Breakfast with Dr. Dan Siegel & Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky
Join us for Help Group’s Mental Health Matters Breakfast, featuring renowned psychiatrist Dr. Dan Siegel and happiness expert Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky.
This inspiring morning brings together leading insights from neuroscience and positive psychology to help you better support young people—and yourself—in today’s increasingly stressful world.
Enjoy a complimentary breakfast while gaining practical, research-based strategies you can immediately apply in your work and daily life.
Professionals can earn 2.5 Continuing Education credits.
Help Group is an official Regional Center vendor with NLARC. Call your Service Coordinator and request an authorization to attend Mental Health Matters Breakfast using our courtesy vendor number # PL0230, Parent Training Code 102 and subcode for this event MHM.
Dr. Dan Siegel, Renowned Psychiatrist and New York Times Bestselling Author
Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, Bestselling Author and Leading Expert on the Science of Happiness
Wednesday May 13, 2026
9am - 12pm
Help Group’s Sherman Oaks Campus
13164 Burbank Blvd.
Sherman Oaks, CA 91401
Keynote Speaker: Dan Siegel, MD
From Reactivity to Resilience: Helping Young People Regulate in an Anxious World
Presentation Description:
In today’s world, many young people are experiencing unprecedented levels of stress, anxiety, and emotional overwhelm. In this presentation, Dr. Daniel J. Siegel will explore how relationships, emotional attunement, and everyday interactions with caring adults can help young people build resilience and develop the skills needed for emotional regulation.
Drawing on insights from interpersonal neurobiology, attachment research, and decades of clinical and parenting work, Dr. Siegel will translate key concepts about brain development into practical strategies that parents, educators, and clinicians can use to support young people during moments of stress and dysregulation.
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how connection, co-regulation, and emotional awareness help shape the developing mind, and how adults can respond to challenging behaviors in ways that strengthen resilience and well-being.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the core principles of interpersonal neurobiology and how brain development is shaped by relationships and early experiences.
- Explain the role of attachment, emotional attunement, and co-regulation in supporting young people’s ability to manage stress and regulate emotions.
- Identify key signs of emotional dysregulation in children and adolescents, and how these relate to underlying brain processes.
- Apply at least three practical, relationship-based strategies to support emotional regulation and resilience in young people during moments of stress.
- Differentiate between reactive behavioral responses and regulation-supportive approaches that promote integration, resilience, and overall well-being.
Speaker Biography:
Dan Siegel, MD, is the Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute and Founding Co-Director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA, where he has also served as Principal Co-Investigator of the Center for Culture, Brain, and Development and as Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the School of Medicine.
An award-winning educator, Dr. Siegel is the author of five New York Times bestsellers and more than fifteen other books, which have been translated into over forty languages. As the founding editor of the Norton Professional Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB), he has overseen the publication of over one hundred books within this transdisciplinary framework, which explores the intersections of mind, brain, and relationships in shaping mental health.
A graduate of Harvard Medical School, Dr. Siegel completed his postgraduate training at UCLA, specializing in pediatrics as well as adult, adolescent, and child psychiatry. He was trained in attachment research and narrative analysis through a National Institute of Mental Health research fellowship, focusing on how relationships shape our autobiographical understanding of our lives and influence development across the lifespan.
Featured Speaker: Sonja Lyubomirsky, PhD
What I Learned About Increasing Well-Being From 36 Years of Happiness Science
Presentation Description:
Happiness not only feels good—it is good. Happy people tend to be more creative, productive, and helpful; they have more stable marriages and higher incomes, and they boast stronger immune systems. Furthermore, research suggests that feeling socially connected is a key driver of happiness. Fortunately, experiments have shown that people can intentionally increase both their happiness and their sense of connection. In this presentation, Sonja Lyubomirsky will describe both classic and brand-new research revealing when and why practices such as expressing gratitude, performing acts of kindness, and engaging in more social interactions work best. Specifically, she will highlight the critical factors that increase the likelihood of success—for example, how to determine the right “dosage” or type of gratitude or kindness, and how to have deeper conversations that help people feel more loved.
Learning Objectives:
- List three intentional activities that have been shown to increase happiness and describe at least one study that supports the efficacy of each.
- Explain why a 15-minute conversation is one of the most effective happiness interventions and how to structure that conversation to maximize happiness.
- Describe at least three mindsets people can adopt to help themselves and their conversation partners feel more loved.
Speaker Biography:
Sonja Lyubomirsky earned her Bachelor of Arts from Harvard University, graduating summa cum laude, and her PhD in psychology from Stanford University. She is Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside and author of the bestselling books The How of Happiness, The Myths of Happiness, and How to Feel Loved (with Reis), published in 39 countries.
