Important Notice:
Online registration is now CLOSED for this event. You can arrive up to one hour early to register at the door.
Sher Van Dijk, MSW will be replacing Lane Pederson, Psy.D in the speaker lineup.
Healing & Treating Trauma, Addictions and Related Disorders Conference
Presented by Janina Fisher, Ph.D. and Lynn Lyons, MSW, RSW and Gordon Neufeld, Ph.D. and Stan Tatkin, Psy.D. and Sheri Van Dijk, MSW, RSW and Colleen Carney, Ph.D., C.Psych. and Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D. and Mel Pohl, M.D. and Michael Stone, M.A.
Wednesday, November 16, 2016 – Friday, November 18, 2016 | Edmonton, ab
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
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Date & Location
Wednesday, November 16, 2016 – Friday, November 18, 2016
8:30 am – 5:00 pm
DoubleTree by Hilton West Edmonton
16615 109th Ave NW, Edmonton, AB
Phone: 780.484.0821
Canada’s 7th Annual Premier Psychotherapy Conference: Healing & Treating Trauma, Addictions, and Related Disorders:
Dear Colleague,
I am pleased to announce Canada’s 7th annual Premier Psychotherapy Conference: Healing and Treating Trauma, Addictions and Related Disorders will be hosted in Edmonton, Alberta, on November 16–18, 2016. Over the past six years, our conference has trained over 2,500 mental health and education professionals. This year we have composed an entirely new lineup of cutting edge topics including: treating complex trauma, anxiety in adults, pain and addiction, mindfulness, emotions and pain treatment, trauma and the Internal family Systems model, psychobiological Approach to couple therapy (PACT), mindfulness with neuroscience, essential clinical skills, DBT, the science of emotions, advanced CBT for insomnia and comorbid conditions and more!
Once again, we are honoured to co-sponsor this annual event in partnership with the Edgewood Health Network and the Edgewood foundation. The Edgewood Health Network is the leader in alcohol and drug treatment and the only national network of adult inpatient and outpatient services across canada.
It is my hope that this conference will allow you to acquire new skills, learn new techniques and rejuvenate your passion for this field of work. Please mark this event on your calendar, and I look forward to seeing you at our flagship event of the year!
Kind Regards,
Jack Hirose, MA.
Jack Hirose and Associates Inc.
EDGEWOODHEALTHNETWORK.COM | MORE INFORMATION
Who Should Attend
Clinical Professionals: All mental health professionals including, but not limited to Clinical Counsellors, Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Social Workers, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Hospice and Palliative Care Workers, School Counsellors, Youth Workers, Mental Health Workers, Addiction Specialists, Marital & Family Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Vocational Rehabilitation Consultants and all professionals looking to enhance their therapeutic skills.
Agenda
DAY 1 | wednesday, NOVEMBER 16, 2016
1ST KEYNOTE 8:45am – 9:45am
“To Err is Human:” The Therapeutic Power of Repair
Like parenting, psychotherapy can be only “good enough.” Therapeutic mistakes are inevitable, but for traumatized and addicted clients, they can feel like breaches of trust that evoke the betrayals of the past. Brain scan research shows that the presence of someone to whom we are safely attached soothes a dysregulated brain and increases the capacity to learn, to think, and to integrate new learning. This keynote offers a repair model and attachment-based interventions that can help client and therapist recover from painful moments and increase the power of the work they do.
AFTERNOON CONCURRENT SESSION 1:15pm – 5:00pm
Healing the Body, Healing the Mind: Somatic Interventions for Treating Complex Trauma
Recent neuroscience research demonstrates that traumatic experiences tend to be encoded not as autobiographical memory but in the form of body sensations, impulses, autonomic dysregulation, and intense emotions. When these implicit memories are situationally evoked by trauma-related triggers, the overwhelming events of long ago erupt into the client’s present day experience. Addictive and self-destructive behaviour bring temporary relief but soon pose a bigger threat to the client’s well-being as it takes increasingly larger ‘doses’ to achieve the same effect. New neurobiologically-informed somatic techniques can directly address these non- physiological responses related to both trauma and addiction, offering renewed hope for long-term sobriety and emotional relief to victims of abuse.
LYNN LYONS, MSW, is a clinical social worker and psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of anxious children and their parents, with a special interest in interrupting the generational patterns of anxiety in families. Lynn presents internationally to professional organizations and schools, offering workshops to mental health and medical providers, teachers, school nurses and parents. She is known for her focus on providing concrete skills and integration of humour and clinical hypnosis.
2ND KEYNOTE 9:45am – 10:45am
Help Your Anxious Clients: Concrete Strategies for Treating Anxiety In Adults
Anxiety disorders take a tremendous toll on individuals and families. By demanding certainty and comfort in rather dramatic fashion, anxiety grabs control in a way that interrupts lives, promotes avoidance, and leads to depression and physical issues. Anxiety runs in families, with children who are raised by a parent with an anxiety disorder being six to seven times more likely to develop anxiety themselves, thus interrupting this generational pattern of anxiety is critical. This workshop will focus on concrete, strategic interventions that move clients out of the “content trap” of the anxiety disorder and toward a process that interrupts anxiety’s predictable cognitive, behavioural, and physiological patterns. Participants will learn how to immediately and actively engage clients in active treatment using psycho-education and strategic homework assignments that move clients toward uncertainty (a key to successful treatment), address the use of safety crutches and avoidance, and promote the skills of differentiation and problem solving to combat the global avoidance style of anxious people.
AFTERNOON CONCURRENT SESSION 1:15pm – 5:00pm
Help Your Anxious Clients: Concrete Strategies for Treating Anxiety in Adults
(Continuation)
MEL POHL, M.D., is a Board certified family practitioner. He is Vice president of medical Affairs and the medical Director of las Vegas recovery centre. Dr. Pohl was a major force in developing the las Vegas recovery centre’s chronic pain rehabilitation program. He is certified by the American Board of Addiction medicine (ABAm), and a fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). He was elected by his peers for inclusion in Best Doctors in America®.
