ALTUS – Teachers see it in the classroom. Healthcare providers see it in their waiting rooms. Across western Oklahoma, stress, burnout, and rising health concerns continue to touch every corner of daily life. But so do the efforts to meet them.
On September 25–26, educators, healthcare workers, and community leaders will gather in Altus for the 7th Annual Southwest Oklahoma Wellness Symposium. The two-day event is designed as a space to share ideas, trade tools, and build partnerships that can carry back into schools, clinics, and communities.
The symposium isn’t just about lectures — it’s about tackling real challenges head-on. Breakout sessions this year cover a wide range of issues: - Mindfulness practices for classrooms and workplaces (Make It Stick: Practicing Presence).
- De-escalation strategies for crisis situations (Crisis De-escalation).
- Current drug trends and their impact in Oklahoma (Drug Trends in Oklahoma).
- Nutrition programs reaching seniors beyond diet (Serving Our Seniors).
- Suicide prevention, adolescent health, and the connection between food and emotional well-being.
Beyond the sessions, networking tables and evening events offer time for conversations that often lead to the most practical solutions. “It’s about people leaving with ideas they can use the very next day,” organizers noted.
The symposium is open to the public, and organizers encourage schools, clinics, and agencies across Beckham County to send staff as an investment in both their teams and the community at large.
Registration details and the full schedule are available at swok.my.canva.site/wellness.
