Guest Speaking Services

Inspire your colleagues by hearing Kym’s story of resilience as someone who has experienced more trauma than 90% of the US population. Enduring generational cycles of poverty, mental illness, addiction, abuse, neglect, incarceration, and domestic violence, Kym tells her story of how she overcame all of the extra hurdles to succeed and become a successful social worker, mental health clinician, researcher, and eventually earning her PhD.

The youth mental health crisis isn’t coming — it’s here, and it’s been here. It’s time to disrupt the status quo. We must reimagine the systems meant to support our young people, break down barriers to care, and double down on prevention and early intervention. The way forward demands bold shifts — and it starts now.

Mental health starts with us. It's not just about the students or clients in front of us — it's about who we are when we show up. To truly support young people, we must first do our own healing. Because we can only guide others as far as we’ve dared to go ourselves. The deeper we grow, the deeper we can reach.

As a leader, I was tired of seeing powerful, evidence-based practices fall flat — not because they didn’t work, but because they weren’t implemented in ways that allowed them to thrive. That’s when I discovered implementation science — the missing link between good intentions and real results. In this session, we’ll uncover how to harness it to drive deeper, more lasting outcomes for the youth we serve.

The Interconnected Systems Framework (ISF) isn’t just a model — it’s a game-changer for how we deliver mental health support across schools and communities. By breaking down silos and building strong, unified systems, ISF helps ensure every young person gets the care they need, when and where they need it. In this session, Kym will bring the framework to life with powerful, real-world examples from school districts and community mental health centers that are leading the way.

"Behavior is not just a choice — it’s biological. From birth to adulthood, our nervous systems are shaped by stress, trauma, and resilience. In this session, we’ll uncover the powerful neuroscience behind behavior and explore how we can use this knowledge to transform the way we support youth in real-world practice. When we understand the brain-body connection, we unlock new possibilities for healing, co-regulation, and lasting change.