INSPIRING HOPE SPEAKER SERIES
Advancing Mental Health Knowledge, Practice, and Community
The Inspiring Hope Speaker Series is a dynamic, multi-session learning experience that brings together professionals, advocates, and community members to explore the most pressing mental health topics today.
Hosted by NAMI Delaware, this series creates space for meaningful conversation, practical skill-building, and innovative thinking across disciplines. Each session is thoughtfully designed to provide actionable insights, elevate emerging practices, and strengthen the collective response to mental health challenges across Delaware and beyond.
While each event stands on its own, the series as a whole is intended to build momentum over time, connecting participants to new ideas, new resources, and one another in ways that foster long-term impact.
The full series is listed below. Click each event to learn more, including updated details, speaker information, and registration as they become available.
ATTEND A SPEAKER SERIES
May Speaker Series
May 6, 2026 | 10:30 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.
From Symptoms to Strength: Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy & Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) Awareness
May 6, 2026 | 10:30 A.M. – 2:00 P.M.
From Symptoms to Strength: Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy & Tardive Dyskinesia (TD) Awareness
Virtual
Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy
Guided by Dr. Aaron T. Beck’s cognitive model, Recovery-Oriented Cognitive Therapy (CT-R) is a highly collaborative, person-centered, and strength-based approach for clinicians to incorporate when working in early interventions for psychosis. This interactive 1.5-hour session will introduce the basics of CT-R with a specific focus on 1) engaging and sustaining a young person’s adaptive mode of living both in and out of session, 2) fostering hope and motivation through personally meaningful aspirations, and 3) strategies for drawing conclusions about capability, success, contribution, and resiliency.
Registration is required | CEU fees applicable
Virtual
Understanding Tardive Dyskinesia
This session will provide an overview of tardive dyskinesia (TD), a movement disorder characterized by involuntary, often repetitive movements that can affect the face, limbs, and other parts of the body. Common symptoms may include lip-smacking, tongue movements, excessive blinking, and other uncontrolled movements.
This session includes the reflection and journey of a peer with TD. This lived experience is coupled with a presentation by an Advanced Practice Nurse from Neurocrine who will provide an overview of a medication-associated movement disorder that can significantly affect functioning, emotional well-being, and social engagement.
Together, these topics support a holistic approach to mental health care that integrates recovery-oriented therapeutic practices with informed monitoring of medication effects to promote safety, quality of life, and long-term recovery.
Participants will learn about the connection between TD and certain medications used to treat mental health and gastrointestinal conditions, as well as key risk factors that may increase the likelihood of developing TD. The session will also explore the significant impact TD can have on daily functioning, emotional well-being, and social engagement, not only for individuals experiencing symptoms but also for their care partners.
With a focus on awareness and early identification, this presentation will highlight the importance of routine screening, open communication with healthcare providers, and understanding available treatment options. Together, these topics support a holistic approach to mental health care that integrates recovery-oriented therapeutic practices with informed monitoring of medication effects to promote safety, quality of life, and long-term recovery.
Registration is required | CEU fees applicable
PRESENTORS
Our Speaker Series will feature a diverse group of presenters, including professionals, advocates, and individuals with lived experience in mental health. Each speaker brings unique insight and expertise, helping to create meaningful conversations that inform, inspire, and connect our community.
Presenter details and biographies will be added as speakers are confirmed. Please check back for updates.
Francesca Lewis-Hatheway, PsyD
Elisa Nelson PhD
Marie Wenzel, CEO
Amy Hefti
Founder & CEO • Brand Strategist • Patient Advocate • Author • Podcast Host
Heintje Calara DNP, MA, RN
SPONSORS
Our Speaker Series will feature a diverse group of presenters, including professionals, advocates, and individuals with lived experience in mental health. Each speaker brings unique insight and expertise, helping to create meaningful conversations that inform, inspire, and connect our community.
Presenter details and biographies will be added as speakers are confirmed. Please check back for updates.
ABOUT
What to Expect
Participants can expect engaging, high-quality presentations delivered by experienced speakers and subject-matter experts. Sessions are designed to be accessible and relevant to a broad audience, while still offering depth and practical application for professionals in the field.
Topics across the series will include:
Clinical applications and real-world tools for providers and community partners
Emerging and innovative approaches to treating serious mental illness
Trauma-informed strategies and brain-based frameworks for care
Public-facing education and cross-sector collaboration
Legal and systems-level considerations in mental health care
Each session is structured to support both learning and reflection, with opportunities to deepen understanding and translate knowledge into action.
Who Should Attend
This series is ideal for:
Mental health professionals and clinicians
Healthcare providers and social workers
Educators and school-based staff
Legal and law enforcement professionals
Peer specialists and advocates
Community leaders and nonprofit partners
Individuals and families interested in mental health learning
Whether you are working in the field or seeking to better understand mental health, this series offers valuable insights for a wide range of participants.
Continuing Education
Select sessions in the Inspiring Hope Speaker Series may offer continuing education (CE) opportunities. Details regarding CE eligibility, credit hours, and requirements will be provided for each individual session as they are confirmed.
Registration Information
Registration is currently open for the first session in the series.
Additional sessions will be announced and opened for registration as details are finalized. Participants are encouraged to return regularly or join our mailing list to stay informed about upcoming topics, speakers, and dates.
Why This Series Matters
Mental health challenges are complex, evolving, and deeply interconnected with every part of our communities. Addressing them requires not only compassion but also knowledge, collaboration, and a willingness to engage in ongoing learning.
The Inspiring Hope Speaker Series is designed to meet that need, offering a space where ideas can be shared, skills can be strengthened, and a more informed, connected community can take shape.
Through this series, we aim to reduce stigma, expand access to knowledge, and empower individuals and professionals alike to take meaningful steps toward better mental health outcomes.
Join Us
We invite you to be part of this growing community of learners, advocates, and changemakers.
Register today for the first session and be part of a series that is building insight, connection, and hope.
The NAMI Delaware Inspiring Hope Speaker Series brings together voices from across the mental health community, including professionals, advocates, and individuals with lived experience. We have pivoted from a standalone, in-person event to a 6-month hybrid series. Our content will include NASW-DE CEUs for some of the series, so be sure to register appropriately to be eligible for those credits.
For information about online registrations, education program questions, support groups for peers and family members, or NAMI on Campus, contact Marianne Kenville-Moore mkenvillemoore@namide.org
For information about CIT scheduling or internships, contact Wes Ingram: wingram@namide.org
For information about volunteering or community outreach/tabling events, contact Jenny Graham:
jgraham@namide.org