Important Notice:
Online registration is now CLOSED for this conference. You can arrive up to one hour early to register at the door.
Western Canada Mental Health Summit: Improving Skills & Competencies for Mental Health & Education Professionals
Co-Sponsored by CTV, Sunshine Coast Health Centre & Georgia Straight Women's Clinic
Presented by Ray Baker, M.D., FCFP, FASAM, ABAM and Alexia Rothman, Ph.D. and Deborah MacNamara, Ph.D. and Eboni Webb, Psy.D., HSP and Jeff Riggenbach, Ph.D. and Caroline Buzanko, Ph.D., R. Psych and Tim Desmond, LMFT and Lillian Gibson, Ph.D and Robert T. Muller, Ph.D., C. Psych. and Jonah Paquette, Psy.D. and Christine Dargon, Ph.D. and Carissa Muth, Psy.D., CCC, R.Psych and Sara Klinkhamer MA, RCC
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 – Friday, May 26, 2023 | Calgary, ab
Date & Location
Wednesday, May 24, 2023 – Friday, May 26, 2023
8:30am – 4:00pm
Best Western Premier Calgary Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre
1316 33 St NE, T2A 6B6, Calgary, AB
phone: 403.248.8888
website: www.calgaryplaza.com/
Choose From Over 30 Workshops
Live In-Person Conference
- Choose from 30 workshop sessions hosted in-person with our presenters
- Complimentary tea, coffee and assorted pastries
- On-site exhibitors
- On-site bookstore from Odin Books
- Bonus morning and evening session: Qigong Meditation Exercises
- Bonus evening session: The Family & Addictions
Live Stream from Home
- This conference will be live streaming from Calgary, Alberta to online participants on May 24-26, 2023 from 8:30am – 4:00pm MDT
- Recorded footage and all course content will be available until June 26, 2023
- Please allow 1 – 3 business days after the live-stream for recorded footage to become available
- More Information: https://webinars.jackhirose.com/product/mental-health-summit/
Please note, in-person registration does not include access to the live stream or recorded footage.
Letter from Jack Hirose
Dear Colleagues,
The past few years have changed the landscape for how we learn and attend events. Zoom has been an invaluable tool for all of us, but the time has come to get back to the method that revitalizes the passion for our professions. Conferences allow for in person benefits such as the chance to meet fellow clinicians and educators, participation in group work, and access to exhibitors, an on-site bookstore, and refreshments. We’ve removed the keynote but added even more presenters and a flexible format to create a custom learning experience of the highest calibre.
This year a total of 30 workshop sessions will be offered to address a host of topics relevant to both mental health and education professionals. Every session offered will focus on effective intervention strategies, recent advances, and timely topics that will provide educators and mental health professionals with the necessary knowledge and skills to better serve their clients and/or students. Attendees have the option to attend either full-day or half-day sessions. We have also planned two, one-hour early morning Qigong Meditation Exercise sessions and two, one-hour evening sessions. For those who prefer to learn at home, we will be streaming portions of the conference online. New this year is the option to add a lunch buffet to days one and two, with live music by Heather Blush and the Uppercuts on day two. Groups of 15 or more will receive complimentary lunch on both days.
Western Canada Mental Health Summit Conference: Improving Skills & Competencies for Mental Health & Education Professionals will be held in Calgary on May 24-26, 2023. Once again we are pleased to work closely and collaborate with our co-sponsors CTV, Sunshine Coast Health Centre and Georgia Straight Women’s Clinic. We hope to see you at our flagship conference of the year which promises to be another exceptional opportunity to not only enhance one’s knowledge and competencies but to network with our colleagues.
Sincerely,
Jack Hirose
CEO & President
Jack Hirose and Associates
Dear Fellow Conference Attendees,
On behalf of the entire team at Sunshine Coast Health Centre and Georgia Straight Women’s Clinic, we do hope you join us for the Canadian Mental Health Summit being held from the 24th to the 26th of May, 2023. We are once again pleased to be co-sponsoring an event with Jack Hirose & Associates, Canada’s premier psychotherapy conference organizer. The pandemic has been difficult for all of us but Jack’s hosting of this live event is a positive sign that the worst of the pandemic is solidly behind us. We have missed the intimacy of live events but are excited to see that there will not only be the Summit but an additional 15 live and in-person workshops planned for the Spring of 2023. For those who are justifiably hesitant to meet in person, Jack and colleagues will also be offering plenty of virtual events with the same world-class expert lineup you have come to expect over the years. We like to think of this hybrid approach as offering the best of both worlds. I also want to acknowledge Jack Hirose & Associates for reaching an important milestone, having trained over 100,000 mental health professionals over the past 25 years. One cannot overestimate the spinoff benefits to communities across the country in which clients and their loved ones have benefited from working with skilled practitioners.
