Lisa Porter, DCP, CCC, CCS, started her career as a high school teacher, working in the public education in both Alberta and BC. She later transitioned into high school counselling, where she spent ten years supporting student mental health and…
The Student Based Mental Health & Education Conference: AI and Digital Wellness, Trauma, Stress and Emotional Resilience, ADHD and Self Regulation [Saskatoon, SK]
Presented by Lisa Porter, DCP, CCC, CCS and Tracy Whittaker-Taggart, M.A. and Jenny Demark, Ph.D., C. Psych.
Wednesday, November 18, 2026 – Friday, November 20, 2026 | Saskatoon, sk
In-Person Registration Only
You are on the in-person registration page for this event. If you would like to attend online (live webinar or on-demand), please register through our Online Learning website.
Online-Only
Registration Live webinar or on-demand access
Registration Live webinar or on-demand access
Date & Location
Wednesday, November 18, 2026 – Friday, November 20, 2026
8:30am – 4:00pm
Park Town Hotel
924 Spadina Crescent E, Saskatoon, SK S7K 3H5
website: www.parktownhotel.com
On behalf of Jack Hirose & Associates, welcome and thank you for joining us in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. We are delighted to bring together educators, school counsellors, psychologists, administrators, therapists, and helping professionals from across Canada for three days of practical, evidence-informed learning.
Throughout the conference, you will gain practical, research-informed strategies to support the mental health, resilience, and success of children and youth. Through sessions led by leading experts, participants will explore topics including emotional regulation, trauma-informed practice, Indigenous perspectives, neurodiversity, and evidence-based approaches for supporting students facing today’s increasingly complex challenges.
We hope you enjoy both the conference and your time in Saskatoon, and leave feeling inspired, connected, and equipped with new ideas to support the children, youth, families, and communities you serve.
$39.00 per day (includes tax and gratuity)
Day 1:
- Chef’s soup of the day
- Chicken breast with lemon dill sauce
- Glazed carrots and green pea
- Garlic whipped potatoes
- Assorted desserts
- Coffee/tea
Day 2:
- Caesar salad
- Beef pot roast
- Roasted zucchini and tomatoes
- Rice pilaf
- Assorted desserts
- Coffee/tea
Day 3:
- Mixed greens salad with assorted dressing
- Pork stroganoff
- Stir fry vegetables
- Roasted baby potatoes
- Assorted desserts
- Coffea/tea
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 – November 18, 2026
Navigating the Digital Future: AI, Wellbeing, and Human Connection
Presented by
Lisa Porter, DCP, CCC, CCS
8:30am - 4:00pm November 18, 2026
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
Artificial intelligence, social media, smartphones, and other digital technologies are transforming how people learn, communicate, work, form relationships, and seek support. For educators, clinicians, therapists, and allied health professionals, these changes present both exciting opportunities and complex challenges. Understanding how to respond effectively has become an essential professional competency.
This workshop explores the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital wellness, education, and mental health. Drawing on current research, real-world examples, and hands-on demonstrations, participants will examine how emerging technologies are reshaping learning, wellbeing, communication, and professional practice across educational and clinical settings.
Participants will explore practical applications of AI that can enhance accessibility, support individualized learning and intervention, streamline administrative tasks, and foster creativity and engagement. At the same time, the workshop will examine the broader impacts of technology on mental health and human development, including concerns related to attention, anxiety, social comparison, sleep, emotional regulation, online relationships, and digital dependency.
The workshop will also address emerging issues that are increasingly relevant to educators and clinicians, including AI companionship, changing help-seeking behaviours, academic integrity in the age of generative AI, privacy and data security, and the ethical implications of integrating AI into educational and therapeutic environments. Participants will critically examine both the promises and limitations of these technologies while considering how to maintain professional judgment, ethical practice, and meaningful human connection.
Rather than framing technology as something to embrace uncritically or resist entirely, this workshop encourages a balanced and thoughtful approach. Participants will explore strategies for helping children, adolescents, and adults engage with digital technologies in healthy, purposeful, and responsible ways while leveraging the benefits these tools can offer.
Through case studies, discussion, and practical applications, attendees will leave with concrete strategies, useful resources, and a deeper understanding of how AI and digital technologies are shaping the future of education, mental health, and human connection.
Day Two – November 19, 2026
Complex Kids, Simple Solutions: Tips for Managing Dysregulated Students
Presented by
Jenny Demark, Ph.D., C. Psych.
8:30am - 4:00pm November 19, 2026
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
Students with chronic self-regulation difficulties are some of the most complicated, challenging, and rewarding to work with. Complex Kids, Simple Solutions is an evidence-based framework that is guided by developmental psychology and the science of learning. It is not easy. But it is simple. And it’s based on three fundamental ideas: Prepare, Teach, and Motivate.
Whether the student has a diagnosis of ADHD, ASD, DMDD, ODD, or is just giving teachers a good run for their money, there are solutions. This workshop will explain how three fundamental ideas apply to almost any situation teachers may encounter, from the mundane to the meltdown, and how they are especially useful when working with dysregulated kids.
The first fundamental is to Prepare. Prepare yourself and prepare your student. Plan ahead and be strategic. Pick the right battles upfront. Set the stage for success. One of the single best proactive strategies available to teachers is to spend Quality Time building and maintaining a strong connection with their student.
