Value to Camp Staff

Short, engaging videos followed by reflections and activities that put the focus on your wellness first, then provide tools, strategies, and activities for a creating a wellness-informed environment for campers that meets mental health literacy standards.

  • Teaches the relevant neuroscience of resilience & mental health

  • Gives proactive strategies for your personal life and camp situations

  • Provides frameworks for building resilience and fostering wellness

  • Includes adaptable, suggested scripting for conflict resolution, difficult conversations, and empathetic communication.

Program Outline

  1. 1

    • Introduction to the Course
  2. 2

    • Intro to Neuroscience

    • Activity: Neuroscience

    • Brain Development

    • Activity: The Three Stages of Brain Development

    • Pathways

    • Activity: ABC - 123

    • Activity: Audiation

    • Pruning & Paving

    • Activity: Pruning & Paving

    • The Seven Cs

    • Neurochemicals

    • Activity: Getting Neurochemicals

    • The PFC

    • Activity: The PFC & Executive Function

    • Autonomic Nervous System

    • Activity: The ANS

    • Activity: Combat/ Box Breathing

    • The Four R's

    • Activity: The Four Rs

    • Neuroscience 101 Quiz
  3. 3

    • The Resilient Mindset Model Intro

    • The Four S's

    • Activity: The 4 S Framework

    • The 4 Characters of The Brain

    • The Ant

    • The Grasshopper

    • The Glowworm

    • The Dragonfly

    • Activity: 4 Characters in Action

    • R.E.A.C.T.S.

    • Activity: Understanding Your Triggers

    • Mindful Choices

    • Activity: Dragonfly Mindfulness

    • Activity: Applying the Model

    • The Resilient Mindset Model Quiz
  4. 4

    • Mental Health Literacy Intro

    • Mental Health Continuum

    • Activity: Mental Health Statistics

    • Activity: Breaking The Stigma

    • Protective Factors

    • Activity: Protective Factors

    • Risk Factors

    • Activity: Risk Factors

    • Prevention

    • Ant Tools

    • Activity: Understanding The Ant

    • Balanced Decisions

    • Activity: Healthy Decisions Continuum

    • Stress & Threat

    • Activity: Stress and Threat

    • Trauma & The Brain

    • Activity: The Brain's Response to Trauma

    • Three Types of Trauma

    • Activity: Collective Trauma Now

    • Violence, Anxiety, Depression

    • Coping

    • Activity: Coping Strategies

    • Mental Health Perspective

    • Getting Help

    • Resource: Signs & Symptoms

    • Resource: Common Mental Health Disorders

    • Activity: Getting Help

    • Mental Health Literacy Quiz
  5. 5

    • Brain-Based Leadership Intro

    • Security & Autonomy

    • Activity: Roots and Wings

    • Leadership Styles

    • Activity: Leadership Styles

    • Scaffolding & Scripting

    • Activity: Scaffolding & Scripting

    • The Resilience Formula

    • Activity: Proactive, Not Reactive

    • Planning

    • Activity: The Resilience Formula - Planning

    • Implementing

    • Activity: The Resilience Formula - Implementing

    • Reflecting

    • Reflecting Activity

    • Restorative Justice

    • Activity: Apologies & Restorative Justice

    • Activity: Difficult Conversations & DEI

    • Self-Care for Leading

    • Activity: Self-Care

    • Brain-Based Leadership Quiz
  6. 6

    • Dragonflying

Instructor(s)

Founder of Pathways to Empower

Dr. Donna Volpitta

Always an educator, Dr. Volpitta loves finding ways to translate neuroscience so that people can apply it to their own lives. Her work is grounded in the latest research in neurology, psychology, and education. She is the co-author of The Resilience Formula, author of Neuroworld, co-creator of the Nametags Education Program, and is a sought-after speaker. A former classroom teacher (and mother of 4 adolescents!) with experience in both general and special education, Donna holds a doctoral degree in Learning Dis/Abilities from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Co-Founder/CEO

Jason Schofield

With a strong background in coaching, management, entrepreneurial consulting, and developing products and services in the technology space, Jason brings his creative spirit and forward-thinking mindset to the Pathways products. Jason feels incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to unite his three main passions, education, health, and entrepreneurship, through Pathways to Empower.