3RD KEYNOTE 11:00am – 12:00noon
Pain and Addiction Challenges and Controversies
Chronic Pain occurs as a complicated web of emotions and physical symptoms. The most common way to treat pain is to use opioid medications which actually complicate the course of chronic pain. For some who develop addiction matters become much worse. This session will review the interactions of pain, suffering, and addiction as they interface in your clients with suggestions for intervention and treatment.
AFTERNOON CONCURRENT SESSION 1:15pm – 5:00pm
Mindfulness, Emotions, and Pain Treatment
Chronic pain is a challenging condition resulting in disability, emotional upheaval and family dysfunction. People concerned about someone with chronic pain suffer from characteristic dysfunctional behaviours that must be addressed if the person with chronic pain is to recover. Often families wonder whether or not the pain is ‘real’ or not, or believe that pain based in emotions is less ‘valid’ than physical pain. This session will review the emotional aspects of pain and suffering from a physiological and psychological standpoint and explain the basis of meditative techniques and the fundamentals of mindfulness practice.
DAY 2 | Thursday, NOVEMBER 17, 2016
RICHARD C. SCHWARTZ, Ph.D. began his career as a systematic family therapist and an academic, at the University of Illinois and at Northwestern University. Grounded in systems thinking, Dr. Schwartz developed the Internal Family Systems model (IFS) in response to clients’ descriptions of various parts within themselves. He founded the Centre for Self Leadership (www.selfleadership.org), which offers three levels of trainings and workshops in IFS for professionals and the general public, both in this country and abroad.
1ST KEYNOTE 8:45am – 9:45am
The Treatment of Trauma and The Internal Family Systems Model
Developed over the past three decades, the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model offers an empowering and nonpathologizing approach to treating trauma. It helps clients access and undamaged essence from which they
heal the parts (subpersonalities) of them that continue to live in shock, pain, and shame. many trauma therapies propose that the existence of subpersonalities is a sign of pathology — a consequence of the fragmentation of the psyche by traumatic experiences. In contrast, the IFS model sees all parts as innately valuable components of a healthy mind. trauma does not create these parts, but instead forces many of them out of their naturally valuable functions and healthy states into protective and extreme roles and makes them lose trust in the leadership of the client’s Self, which in IFS is an inner essence of calm, confidence, clarity, connectedness and creativity. This essence does not need to be developed or cultivated and is not damaged by trauma. Most people, and particularly trauma clients, have little access to their Self in their daily lives because it is obscured by the protective parts that dominate them. When their parts trust that it is safe to allow their Self to manifest, clients
will immediately display those strengths. The goal then becomes not to eliminate parts but instead to help them relax into the knowledge that they no longer have to be so protective. IFS assists them in realizing that they are no longer under the same level of threat and that there exists a natural inner leader who they can trust. This presentation will provide an introduction to the basics of the IFS model and its use with attachment and trauma. An overview of IFS and its clinical applications will be presented and illustrated with video.
AFTERNOON CONCURRENT SESSION 1:15pm – 5:00pm
The Treatment of Trauma and The Internal Family Systems Model
(Continuation)
STAN TATKIN, Psy.D., is the author of Wired for Love and Your Brain on Love, and coauthor of Love and War in Intimate Relationships. He has a clinical practice in Southern California, teaches at Kaiser Permanente, and is an assistant clinical professor at UCLA. Tatkin developed a Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy® (PACT) and together with his wife, Tracey Boldemann- Tatkin, founded the PACT Institute. Dr. Tatkin is on the board of directors of Lifespan Learning Institute.
2ND KEYNOTE 9:45am – 10:45am
Working with Complex Couples: An Introduction to PACT a Psychological Approach to Couple Therapy
PACT helps couples move towards secure functioning by integrating early attachment theory, arousal regulation and neuroscience into intervention. A Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT) is a new and innovative approach to couple work developed by Dr. Stan Tatkin, Clinical Psychologist and Marriage and Family Therapist (MFT) and is quickly gaining a reputation as a highly effective intervention for couples deemed as complex. PACT integrates attachment theory, arousal regulation and neuroscience into assessment and formulation of the couple relationship and interventions that help the couple move towards secure attachment functioning.
This keynote and workshop gives an overview of the PACT model and principles through a combined didactic and multimedia delivery of information, group discussion, experiential exercises, clinical video presentations, case consultation, and live case enactments.
We will explore how early attachment patterns are somatically imprinted onto the development of the brain and nervous system and how to interpret the consequent somatic responses. The PACT methodology utilizes a bottom-up versus a top-down approach to psychotherapy focusing on very fast, often surprising interventions in order to access implicit systems as revealed in micro- expressions and micro-movements in the face and body, respectively.
AFTERNOON CONCURRENT SESSION 1:15pm – 5:00pm
Working with Complex Couples: An Introduction to PACT a Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy
(Continution)
MICHAEL STONE, M.A. is a Buddhist teacher, yogi, psychotherapist, and author. He is committed to synthesizing traditional meditation teachings with the insights of Western psychology, philosophy, and medicine. The components of his work include teaching in a variety of retreat, conference, medical, and monastic settings. Michael also presents throughout the world as an acclaimed public speaker. In 2003, Michael founded centre of Gravity in Toronto.
3RD KEYNOTE 11:00am – 12:00noon
Fine-Tuning Mindfulness with Neuroscience: How Healing Happens
In this keynote presentation, Michael will explore key scientific findings from mindfulness research and explain how they relate to clinical practice. What is mindfulness? How does it impact healing? What are the key techniques that balance attention, stabilize emotions, and help us relate to both mental and physical distress?
