhood mental health, emphasizing relationship-based approaches that promote safety, resilience, and healing. Participants will recognize behavioral signs of separation-related stress, distinguish developmental behaviors from trauma responses, apply attachment-informed and culturally responsive strategies that strengthen caregivers and educators, and identify protective factors that foster resilience for young children and families experiencing chronic stress and uncertainty.

10:00 AM - 11:30 AM

SCN Threads: Crafting Conversations on Newcomer Wellness

This interactive session introduces the Threads program, a group-based initiative designed to provide refugee and immigrant youth with opportunities to build community, strengthen social-emotional learning, and receive psychoeducational support. Through a hands-on tatreez (Arabic embroidery) activity and facilitated discussion, presenters will share the origins of the program, the community needs it was developed to address, and its vision for the future. Participants will gain introductory cross-stitching skills while exploring the role of culturally rooted, community-based approaches in promoting mental health and holistic wellness for newcomer communities. Participants will identify strategies for fostering belonging, strengthening community engagement, and increasing access to culturally responsive mental health supports.Choose your AM workshop options.

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