Melanie Alsager, MBA
Chief Executive Officer
Sunshine Coast Health Centre & Georgia Straight Women’s Clinic
Special Event for Conference Attendees
Wednesday May 24, 2023: Lunch Buffet only | Thursday May 25, 2023: Lunch Buffet and Live Music
Featuring: Heather Blush and The Uppercuts
$25.00 per person, per day – includes taxes and gratuity
Lunch Buffet includes: 2 entrees 4 sides and 2 salads with deserts
Groups of 15 or more are eligible to receive 30+ free lunches tickets (lunch for all group members on both days), $750.00 value, limited quantity available.
Vegetarian and gluten-free options will be available. Individuals with strict dietary needs can pre-order and pay directly through Barrington’s (hotel restaurant).
Who Should Attend
A Conference Tailored for Mental Health and Education Professionals at All Levels and Any Professional that Applies Behavioural or Developmental Science to Practice
Mental Health Professionals: All mental health professionals including, but not limited to Clinical Counsellors, Psychologists, Psychotherapists, Social Workers, Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Hospice and Palliative Care Workers, Youth Workers, Mental Health Workers, Addiction Specialists, Marital & Family Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Vocational Rehabilitation Consultants and all other mental health professionals looking to enhance their therapeutic skills.
Education Professionals: All education 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 and all other professionals who support behavioural challenges and complex learning needs.
Day One – May 24, 2023
COUNSELLING-FOCUSED | Workshop #1: Internal Family Systems Therapy: Healing Through Compassionate Connection
Presented by
Alexia Rothman, Ph.D.
MORNING SESSION | 8:30am to 12:00pm May 24, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
After decades of clinical innovation and recent scientific research, the empirically validated Internal Family Systems (IFS) model has been shown to be effective at improving clients’ general functioning and well-being. This effective model provides clinicians with procedures for helping clients with the most challenging mental health profiles to heal the wounded, burdened, and traumatized parts of their systems.
The IFS model provides a compassionate, respectful, non-pathologizing approach to understanding the organization and functioning of the human psyche.
The transformative IFS approach embraces and celebrates the natural multiplicity of the mind. Its assumption is that every part of the system has good intention and valuable resources allows clinicians to approach even the most troubling of “symptoms” with compassion and respect. IFS offers therapists a powerful and effective set of tools for empowering clients with a wide range of clinical profiles to heal the wounded and burdened parts of their internal systems, resulting in:
- a way to enter clients’ inner ecology without the overemphasis on containment and stabilization
- symptom reduction and improved functioning for clients
- deep self-healing within even the most troubled clients
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Comprehensive, compassionate, non- pathologizing treatment approach
- Paradigm-shifting perspective on “psychopathology”
- Easily integrated into other therapeutic modalities
- Teach clients to access inner wisdom and self-compassion to permanently heal traumatic wounds
Alexia Rothman, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Atlanta, GA, since 2004. She is a Certified Internal Family Systems therapist, an international speaker and educator on the IFS model, and a professional consultant for clinicians seeking to deepen…
COUNSELLING-FOCUSED | Workshop #2 Psychotherapy Treatments for Adult and Adolescent Depression: Clinical Considerations for Interpersonal Psychotherapy, ACT and CBT
Presented by
Lillian Gibson, Ph.D
MORNING SESSION | 8:30am to 12:00pm May 24, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
Millions of adults and adolescents are impacted by depression each year. There are several factors that trigger depressive symptoms due to one’s biological history, psychosocial stressors, and/or relationship dynamics. This 3 hour session will focus on comparing and contrasting IPT for Depression, ACT for Depression, and CBT for Depression allowing clinicians an opportunity to select the best method to treat adult and adolescent depression based on the presenting problem.
Dr. Lillian Gibson’s workshop will provide mental health professionals with a practical framework to assess and treat adult and adolescent depression. Participants will learn how to apply treatment specific approaches to effectively tailor their treatment plans.
This training will use a case vignette to guide the presentation and uncover mistakes that can be made when the best option for depression treatment is not utilized.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Describe the diagnostic criteria for depressive disorders.
- Explain salient factors specific to Interpersonal Psychotherapy for Depression treatment.
