Presented by Gordon Neufeld, Ph.D. and Patti Ashley, Ph.D., LPC and Tamara Strijack, M.A. and Carissa Muth, Psy.D., CCC, R.Psych
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 – Thursday, November 20, 2025 | Calgary, ab
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 – Thursday, November 20, 2025
8:30am – 4:00pm
6:30pm – 8:30pm Evening Session
Best Western Premier Calgary Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre
1316 33 St NE, T2A 6B6, Calgary, AB
phone: 403.248.8888
website: www.calgaryplaza.com/
Education and Clinical Professionals: K–12 Classroom Teachers, School Counsellors/Psychologists, Learning Assistance/ Resource Teachers, School Administrators, School Paraprofessionals including Special Education Assistants, Classroom Assistants and Childcare Workers. All other professionals who support students 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, Police Officers, and Early Childhood Educators.
Parents, Caregiver, Foster Parents, Grandparents, and Extended Family raising a child.
8:30am - 4:00pm November 18, 2025
COURSE DESCRIPTION
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Dr. Gordon Neufeld is a Vancouver-based developmental psychologist with over 50 years of experience with children and youth and those responsible for them. A foremost authority on child development, Dr. Neufeld is an international speaker, a bestselling author (Hold On To…
More information: www.neufeldinstitute.org
8:30am - 11:45am November 19, 2025
COURSE DESCRIPTION
No issue has ever been more important in education than how to engage students in the learning process. The lack of engagement of today’s students is therefore quite alarming. The downward trend has been noticeable for some time but has become even more acute after the pandemic. Teaching longer or harder has not been the answer. Changing curriculum is a never-ending exercise but also somewhat futile in making the needed difference. Restricting digital devices helps somewhat but doesn’t get to the root of the problem. Curiosity is fading: motivation is waning; mental health is deteriorating; and teacher burnout is escalating. This isn’t the complaint of only one school district or region; this phenomenon appears to be rather widespread. Dr. Neufeld insists that we cannot address a problem we do not truly understand. He will present a two-phase model of student engagement that will not only make sense of what is happening to today’s students, but also show us a way through, even with the hardest to reach students in our classes. We all want our teaching to translate into student learning. Our effectiveness and even our professional fulfillment depend upon it.
8:30am - 11:45am November 19, 2025
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This training provides clinicians and educators with a comprehensive understanding of the impact of developmental and early attachment trauma on emotional, cognitive, and social development. Participants will explore the neurobiological and psychological effects of early adverse experiences, including disruptions in attachment, neglect, and abuse. The training will focus on identifying trauma symptoms, understanding trauma-informed care, and learning effective strategies to support healing in children, adolescents, and adults affected by early trauma. Through case studies, video examples, and practical tools, attendees will deepen their knowledge of trauma-responsive interventions and develop skills to facilitate recovery, promote resilience, and foster secure attachment in their professional practice.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Understand the Impact of Developmental and Early Attachment Trauma
Recognize Trauma Symptoms in Children, Adolescents, and Adults
Utilize Trauma-Informed Care Approaches
Assess Attachment Patterns and Attachment Styles
Integrate Healing Techniques and Strategies
Collaborate with Caregivers and Support Systems
Enhance Professional Self-Awareness and Compassionate Practice
International workshop presenter, author, and psychotherapist Patti Ashley, Ph.D, LPC, has integrated 40 years of experience in special education, child development, and psychology into her wholehearted work as a psychotherapist, author, international speaker, and authenticity architect coach. She brings unique insights into the identification…
More information: www.pattiashley.com
12:45pm - 4:00pm November 19, 2025
COURSE DESCRIPTION
CONTINUATION OF MORNING SESSION
No issue has ever been more important in education than how to engage students in the learning process. The lack of engagement of today’s students is therefore quite alarming. The downward trend has been noticeable for some time but has become even more acute after the pandemic. Teaching longer or harder has not been the answer. Changing curriculum is a never-ending exercise but also somewhat futile in making the needed difference. Restricting digital devices helps somewhat but doesn’t get to the root of the problem. Curiosity is fading: motivation is waning; mental health is deteriorating; and teacher burnout is escalating. This isn’t the complaint of only one school district or region; this phenomenon appears to be rather widespread. Dr. Neufeld insists that we cannot address a problem we do not truly understand. He will present a two-phase model of student engagement that will not only make sense of what is happening to today’s students, but also show us a way through, even with the hardest to reach students in our classes. We all want our teaching to translate into student learning. Our effectiveness and even our professional fulfillment depend upon it.
12:45pm - 4:00pm November 19, 2025
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This engaging and interactive professional development session is designed to equip educators with the knowledge, strategies, and tools needed to foster social and emotional learning (SEL) in children and adolescents. Grounded in research-based practices, this training explores the five core competencies of SEL—self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making—and their vital role in student success both in and out of the classroom.
Participants will learn how to create emotionally supportive learning environments, build strong teacher-student relationships, and integrate SEL into daily routines and academic instruction. Through real-world examples, hands-on activities, and collaborative discussion, educators will walk away with actionable strategies to support students’ emotional development, resilience, and well-being.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
8:30am - 11:45am November 20, 2025
COURSE DESCRIPTION
We live in an age of technology, with information and entertainment at our fingertips, and at the fingertips of our children. While this reality may have its conveniences and advantages, it can also preempt the time and space needed for play in our children’s lives. Research is now confirming what age-old cultures have intuitively known all along, that play is actually a vital part of healthy development. What kind of play do children (and adults!) need in their lives? Is screen-play true play and how do we tell the difference? In this seminar, we explore these questions and discuss what we can do as caring adults to preserve true play in a world that is moving too fast.
