Let’s Talk: Turn Your Anxiety Into a Superpower
May 16, 2022 at 7pm
Free Virtual Program
A lot of people all ages are currently experiencing overwhelm, anxiety, and depression and are wondering if they have a mental health disorder. We will discuss the latest science behind stress, anxiety, and trauma that helps to understand that these symptoms are natural reactions to threat and overwhelm and not mental health disorders at all. The grassroots nonprofit “Natural Highs – Health Alternatives to Drugs & Alcohol” teaches strategies to empower people all ages to manage stress, anxiety, and trauma in productive ways. These tools and strategies empower people especially from marginalized backgrounds to find holistic methods for resilience such as herbs, acupuncture, and neuroscience-based mindfulness practices to bring resilience and healing to their families and communities. The discussion and Q&A will be moderated by Vanessa Smith, VanessaHSmithPictures.com
Avani G. Dilger, MEd, MA, LPC, BC-DMT, CAS, ADS-RT, is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Certified Addiction Specialist, a Somatic Psychotherapist, an Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist and Registered AcuDetox Trainer, and a Motivational Interviewing Trainer (MINT), who specializes in substance abuse prevention and treatment with adults, teens and their families. She is the founder and director of the “Natural Highs – Healthy Alternatives to Drugs & Alcohol” nonprofit program, an innovative, grassroots substance abuse prevention and intervention program that teaches teens and people all ages to become leaders around healthier lifestyles and a positive peer culture. In addition to teaching the Natural Highs program at several high schools in Boulder and at Naropa University, Avani works as a psychotherapist with teens, families and adults with issues around substance abuse, addiction and trauma using cutting-edge approaches such as Somatic Psychotherapy, Brainspotting and Systemic Constellationwork. She is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT) and trains Motivational Interviewing and AcuDetox for criminal justice, mental health, and substance abuse professionals.