- Explain salient factors specific to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for depression treatment.
- Explain salient factors specific to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression treatment.
- Identify helpful assessment measures to track treatment efficacy.
Dr. Lillian Gibson, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist often referred to as a “mood make-over” expert. She is a highly recommended speaker, consultant, and clinician due to her advanced assessment and treatment skills in a variety of settings: inpatient…
ALL PROFESSIONALS | Workshop #3: Recovery Coaching: Key Competencies to Facilitate Pathways of Recovery
Presented by
Ray Baker, M.D., FCFP, FASAM, ABAM
MORNING SESSION | 8:30am to 12:00pm May 24, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is not available for live stream.
The afternoon session is a continuation of this workshop.
This workshop will review the roles and competencies of recovery coaches, distinguishing them from the distinct and complementary roles of treatment providers, therapists, system navigators and mutual support group peer mentors or sponsors. We explore the unique characteristics of clients with substance use disorders, some suffering from the effects of trauma or marginalization and techniques to create the conditions necessary for them to establish sustained recovery. We explore the concept of Recovery Capital, its measurement using simple instruments, and its many uses for clinicians, coaches and clients. Finally, we examine essential boundary skills, rules and regulations and ethical considerations for recovery coaches and those who employ their services.
Ray Baker MD, FCFP, FASAM, is an associate professor at the University of British Columbia, faculty of medicine. In 2022 he received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine for his work as an educator, consultant and clinician. After training as a recovery coach and recovery coach trainer in Connecticut, he developed an expanded recovery coaching training curriculum that has been used to train over a hundred coaches in BC and Alberta. In November 2022, he published Recovery Coaching Knowledge and Skills, a training manual. This workshop includes essential elements from his recovery coach training curriculum and critical information for therapists, clinicians, counsellors or people interested in learning more about recovery coaching.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Describe the unique cognitive, emotional and behavioural traits of clients with substance use disorders that may require a modified coaching approach
- Define and describe recovery as an objective outcome
- Explore the stages and tasks of long-term recovery from substance use disorders and addiction
- Explain the meaning of the acronyms CHIME, PERMA, and OARS and their application to clients with histories of addiction, trauma and marginalization
- Use the Brief Assessment of Recovery Capital Instrument as a tool for motivation, reinforcement and for progress self-evaluation by the client
- Apply a 5-step model for conducting a recovery coaching session
- Discuss the importance of boundary skills and how they relate to the Recovery Coach Code of Ethics and “staying in your lane.”
- Demonstrate appreciative inquiry and/or motivational interviewing techniques in a brief role-playing exercise
- Describe the concept of assertive linkage to community recovery resources
Ray Baker, M.D, FCFP, FASAM, is a physician, certified in both Family Medicine and Addiction Medicine and registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia since 1976. For twelve years he practiced occupational medicine and family medicine…
SCHOOL-BASED FOCUSED | Workshop #4: Disarming High-Conflict Students in the Classroom: Dealing with the 8 Most Difficult Students in Educational Settings
Presented by
Jeff Riggenbach, Ph.D.
MORNING SESSION | 8:30am to 12:00pm May 24, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
Difficult people are everywhere. And sometimes it seems like this is especially true in our school systems. They are our fellow educators, our administrators, and certainly our students. Sometimes they are even in our families! But they don’t have to push our buttons. Whether you are having difficulty managing the classroom in general, dealing with a particular challenging student, interacting with a fellow teacher, or dealing with an administrator – There are patterns to human behavior. And once we understand where someone is coming from we can equip ourselves with specialized tools to speak their language and deal with them in more effective ways. The good news is we don’t have to allow them to drain our energy and rob us of the joy that drew most of us to the field of education in the first place! This fun, informative workshop not only targets those high conflict students, but also provides strategies to help students reach their full potential. Leave this highly engaging seminar with international personality expert Dr. Jeff Riggenbach feeling empowered to disarm even the most challenging people in your school before they get the best of you.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Discover the 8 types of high conflict (HC) people that make life difficult in educational settings and learn highly specialized strategies interacting effectively with each
- Hone skills in and acquire tips for connecting with students in a way that develops rapport to prevent 90% of classroom behaviour problems before they escalate
- Develop an understanding of how we get our “buttons pushed” and how to maintain our composure when we do
- Learn triggers for each style, how to avoid them, and disarm the bomb before the fuse gets lit
- Arm yourself with knowledge of the 5 specific characteristics that make students “difficult”
- Identify 3“red flag” behaviours common in each HC style for early recognition & intervention
- Learn a 3-step communication process to speak directly to each of the 8 types of HC styles
- Implement personality informed classroom management strategies, including implications for lesson planning, intentional teaching, student discipline, and classroom ecology in a way that promotes learning for the individual student
- Acquire damage control strategies for dealing with meltdowns when they do occur
- Develop your own personalized action plan for each high conflict student in your classroom or person in your life
Jeff Riggenbach, Ph.D. is a best-selling and award winning author who has earned a reputation as an international expert in CBT and personality disorders. Over the past 20 years he has developed and overseen CBT-based treatment programs for Mood disorders,…
SCHOOL-BASED FOCUSED | Workshop #5: The Roots of Resilience & Resourcefulness
Presented by
Deborah MacNamara, Ph.D.
