32nd annual zarrow mental health symposium
october 1-2, 2026
arvest convention center • tulsa, ok
RE:CONNECT
In October, 2019, Mental Health Association Oklahoma hosted the 25th annual Zarrow Mental Health Symposium, titled Resilience, Recovery, Rethink Mental Health. Just five months later, the world shut down for the Covid-19 pandemic. Our team could never have imagined the difficulty, isolation, and necessary resilience that would follow.
In the years since, service providers, clinicians, and helpers across our community have banded together to support those in-need. The mental healthcare system has advanced to meet the nuanced needs created by necessary distance, evolving culture, and enduring uncertainty.
In response to these needs and as a testament to the strength of our community, MHAOK is excited to welcome clinicians, community members, nonprofit workers, and impacted individuals back into a shared physical space at the Arvest Convention Center for RE:Connect- Recovery, Resilience, & Rebuilding Community. Together, October 1st-2nd, 2026, we will learn from local and national experts, explore cutting-edge science, and gain insight to better serve our neighbors in Tulsa and beyond.
Focused on forging new connections within the mental healthcare community, our 32nd annual Zarrow Mental Health Symposium will be one to remember, and we hope you will be a part of it.
Presenter opportunities, program information, tickets, and more details coming soon!
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
The Zarrow Mental Health Symposium historically draws nearly 800 participants to join in meaningful conversation, strategic networking, and learning. Last year's event saw attendees from across the country, representing over 300 organizations! Our conference is formatted to provide up to 15 hours of professional continuing education during the live event, with limited conference registrant access to archived content to earn additional CEUs after the symposium concludes.
Attendees represent a broad cross-section of the community ranging from nonprofits, healthcare, education, research, government, law enforcement, faith communities and tribal nations, to mental health professionals including social workers, psychologists, licensed professional counselors, licensed marital and family therapists, licensed alcohol and drug counselors, case managers and peer recovery support specialists, as well as individuals with lived experience, their family members, students and mental health advocates.
Prior speakers include:
Adam Gazzaley, MD, PhD
Alex Crosby, MD, MPH
BJ Miller, MD
Carl Hart, PhD
Chan M. Hellman, PhD
Cornel West, PhD
Darryl Tonemah, PhD
Elena Joy Thurston
Esmé Weijun Wang
Joy DeGruy, MSW, PhD
Matthew Desmond, PhD
Dixon Chibanda, MD
Matthew A. Miller, PhD, MPH
Nancy Bernardy, PhD
Omar Manejwala, MD
Rachel Wurzman, PhD
Robert M. Sapolsky, PhD
Stuart Ablon, PhD
Susan Magsamen
William Zangwill, PhD
Xavier Amador, PhD
in 2025…
748 attendees joined from 301 different organizations in 16 states.
they learned from 5 keynotes & 114 presenters across 65 sessions.
attendees earned an average of 12.7 cues per person.
CONFERENCE FORMAT
Our 2026 conference will be hosted in-person at the Arvest Convention Center in downtown Tulsa, OK. For a limited time following the event, attendees will have access to recorded content through our host platform. This feature will allow attendees to review the presentations and, if desired, earn additional CEUs.
More information on our interactive virtual content, including our conference app, will be available soon!
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