AFTERNOON CONCURRENT SESSION1:15pm – 5:00pm
Mindfulness and Beyond: Essential Clinical Skills
In this workshop you will learn key theory that underpins mindfulness meditation; how it can be brought into clinical work; and simple techniques for working with common symptoms like anxiety, depression, pain, and trauma. What does a mindfulness intervention actually look like in a session? How does it help us shift our attitude towards experience? Through lecture, practice, and group exercises, we will learn why mindfulness practices support both the facilitator and the client.
DAY 3 | Friday, NOVEMBER 18, 2016
1ST KEYNOTE 8:45am – 9:45am
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy: Not Just For BPD!
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a treatment originally designed for clients with borderline personality disorder (BPD), but it is increasingly being used for many other disorders and emotional difficulties because of its usefulness with clients who are unable to self-regulate. DBT can provide these clients with skills to better manage their emotions.
Rather than the traditional focus on using DBT to treat BPD, Sheri Van Dijk has focused on using this innovative treatment to work with clients facing a broad range of conditions (including depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder) in which emotional regulation plays a key role.
Through lecture and experiential exercises, you will explore some of the core emotion regulation skills taught in DBT (such as mindfulness, validation, nonjudgmental stance and radical acceptance), and learn how to teach these skills to your clients. In addition, Sheri will look at how many of these DBT strategies help foster the therapeutic relationship, and reduce the likelihood of therapist burnout.
You will learn:
- How to teach your clients some of the more intense DBT skills to help them manage their emotions more effectively
- How to apply these DBT skills to a range of problems and psychiatric illnesses
- Dialectical strategies to address clients who are “stuck” in therapy, resulting in inertia or unhealthy mechanisms of escape and avoidance, and how these strategies can lead to transformational healing
- Skills to help you improve your own sense of efficacy in therapy, and reduce the likelihood of burnout
AFTERNOON CONCURRENT SESSION 1:15pm – 5:00pm
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy: Not Just for BPD!
(Continuation)
GORDON NEUFELD, Ph.D., is a developmental psychologist who consults with parents and professionals regarding children and their problems. He brings to us his unique synthesis of the developmental literature and his exceptional ability to make children understandable. He has a widespread reputation for being able to make sense of difficult and complex problems and for opening doors for change. Dr. Neufeld has a reputation for educating in a most engaging way, speaking with passion and compassion.
2ND KEYNOTE 9:45am – 10:45am
The Heart of the Matter: The Science of Emotions
There is much focus today on emotion. constructs like emotional intelligence, emotional self-regulation, emotional well-being and emotional social learning are being bandied about like never before. Emotion, long dismissed as a nuisance factor, is now confirmed to be at the core of development and well-being. Yet little is being taught about the nature of emotion or the implications for healing and treatment.
New revelations about the nature of emotion have shed fresh light on the pivotal role of emotion in brain development, maturation, mental health, anxiety problems, behaviour problems, attention problems, addiction problems, resilience, recovery, and much more. In fact, most if not all the major diagnosis are found to have significant roots in the limbic system or emotional brain. When distilled to their essence, healing and adaptation are first and foremost emotional processes. In today’s world, given the lack of supportive culture, an understanding of the nature of emotion is now foundational to finding our way through to personal health and well-being, whether this be for ourselves or to foster it in others.
This keynote and follow-up seminar is powerful in the insight it provides as well as the changes it inspires. To make sense of emotion is to make sense of us all. In providing a window to the inner workings of the emotional brain, we also become informed as to how to harness the power of emotion for healing and recovery.
AFTERNOON CONCURRENT SESSION 1:15pm – 5:00pm
The Heart of the Matter: The Science of Emotions
(Continution)
COLLEEN CARNEY, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and Director of the Sleep and Depression Laboratory at Ryerson University, Toronto, Canada. She is the current President of the Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies (ABCT), Insomnia and Other Sleep Disorders Special Interest Group. Her research has received support from the National Institutes of Health, the Canadian Institute of Health Research, and Ministry of Research and Innovation.
3RD KEYNOTE 11:00am – 12:00noon
Advanced CBT for Insomnia and with Comorbid Conditions: A Client-Centred, Evidence-Based Approach
Many clinicians are familiar with the basic strategies of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, but when it comes to implementation in their practice, they can become stuck when encountering difficult cases. The solution to this problem is to provide advanced training that emphasizes the fundamentals of sleep regulation and how to deliver this information in a client-centered way. Additionally, a workshop that emphasizes case formulation teaches clinicians how to adapt CBT as they treat other disorders, such as pain, anxiety, trauma and depression. This workshop also provides training on CBT for insomnia with a focus on counter-arousal strategies to address the arousal complaints in insomnia, including worry and rumination. Knowing how to deliver CBT for insomnia in those with complex problems, including high cognitive arousal, is a must for clinicians who want to integrate CBT for insomnia into their practice. The format for the Institute will be a mix of didactic instruction and experiential exercises, from a leading clinician in the area of comorbid insomnias and cognitive arousal. The experiential exercises will include devising behavioural experiments, fatigue attributions and management, and calculating sleep schedule recommendations from actual Sleep Diaries. The presenter is the author of the only Cognitive Behaviour Therapy self-help workbook written expressly for comorbid insomnias, and a self-help book on cognitive arousal strategies in insomnia.
AFTERNOON CONCURRENT SESSION 1:15pm – 5:00pm
Advanced CBT for Insomnia and with Comorbid Conditions: A Client-Centered, Evidence-Based Approach
(Continuation)
Your Presenters
Janina Fisher, Ph.D.