MORNING SESSION | 8:30 am - 12:00 pm May 24, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is not available for live stream.
One of the most challenging and crucial questions of our time is why some bounce back from adversity, seemingly unscathed, while others fall apart and become emotionally distraught and dysfunctional. What has become apparent is that it is not what happens to us – good or bad – that explains how we are ultimately affected, but rather something about ourselves that sets the stage for the story that unfolds. But what is this something? Do some have this prerequisite ‘something’ and others not? Or does everyone possess this ‘something’ but it somehow needs to be activated for the potential to be realized?
The pieces of the puzzle are finally coming together and the answer is in this remarkable human attribute called ‘resilience’ or the ability to bounce back. Resilience is the ultimate good news story – that stress in itself is not the enemy and that we need not be brought down by the circumstances in our lives. After years of mistaken focus on the stress part of the equation, the focus is now on uncovering the keys that can unlock the amazing human potential to grow through adversity, to thrive under duress, and to bounce back from trauma.
Resilience is probably the most important topic of our time. It holds the answers to emotional health and well-being, to mental illness, to healing and recovery, to prevention, to addiction, and much more. Resilience is not only the best overall prevention but also the best focus for intervention. Resilience should be everyone’s concern, not only the medical and helping professionals, but also educators, parents, and society at large. Resilience is about ourselves and those we are responsible for.
So where does resilience come from and how are we to make sense of it? The answers lie surprisingly in fresh understandings of emotion, relationship, feelings, play and rest. These pivotal factors have unfortunately been eclipsed by the current prevailing focus on symptoms, syndromes and stress, as well as problem behaviour and dysfunction. The incredible story of emotional health and well-being is not about what has happened to us but rather about what hasn’t happened within us.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- what resilience looks like when distilled to its essence
the three tell-tale signs of optimal functioning - the role of true rest in resilience
the difference between feelings and emotions and why we need to feel our emotions - the three personal keys that unlock one’s innate potential for resilience
- how to make sense of the typical stress response
- understanding the essence of stress and recognizing it despite the diversity of experience
- the common impact of adversity and how it can be circumvented
- the tell-tale signs of emotional hardening often mistaken for resilience
- the complicated role of attachment in stress and resilience
- the surprising role of true play in resilience
- how child-centered parenting can backfire, resulting in reflected fragility rather than reflected strength
Deborah MacNamara, PhD is a clinical counsellor and educator with more than 25 years’ experience working with children, youth, and adults. She is on faculty at the Neufeld Institute, operates a counselling practice, and speaks regularly about child and adolescent development…
More information: www.neufeldinstitute.org/person/deborah-macnamara/
COUNSELLING FOCUSED | Workshop #6: Polyvagal Theory: Healing Through Compassionate Connection
Presented by
Alexia Rothman, Ph.D.
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00pm - 4:00pm May 24, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
Despite the diversity of content that brings clients to therapy, difficulty regulating their emotional experience is at the heart of their struggles. Clients can feel hijacked by extreme emotional states, uncomfortable in their own skin, or think or behave in ways they wish they wouldn’t. Polyvagal Theory (PVT) helps us understand what is happening on a biological level when our clients are emotionally dysregulated or stuck in adaptive survival states, such as fight, flight, freeze, or numb.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Identify the basic principles of Polyvagal Theory and how PVT can inform and enhance application of any psychotherapeutic modality.
- Discuss how understanding Polyvagal Theory can help therapists implement IFS more safely and effectively, especially in the systems of clients with complex trauma.
