The Student Based Mental Health and Education Conference: High Risk, Dysregulated Kids and Indigenous Perspectives in Technology-Saturated World
Presented by Caroline Buzanko, Ph.D., R. Psych and Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, Ph.D. and Tracey Whittaker-Taggart, M.A.
Wednesday, December 2, 2026 – Friday, December 4, 2026 | Winnipeg, mb
Date & Location
Wednesday, December 2, 2026 – Friday, December 4, 2026
8:30am – 4:00pm
Wyndham Garden Winnipeg Airport
460 Madison St, Winnipeg, MB R3J 1J1
Who Should Attend
Education and Clinical Professionals: All education and mental health or healthcare professionals who work with children or youth including, but not limited to K–12 Classroom Teachers, School Counsellors, Learning Assistance/Resource Teachers, School Administrators, School Paraprofessionals including Special Education Assistants, Classroom Assistants and Childcare Workers • All other professionals who support behavioural challenges and complex learning needs including but not limited to: Nurses, Social Workers, Psychologists, Clinical Counsellors, Family Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Addiction Counsellors, Youth Workers, Mental Health Workers, Probation Officers and Community Police Officers.
Day One – December 2, 2026
Working with the Highly Dysregulated Child and Adolescent
Presented by
Tracey Whittaker-Taggart, M.A.
8:30am - 4:00pm December 2, 2026
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
For anyone who know that “safety contracts” don’t work and want to know what does. Self-harm among youth isn’t rising because young people are more fragile. It’s rising because the conditions they’re navigating create psychological states where harming one’s own body makes functional sense. This intensive 6-hour workshop is designed for anyone who work with the youth carrying the heaviest burdens: those at the intersection of marginalization, trauma, and self-injury.
You’ll move beyond risk management checklists to understand the why beneath the behaviour. Drawing on the established theories and evidence-based interventions for self-harm, this training provides the clinical precision needed when the stakes are highest.
This workshop addresses the reality that therapy fails when it replicates the same power dynamics that harm youth in the first place. You’ll learn how to structure engagement that honours adolescent autonomy, conduct chain analyses that reveal intervention points invisible in standard assessments, and teach physiological regulation skills that work when cognitive strategies fail. We’ll tackle the specific dialectical dilemmas of adolescent treatment: how to involve parents without breaking confidentiality, how to validate pain without reinforcing dysfunction, and how to adapt evidence-based protocols for youth who experience standard therapeutic language as minimizing and unhelpful.
You’ll also confront the parts of this work that textbooks skip: how to stay regulated when a 14-year-old shows you fresh burns, how to respond when a family’s exhaustion manifests as rage, and how to maintain therapeutic boundaries while practicing the “moral courage” required to witness historical trauma.
This workshop is key to develop enough technical skill and relational capacity that young people choose to stay alive long enough to discover they want to.
WORKSHOP OUTLINE
Module 1: Understanding Self-Harm Through Intersectional and Biosocial Frameworks
- Personal mapping
- The crisis in context
- Biosocial theory
- Ecology of marginalization
- Developmental versus pathological
- Under-regulation versus over-regulation
Module 2: Engagement, Assessment, and Building Alliance Across Difference
- Why youth hide
- Trauma-informed engagement
- Beyond tick-box assessment
- Structural engagement for autonomy
- Cultural safety strategies
- Fidelity versus flexibility
Module 3: Core Clinical Skills—The Technical Architecture of Intervention
- The “Power Tools” of DBT-A
- Crisis survival skills
- Dialectical thinking & function question
Module 4: Safety Planning, Family Systems, and Ethical Harm Reduction
- Collaborative safety planning
- Harm reduction strategies
- Family systems and the middle path
- Systemic context
Closing: Develop an implementation plan for one current high-risk client
LEARNING OBJECTIONS
- Analyze intersectional risk through biosocial and structural lenses
- Differentiate self-harm typology and match intervention to regulation profile
- Deploy crisis-specific physiological regulation skills
- Conduct behavioural chain analysis to identify micro-intervention points
- Navigate adolescent-family dialectical dilemmas
- Implement culturally responsive adaptations without compromising fidelity
Day Two – December 3, 2026
Working with Children and Youth who are High-Risk, Marginalized and Engage in Self-Harming Behaviour
Presented by
Caroline Buzanko, Ph.D., R. Psych
8:30am - 4:00pm December 3, 2026
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
For anyone who know that “safety contracts” don’t work and want to know what does. Self-harm among youth isn’t rising because young people are more fragile. It’s rising because the conditions they’re navigating create psychological states where harming one’s own body makes functional sense. This intensive 6-hour workshop is designed for anyone who work with the youth carrying the heaviest burdens: those at the intersection of marginalization, trauma, and self-injury.
