Mental Health Education

The Science of Defiance: Why Students Shut Down and How to Motivate Them

JFS is pleased to offer you complimentary access to The Science of Defiance, a professional development training presented by The Wellness Institute. You’ll gain practical strategies to strengthen classroom management and build a culture where all students feel motivated to succeed. This event is intended for educators and school professionals of children in grades K–12.

Picture this student: They are bright and capable. But the moment an assignment feels difficult, they shut down. They put their head on the desk, refuse to begin, distract the students around them, or insist the work is pointless. The more you try to encourage them, the more they pull away. You have had this student. As you read this, you can probably think of a name and see a face. What looks like defiance or a lack of motivation may actually be a student who feels overwhelmed, is afraid of failing, and does not know how to move forward.

Event Details

Tuesday, September 8, 2026

7:00–9:00 p.m. EDT

Live on Zoom. Register at: The Science of Defiance

In this webinar, you’ll learn to:

• See the stress that may be driving shutdown, avoidance, and disruptive behavior.
• Shift the mindset by helping students recognize and manage negative beliefs about learning.
• Build motivation with field-tested strategies that give students a greater sense of competence, confidence, and control.

Speaker Bio

Jerome Schultz, PhD, is a clinical neuropsychologist on the faculty of Harvard Medical School’s Department of Psychiatry. A former special education teacher, he has spent more than 40 years helping children and young adults with learning disabilities, ADHD, and other learning needs. He is a consultant to schools throughout the United States and internationally and the author of Nowhere to Hide: Why Kids with ADHD and LD Hate School and What We Can Do About It.

Join us for free, monthly support groups designed especially for families and care partners of individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.

Each session is co-facilitated by experienced professionals and provides a compassionate, understanding environment to share experiences, find encouragement, and connect with others who understand the challenges of caregiving.

Held monthly, in two convenient locations:

• West Hartford: Bishop’s Corner Senior Center, 15 Starkel Road. First Tuesday of the month, 10–11:30 a.m.
• Bloomfield: Duncaster, 30 Loeffler Road. Last Tuesday of the month, 10:30–11:30 a.m.

Everyone is welcome to attend. Questions? Contact Naté Paige at 860-937-5389 or npaige@jfshartford.org.

Presented in partnership with Alzheimer’s Association Connecticut Chapter.

Mental Health First Aid is designed to help young people and the adults who care about them recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health challenges and respond with appropriate resources. JFS offers two versions of this program:

Youth Mental Health First Aid (YMHFA) teaches adults to recognize mental health issues in youth ages 12-18. This course is recommended for parents, educators, and anyone else who regularly works with this age group. Groups and individuals are welcome to participate.

Teen Mental Health First Aid (tMHFA) teaches teens in grades 9-12 (ages 14-18) how to identify, understand, and respond to mental health and substance use issues among friends and peers. This course is recommended for classes, youth groups, and teen community organizations.

To learn more about Mental Health First Aid, contact Anna Cabrera, Community Mental Health Clinician.

JFS partners with The Wellness Institute to present free webinars featuring nationally recognized experts on a variety of mental health topics focused on children and youth. Thanks to generous support from a variety of funders (see below), JFS is able to offer free registration through a special attendance code. Email us at info@jfshartford.org for details.