There are a range of digital mental health resources available to support young people. Podcasts and webinars can help health professionals find these resources to use with their clients, and learn more about how to integrate them into their practice. The podcasts and webinars explore how to access relevant services, how to match the right resource with a client, the benefits of digital interventions, and strategies to start using them.

Webinars are a great resource for health practitioners, providing information and teaching practical skills to build professional development. The webinars below are part of the Black Dog Institute accredited webinar series with eMHPrac, exploring the use of evidence-based online resources. These webinars were developed to help health professionals integrate online tools and programs into their practice and explore a range of topics. The episodes below are focused on topics relating to youth mental health and using digital resources with young people.

Webinar 54 | School Refusal

This webinar defines school refusal, summarises the range of factors that underlie the problem and presents a collaborative approach to responding to school refusal.

Learning Objectives:

• Define school refusal and compare it with other attendance problems.
• Explain the range of factors that underlie school refusal.
• Identify tools that can support assessment of school refusal.
• Describe a collaborative approach to managing school refusal involving child, parent, and school.
• Identify the key elements of an attendance plan.

Access the webinar here: https://medcast.com.au/courses/590

Webinar 51 | Internet gaming disorder

Internet gaming is popular and entertaining, but can it be addictive? We’ll be learning about the prevalence of online gaming, who’s affected and its impact on mental health.

Learning Objective:

• Describe gaming behaviours related to higher risk for disordered gaming.
• Identify cases/clients presenting at higher risk for disordered gaming to be referred to specialized services.
• Integrate game related mechanics, such as flow, presence and the user-avatar bond in their case formulation and treatment planning regarding at-risk clients.
• Identify online resources useful for families and people suffering from disordered gaming.

Access the webinar here: https://medcast.com.au/courses/491

Webinar 43 | Online Resources to Empower Adolescents to Manage Anxiety

Discussing the prevalence of adolescent anxiety, assessment, and evidence-based face-to-face and online approaches to empowering young people.

Learning Objectives:

• Recognise the prevalence of adolescent anxiety and possible factors contributing to this.
• Identify reliable youth anxiety assessments, including online options.
• Understand the core components of the gold-standard intervention for adolescent anxiety.
• Describe various Australian e-Mental Health programs available for youth anxiety.
• Engage young people with e-mental health programs as a useful adjunct to treating adolescent anxiety.

Access the webinar here: https://medcast.com.au/courses/361

Webinar 10 | Using e-Mental Health Resources to Help Teens

The online resources that are appropriate for GPs to recommend to teens experiencing, or at risk of developing, psychological distress.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify what constitutes e-mental health and reliable resources available for GPs to use.
• Understand how e-mental health resources can be usefully integrated into a patients care.
• Understand the practical aspects of integrating e-mental health resources into care.

Access the webinar here: https://medcast.com.au/courses/35

Webinar 5 | e-Mental Health Programs for Children and Young People

This webinar introduces e-mental health programs for children and young people.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify online mental health programs for children and young people.
• Learn how to use e-mental health programs with clients.

Access the webinar here: https://medcast.com.au/courses/106

Webinar 7 | Improving Youth Mental Health Online

A case example is used to help explore the range of reliable Australian online resources available to help build resilience in young people at risk of mental health problems.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify reliable Australian online resources available to help build resilience.
• Understand how e-mental health programs can help at risk young people overcome problems.

Access the webinar here: https://medcast.com.au/courses/9

Podcasts are a great resource, particularly for time poor health professionals, providing quick and easy access to information about mental health and personal stories. There are a range of podcasts available providing insight and information on a range of topics. The podcasts below provide information, personal experiences, expert advice, and guidance for health professionals or individuals supporting young Australians and ways digital mental health can help.

Black Dog Institute Expert Insights Podcast

This podcast from Black Dog Institute tackles important mental health topics and provides expert knowledge from and for health professionals. Each episode discusses everything to do with mental health including diagnosis, treatment, and ways of thinking.

Episodes Available: 47

Relevant Episodes:

47 | Managing Sleep Challenges in Adolescents

46 | Exposure Therapy for Childhood Anxiety

44 | Managing Suicidal Risk in Adolescents

40 | Successful Conversations with Adolescents – Expert Insights for Health Professionals

33 | Prevention of Mental Illness in Adolescents

27 | Social media and youth

12 | Self-harm in young people

Find out more about the podcast and listen to full episodes here: https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/education-services/podcasts/expert-insights/

Butterfly Foundation Let’s Talk Podcast

The Let’s Talk Podcast, created by the Butterfly Foundation, connects listeners with experts, people with a lived experience, and their families and carers. They discuss body image issues and eating disorders to help anyone personally affected, caring for a friend or family member, or simply want to find out more.

Episodes Available: 38

Relevant Episodes:

Season 2, Episode 5 | Teens and Body image: Starting at home

Season 1, Episode 12 | Body dissatisfaction starts young: how can we change the picture

Season 1, Episode 4 | Young people, body image and #socialmedia

Find out more about the podcast and listen to full episodes here: https://butterfly.org.au/podcast/

Kids Helpline Podcast H R U

H R U? is a youth focused podcast developed by Kids Helpline in partnership with Pedestrian to tackle challenging, confronting, and taboo issues that young people aged 18 to 25 deal with on the daily. From peer pressure, navigating finances, identity, relationships, and study or work-related stress.

Episodes Available: 16

Find out more about the podcast and listen to full episodes here: https://kidshelpline.com.au/hru

Raising Children’s Network Podcast Raising Learners

This podcast from Raising Children’s Network helps parents support their child to learn and thrive at school and at home. Each episode features experts sharing practical advice and ideas for supporting children’s health, wellbeing and engagement in different areas of life and learning.

Episodes Available: 14

Find out more about the podcast and listen to full episodes here: https://raisingchildren.net.au/guides/podcasts-and-webinars/podcasts

Headspace Sessions Podcast Adelaide

This podcast led by headspace Adelaide, part of the National Youth Mental Health Foundation, is bout all things youth mental health. Each episode features topical content handpicked by the young creative team as well as special guests, experts and practical advice delivered in an educational, engaging and inspiring format.

Episodes Available: 18

Find out more about the podcast and listens to full episodes here: https://soundcloud.com/headspacesessionsadelaide