Janina Fisher, Ph.D. is a licensed clinical psychologist and a former instructor, Harvard Medical School. An international expert on the treatment of trauma, she is an Advisory Board member of the Trauma Research Foundation. Dr. Fisher is the author of Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors: Overcoming Self-Alienation (2017), Transforming the Living Legacy of Trauma: a Workbook for Survivors and Therapists (2021), and The Living Legacy Instructional Flip Chart (2022). She is best known for her work on integrating mindfulness-based and somatic interventions into trauma treatment. More information can be found on her website: www.janinafisher.com.
Testimonials
“She gives thoughtful insight to questions from the audience/participants. She is successful to make therapeutic techniques/process playful.”
– Shame & Self-Loathing in the Treatment of Trauma | Vancouver, BC | May 19 – 20, 2016“SO enjoyable. Janina is such an inspiration. She embodies the empathy, humanity, knowledge, and expertise.”
– Chelsea Conron | Vancouver, BC | May 19 – 20, 2016“I thoroughly enjoyed this workshop and Janina’s fantastic. I look forward to digesting all that I learned and putting it into practice.”
– Shame & Self-Loathing in the Treatment of Trauma | Vancouver, BC | May 19 – 20, 2016“So grateful for this workshop. Lots of applicable information. I am also now eager to learn more about sensorimotor therapy!”
– Shame & Self-Loathing in the Treatment of Trauma | Vancouver, BC | May 19 – 20, 2016“Janina Fisher was obviously knowledgable, skilled, and an engaging presenter. Bring her back for the same presentation!”
– Galya, M.A, CCC | Burnaby, BC | May 12 & 13, 2015“Excellent workshop by an excellent presenter. Janina’s skill, knowledge, and facilitation skills are superb. Her warmth and ability helped me to learn a lot.”
– Maija Wiik, M.A | Burnaby, BC | May 12 & 13, 2015“What an amazing two days! I got more, on every level, than I hoped for. Many take away skills and Janina’s sharing was so helpful. Her normalizing of the therapists’ experiences was invaluable to me. Thank you!”
– Nicole Tarasiuk | Burnaby, BC | May 12 & 13, 2015“Would love to have more workshops with Janina!”
– Bett McLean, Trauma & Abuse Counsellor | Burnaby, BC | May 12 & 13, 2015“Janina was wonderful – warm, engaging, and knowledgable. She was very open to participants’ questions and receptive. She used examples which brought the material to life. She also has a great sense of humour!”
– Burnaby, BC | May 12 & 13, 2015“Dr. Fisher was so enjoyable to listen to and learn from. I appreciated her authenticity and skillful expertise.”
– Burnaby, BC | May 12 & 13, 2015“Fantastic workshop. Learned so much. Wonderful facilitator. Part of the time I was learning to help my clients, and part of the time I was learning to understand myself.”
– Burnaby, BC | May 12 & 13, 2015
Lynn Lyons, MSW, RSW
Lynn Lyons, MSW, RSW, is an internationally recognized psychotherapist, author, and speaker with a special interest in interrupting the generational patterns of anxiety in families. Her skill-based approach to anxiety focuses on the need to teach families about HOW anxiety works and what families can do to pull members out of the powerful “anxiety cult” that demands obedience to its need for certainty and comfort. Lynn’s approach uses humor, playful connection, and a constant focus on DOING, an umbrella strategy she has taught to thousands of professionals and families.
Lynn is the co-author with Reid Wilson of Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents and the companion book for kids Playing with Anxiety: Casey’s Guide for Teens and Kids. She is the author of Using Hypnosis with Children: Creating and Delivering Effective Interventions and has two DVD programs for parents and children.
She maintains a private practice in Concord, New Hampshire where she sees families whenever she’s not on the road teaching.
Testimonials
“As a mental health therapist and social worker, Lynn Lyons is the reason I attended. She was incredible. Beyond being a captivating presenter, I left with practical and tangible tools to integrate into my practice. More importantly, she changed my approach.”
– Lisa Greig | Saskatoon, SK | May 11, 2017
“Lynn is an excellent speaker and did a wonderful job of clarifying anxiety and worry. The way she personifies anxiety and worry makes so much sense, and I’m hopeful I can use this new lens in my classes and life.”
– Kerry Aiken | Saskatoon, SK | May 11, 2017
“Lynn Lyons is by far the best speaker I’ve ever seen/head on any topic related to mental health ever! Her info/materials are practical and useable immediately. Her research is exceptional, accurate + current. Her views + logic make complete sense for me both as an educator and a parent. She made me realized that I was doing everything wrong when dealing with students + my children with anxiety and it felt great. I feel prepared, happy + confident to help anxious students feel better about themselves, school and life.”
– Cary Gillman | Ontario, ON | May 4, 2017
“Lynn Lyons was amazing! She was very inspirational and funny! Very knowledgeable and millions of strategies/ideas to try.”
– Ontario, ON | May 4, 2017
“Lynn Lyons was an engaging and informative speaker – I loved listening to her speak! She made me really think about how I deal with my own anxiety and the anxiety in my students. She gave me new strategies to bring back to my classroom.”
– Alethea Doucet | Ontario, ON | May 4, 2017
“Very helpful insights and practical/applicable info! Thanks.”
– Saskatoon, SK | November 17, 2015
“Impressive Speaker. Informative. Real. Down to Earth. All ideas were so logical, and while probably really hard to do, doable! Thoroughly enjoyed this and learned so much both as an educator and as a parent, and as a spouse!”
– Maureen | Saskatoon, SK | November 17, 2015
“Very relevant and timely material to my practice. It is nice to have a professional/scholarly refresher on a subject that is becoming increasingly common. The co-presenters are excellent together and their deep knowledge and experience shows clearly.”
– Jarred M | Victoria, BC | April 16, 2014
“This workshop will be helpful to me both as a teacher and a parent. There are numerous strategies that I will implement in my classroom as well as my home to empower my own children. I even believe this will help me deal with anxiety issues that I have been experiencing in adult years.”
