Court personnel from Unit 2 gathered for a one-day retreat titled, "Supporting Well-Being in the Court System." The retreat was held on September 29, 2026, at Cass Public Health in Fargo, and on October 1, 2026, at the Jamestown Law Enforcement Center. Both sessions followed the same schedule.
The morning opened with a welcome and an icebreaker, followed by a presentation from Dr. Anna Schimmelpfennig, PhD, LP, a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Director of Mental Health Services at the Red River Children's Advocacy Center. Her session, "The Cases We Carry: Secondary Traumatic Stress in the Court System," explored how repeated exposure to difficult and traumatic case material can affect those who work in the courts. She covered risk factors and warning signs, gave participants time to reflect on their own experiences, and shared practical strategies for building resilience.
After group photos and a lunch featuring Court Trivia, the afternoon featured a session led by Dr. Taryn Akgul, a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Addiction Counselor, and, in Fargo, Rikki Fischer, a Licensed School Counselor. Both are faculty in the Counseling Master's Program at Minnesota State University Moorhead. Their presentations, "Understanding and Managing Workplace Burnout" and "Wellness Strategies and Practical Tools," addressed how to recognize and manage burnout through stress management, healthy boundaries, movement, nutrition, and everyday wellness habits.
In Jamestown, Dr. Jessica Brown presented alongside Dr. Akgul in place of Ms. Fischer. Dr. Brown is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Licensed Addiction Counselor in North Dakota and a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor in Minnesota. Dr. Brown brings 10 years of experience in the substance use and mental health field and is an Assistant Professor in the Counseling Master's Program at Minnesota State University Moorhead, where she coordinates practicum and internship field experiences and teaches in the clinical mental health and addiction counseling emphases. She and Dr. Akgul have also researched and published an article on how burnout and COVID-19 affected school counselors.
Court personnel, above, work together on a group exercise.
Above, staff from the Jamestown courthouse.
Above, the Unit 2 Retreat Committee, (L to R): Claire Paulson, Macey Ard, Amanda Garcia, Chlejel Gabrido, Lindsey Beto, Missing - Nicole Leitner
Staff from the Fargo courthouse.
