The Engage & Heal Foundation proudly presents the third annual Mental Health Symposium, taking place Feb. 27 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at TexARTS, located at 1110 S RR 620 Lakeway.
This year’s event is designed to bring together an open-minded community of experts, activists and learners on the journey of exploring mental health. Themed “Sharpen Your Mind: Cope, Thrive, Heal and Nourish,” the event mirrors the recently launched Engage & Heal Foundation MindMap app, offering tools and resources to help attendees tap into the best year of wellness yet.
The Engage & Heal Foundation Mental Health Symposium is a full day of carefully curated programming designed to spark discussion, open doors of healing and inspire change for individuals and the community. Coordinated by Engage & Heal Foundation board member and licensed professional counselor Kathleen Hassenfratz, sessions include lectures, workshops and panels, led and facilitated by local mental health experts and advocates.
Two impactful keynotes will be delivered throughout the day. In the morning, Kate Lower, SHIFT Lori Holleran Steiker Endowed Director at UT Austin, will present “Shifting Perspectives to Shift Norms: Building Connection to Change Culture,” exploring how meaningful cultural change happens through connection rather than isolated effort. In the afternoon, Kim Hess, President of the Cassidy Joined for Hope Foundation, will share “Breaking the Silence,” a mother’s firsthand account of losing her child to suicide. Hess clearly outlines warning signs and risk factors, helping others recognize when someone is in danger, how to respond and why direct, open conversations are critical to suicide prevention.
Engage & Heal Foundation President and Co-Founder Amelia Floyd will also take center stage during the day’s programming. During “What She Needed, What I Learned: A Shared Story,” Floyd and her youngest daughter explore their combined journey through mental health challenges, told from two deeply connected perspectives. As one navigated her struggles, the other learned to listen, support and grow alongside her. Together, they reflect on the moments that mattered most—what was needed, what was learned and how their shared experience reshaped their relationship and understanding of healing.
Let’s break the stigma, normalize mental health and embrace a day of learning to guide the next year of self-empowerment and communal development. Register today for the 3rd Annual Engage & Heal Foundation Mental Health Symposium.
About The Engage & Heal Foundation
The Engage & Heal Foundation is a Lake Travis-based nonprofit organization founded in 2019 to break the stigma of mental health. Following the 2018 loss by suicide of Lake Travis High School (LTHS) honors student and varsity football player Erik Hanson, family friend and community activist Amelia Floyd set out to share resources with students and raise awareness about mental health challenges. With support from the community, Floyd founded the Erik Hanson Memorial Scholarship and awarded three $2,000 scholarships for Lake Travis ISD football players who demonstrated need. The scholarship tagline, “Engage and Heal,” an acronym for Hanson’s name, quickly caught on, along with a demand for more mental health resources in the Lake Travis community.
The organization equips youth and the adults who support them with the tools, voice, and support they need to thrive mentally and emotionally—at school and in sports, activities and life. Learn more at www.engageandheal.org and join the conversation on social media @engageandheal.
The above story was produced by the Engage & Heal Foundation team with Community Impact’s Storytelling team, using information solely provided by the local business as part of their “sponsored content” purchase through our advertising team.
