COMET Workshop coming November 13

On Monday, November 13, Mile Bluff Medical Center Foundation will host a COMET Workshop.

No, this workshop won’t focus on a household cleaning product, but rather on Changing Our Mental and Emotional Trajectory (COMET).

This short, two-hour program is a gentle introduction to supporting friends and neighbors in a “vulnerable space.” The intent is to help them shift their mental health path back to a place of wellness and away from the path of a mental health crisis.

This FREE workshop will be held Monday, November 13 from 5-7 pm at Hatch Public Library in Mauston. Attendees will learn a natural way to talk with a friend, a neighbor, or an acquaintance about difficult topics, and a conversational seven-question guide and the importance of being “the other person.”

Rural communities and farm families value supporting each other in times of need. COMET helps people take the next step after noticing someone might be struggling. It empowers friends and neighbors to be more prepared to support others’ mental health needs – especially before a crisis.

This training doesn’t expect community members to “fix it,” but trains people to feel comfortable initiating a supportive but potentially emotional conversation. It provides an easy way to start a conversation, teaches you how to exit the conversation in a supportive way, and offers resources to share with others if they need more than a listening ear.

This program was developed by the High Plains Research Network Community Advisory Council specifically for rural communities. The workshop on November 13 will be led by Shawn Monson from Farm Well Wisconsin, and Joy Kirkpatrick from UW-Madison Extension. Pre-registration is required. You can register online or by calling 608-847-2735.