Category Archives: Classes and Courses

Announcements and information about classes and courses being offered.

Classes and Courses, Learning, Personal Growth

Last call!?

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If you’ve been watching the weather forecast, you may think this is your last call to rush to the store for bread and milk. The forecast here at Abbot Village Press’s World Headquarters is calling for “10 to 15 inches” of snow.

But I’m actually making a last call for a couple of real estate courses I will be starting soon. Both will have workshops in Augusta.

The Sales Agent Course Workshops are held on four consecutive Saturdays beginning on March 2, 2019. This the course you need if you want to get started in real estate. Since there’s some online work you must complete prior to the first workshop, you’ll need to register PDQ (pretty darn quick). You can do that here!

The Associate Broker Course Workshops are held on four consecutive Fridays beginning on March 1, 2019. This is for those who are currently licensed as Sales Agents and it too includes some online work you must complete prior to the first workshop so register soon. You can do that here!

There are, of course, additional options and opportunities… you can always . And if you have questions you can always send me an email.

Send an email to Walter!

There’s life after real estate! Check the teaching schedule for Substitute Teacher and Suicide Prevention Workshops… Think spring! Think learning! Think!

Classes and Courses, Personal Growth, School Programs, Substitute Teaching, Teaching

Free Substitute Teacher Workshop

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Sponsored by MSAD 53 Adult Ed and Abbot Village Press, this FREE workshop will give you a chance to learn what it’s like to be a substitute teacher! Bring your questions, enjoy some light refreshments and an opportunity to discover what working at a school is all about. Call adult ed at 487-5107 to register…

Bullying, Classes and Courses, Mental Health, Mental Hygiene, Personal Growth, Suicide Prevention

Re-certification, done!

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I did announce this on Facebook… but can’t resist some additional bragging that I scored 100% on the final exam as part of recertifying my status as a “Mental Health First Aid Specialist.”  The refresher course was actually well-designed and included some thought-provoking scenarios… “What would you do if…?”

It’s a busy time! My is complete but I’m still working on scheduling Suicide Awareness Workshops… plus doing some course development… and I’m almost ready to release another book! Details will be coming soon.

Bullying, Classes and Courses, Maine Life, Mental Health, Mental Hygiene, School Programs, Suicide Prevention, Teaching

Advanced Gatekeeper Training for School Administrators

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NAMI has scheduled a training before school begins to allow administrators to attend.  Join them for this vital training on suicide prevention. The Advanced Gatekeeper for School Personnel was developed to support the deepening development of suicide prevention and intervention skills for people working in Maine’s school system.  The law mandating each school district to have a minimum number of Gatekeeper-trained staff requires the training be renewed after 5 years.  The Advanced Gatekeeper Training provides additional information about addressing self-injury, assessing suicide risk, safety planning, managing social media and other topics of interest to school personnel. This session is reserved for school administrators only.  There is NO COST for this training session scheduled on August 16, 2018.  Click here to register.

WB Note: Class is scheduled to be taught by Greg Marley… he’s a great instructor, I’ve taken several of his classes!

Classes and Courses, Mental Health, Suicide Prevention

Action on Facebook May Make Sense

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This morning I reported a Facebook post. A friend of a friend posted what would clearly be considered suicidal thoughts.  A number of Facebook friends had commented with words of encouragement, advice, and, thankfully, hotline numbers. Let me share some important thoughts about situations like this.

  1. Many people do not realize there is a mechanism for reporting this on Facebook (use the feedback menu). I received a clearly automated reply within an hour and can’t really say how effective the process is. In theory, Facebook investigates the post and may contact the poster. In their reply to me, they did include resources and suggestions I could take. Personally, I would not rely solely on a Facebook report as an intervention but see it as a tool.
  2. It is very important that any suicidal threats or ideation be taken seriously. Frankly, social media encourages a certain amount of drama. I ignore most of it but when suicide or self-harm is mentioned, an action is required. It’s not just on social media. I know a young fellow who mentions suicide every time he gets in trouble. His family is convinced he does it to deflect attention from his behavior, but I tell them to always take the threat seriously.
  3. Early intervention is always a key. While there aren’t many absolutes, typically a downward spiral precedes the immediate threat. If we can “catch” someone before they hit bottom, it’s possible to avert the crisis.
  4. Suicide prevention training will help you understand who is at the greatest risk and help you recognize warning signs. It is important that the workshop is research-based, not merely a “feel good” program. I used a NAMI approved curriculum which meets the legal requirements for those who are employed by public schools but is not overly clinical.

I am now in the process of scheduling workshops for the fall… if you’re interested in attending, let me know!

Note the crisis numbers listed here are for Maine. If you need assistance finding resources in your state, let me know. The National crisis hotline number is 1-800-273-TALK.