The Explosive Child: Understanding and Helping Behaviourally Challenging Kids

Presented by Ross Greene, Ph.D.

Wednesday, May 4, 2016  |  Lethbridge, ab

Date & Location

Educators, parents, and mental health clinicians are increasingly challenged to understand and help kids with social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties. These kids are at tremendous risk for adverse long-term outcomes, and their behaviour can significantly impact life at home and in the classroom. While these kids may be diagnosed with any of a variety of psychiatric disorders – such as ADHD, depression, bipolar disorder, Tourette’s disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, and autism spectrum disorders – compelling research indicates that lagging cognitive skills are the primary contributor to their difficulties. These lagging skills make it difficult for these kids to meet academic and behavioural expectations.

Dr. Ross Greene’s model – as described in his influential books The Explosive Child and Lost at School, and now called Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS) — helps adults and kids collaboratively solve the problems precipitating challenging behaviour, while simultaneously teaching lagging skills. The empirically supported CPS model represents a dramatic departure from conventional wisdom and practice, and has been found to be effective in a vast array of settings, including families (where it has been shown to significantly reduce family conflict and improve parent-child interactions), general and special education schools (where it dramatically reduced discipline referrals, detentions, and suspensions), and inpatient, residential, and juvenile detention facilities (where it has produced significant reductions in recidivism and in the use of restraint and locked-door seclusion).

Participants in this workshop will leave with an understanding of the underpinnings of the model, along with practical assessment and intervention tools that can be brought back to and used in these diverse settings.

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.

Agenda

1st Segment

Key Themes/Key Questions

Why are Challenging Kids Challenging? What Research Tells Us

2nd Segment

When are Challenging Kids Challenging?

The Assessment of Lagging Skills and Unsolved Problems (ALSUP)

The Problem Solving Plan

3rd Segment

Three Approaches to Solving Problems

Plan B: Solving Problems Collaboratively

4th Segment

Plan B: What’s Hard?

Training Skills

Application with Nonverbal Kids

Implementation in Schools and Restrictive Therapeutic Facilities

Learning Objectives

Describe how different explanations for and »»interpretations of challenging behaviour in kids can lead to dramatically different approaches to intervention, and why conventional reward and punishment procedures may not be effective for many challenging kids

Identify and assess the various cognitive skills »»that are central to adaptively handling life’s social, emotional, and behavioural challenges

Identify and prioritize unsolved problems »»precipitating challenging behavior

Describe the three basic mechanisms by which »»adults handle unsolved problems and unmet expectations in kids and what is accomplished

Describe how to effectively solve problems, »»teach skills, and reduce the frequency and intensity of challenging behavior

Your Presenter

Ross Greene, Ph.D.

Ross W. Greene, Ph.D., is the originator of the Collaborative Problem Solving approach (now known as Collaborative & Proactive Solutions), as described in his influential books The Explosive Child and Lost at School.  Having served on the teaching faculty at Harvard Medical School for over 20 years, he is currently adjunct associate professor in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Tech and Director of the non-profit Lives in the Balance (www.livesinthebalance.org), which provides free, web-based resources on his model and advocates on behalf of behaviorally challenging kids and their parents, teachers, and other caregivers.  He lectures widely throughout the world and lives in Portland, Maine, with his wife and two kids.

Testimonials

“The world is a better place because of your efforts to bring understanding to behaviourally challenged children. Thank you.”
-Edmonton, AB | April 14 – 16, 2014

“Amazing presentation and speaker! Best training I’ve been to since Grad School!”
-Oakville, ON | May 28 – 30, 2014

“Ross’s work is so excellent and so helpful. He always helps me to be a better psychologist for people with unsolved problems.”
-Dr. Allan | Oakville, ON | May 28 – 30, 2014

 

“Dr. Greene’s philosophy has hugely impacted my practices.”
-Lisa Bellireau | Edmonton, AB | April 14 – 16, 2014

“I found the three day training to be exceptional. Dr. Greene has given me a great deal to think about and put into practice. Thank you for varying the content and providing a pace that would allow reflection.”
-Edmonton, AB | April 14 – 16, 2014

“Very engaging speaker to bring clarity to complex issues.”
-Edmonton, AB | April 14 – 16, 2014

 

“Ross Greene is a phenomenal speaker. I could attend everything he would be presenting. He is amazing in content, presentation and interaction with the class. This subject will change my life with my wife and son.”
-Ross L | Edmonton, AB | April 14 – 16, 2014

 

“Amazing tone, pace and presence!”
-Oakville, ON | May 28 – 30, 2014

 

“My only regret is that my staff members are not here with me. This workshop was very informative. I thank you for sharing your knowledge.”
-Oakville, ON | May 28 – 30, 2014

 

“This was an incredible three days – I learned a lot about the program and even more about myself. I look forward to the opportunity to use this at my school.”
-Edmonton, AB | April 14 – 16, 2014

“Great course! For working with kids with disabilities (and their families), and also having my own child with challenging behavior – this model just makes sense!”
-Lindsay C (McMan Youth Family & Community)| Edmonton, AB | April 14 – 16, 2014

“Ross’ problem-solving approach is inspiring and refreshing. I felt like I was sitting in a room on the brink of a revolutionary movement of ideas for helping students solve their emotional problems.”
– Langley, BC | May 21, 2015

“Thank you! A common-sense approach that should be mandatory for every educator and teaching candidate! As well, every parent should use this approach to help develop well-adjusted children.”
– Scott Sieben, Principal | Langley, BC | May 21, 2015

 

Registration & Fees