NAMI Ask the Expert: Enhancing Immunity to Build Resilience: An Innovative Preventative Health Program OD029

An on-demand video and transcript of the presentation are available here [opens in new tab].

About The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. They are an alliance of more than 650 local Affiliates and 49 State organizations who work in your community to raise awareness and provide support and education to people with mental illness and their loved ones. Through awareness, advocacy and education, NAMI is committed to building stronger communities and a better future for everyone affected by mental illness.

Course Summary

Practice Level: Intermediate

This course, based on the Ask the Expert webinar series by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), translates current, evidence-informed strategies for strengthening host defenses into practical steps clients can use to reduce risk, recover faster, and sustain wellbeing. Drawing on research about sleep, stress biology, vaccination, nutrition, and credible health information-seeking, the course organizes immune-supportive habits into a clear, teachable framework clinicians can implement in routine care. Faculty connect these behaviors to health equity and to behavioral health populations who face disproportionate infectious disease risks, offering low-cost, culturally adaptable approaches. The program aligns with ASWB ACE and APA CESA expectations by emphasizing research grounded content, measurable learning objectives, and application to practice.

The course, with an intended audience of social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and counselors, then presents content that equips behavioral health clinicians with evidence-informed, scope-appropriate strategies to educate, motivate, and coach diverse clients in immune-supportive self-care while evaluating the credibility of health information.

Course Format

This course contains a participant guide, practice test, and on-demand video. When you’re ready, purchase the course by clicking the “Add To Cart” or “Enroll” button. This will let you take the test, complete the course evaluation and receive your certificate for CE credits.

Learning Objectives

1. Describe key mechanisms of innate and adaptive immunity relevant to everyday prevention and recovery coaching.
2. Explain evidence-informed behaviors that support immune function across diverse populations.
3. Apply a simple checklist to evaluate the credibility of online health information with clients and caregivers.

Course Syllabus

• Immune Health Basics for Helping Professionals
• Evidence-Informed Behaviors that Strengthen Immunity
• Health Literacy in the Viral Era
• Implementing in Practice

Current References

Aretouli, E., Malik, M., Widmann, C., Parker, A. M., Oh, E. S., & Vannorsdall, T. D. (2025). Cognitive and mental health outcomes in long covid. BMJ, 390, e081349. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj-2024-081349[opens in new tab]

Balcerowska, M., & Kwaśnik, P. (2025). The multifaceted impact of stress on immune function. Molecular Biology Reports, 52, Article 1008. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-025-11134-6[opens in new tab]

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Sleep diary.https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/work-hour-training-for-nurses/longhours/mod10/sleepdiary-P.pdf[opens in new tab]

Cohen, S., Doyle, W. J., Alper, C. M., Janicki-Deverts, D., & Turner, R. B. (2009). Sleep habits and susceptibility to the common cold. Archives of Internal Medicine, 169(1), 62–67. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2008.505[opens in new tab]

Engert, L. C., & Besedovsky, L. (2025). Sleep and inflammation: A bidirectional relationship. Somnologie, 29, 3–9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-025-00495-6[opens in new tab]

Goepfert, P., Katz, M. J., Kaul, D., Sharma, T., Kaur, D., Falck-Ytter, Y., & Baden, L. (2026). IDSA 2025 guidelines on the use of vaccines for the prevention of seasonal influenza infections in immunocompromised patients. Clinical Infectious Diseases. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciag116[opens in new tab]

Jonikas, J. A., Cook, J. A., Swarbrick, M., Nemec, P., Steigman, P. J., Boss, K. A., & Brice, G. H., Jr. (2021). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and daily life of adults with behavioral health disorders. Translational Behavioral Medicine, 11(5), 1162–1171. https://doi.org/10.1093/tbm/ibab013[opens in new tab]

Jonikas, J. A., Swarbrick, M. P., Arnold, K., Brice, G. H., Jr., Cook, J. A., & Nemec, P. B. (2021). Enhancing your immune health: Facilitator’s guide (Modules 1–5). University of Illinois at Chicago Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy & Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey.https://www.center4healthandsdc.org/uploads/7/1/1/4/71142589/enhancing_immune_health_modules_1-5_september_2021.pdf[opens in new tab]