The second fundamental is to directly Teach students the skills they are lacking. Shifting away from a ‘bad behaviour’ paradigm, this approach refocuses teachers to understand misbehaviour in terms of missing skills. Many challenges arise because a child does not have a specific skill, be it co-operation, accepting being told no, or waiting their turn.
Finally, the third fundamental is to Motivate. Motivation can be used to improve skills such as using manners, remaining in their seat, and co-operating with requests. It can also be used to decrease unwanted behaviours such as tantrums and defiance. Spoiler alert: this approach promotes the use of rewards over punishments to motivate children.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
- Understand factors contributing to dysregulation in elementary-aged children.
- Describe each of the fundamentals: Prepare, Teach, and Motivate.
- Identify ways to engage in “quality time” with dysregulated students
- Provide examples of “positive opposites”
- Troubleshoot common barriers to building motivation in the classroom
- Be able to apply the Prepare, Teach, and Motivate framework in their classroom setting
Dr. Jenny Demark is a Clinical Psychologist with decades of experience working with children, youth, and parents. Her goal has always been to improve the quality of life for children and their families by completing thorough assessments and developing evidence-based…
Day Three – November 20, 2026
The ADHD Toolkit: Strategies for Learning, Behaviour and Self-Regulation at Home, School, and Beyond
Presented by
Tracy Whittaker-Taggart, M.A.
8:30am - 4:00pm November 20, 2026
WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
This engaging and practical workshop provides educators, clinicians, and caregivers with a deeper understanding of ADHD and the tools needed to support children and youth effectively. Participants will examine the neuroscience of ADHD, executive functioning, motivation, and emotional regulation before exploring practical strategies that promote success in classrooms, homes, and therapeutic settings.
Designed to bridge research and practice, participants will leave with an extensive toolkit of realistic, evidence-informed strategies that can be applied immediately to improve attention, organization, behaviour, engagement, and independence.
AGENDA
- Welcome, introductions, overview, and learning objectives
- Understanding ADHD: Neurobiology, executive functioning, dopamine, and common myths
- Morning Break
- ADHD and its impact on learning, behaviour, motivation, emotional regulation, and developmental maturity
- Lunch
- Building the ADHD Toolkit: Evidence-informed strategies for home, school, and clinical practice
- Afternoon Break
- Applying practical strategies through case examples, problem-solving, and discussion
- Questions, key takeaways, knowledge check, and wrap-up
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
-
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Explain the neurological foundations of ADHD, including the role of dopamine, executive functioning, and self-regulation.
- Describe how ADHD affects attention, motivation, organization, emotional regulation, and the ability to consistently apply learned skills.
- Identify common myths and misconceptions about ADHD and replace them with current evidence-informed understanding.
- Apply practical strategies that educators, mental health professionals, and caregivers can use to support children and youth with ADHD.
- Implement evidence-informed approaches that improve engagement, organization, task completion, emotional regulation, and independence across home and school settings.
- Recognize how executive functioning differences influence learning, behaviour, and daily functioning, and adapt supports accordingly.
| Time | Session |
| 8:30 – 8:45 | Welcome, introductions, overview, and learning objectives |
| 8:45 – 10:15 | Understanding ADHD: dopamine hypothesis, executive functioning, myths, and the ‘BUT’ problem |
| 10:15 – 10:30 | Morning Break |
| 10:30 – 11:45 | Implications for learning, behaviour, motivation, and developmental maturity |
| 11:45 – 12:45 | Lunch |
| 12:45 – 2:15 | Evidence-informed strategies to support children with ADHD across home and school |
| 2:15 – 2:30 | Afternoon Break |
| 2:30 – 3:45 | Applying strategies across home and school, questions, and group discussion |
| 3:45 – 4:00 | Questions, key takeaways, knowledge check, and wrap-up |
Tracy Whittaker-Taggart, M.A., is a Psychologist, educator, mentor, and champion of changing the way we think about kids. She is also a wife, daughter, pet mom, and never far from the ocean. For more than 25 years she has built a…
Registration & Fees
| Registration | Super Early Bird Fee | Early Bird Fee | Regular Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| ONE DAY ENROLLMENT | -- | ||
| Individual 1 Day Enrollment | -- | $199.00 | $319.00 |
| Full-Time Student | -- | $149.00 | $299.00 |
| -- | |||
| TWO DAY ENROLLMENT | -- | ||
| Individual 2 Day Enrollment | -- | $349.00 | $539.00 |
| Full-Time Student | -- | $279.00 | $439.00 |
| -- | |||
| THREE DAY ENROLLMENT | -- | ||
| Individual 3 Day Enrollment | -- | $449.00 | $699.00 |
| 3 Day Group 3-7 | -- | $399.00 | $659.00 |
| 3 Day Group 8-14 | -- | $379.00 | $629.00 |
| 3 Day Group 15+ | -- | $349.00 | $509.00 |
| 3 Day Full-Time Student | -- | $349.00 | $509.00 |
All fees are per person and in Canadian Dollars ($CAD)
Fees do not include applicable taxes (5% GST).
Early bird cutoff date: October 18, 2026
To receive the early bird rate, registration and payment must be received by Sunday, October 18, 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
Park Town Hotel
924 Spadina Crescent E, Saskatoon, SK S7K 3H5
website: www.parktownhotel.com
Our rates:
Group Attendee Code: 2611JH
- King City – $179.00
- Two Queen River Side – $189.00
- Executive 2 Queen, River View- $199.00
- Executive King, River View – $199.00
- Executive Suite – $229.00
Prices are per night and do not include tax and fees.
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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