You’ll move beyond risk management checklists to understand the why beneath the behaviour. Drawing on the established theories and evidence-based interventions for self-harm, this training provides the clinical precision needed when the stakes are highest.
This workshop addresses the reality that therapy fails when it replicates the same power dynamics that harm youth in the first place. You’ll learn how to structure engagement that honours adolescent autonomy, conduct chain analyses that reveal intervention points invisible in standard assessments, and teach physiological regulation skills that work when cognitive strategies fail. We’ll tackle the specific dialectical dilemmas of adolescent treatment: how to involve parents without breaking confidentiality, how to validate pain without reinforcing dysfunction, and how to adapt evidence-based protocols for youth who experience standard therapeutic language as minimizing and unhelpful.
You’ll also confront the parts of this work that textbooks skip: how to stay regulated when a 14-year-old shows you fresh burns, how to respond when a family’s exhaustion manifests as rage, and how to maintain therapeutic boundaries while practicing the “moral courage” required to witness historical trauma.
This workshop is key to develop enough technical skill and relational capacity that young people choose to stay alive long enough to discover they want to.
WORKSHOP OUTLINE
Module 1: Understanding Self-Harm Through Intersectional and Biosocial Frameworks
- Personal mapping
- The crisis in context
- Biosocial theory
- Ecology of marginalization
- Developmental versus pathological
- Under-regulation versus over-regulation
Module 2: Engagement, Assessment, and Building Alliance Across Difference
- Why youth hide
- Trauma-informed engagement
- Beyond tick-box assessment
- Structural engagement for autonomy
- Cultural safety strategies
- Fidelity versus flexibility
Module 3: Core Clinical Skills—The Technical Architecture of Intervention
- The “Power Tools” of DBT-A
- Crisis survival skills
- Dialectical thinking & function question
Module 4: Safety Planning, Family Systems, and Ethical Harm Reduction
- Collaborative safety planning
- Harm reduction strategies
- Family systems and the middle path
- Systemic context
Closing: Develop an implementation plan for one current high-risk client
LEARNING OBJECTIONS
- Analyze intersectional risk through biosocial and structural lenses
- Differentiate self-harm typology and match intervention to regulation profile
- Deploy crisis-specific physiological regulation skills
- Conduct behavioural chain analysis to identify micro-intervention points
- Navigate adolescent-family dialectical dilemmas
- Implement culturally responsive adaptations without compromising fidelity
Caroline Buzanko, Ph.D., R. Psych, is a psychologist. Mother. Professor. International Speaker. Yoda of Anxiety. ADHD Superhero. And Changer of Lives. With nearly three decades of experience, she is a recognized expert in resilience and the social, emotional, and behavioural well-being…
Day Three – December 4, 2026
Reclaiming Childhood and Adolescence in a Technology-Saturated World: Indigenous Perspectives on Development, Connection, Community, and Resilience
Presented by
Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, Ph.D.
8:30am - 4:00pm December 4, 2026
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
Children today are growing up in a rapidly changing world where technology, artificial intelligence, social media, and digital entertainment have become central parts of daily life. While these advancements offer many opportunities, they have also raised important questions about their impact on child development, social connection, emotional well-being, and overall health.
Many children now spend significantly less time outdoors, have fewer opportunities for face-to-face social interaction, and are increasingly exposed to online influences, violence, and digital content that may shape their perceptions of themselves and the world around them. Families, educators, and communities are witnessing growing concerns related to social isolation, emotional dysregulation, attention difficulties, anxiety, and challenges in developing empathy, compassion, and meaningful relationships.
This workshop will explore the influence of technology, artificial intelligence, social media, and violence on the healthy development of children and youth. Participants will examine whether modern technology contributes to impaired neurodevelopment and how increasing screen use may affect emotional, cognitive, social, and relational development.
