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NAMI Eastside hosts monthly educational forums that cover a variety of topics about mental health. All forums are free to attend. Please register at the corresponding link posted with each upcoming forum.
NEW NIGHT IN 2026: All forums are on the THIRD THURSDAY of every month from 7:00 – 8:00 PM and are held virtually.
Is there a topic that you would like to speak about see a forum focused on? Submit your idea here
Ready, Set, School! Backpacks full of Resilience, Confidence and Success.
Join Marcelle Waldman and Jerry Blackburn, co-founders of Parenting Upstream, for a timely discussion on helping youth build resilience, confidence, and emotional well-being as they head back to school.
Back-to-school season brings new opportunities, and new challenges. Learn how social-emotional skills and mental wellness support academic success and discover practical ways to help young people start the school year strong, stay steady through transitions, and thrive both in and out of the classroom.
Don't miss this inspiring conversation for parents, caregivers, educators, and anyone invested in supporting youth mental health.
Sign up to attend August's Forum here!
📅 Date: August 20, 2026
📍 Location: Zoom | Register Now!
Panel: Mental Health Impacts of Hygiene Poverty
This forum is ideal for caregivers, educators, healthcare professionals, and anyone committed to supporting the well-being of LGBTQ+ youth.
Watch Recording Here!
Mental Health Check-in for LGBTQ+ Youth
This forum is ideal for caregivers, educators, healthcare professionals, and anyone committed to supporting the well-being of LGBTQ+ youth.
We hope you’ll join us for this important conversation.
📅 Thursday, June 18th, 2026
⏰ 7:00 PM (PT)
📍 Zoom
Understanding and Evaluating AI for Mental Health
Large language models are rapidly transforming the landscape of digital mental health, yet their clinical readiness remains uncertain. This talk reviews the rapid evolution of mental health chatbots, the emerging evidence for LLMs efficacy/safety, and the recent regulatory trends. The talk review efforts to evaluate AI, including a collaboration between NAMI and Harvard called mindBench.ai
Thursday, May 21st, 2026
7:00 PM (PT)
Zoom
You're not alone — and a sexual assault is never your fault
Introducing the available KCSARC services for sexual assault victims and families in King County, Discussing some barriers and stigmas the victims and families are experiencing
Our Evergreen Health Forum is TOMORROW! We can't wait to see you there!
The nonprofit King County Sexual Assault Resource Center has been a trusted community resource for 50 years. KCSARC empowers survivors and families with comprehensive advocacy and therapy services, available in both English and Spanish, and offers powerful prevention training to stop sexual violence from happening throughout King County communities.
📅 Thursday, April 16th, 2026
⏰ 7:00 PM (PT)
📍 Zoom
Behind a quiet struggle with self-harm, Becca Boston fought a battle few people could see. In this heartfelt talk, she shares her journey through addiction, recovery, and the practical tools that helped her reclaim her life. With honesty and compassion, Becca reminds audiences that healing is possible, stigma can be broken, and no one has to face their struggles alone.
📅 Thursday, March 19th, 2026
⏰ 7:00 PM (PT)
📍 Zoom
Meet Becca Boston (she/her) the Program Coordinator for NAMI Pierce County, a two-time best-selling author, and international speaker.
Through her work and her Stay Strong. Stay You. message, she is passionate about breaking stigma and helping people recognize that their strength is giving their pain a voice and receiving the help that is needed, while staying true to who they are.
WATCH PREVIOUS FORUMS (opens in new tab)
Thursday, February 26th, 2026
7:00 PM (PT)
Zoom
Drawing inspiration from his book Learning and Leading, Richard will discuss how personal challenges, seasons of uncertainty, and moments of being pulled in different directions can become catalysts for growth rather than barriers to leadership. Participants will explore what it means to lead from healing instead of hurt, to embrace vulnerability as strength, and to show up fully both for themselves and for others.
This forum is an invitation to rediscover your humanity, reflect on your identity, and lead forward with compassion, clarity, and purpose, especially when life feels heavy or misaligned.
Ramadan is a deeply meaningful time for many Muslims, marked by fasting, reflection, community, and spiritual growth—but it can also bring unique mental health considerations. This Evergreen Forum invites friends, neighbors, family members, and colleagues to learn how to offer thoughtful, culturally responsive support during Ramadan.
About Our Speakers:
Sadeen Al Ziyad (she/her), an intern from the UW School of Social Work. Her work is grounded in a commitment to social justice, liberation, and culturally affirming care, with a focus on serving Muslim communities and communities of color. She strives to offer compassionate, empowering support that honors each person’s lived experience and unique context
Sherry Kaur (she/her) is a Counseling Intern at Zane Counseling and a final-year graduate student in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at Seattle University. Grounded in her lived experience as a South Asian woman, she is passionate about helping clients navigate cultural stigma, identity exploration, and mental health through a culturally affirming lens. She works with BIPOC teens and adults using collaborative, strengths-based approaches including CBT, DBT, and person-centered therapy.
Zane Counseling is a multi-specialty therapy practice offering compassionate, strengths-based mental health support for teens and adults facing challenges like anxiety, trauma, depression, substance issues, and relationship concerns in a welcoming, affirming space for diverse communities including BIPOC clients. They provide flexible and telehealth options with licensed, culturally aware clinicians dedicated to helping people understand their roots, grow, and improve overall well-being.
Learn how to better support clients with mental health challenges, specifically PTSD.
Learn about resources to support their own learning, and to aid their clients well being.
Analyze the barriers to success that clients with mental health issues face, and practice empathy as an effective intervention tool.
"Making Waves in Youth Mental Health: Learn about our Youth Programs"
The forum from August 2025 focused on NAMI Eastside’s Youth Programs and the powerful impact they’re making in our community. Watch the recording to hear updates and insights on:
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The restructuring of the Youth Ambassador Program
- Ending the Silence and other NAMI Eastside presentations
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Highlights from last year’s Youth Mental Health Conference (YMHC)
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Updates on NAMI on Campus initiatives
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And more opportunities for youth to get involved in mental health advocacy and education
Whether you’re a parent, educator, student, or community member, this recorded forum is a wonderful opportunity to learn, connect, and support the next generation of mental health leaders.
July EvergreenHealth Forum featuring Andrew Kantor from Kantor & Kantor LLP
View the recording of our monthly EvergreenHealth Forum from Tuesday, July 29th at 7:00 PM on Zoom with Attorney Andrew M. Kantor, partner at Kantor & Kantor, as he breaks down your rights to disability benefits when mental health challenges impact your ability to work. This important session, sponsored by EvergreenHealth, will empower you with the knowledge and tools to advocate for yourself or others in the workplace.
June EvergreenHealth Forum featuring James Webster and Pride Across the Bridge
Check out the forum recording from June 24th to celebrate Pride Month. We werer joined by Pride Across the Bridge Chair, James Bradford Webster (he/they), who spoke on the correlations between Queerness and Neurodivergence, as well as its many forms of presentation.
May EvergreenHealth Forum with NAMI Eastside
Check out the recfoding from May 27th to hear from NAMI Eastside Executive Director, Marc Oommen (he/him), and Community Engagement Specialist, Emma Giri (she/her), to hear about NAMI Eastside programs and services.