Lyubomirsky and her research, focused on the possibility of lastingly increasing happiness through gratitude, kindness, and connection interventions, have received numerous grants and honors, including election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Basel, the Diener Award for Outstanding Midcareer Contributions in Personality Psychology, the Christopher Peterson Gold Medal, and a Positive Psychology Prize.
More Info
8:30–9:00 AM
Check-In & Breakfast
Breakfast will be served.
Morning Book Signing with Dr. Daniel J. Siegel
9:00–9:10 AM
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Dr. Susan Berman, Help Group CEO
Dr. Daniel J. Siegel
9:10–10:40 AM
Presentation (75 minutes)
Q&A (15 minutes)
10:40–10:50 AM
Break & Coffee Refresh
Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky
10:50–11:50 AM
Presentation (50 minutes)
Q&A (10 minutes)
11:50 AM–12:00 PM
Closing Remarks & Acknowledgments
12:00–12:15 PM
Book Signing & Informal Networking with Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky
Help Group is an official Regional Center vendor with NLARC. Through your local Regional Center you can receive funding to apply towards one conference per year by contacting your Regional Center Service Coordinator.
Ticket price is $49.00 per person. One authorization per person. Adult Only.
Call your Service Coordinator and request an authorization to attend Mental Health Breakfast using our courtesy vendor number # PL0230, Parent Training Code 102 and subcode for this event MHM.
Once you receive an authorization from your Regional Center return to this ticket and complete your registration to secure your spot.
PLEASE USE CODE “REGIONAL” AT CHECK OUT BRINGING YOUR BALANCE TO $0.00
Catered Breakfast and Beverages for the day.
*Once PO’s are processed all sales are final.
For Professionals Seeking Continuing Education Credits
In accordance with accrediting guidelines, attendance will be tracked at both the start and conclusion of this in-person, live event. All participants will be asked to complete an online evaluation. CE certificates will be emailed to registrants following the event.
PSYCHOLOGISTS
The Help Group is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Help Group maintains responsibility for the program and its content. This course is eligible for up to 2.5 hours of live in person programming and 2.5 continuing education credits.
SOCIAL WORKERS & THERAPISTS
The Help Group is approved by the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists to sponsor continuing education for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/or LEPs. The Help Group maintains responsibility for this program/course and its content. This course is eligible for up to 2.5 hours of live in person programming and 2.5 continuing education credits for LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCCs, and/LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. (Provider #64310)
NOTE: If you are attending this event from any other state, outside of California, please check with your state board to see if you can receive continuing education for this event.
SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS
This course is eligible for up to 2.5 hours of live in person programming and 2.5 continuing education credits for Speech-Language Pathologists as required by the California Speech-Language Pathology & Audiology Board. (Provider #PDP86).
NOTE: If you are attending this event from any other state, outside of California, please check with your state board to see if you can receive continuing education for this event.
CERTIFICATES OF ATTENDANCE
The Help Group will provide Certificates of Attendance for attendees.
*Breaks and Breakfast are not counted toward CE credit.
Where is the Live Event Being Held?
The live event will take place on Wednesday, May 13, at The Help Group Autism Center located at 13164 Burbank Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91401. For customized driving directions, consult Google Maps and enter your starting address.
Is there parking at the venue?
Yes, there is free parking at The Help Group Main Campus at 13130 Burbank Blvd. Enter via the East Gate. Parking on site is limited. We encourage attendees to arrive early, as parking has first come, first serve.
For directions, visit Google Maps and enter your starting address.
Will breakfast be served?
Yes, The Help Group will provide all guests with a catered breakfast
What is the Distinguished Speakers Event Pricing?
General Admission is $49
Are speaker financial disclosures available?
Yes, in compliance with continuing education standards, all speakers provide financial and non-financial disclosures. Any relevant relationships are reviewed for potential conflicts of interest and shared with attendees to ensure full transparency.
Drs. Dan Seigel and Sonja Lybomirsky are the authors of several commercially published books for which they receive royalties.
What is your Accessibility policy?
The Help Group is committed to making CE events accessible to all individuals. If you anticipate needing assistance, please contact events@thehelpgroup.org, no later than Monday, April 13, 2026.
What is your Grievance policy?
The Help Group complies with all legal and ethical responsibilities to be non-discriminatory in promotional activities, program content and in the treatment of program participants. To address a grievance for this program, or to view The Help Group’s grievance policy in its entirety. Please email: events@thehelpgroup.org
What is your Cancellation Policy?
Cancellations must be received by email no later than Friday, May 1, 2026. Cancellations will be refunded the amount of registration less a $5.00 processing fee. No refunds will be made after Friday, May 1, 2026. In the event, this Speakers Series event must be canceled, The Help Group will provide a full refund to all registrants. Please allow up to 10 business days for refunds to be issued. Please note, The Help Group reserves the right to make changes to the event schedule, speakers, or program content as necessary. We will endeavor to notify participants of any significant adjustments in a timely manner.