Join us for the Be Kind to Your Mind Mental Health & Well-Being Festival on Saturday, May 16 at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center 💚

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, this festival is a reminder: you deserve to be kind to your mind. Through workshops, movement, and creative experiences, you’ll gain practical coping skills and tools, and deepen your understanding of the foundation and importance of mental health.

Come as you are. Stay as long as you’d like. Leave feeling supported, informed, and more connected.

Here’s what we have planned:

930am Event Opens – Visit Resourse Tables: Gerard’s House, NAMI Santa Fe, Behavioral Health Planning Council/988, Serenity Mesa Youth Recovery Center, The Gold Standard Mental Health Institute, P.C, Solace Crisis Center, La Sala Crisis Center, and more!

Opening Session: 10:00–10:45 AM

10:00 AM Welcome by MC Craig O’Hare The Life Link’s Board Chair

10:05 AM Music by Stephen Stone, Oswaldo Munoz and Robert Lopez Team Members at The Life Link

10:25 AM KEYNOTE Presentation by Behavioral Health Services Division Director, Nick Boukas

Morning Workshop Sessions (11:00 AM – 12:15 PM):

Mind-Body Harmony: Somatic Practices for Well-Being
Presented by Melanie Smithson, MA, LPC, DMT, CHT
Discover how the body—not the mind—can help process emotions and reduce anxiety. This experiential workshop introduces simple somatic tools to stay present, regulate overwhelming feelings, and build resilience. Learn to partner with your body as an ally for emotional balance and well-being.

The Heart Remembers
Presented by Juliana Eulert, LMFT and Founder and Clinical Director of the Gold Standard Mental Health Institute
Explore how early childhood experiences shape our emotional lives and mental health. Through a compassionate and accessible lens, this talk highlights the lasting impact of trauma and the powerful role of safe, supportive relationships in building resilience and healing across the lifespan.

Neurographic Art: Rewiring Stress into Calm
Presented by Elizabeth Carovillano, LPCC
Participants will learn neurographic art, using lines and shapes to transform stress into organic, flowing patterns. This workshop supports nervous system regulation, creativity, and new perspectives while offering a simple, meditative tool to reduce anxiety. No art experience needed.

12:15–12:45 PM – Free Lunch + Visit Resource Tables
Enjoy a nourishing meal and connect with community partners offering mental health and wellness support.

Afternoon Workshop Sessions (12:45 – 2:00 PM):

The Basics of Nervous System Regulation
Presented by Elena Petre, LCSW and Therapist at The Life Link
Participants will learn how to stay within their window of tolerance and recognize signs of dysregulation. We’ll explore what happens when we’re pushed outside that window and introduce healthy coping strategies, including grounding and breathing techniques, to restore balance, build resilience, and support emotional regulation.

Gentle Flow Yoga
With Christina Gill
A welcoming, beginner-friendly class designed to support relaxation, flexibility, and mindful movement. Participants will be guided through gentle stretches and breathwork to calm the nervous system and reconnect with the body. Yoga mats and props are provided for comfort and support.

Utilizing Grief Education to Promote Healing
With Mickey Kivitz
Explore the fundamentals of grief as a natural response to loss. This session offers practical strategies, self-compassion tools, and the importance of connection and support, helping participants navigate grief and access local resources that promote healing and resilience.

Event Details at a Glance:

Genoveva Chavez Community Center
Saturday, May 10th | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
Free lunch by What the Truck Catering served at 12:15 PM
Community resource tables

This festival is our invitation to slow down, connect, and remember that being kind to your mind isn’t just an idea—it’s a practice we can share and grow together.

We hope to see you there.

No RSVP needed—just come as you are

For more information or if you have questions please contact Elizabeth Carovillano ecarovillano@thelifelink.org

2026 Be Kind to Your Mind Mental Health Festival

In Honor of Mental Health Awareness Month