This workshop is suitable for all those involved with children and youth: parents, teachers, helping professionals. Although the focus is children, the dynamics and insights apply to individuals of any age.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Tamara Strijack, MA is a Registered Clinical Counsellor who lives and works in the Vancouver Island area. She is co-author (with Hannah Beach) of the book, Reclaiming our Students: Why our children are more anxious, aggressive and shut down than ever,…
More information: www.neufeldinstitute.org/person/tamara-strijack/
8:30am - 11:45am November 20, 2025
COURSE DESCRIPTION
As high as 20% of children in Canada will experience an anxiety disorder before reaching adulthood. For many of these children, symptoms of anxiety will impede their life and development to a degree that will create impairments into adulthood. Developmental vulnerabilities place children and adolescents at unique risk and also in need of specialized knowledge regarding the assessment and treatment of their anxiety symptoms. In this workshop, Dr. Muth will ground the assessment and treatment of anxiety for children and adolescent in a neurological understanding of human development. Presenting developmentally appropriate CBT and play therapy interventions, Dr. Muth will provide practical tools for working with children and adolescents with anxiety. Participants will walk away with the ability to identify anxiety symptoms and apply immediate interventions to address psychological symptoms and reduce the likelihood of continuation of issues into adulthood.
Why Attend?:
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Dr. Carissa Muth is a registered psychologist in Alberta and British Columbia and the Clinical Director at the Sunshine Coast Health Centre and Georgia Strait Women’s Clinic. She holds Doctorate of Psychology, Master of Arts in Counselling, and Bachelor of…
12:45pm - 4:00pm November 20, 2025
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Children are more anxious, aggressive, and shut down than ever. Faced with this epidemic of emotional health crises and behavioral problems, educators are asking themselves what went wrong. Why have we lost our students? More importantly: how can we get them back? Based on the book [co-written by the presenter], Reclaiming Our Students, this workshop will support educators with insights and strategies for how to build, nurture, and protect the student-teacher relationship in order to create the emotional safety needed for our students to thrive. We will also explore some of the common roots of troubling behaviour, including aggression and anxiety. Walking through various scenarios, we will practice together the art of reading our students and responding to their needs, in order for them to be emotionally healthy and receptive to learning.
While the material is geared primarily towards educators (in traditional school, alternative education or home learning), it also applies to anyone working with children, either in a supporting cast or helping profession.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
12:45pm - 4:00pm November 20, 2025
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Planning, organizing, and emotionally regulating all are executive functioning that, when impaired, can significantly impact activities of daily living. In childhood this can range in presentation from the ability to complete homework, to the ability to refrain from anger outbursts. While executive functioning never fully develops until young adulthood, certain children are at risk for lifetime impairments. Risk factors include trauma, low socioeconomic status, stress or neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD or ASD. In this workshop, Dr. Muth will present tools that can be implemented in the therapeutic setting and have been evidenced to have a lasting impact on children with low executive functioning. Many skills have been suggested by professionals, such as exercise, computer games, music, but only a few have been found to have a lasting impact once the intervention ceases. For children with low executive functioning, particular nontypically developing children (including children with neurodevelopmental disorders or behavior problems), improving skills in these areas can significantly improve their ability to flourish throughout their life.
Why Attend?:
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
| Registration | Super Early Bird Fee | Early Bird Fee | Regular Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| ONE DAY ENROLLMENT | -- | ||
| Individual 1 Day Enrollment | $299.00 | $319.00 | $339.00 |
| 1 Day Group 3-7 | $249.00 | $269.00 | $289.00 |
| 1 Day Group 8-14 | $224.00 | $244.00 | $264.00 |
| 1 Day Group 15+ | $199.00 | $219.00 | $239.00 |
| 1 Day Full-Time Student | $199.00 | $219.00 | $239.00 |
| -- | |||
| TWO DAY ENROLLMENT | -- | ||
| Individual 2 Day Enrollment | $539.00 | $559.00 | $579.00 |
| 2 Day Group 3-7 | $489.00 | $509.00 | $529.00 |
| 2 Day Group 8-14 | $464.00 | $484.00 | $504.00 |
| 2 Day Group 15+ | $439.00 | $459.00 | $479.00 |
| 2 Day Full-Time Student | $439.00 | $459.00 | $479.00 |
| -- | |||
| THREE DAY ENROLLMENT | -- | ||
| Individual 3 Day Enrollment | $719.00 | $739.00 | $759.00 |
| 3 Day Group 3-7 | $669.00 | $689.00 | $709.00 |
| 3 Day Group 8-14 | $644.00 | $664.00 | $684.00 |
| 3 Day Group 15+ | $619.00 | $639.00 | $659.00 |
| 3 Day Full-Time Student | $619.00 | $639.00 | $659.00 |
All fees are per person and in Canadian Dollars ($CAD)
Fees do not include applicable taxes (5% GST).
Super early bird cutoff date: September 18, 2025
To receive the super early bird rate, registration and payment must be received by Thursday, September 18, 2025.
Early bird cutoff date: October 18, 2025
To receive the early bird rate, registration and payment must be received by Saturday, October 18, 2025.
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.
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1316 33 St NE, T2A 6B6, Calgary, AB
phone: 403.248.8888
website: www.calgaryplaza.com/
Our rates:
Call: Please contact the hotel directly for current group rates, when booking please reference “Jack Hirose & Associates“. To make a reservation over the phone, please call 403.248.8888.
Select King Room: $139.00 plus tax
Select 2 Queen Room: $139.00 plus tax
*please note, room reservations are subject to availability*
Please keep in mind when booking Jack Hirose and Associates corporate guest rooms, reservations booked for most hotels can be cancelled within 48 hours. If you are booking guest rooms through third-party websites in many instances the reservations booked cannot be cancelled.
Please check back closer to the conference date for more information.
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