Drawing upon Indigenous perspectives, participants will explore the importance of connection, compassion, empathy, community, culture, and relationships in supporting healthy development. The workshop will highlight the value of land-based learning and experiences in nature as important protective factors that promote resilience, belonging, identity, emotional well-being, and healthy growth.
Participants will be encouraged to critically examine the role technology plays in children’s lives while exploring practical ways to restore balance through relationships, community engagement, cultural connection, outdoor experiences, and opportunities for meaningful human interaction.
Through discussion, reflection, storytelling, and shared learning, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how Indigenous teachings and community-centered approaches can help support children and youth in an increasingly digital world.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Examine the impact of technology, artificial intelligence, social media, and violence on child and youth development.
- Explore current research and perspectives regarding technology and impaired neurodevelopment.
- Understand how technology and screen-based lifestyles may influence children’s social, emotional, cognitive, and relational development.
- Recognize the importance of empathy, compassion, connection, and community in fostering healthy development.
- Explore Indigenous perspectives on child development, relationships, belonging, and wellness.
- Understand the role of land-based learning and nature experiences in supporting resilience and well-being.
- Identify protective factors that promote healthy development in children and youth.
- Reflect on practical strategies for balancing technology use with opportunities for connection, culture, community, and outdoor experiences.
- Develop approaches for supporting healthy development in homes, schools, and communities.
Cynthia Wesley-Esquimaux, Ph.D. served as Vice Provost for Indigenous Initiatives at Lakehead University for three years. Effective September 2016 she was appointed as the 1st Indigenous Chair for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada for Lakehead University and continues to develop…
Registration & Fees
| Registration | Super Early Bird Fee | Early Bird Fee | Regular Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| ONE DAY ENROLLMENT | -- | ||
| Individual 1 Day Enrollment | $279.00 | $299.00 | $319.00 |
| 1 Day Group 3-7 | $229.00 | $249.00 | $269.00 |
| 1 Day Group 8-14 | $209.00 | $229.00 | $249.00 |
| 1 Day Group 15+ | $189.00 | $209.00 | $229.00 |
| 1 Day Full-Time Student | $189.00 | $209.00 | $229.00 |
| -- | |||
| TWO DAY ENROLLMENT | -- | ||
| Individual 2 Day Enrollment | $499.00 | $519.00 | $539.00 |
| 2 Day Group 3-7 | $459.00 | $469.00 | $489.00 |
| 2 Day Group 8-14 | $429.00 | $449.00 | $469.00 |
| 2 Day Group 15+ | $399.00 | $419.00 | $439.00 |
| 2 Day Full-Time Student | $399.00 | $419.00 | $439.00 |
| -- | |||
| THREE DAY ENROLLMENT | -- | ||
| Individual 3 Day Enrollment | $669.00 | $689.00 | $699.00 |
| 3 Day Group 3-7 | $619.00 | $639.00 | $659.00 |
| 3 Day Group 8-14 | $599.00 | $619.00 | $629.00 |
| 3 Day Group 15+ | $469.00 | $489.00 | $509.00 |
| 3 Day Full-Time Student | $469.00 | $489.00 | $509.00 |
All fees are per person and in Canadian Dollars ($CAD)
Fees do not include applicable taxes (5% GST).
Super early bird cutoff date: October 2, 2026
To receive the super early bird rate, registration and payment must be received by Friday, October 2, 2026.
Early bird cutoff date: November 2, 2026
To receive the early bird rate, registration and payment must be received by Monday, November 2, 2026.
Please review our Registration Terms and Conditions for information on our cancellation policy, payment policies, rebates, and more. You must agree to our Terms and Conditions to register for a workshop or conference.
Downloads
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Recommended Accommodation
Wyndham Garden Winnipeg Airport
460 Madison St, Winnipeg, MB R3J 1J1
Our rates:
Please contact the hotel directly for best available rates.
Continuing Education Credits
This workshop has been formally approved by the following associations:
- Canadian Psychological Association (CPA)
Jack Hirose & Associates is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. Jack Hirose & Associates maintains responsibility for the program.
† The Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) and the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Social Workers (NLASW) accept CPA-approved CEUs.
* Participants will receive a certificate of completion after every workshop. Workshops are pre-approved for 5.5 or 6 credits per day unless otherwise specified.
Please check back closer to the conference date for more information.
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