Hopelessness is defined as a continued state of despair, helplessness, and the belief that life will never get better. Often when we see clients who struggle with hopelessness it will show up as apathy, dysthymia, and thoughts of death. Hopelessness can be one of the biggest catalysts for suicidal thoughts, making it a dangerous symptom of depression. In this seminar we will delve into the reasons for hopelessness, how it looks in our clientele, and what we can do to help alleviate the pain of hopelessness. We will discuss modalities and tools we can introduce into sessions to help people find that spark and continue to work on stoking the blaze of hope to help it arise again.

Upon completion of this training, participants will be able to:

• Define hopelessness and the causes of its development.
• Explain the science to understand its impact and presentation.
• Determine how to defy hopelessness with therapeutic tools and different modalities.
• Practice skills used to help increase hope and resilience.