– Burnaby, BC | April 15, 2014
“What a refreshing look at dealing with anxiety. Very practical and useful steps to implement right away. Wilson and Lyons’ humour made looking at a tough topic easy to see and understand.”
– Kelowna, BC | April 14, 2014
“Awesome and hilarious. Learned so much – so applicable! Made me realize how enabling I am – but how to change that!”
– Anna | Saskatoon, SK | November 17, 2015
“Loved, loved, loved your presentation! I have really enjoyed the relevant stories and humour. I know I will be using these practical strategies tomorrow!”
– Victoria, BC | April 16, 2014
“Thank you for making a very sensitive topic one that we can use humour and laugh about. It really helped me understand anxiety with a different eye.”
– Victoria, BC | April 16, 2014
“Awesome presentation! Simple, clear and effective tools for practitioners and parents… perfect!”
– Ursula H (District Support Services) | Burnaby, BC | April 15, 2014
“The presenters were truly experts in their field. I walked away from the workshop with a whole new appreciation for the child with anxiety, and the healthcare professionals and teachers working with these children.”
– Burnaby, BC | April 15, 2014
“I liked two people with different styles, strengths and stories. The variation kept me more alert and attentive. Very good presentation.”
– Nancy Meyer, Ph.D. (Private Practice) | Burnaby, BC | April 15, 2014
“I was interested in this workshop because of the dual approach: providing strategies to work with children and parents. You delivered. Thank you.”
– Kelowna, BC | April 14, 2014
“It validated my current practices. I found this workshop informative and very useful in giving me some new tools when dealing with children with anxiety. The speakers were knowledgeable and entertaining. I feel empowered and energized. Thank you!”
– Burnaby, BC | April 15, 2014
“Great blend of expertise and humour. The timing and pace of the session maintained attention and interest. I would recommend the workshop and presenters to colleagues.”
– Gary Choo (Educator) | Victoria, BC | April 16, 2014
“This was so inspiring and made me reflect both on my practice and my personal life.”
– Victoria, BC | April 16, 2014
“This workshop will be helpful to me both as a teacher and a parent. There are numerous strategies that I will implement in my classroom as well as my home to empower my own children. I even believe this will help me deal with anxiety issues that I have been experiencing in adult years.”
– Burnaby, BC | April 15, 2014
“Refreshing, engaging and highly useful. Loved the stories, analogies and sense of humour!”
– Rhonda Laforge (Intensive Behaviour Teacher) | Victoria, BC | April 16, 2014
“This workshop was exactly what I needed to support my clients. Great examples and strategies that are ready to use.”
– Victoria, BC | April 16, 2014
“Loved it! The best workshop on anxiety I have attended (and I’ve been to A LOT!). Practical. Changed how I think about anxiety.”
– Burnaby, BC | April 15, 2014
“Very thought-provoking. Appreciated the roleplaying so that I could see/hear how I might speak with a student. Loved the humour, and recognized your real-life experience and passion.”
– Victoria, BC | April 16, 2014
Gordon Neufeld, Ph.D.
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 Your Kids) and a leading interpreter of the developmental paradigm. Dr. Neufeld has a widespread reputation for making sense of complex problems and for opening doors for change. While formerly involved in university teaching and private practice, he now devotes his time to teaching and training others, including educators and helping professionals. His Neufeld Institute is now a world-wide charitable organization devoted to applying developmental science to the task of raising children. He is a father of five and a grandfather to seven.
Testimonials
“I have no words to express my appreciation to Gordon Neufeld and to Hirose for bringing this valuable, life-changing information. The material taught resonates professionally and personally too. Thank you!”
– Aliza Terris | Oakville, ON | May 15-17, 2017“Fantastic presentation, informative and valuable for me personally and professionally. Gordon is brilliant and engaging. Very happy to have attended today.”
– Mike Van de Hengel | Oakville, ON | May 15-17, 2017“Helped me gain more knowledge about my students, the people around me and myself.”
– Carmen Azzopardi | Oakville, ON | May 15-17, 2017“Thank you, and yes, you are changing the world. Maybe not as fast as you want, but you changed my world this week, and you can be sure that I will be using what I’ve learned to change the lives of many others!”
– Stephanie John | Oakville, ON | May 15-17, 2017
“This was a wonderful workshop, presented with clarity, simplicity and yet, good depth for awareness and understanding. I felt so encouraged by Dr. Neufeld’s way of cutting through the mental health rhetoric and greatly empowered by his focus on relational and instinctive approaches. Thank you!”
– Vancouver, BC | Feb 27-March 1, 2017
“Really enjoyed this workshop. I could see this as a larger workshop, maybe 2 days. I feel it is an extremely important topic and glad it is offered. So much information to take in and use. Thank you! Dr. Gordon Neufeld is an amazing and knowledgeable speaker. A must attend presenter!”
– Calgary, AB | April 5-7, 2017
“Absolutely life changing course on all levels. This will not only greatly impact my work with children, families, and schools, but also my journey of self-growth and empower my skills as a parent and adult figure in many children’s lives.”
– Laura Rose, Cmn Therapist | Winnipeg, MB | June 1, 2016
“Thank you so much, this was extremely useful and also intellectually stimulating!”
– Sarah Moar | Saskatoon, SK | May 18, 2016“I buy into your philosophy, both as a parent and as a teacher. I have already ‘swam against the stream’ as an at-home parent of 11 years. I shall continue to live this philosophy and trust nature and love, love, love my own children and students.”
– Saskatoon, SK | May 16 – 17, 2016
“Bang on, excellent work. Makes sense of what is going on in the world today! Thank you.”
– Saskatoon, SK | May 16 – 17, 2016
“Dr. Gordon Neufeld is amazing. A very informed presentation. I am glad I could attend and look forward to attending future workshops!”
