Mental health lecture at AVH to help those rocked by a “devastating diagnosis”

LANCASTER — A panel of medical professionals from Antelope Valley Hospital will present a free mental health lecture this Tuesday called “Dealing with a Devastating Diagnosis.”

It’s happening at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, at the Community Resource Center, located at 44151 15th Street West in Lancaster. Presenters include Roger Girion, PhD, executive director of mental health services; Clinical Ethicist Miriam Piven Cotler, PhD; Daniel Khodabakhsh, M.D., emergency physician and medical director of palliative care; and Patricia Karnstedt, RN, MSN, OCN, cancer program coordinator and cancer survivor.

The free hour-long lecture will explore:

— Common reactions to negative news about your health.

— Tools to help you navigate feelings of sadness, anger, fear or depression.

— How to share your news with others.

— Helpful tips for responding to others’ reactions to your condition.

“Learning you have a life-altering health condition can be scary and cause a number of emotional responses,” Girion stated in a news release. “We want to provide helpful counsel and empathy for those whose world seems turned upside-down by a diagnosis.”

For more details, view the lecture event page on Facebook [see here] and RSVP.

[Information via news release from Antelope Valley Hospital.]

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