Douglas Ullman Conference 2026

Join us for the Douglas Ullman Conference 2026: "Raising Humans in a Digital World: Supporting Youth Mental Health in the Age of Screens" taking place on Thursday, September 24th! This conference series, dedicated to honoring Douglas G. Ullman, one of CRC's Founders and first Board President, brings top experts in behavioral health to Bowling Green, OH.

We will be joined by Jordan Garza, Founder and CEO of Lifeline Strategies, LLC and Program Coordinator for Wood County Addiction Response and Stabilization. With over 20 + years of experience in public health and safety initiatives, Jordan will present his findings on how social media and technology affect youth behavioral health on a local level, identifying them as contributing risk factors linked to violence, mental health issues, and substance use disorders.

A following keynote workshop will be provided by Sharon and Chelsea Maxwell of Polestar Parenting. This workshop explores how today’s digital environment is shaping the emotional, social, cognitive, and behavioral health of children and adolescents, drawing on neuroscience, developmental psychology, behavioral design research, and direct clinical and classroom experience. Moving beyond “screen time” debates, participants will gain a developmentally informed framework for understanding how digital technologies are shaping youth mental health, behavior, relationships, and development. Participants will leave with concrete tools they can immediately apply in educational and clinical settings to support healthy development and authentic human connection in a technology-saturated world.

Session Outline

1. The Digital Landscape and Youth Mental Health

• Current trends in adolescent anxiety, depression, loneliness, and emotional dysregulation

• How digital culture is reshaping childhood and adolescence

• Group discussion: What professionals are seeing in schools, clinics, and communities

2. The Developing Brain in a Persuasive Digital Environment

• Brain development during childhood and adolescence

• AI and the developing brain

• Touch screen technology and the dopamine reward system 

• Persuasive design: how social media platforms compete for attention and behavior

• Small group discussions using real-life youth scenarios 

• Practical strategies and scripts for speaking with children and teens about the brain and persuasive design

3. Social Media, Identity, and Emotional Well-Being

• Social comparison, validation seeking, and identity formation

• The impact of online communication on relationships, empathy, conflict, and self-worth

• Anxiety, perfectionism, body image concerns, and peer pressure in digital spaces

• Small group discussions using real-life youth scenarios 

4. Gaming, Entertainment, and the Always-Stimulated Brain

• How gaming, streaming platforms, short-form video, and algorithm-driven entertainment shape attention, mood, and emotional regulation

• The impact of constant stimulation, rapid reward cycles, and multitasking on the developing brain

• Recognizing patterns of concern in gaming and media use

• Practical strategies to support kids in developing a healthy relationship with entertainment

• Interactive case study and collaborative problem-solving exercises

5. From Insight to Action: Supporting Youth in a Digital World 

• Synthesizes key themes and insights

• Offers strategies to support emotional regulation, attention, identity development, and real-world connection in youth

• Ends with a guided action-planning exercise so participants can implement immediate, realistic changes in their professional practice
  

Bio – Sharon Maxwell Ph.D. and Chelsea Maxwell Ed.M.:
Sharon and Chelsea Maxwell began their collaboration eleven years ago bringing presentations, workshops, and curricula to parents, educators, and students internationally. Their work brings together the perspectives and insights of a psychologist and an educator. They lecture on the topics of digital health and sexual health and responsibility, supporting parents and educators in cultivating meaningful dialogue.

Chelsea specialized in curriculum development and technology and innovation at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and is now running teen groups exploring topics such as healthy relationships, consent, and digital health.

Dr. Maxwell is a practicing clinical psychologist, specializing in adolescent and family therapy. Her award-winning book, THE TALK: A Breakthrough Guide to Raising Healthy Kids in an Oversexualized, Online, In-your-face World, has been translated into Italian, Polish, Vietnamese, and Mandarin for publication in mainland China. Dr. Maxwell has been interviewed by NPR, Time Magazine, US News & World Report, NBC, and USA Today.

Date: Thursday, September 24, 2026
Time: 9:00am - 4:00pm (Sign-in begins at 9am | Program begins at 9:30am)
Location: Veterans Memorial Building - Atrium (520 Conneaut Ave. Bowling Green, OH 43402)
Breakfast & Lunch included
CEUs Available through the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage & Family Therapist Board

For more information or questions, please contact Caroline Beachy: carolineb@crcwoodcounty.org | 614.361.8296

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Caroline Beachy: carolineb@crcwoodcounty.org | 614.361.8296