Health Education candidate Naya Brown ’18M led a workshop on mental health personal days at the American Mental Wellness Association (AMWA) Conference in Hershey, Pa. on Nov. 20. This year’s theme, “A Happier Mind Is a Happier Life,” focused on mental health in the workplace, classroom, community, home, military, and sports.

During her presentation, “Guilt Free: Mental Health Personal Days,” Brown compared taking off work for physical illness versus mental wellbeing, introduced best practices for using personal days, and encouraged honesty between employees and their supervisors. Her goal is to end stigmas against mental illness, especially in professional settings.

In addition to earning her Master of Science from Arcadia in this December, Brown is an AMWA conference workshop leader and a certified mental health first aid instructor. After graduation, she will work as a mental health/disabilities specialist for children with mental and intellectual disabilities at CDI Head Start.