– Saskatoon, SK | May 16 – 17, 2016“I personally loved the long history’ style intro. More speakers need to do this. You underscore and synthesize the multiple contributors that illustrate where psychology has come from. Love! The science part! More chemistry and physics please. A truly gifted and needed speaker in this field. I have gotten so much out of this workshop both professionally and personally. Gordon’s way of speaking is incredibly professional, he cannot stop working for along time!! I will want to both do more courses and come back with my husband and do this again. Thank you, will see you again.”
– Nicole McLeod | Vancouver, BC| March 2, 2016“Dr. Neufeld is an excellent presenter, effective speaker, and extremely knowledgeable about child development. The information presented over the three days has given me new ways to see and evaluate situations. I look forward to reviewing the information and finding out how to use the strategies from this paradigm research. Thank you!”
– Kim Nelson, School Counsellor | Halifax, NS | June 1 – 3, 2015“Gordon Neufeld was extraordinarily engaging and inspiring. His work resonates strongly with my work in special education and counselling.”
– Angela Psalios, School Counsellor | Edmonton, AB | May 25 – 26, 2015“Incredible. Relevant. Easy to grasp. Engaging. Life changing. Thank you!”
– Angela Walker, Teacher | Edmonton, AB | May 25 – 26, 2015“Dr. Neufeld effectively answered all questions I had and then some. I feel empowered with a new understanding of the development of anxiety and how to encourage others through their own process of healing.”
– Catherine Tetreault | Edmonton, AB | May 25 – 26, 2015“Wow! What a phenomenal speaker Gordon Neufeld is! I learned so much these 2 days and definitely intend to take it into my practice. I will be evaluating my parenting based on the insight gained in this seminar.”
– Samantha Weppler, School Counsellor | Edmonton, AB | May 25 – 26, 2015
“Fantastic! I can immediately use this knowledge and understanding when I return to work tomorrow with my students.”
– Winnipeg, MB | May 26 – 28, 2014
“Gordon was one of the most engaging facilitator I have come across – and I have attended MANY workshops. Great flow of information, I loved the use of human anecdotes to make the material more meaningful. Far exceeded my expectations.”
– Danielle C | Calgary, AB | May 21 – 23, 2014
“I have attended many of Dr. Neufeld’s courses. Every time I listen to his approach, it reaffirms my beliefs and feelings towards kids. This approach is simple yet it is not easy. I appreciate the way Dr. Neufeld shares the information – it has profoundly affected me both personally and professionally. I always look forward to more opportunities to attend Dr. Neufeld’s speaking engagements. I always take away more information, and it reminds me of the things I may have forgotten.”
– Carmen Hansen | Calgary, AB | May 21 – 23, 2014
“Opened my eyes to a new way of thinking about students – from the very first slide! Thank you.”
– Cynthia Jones (Enviros) | Winnipeg, MB | May 26 – 28, 2014
“I have attended several of Dr. Neufeld’s workshops and I have used his ideas and suggestions in my work as a Guidance Counsellor with high school students. I have seen firsthand what a positive impact they have on kids, and the adults in their lives.”
– Calgary, AB | May 21 – 23, 2014
“This topic was refreshing and practical for use in my personal and professional life, a validation of what I now know has always been in my heart.”
– Jo-Anne Lane | Calgary, AB | May 21 – 23, 2014
“Thank you so much for continuing to accept these speaking engagements. Such an honour to be here and learn from your expertise. I feel so confident going home to my preschoolers – thank you so much. Best workshop I have attended – so practical!”
– Calgary, AB | May 21 – 23, 2014
“Such an amazing workshop. I am so grateful that I can hear and share this material with fellow teachers and adoptive parents.”
– Marta Stepanovich | Calgary, AB | May 21 – 23, 2014
“Thank you! This will be so helpful to me personally as well as professionally in my work as a therapist.”
– Janet L (Therapist) | Winnipeg, MB | May 26 – 28, 2014
“This workshop has given me a clearer and stronger focus for all my teaching relationships with children and teens. Understanding Gordon Neufeld’s perspectives of attachment just might have changed my life.”
– Laureen Guenther | Calgary, AB | May 21 – 23, 2014
“Dr. Neufeld’s seminar was eye-opening. It was a revelation for me as a parent, teacher and spouse.”
– Winnipeg, MB | May 26 – 28, 2014
“Gordon Neufeld is a clever, creative, insightful person who has integrated a great deal of material intelligently and deeply. I appreciate this after 50 years of working with people as a therapist. I was pleasantly surprised and excited to integrate this material – and it all went well beyond my expectations. From my heart to yours Gordon, thank you.”
– Judy Haid (Therapist) | Winnipeg, MB | May 26 – 28, 2014
“My first time hearing Gordon and it won’t be my last. Unbelievable, marvelous, and inspiring – it is a true privilege to be here. You are incredible and a true gift to the world – thank you so much for sharing your wisdom, thoughts, and perceptions. I’m taking so much away to not only help with my profession, but my own personal life. ”
– Calgary, AB | May 21 – 23, 2014
“Dr. Neufeld’s material has completely changed my approach towards my own children, as well as other children in my care. I find his theories revitalizing and genuinely life-changing. I strongly believe his work is vital to our society’s future success. His work has opened avenues for my husband and I that we never thought possible. We greatly admire his work, we share it with family and friends constantly, and we are thrilled at the hope it has given us for raising our highly sensitive children.”
– Skye Curtis | Calgary, AB | May 21 – 23, 2014
“One of the most significant learning experiences I’ve ever had with Jack Hirose training. Excellent and brilliant presenter, who created hope for me working in a rather ‘hopeless’ milieu. I would definitely attend another workshop by Dr. Neufeld. I am very appreciative of his presentation style – very truthful, entertaining and dynamic. I won’t look at ‘resistance’ in kids the same way again. Thank you so much – I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to attend.”
