You cannot separate mental health from emotional health. And the fact is, many among us are struggling emotionally for any number of reasons. Thankfully, there are ways to help them – and help ourselves – by bolstering our emotional intelligence.

Emotional Intelligence is the theme of this year’s Milton Mental Wellness Webinar, which will once again be a partnership between the City of Milton and the LRJ Foundation. The LRJ Foundation is a difference-making non-profit with local roots that harnesses and shares expertise, passion, and insights to engage and educate students, families, and the community at large about the importance of mental health. (To learn more, go to www.lrjfoundation.com.)

The 2024 Milton Mental Wellness Webinar – titled “Emotional Intelligence: Empowering Yourself and Others” – will run from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 12. To access it, go to www.miltonga.gov/emotionalintelligence. Even if you can’t watch it live, the video will be available afterwards via that same redirected link.

After a webinar welcome from Mayor Peyton Jamison, Dr. Scott Livingston will serve as the keynote speaker to discuss the value and characteristics of emotional intelligence – including how people can tap into and refine their own to help themselves and others. Dr. Livingston is a sought-after consultant, coach, and speaker with years of experience working with and helping a wide range of people. He’s especially well versed on explaining and sharing insights on how to improve emotional intelligence to become more aware, supportive, and effective in relating to people.

Livingston’s talk will be followed by a panel discussion moderated by Teressa Ruspi – the LRJ Foundation’s Executive Director and, as such, a longtime friend and partner of the City of Milton.  Panel members will include Erica Gregory and Lyla Mills from JCA Counseling, both of whom spend their days counseling those dealing with mental health challenges. Joshna Rajesh and Kashvi Ponnada – juniors at Innovation Academy and founders of the Neuro Club there – will also be part of the webinar.

The webinar will touch on the core relationship between emotions and mental health, including the reality of extreme swings of emotions. Experts will share their thoughts on what you can do to support someone who is struggling with sometimes related conditions like depression or anxiety. (While useful advice will be shared, anyone going through a mental health crisis should consult a professional firsthand.)

If you have questions you’d like answered during this Mental Wellness Webinar, please email them to teamlrj@lrjfoundation.com or communications@miltonga.gov.

This will be the sixth such event in September – which the City annually recognizes as Milton Mental Wellness Month – conducted by the LRJ Foundation and City of Milton. Suicide prevention, as well as reducing the stigma of seeking help, has been a priority in all of them. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report issued earlier this year (citing 2022 statistics) noted an estimated 1.6 million suicide attempts and about 50,000 deaths by suicide that year in the United States.

In addition to acknowledging these struggles – which affect people of all ages, demographics, and places – the LRJ Foundation and City both want people to understand that they are not alone. The City’s Mental Wellness webpage, accessible at www.miltonga.gov/MentalWellness, showcases a number of potentially life-saving resources.  LRJ’s webpage at www.lrjfoundation.com contains a wealth of useful information as well.