Plan, organize and follow through! A parent’s guide to fostering executive functioning skills, webinar, October 6 and multiple dates 

Join Balanced You benefits partner, Rethink Benefits, for a free online session to learn how to identify your child’s executive functioning opportunities. This session will help you turn their challenges into strengths by reviewing tips for children of different age groups and abilities. You will learn to boost their confidence and skills in these areas:  Planning and organization  Time management  Paying attention and staying on task  Independence  Coping and self-regulation  This webinar will be held Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 9 a.m. Register and view additional dates here.  Registrants who cannot make it will automatically receive an on-demand recording once the webinar… Read More

Creating Effective Application Materials – online, October 7 and multiple dates 

King County Career Support Services staff will provide you with strategies and tips on making your application materials stand out. This training will include:   Understanding the purpose of the job application, resume, cover letter and supplemental questions and how to make each of them more effective   Deciding what to include in your resume and the best format to showcase your qualifications   How to write a cover letter tailored to the specific position   Identifying and showcasing your accomplishments   This workshop will be held via Zoom Monday, Oct. 7 from 1-3 p.m. Register and view additional… Read More

Free mindfulness workshop for King County Emergency Responders, September 30 

Would you like to reduce stress? Mindfulness can help reduce stress at work and at home, bringing peace and allowing you to focus on what matters most. Sign up today for a free, one-hour mindfulness workshop designed specifically for King County employees who are responding to COVID-19.   Mindfulness workshops are brought to you by King County Balanced You in partnership with Mindfulness Northwest. During these live, interactive sessions, participants will review what reactivity and burnout are, the various aspects of mindfulness practice, and the ways mindfulness can help reduce stress and lead to greater resiliency…. Read More

Supporting others in crisis 

“I’ll never forget the day the phone rang. I felt powerless, I felt stuck. I wanted to help but I didn’t know how, who to call, or what to do. I wanted to solve the problem, but I didn’t know the first place to start.”  Being on the receiving end of a phone call or text when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis is difficult. When a loved one is struggling, you want to do everything you can to help them. And sometimes, you don’t know what that is. As a… Read More

Mental health resources for employees involved in the COVID-19 response 

Employees from departments across King County have been involved in the COVID-19 response for many months now. While emergency response work is rewarding, the long hours, breadth of demands, and exposure to human suffering can adversely affect the most seasoned responder. As we transition our pandemic response into the autumn and prepare to add in both the seasonal flu and the mental health crisis that experts are warning is ahead, there is a likeliness this already difficult work will become more so.  Studies of emergency responders from 9/11 show that those involved in… Read More

Training Spotlight courses from Learning and Development 

Fall classes through North Seattle College, online opportunities – Accounting and QuickBooks; Accounting for Small Business; Understanding Trauma; Leadership and Management series; AWS Academy Cloud Foundations; and more! View all opportunities and register here.   Facilitating Effective Meetings, 2-day online training – Facilitated by Lenny Borer, this two-day training is $65 and takes place from 8:30am to 12:00pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 6 and 7. Register here.   More opportunities are available on our King County Eventbrite page. For more information, contact the Learning and Development Team at KCTraining@kingcounty.gov or visit Learning and Development at www.kingcounty.gov/learning. 

Resources for caregivers during COVID-19 

A caregiver is anyone who provides help to another person in need, such as an ill spouse or partner, a disabled child, or an aging relative. Employees who are caregivers for adults and elders are some of the unsung heroes of the pandemic. While caregiving can be joyful and rewarding, it can also be overwhelming or stressful for even the most resilient people. The pandemic, which has increased social isolation and decreased or changed availability of social services, has made the role of caregiving even more challenging.  A recent study from the Centers… Read More

Upcoming Making Life Easier – Wellspring webinars 

Choose from these upcoming webinars. Register early for live interactive sessions as space is limited; otherwise, recordings will be available on-demand 48 hours after the live session.    Suicide Awareness & Prevention: A Learning and Conversation Session, Sept. 23. This live presentation and panel will take place Wednesday, Sept. 23 from noon to 1 p.m. Learn more and register here.   Pandemic Loneliness: How to Seek More Connection, Oct. 7. This live presentation will take place Wednesday, Oct. 7 from noon to 1 p.m.  Learn more and register here.  Connecting With Your Wisdom & Strength: Tools for Persisting In These Times, Oct. 27. This live… Read More

Training Spotlight: Upcoming learning opportunities 

Visit Learning and Development to find a diverse collection of classes available. Employees can view the King County Eventbrite page for current listings, and visit the Learning and Development website for other opportunities from various agencies. Current offerings include:    King County Mentor Program Lunch and Learn – Online – This one hour Lunch and Learn is free and will provide detail on how to become a mentor or find a mentor. Facilitated by Rowena Jackson with a variety of options, you can register here for the next session on Friday, Sept. 25.   Communication and Problems Solving Skills Online – Facilitated by Lenny… Read More

Supporting employees with mental health conditions 

As we raise awareness for King County’s Suicide Awareness Prevention Month, it is important to remember that not all disabilities are visible.  Among disabilities that are often not visible or as apparent are mental health conditions. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), about one in five American adults, or roughly 43.8 million adults, experience mental illness in a given year. Approximately 39% of employees in the U.S. workforce have a mental health condition. And, more than 50% of individuals with mental illness still avoid needed treatment. Untreated mental illness can result… Read More