– Bev Read (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Therapist) | Calgary, AB | May 21 – 23, 2014
“Finally! This makes sense! Beautifully presented. This information needs to be heard by all parents and caregivers.”
– Winnipeg, MB | May 26 – 28, 2014
“Love it. So important to my work as a mom and counsellor.”
– Winnipeg, MB | May 26 – 28, 2014
“Dr. Neufeld was certainly ‘a dose of what I needed’ – very reaffirming of my intuition and practice.”
– Calgary, AB | May 21 – 23, 2014
“I find all of Gordon Neufeld’s seminars and DVDs amazingly informative, inspirational and refreshingly full of truth! I always leave with more knowledge and inspiration, and a renewed confidence in how to pursue beautiful relationships with the children in my care. Gordon is a gift to all who love and are responsible for raising children.”
– Winnipeg, MB | May 26 – 28, 2014
Stan Tatkin, Psy.D.
Stan Tatkin, Psy.D. is the author of Wired for Love and Your Brain on Love, and coauthor of Love and War in Intimate Relationships. He has a clinical practice in Southern California, teaches at Kaiser Permanente, and is an assistant clinical professor at UCL A. Tatkin developed a Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy® (PACT ) and together with his wife, Tracey Boldemann- Tatkin, founded the PACT Institute. Dr. Tatkin is on the board of directors of Lifespan Learning Institute.
Testimonials
“Stan is amazing. I can’t get enough of his brilliance both in describing the reasons for psychobiology and demonstrating how to handle it in therapy.”
– Heather Gomez, Broomfield, CO | February 2016“Stan is magic. I found him to be brilliant, but also clear, patient, playful and incredibly kind.”
– Ben Trelease, Seattle, WA | February 2016“He is one of the few that hold my attention consistently.”
– Angie Charter, Reno, NV | March 2016
“Stan is warm, engaging. A true master of the skills he’s teaching. A wizard. I want to attend many more classes with him. It feels sad to have to wait so many months.”
– Lindsay Ferlin, Oakland, CA | March 2016“What a pleasure to learn from him. I wish I could upload all of the knowledge that he has directly into my brain.”
– Leigh Lyndon, Berkeley, CA | March 2016“I can no longer be objective. I just love PACT and Stan’s talent as an educator/therapist is amazing and wonderful!”
– Daniel Scrafford, Fairfax, VA | February 2016
Sheri Van Dijk, MSW, RSW
Sheri Van Dijk, MSW, RSW, is a Social Worker who has been working with clients with severe mental health problems since 2000. With extensive experience in a hospital as well as community setting, Sheri now sees clients in private practice, and provides consultation and training internationally to other clinicians. Sheri has had extensive training in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) and mindfulness and has been providing DBT-informed therapy to individuals and groups since 2004. In 2010 Sheri was the winner of the R.O. Jones award for her research on using DBT with bipolar disorder, presented at the Canadian Psychiatric Association Conference.
Sheri is the author of numerous books that focus on helping readers learn DBT skills and apply them to a variety of mental health problems, including The DBT Workbook for Emotional Relief; the best-selling Don’t Let Your Emotions Run Your Life for Teens; and her newest book, coming in 2025, The DBT Workbook for C-PTSD.
Sheri trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in 2018 and is an EMDRIA-approved Consultant; she is a member of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), and is a consultant for the ISSTD’s EMDR training program.
Testimonials
“Sheri did an amazing job presenting and drawing from her own experiences to help teach these concepts during the training. Your wealth of knowledge and expertise has totally recharged me and given me more tools to use in the DBT skills group that I run with my colleague.”
– Lindsay | Calgary, AB | May 17-18, 2017“She was very insightful and relatable. Her examples were real and easy to relate back to the material. Overall, the workshop was very enjoyable and I would definitely attend another if offered”
– Calgary, AB | May 17-18, 2017
“Ms. Van Dijk is exceptionally clear, well organized and able to respond to all questions and nuances with clarity. She is committed to her DBT approach and a wonderful teacher. I learned many useful techniques to apply in my psychotherapy with borderline clients.”
– Emile Kemlo | Victoria, BC | May 15-16, 2017“Sheri was a detailed presenter + mindful of her audiences needs as learners. She answered our questions, offered her own examples, + made sure light/temperature was comfortable.”
– Danielle Lambrecht | Victoria, BC | May 15-16, 2017
“The workshop was informative, it was interesting to see some of these skills from a DBT perspective. To see them put together and organized into 4 DBT skill sets. It will help to organize and focus what skills to teach/cover with people I work with.”
– Victoria, BC | May 15-16, 2017
“Sheri is very down-to-earth. She presents excellent, concrete examples. She is open to questions and willing to think with people about issues. I greatly appreciated her sharing her knowledge and experience in such a warm and genuine manner.”
– Angela Bartley | Winnipeg, MB | Dec 1-2, 2016
“Awesome workshop!! Presenter shared her knowledge and case experiences. Loved practical skills and exercises. Workshop was therapeutic, as I was able to reflect on what is happening in my environment at the moment and apply learning to my own experience.”
– Calgary, AB | May 17-18, 2017
“I really appreciated Sheri’s engaging manner + use of clear examples to explain the concepts being taught. I also really appreciated her focusing on using DBT across client issues Vs. just for BPD.”
– Calgary, AB | May 17-18, 2017
“Thoroughly enjoyed and learned a lot. Great mix of theory with application. Sheri is very well spoken, knowledgeable and someone easily relatable as a therapist myself. Too often presenters can be too clinical of narcissistic in nature. Despite being relatable, the info presented is in depth of graduate level instruction. Thanks!”
– Winnipeg, MB | Dec 1-2, 2016
“Very informative 2 days that will be helpful in my work and life! Sheri was clear, concise, and gave great examples to use! Thanks!”