Kim, H., Rebholz, C. M., Hegde, S., LaFiura, C., Raghavan, M., Lloyd, J. F., Cheng, S., & Seidelmann, S. B. (2021). Plant-based diets, pescatarian diets and COVID-19 severity: A population-based case-control study in six countries. BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health, 4(1), 257–266. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjnph-2021-000272[opens in new tab]

Molero, P., Reina, G., Blom, J. D., Martínez-González, M. Á., Reinken, A., de Kloet, E. R., & Molendijk, M. L. (2023). COVID-19 risk, course and outcome in people with mental disorders: A systematic review and meta-analyses. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 32, e61. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2045796023000719[opens in new tab]

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (n.d.). NAMI Hearts+Minds.https://www.nami.org/programs/nami-heartsminds/ [opens in new tab]

National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. (n.d.). National Rehabilitation Information Center (NARIC).https://www.naric.com/[opens in new tab]

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2016). Creating a healthier life: A step-by-step guide to wellness (SMA-16-4958).https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/sma16-4958.pdf[opens in new tab]  

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2016). Learn the eight dimensions of wellness (SMA-16-4953).https://library.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/sma16-4953.pdf[opens in new tab]

Vai, B., Mazza, M. G., Delli Colli, C., Foiselle, M., Allen, B., Benedetti, F., Borsini, A., Casanova Dias, M., Tamouza, R., Leboyer, M., Benros, M. E., Branchi, I., Fusar-Poli, P., & De Picker, L. J. (2021). Mental disorders and risk of COVID-19-related mortality, hospitalisation, and intensive care unit admission: A systematic review and meta-analysis. The Lancet Psychiatry, 8(9), 797–812. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2215-0366(21)00232-7[opens in new tab]

Whitman, M., Barajas-Ochoa, A., Sastry, S., & Bearman, G. (2025). Plant-based diets and climate change, a perspective for infectious disease providers. Open Forum Infectious Diseases, 12(10), ofaf222.https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofaf222[opens in new tab]

Instructors

Peggy Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA

Peggy Swarbrick, PhD, FAOTA, is the Associate Director of the Center of Alcohol & Substance Use Studies and a Research Professor in the Applied Department of Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology. She has worked for 25 years at the Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey Wellness Institute Director. Over decades, she has developed and evolved a strengths-based eight-dimensional wellness model that is been used for various populations as a strength-based approach for whole health recovery and prevention. Dr. Swarbrick has made significant contributions to the body of literature in occupational therapy, nursing and community behavioral health care practice, focused on topics, such as the eight dimensions of wellness, wellness coaching, peer support, social determinants of health, financial wellness, employment and professional self-care. She has created self-care wellness programs for people in recovery, caregivers, families, youth and professionals, including training materials and intervention manuals. Dr. Swarbrick recently developed a program on wellness self-care and peer support models for health care professionals and educators to prevent burnout.

Dr. Jessica A. Jonikas, MA

Jessica A. Jonikas, MA (she/her) is Associate Director of the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) Center on Mental Health Services Research and Policy, as well as a Research Specialist in Health Systems Research for the UIC Department of Psychiatry. She holds a master’s degree from the University of Chicago, School of Social Service Administration and Center for Health Administration Studies. Ms. Jonikas is co-investigator or program director on federally-funded projects to promote wellness self-management, holistic health and self-determination for people in recovery, as well as evidence-based practices and research translation in public mental health settings. Ms. Jonikas is the senior author or co-author of research articles, book chapters, training guides and other educational resources on recovery-oriented models of care. For over 25 years, she has contributed to preparing and mentoring the mental health workforce.

Nicole Errickson, LCSW

Nicole is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Georgia. She brings over 19 years experience in the social work field, primarily working in school systems as a school social worker and with the McKinney-Vento grant. Over her career, Nicole has had several opportunities to help develop and execute professional development events. Nicole has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of South Alabama and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Alabama.

Accreditation Approval Statements

CE4Less.com is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. CE4Less.com maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

CE4Less.com, provider #1115, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 8/8/24-8/8/27.

Social workers completing this course receive 1 general continuing education credits.

We are committed to providing our learners with unbiased information. CE4Less never accepts commercial support and our authors have no significant financial or other conflicts of interest pertaining to the material.