– Winnipeg, MB | Dec 1-2, 2016
“Sheri was an engaging speaker who was able to balance the lecture with humour, multimedia, participation from group, and providing the essentials of the DBT model. I appreciated all of her examples from her practice. The lectures flew by, I would love to attend future workshops with Sheri. The skills are so applicable.”
– Stacey Patterson | Burnaby, BC | Nov 28-29, 2016
More information: www.sherivandijk.com
Colleen Carney, Ph.D., C.Psych.
Colleen Carney, Ph.D., C.Psych received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Louisiana State University in 2003. From 2004 through 2008 she was a professor at Duke University Medical Center, where she established the Comorbid Insomnia Clinic. Since 2008 she has been an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Ryerson University, Toronto, where she is Director of the Sleep and Depression Laboratory.
Dr. Carney is one of the leading experts in psychological treatments for insomnia, particularly in the context of co-occurring mental health issues. She is President of the Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies Special Interest Group for Insomnia and Other Sleep Disorders. She frequently trains students and mental health providers in CBT for insomnia at invited workshops throughout North American and at international conferences.
Dr. Carney has over 100 publications, including seven treatment books, book chapters and numerous peer-reviewed publications on the topic of insomnia and depression. She authored the first self-help insomnia book for those with comorbid depression, anxiety, and chronic pain.
Her research is funded by such agencies as the National Institutes of Health and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. Her research was recently featured on the front page of the New York Times.
Dr. Carney is a passionate advocate for improving the availability of treatment for those with insomnia and other health problems. She is an experienced and engaging speaker, with a talent for explaining complex processes simply and with humour.
Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D.
Richard C. Schwartz, Ph.D., began his career as a systemic family therapist and an academic, at the University of Illinois and at Northwestern University. Grounded in systems thinking, Dr. Schwartz developed the Internal Family Systems model (IFS) in response to clients’ descriptions of various parts within themselves. He founded the Center for Self Leadership (www.selfleadership.org), which offers three levels of trainings and workshops in IFS for professionals and the general public, both in this country and abroad.
Mel Pohl, M.D.
Mel Pohl, M.D., is a Board Certified Family Practitioner. He is Vice President of Medical Affairs and the Medical Director of Las Vegas Recovery Center. Dr. Pohl was a major force in developing the Las Vegas Recovery Center’s Chronic Pain Rehabilitation Program. He is certified by the American Board of Addiction Medicine (ABAM), and a Fellow of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM). He was elected by his peers for inclusion in Best Doctors in America®.
Michael Stone, M.A.
Michael Stone, M.A., is a renowned speaker, psychotherapist, and teacher. He illuminates the ancient teachings and practices of meditation in the language of contemporary psychology and medicine. Internationally recognized as a transformative visionary, teacher and agent of social change, his work manifests the fusion of committed spiritual practice and mental health. He is the author of numerous books and his podcasts enjoy a large global audience. He lives with his family in British Columbia. michaelstoneteaching.com
Testimonials
Trauma, Addictions and Related Disorders Conference | November 17, 2016
“I learned a lot about mindfulness and plan to learn more!”
“Michael challenges one to see things and experience things in a whole new perspective. Great workshop!”
“Michael is brilliant in his delivery of traditional mindfulness, making sense of it in simplistic terms. He’s very in tune with his audience, kept breaking things down for people to understand. 2 thumbs up!! Will definitely go see him in the future for one of his workshops. Thanks J”
“Michael Stone is an incredible resource to the field – he brings human-ness, connection, and healing to a new and deeper level. Inspiring and motivating. Thank you, Michael Stone.”
“Michael Stone’s work is particularly important in taking our profession to the next level of ethics: having an awareness practice in order to be truly present ad take appropriate action, coming from true creativity, not reaction.”
Registration & Fees
| Registration | Super Early Bird Fee | Early Bird Fee | Regular Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual Enrollment (1 Day) | -- | $275 | $295 |
| Individual Enrollment (2 Day) | -- | $475 | $495 |
| Individual Enrollment (3 Day) | -- | $625 | $645 |
| Groups of 3-7 | -- | $585 | $605 |
| Groups of 8-14 | -- | $545 | $565 |
| Groups of 15+ | -- | $525 | $545 |
| Full-Time Student | -- | $525 | $545 |
For more information on Student Rates, click here
Fees do not include applicable taxes (5% GST).
Early bird cutoff date: November 11, 2016
The early bird date has passed. Regular rates apply.
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.
Register for In-Person Attendance Download Registration Form (.PDF) Register your Group
Downloads
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Brochure (.PDF) Registration Form (.PDF)
Exhibitors are welcome at this event. We are pleased to offer sponsorship opportunities to businesses and organizations that provide services related to nursing, psychotherapy, addictions treatment, counselling, marriage & family therapy, psychology and other related fields.
→ More information
Recommended Accommodation
DoubleTree by Hilton West Edmonton
16615 109th Ave NW, Edmonton, AB
phone: 780.484.0821
Our rates:
To make a reservation over the phone, please call 780.484.0821 or 1.800.661.9804
Delux 2 Queen: $169.00 per night plus tax
1 King Suite: $194.00 per night 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 not be cancelled.
Continuing Education Credits
This workshop has been formally approved by the following associations:
- Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation (CACCF)
CACCF is only pre-approved for the workshop Navigating Addictions by Carissa Muth, Psy.D., CCC, R.Psych - Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association (CCPA)
- Canadian Professional Counsellors Association (CPCA)
- 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.
- Canadian Vocational Rehabilitation Association (VRA)
- Indigenous Certification Board of Canada (ICBOC)
- Medical Psychotherapy Association Canada (MDPAC)
- Ontario Expressive Arts Therapy Association (OEATA)
† 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 event date for more information.
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There are no related events at this time.