ALL PROFESSIONALS | Workshop #7: Healing Strategies and Interventions for BIPOC Communities (Black, Indigenous, People of Colour)
Presented by
Lillian Gibson, Ph.D
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm May 24, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
Dealing with race-based stressors are not only frightening for individuals who experience first-hand stressors, but they are also concerning for self-identified allies and professionals who support BIPOC communities (black, indigenous, and people of color). The workshop will provide attendees a safe space to understand and explore the multi-faceted complexities of racial trauma and minority stress in addition to appropriate, culture welcoming treatment options.
Canadian population data trends are steadily changing the landscape of mental health services, clinicians/educators committed to helping their clients/students can vastly benefit from expanding their expertise with the assessment and treatment of racial trauma and minority stress. Professionals working with marginalized populations and/or clients/students of color may benefit from understanding how to properly explore their clients’/students’ feelings and responses to direct and indirect activating events.
Identifying stressors (microaggressions) can be quite challenging and overwhelming when a clinician/educator wants to help, but doesn’t know where to start. This seminar provides attendees with a clear template of how to check for clinical blind spots in or order to confidently support and treat BIPOC clients.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Identify salient factors of cultural competency markers
- Explore cultural attunement variables
- Understand how to conceptualize cases when race based stressors are present
- Describe racial trauma diagnostic criteria
- Delineate between minority stress factors and race-based trauma
- Understand the impact of vicarious trauma on emotional functioning
- Use the Biopsychosocial Model framework to guide assessment steps and treatment of racial trauma
- Identify factors that influence generational trauma and exacerbate racial trauma symptomology
- Identify client centered strategies to develop a racial trauma treatment plan
- Report cultural competencies in the assessment and treatment of racial trauma
ALL PROFESSIONALS | Workshop #8: Recovery Coaching: Key Competencies to Facilitate Pathways of Recovery (CONTINUATION)
Presented by
Ray Baker, M.D., FCFP, FASAM, ABAM
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00pm - 4:00pm May 24, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is not available for live stream.
CONTINUATION from the morning session.
This workshop will review the roles and competencies of recovery coaches, distinguishing them from the distinct and complementary roles of treatment providers, therapists, system navigators and mutual support group peer mentors or sponsors. We explore the unique characteristics of clients with substance use disorders, some suffering from the effects of trauma or marginalization and techniques to create the conditions necessary for them to establish sustained recovery. We explore the concept of Recovery Capital, its measurement using simple instruments, and its many uses for clinicians, coaches and clients. Finally, we examine essential boundary skills, rules and regulations and ethical considerations for recovery coaches and those who employ their services.
Ray Baker MD, FCFP, FASAM, is an associate professor at the University of British Columbia, faculty of medicine. In 2022 he received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award from the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine for his work as an educator, consultant and clinician. After training as a recovery coach and recovery coach trainer in Connecticut, he developed an expanded recovery coaching training curriculum that has been used to train over a hundred coaches in BC and Alberta. In November 2022, he published Recovery Coaching Knowledge and Skills, a training manual. This workshop includes essential elements from his recovery coach training curriculum and critical information for therapists, clinicians, counsellors or people interested in learning more about recovery coaching.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Describe the unique cognitive, emotional and behavioural traits of clients with substance use disorders that may require a modified coaching approach
- Define and describe recovery as an objective outcome
- Explore the stages and tasks of long-term recovery from substance use disorders and addiction
- Explain the meaning of the acronyms CHIME, PERMA, and OARS and their application to clients with histories of addiction, trauma and marginalization
- Use the Brief Assessment of Recovery Capital Instrument as a tool for motivation, reinforcement and for progress self-evaluation by the client
- Apply a 5-step model for conducting a recovery coaching session
- Discuss the importance of boundary skills and how they relate to the Recovery Coach Code of Ethics and “staying in your lane.”
- Demonstrate appreciative inquiry and/or motivational interviewing techniques in a brief role-playing exercise
- Describe the concept of assertive linkage to community recovery resources
SCHOOL-BASED FOCUSED | Workshop #9: CBT Strategies that Really Work With Students in the Classroom
Presented by
Jeff Riggenbach, Ph.D.
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00pm - 4:00pm May 24, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
Cognitive – Behavioural Therapy is considered the “gold standard” therapeutic approach for many psychological conditions most commonly seen in school-based settings with children and adolescents. Despite it’s strong evidence base, many school counsellors and educators have gone a more “integrative” route and surprisingly few have developed the advanced expertise needed to deliver the effective CBT strategies on a regular basis to students that often remain “stuck.”
If this describes you, don’t miss this opportunity!
Join international CBT trainer and expert Dr. Jeff Riggenbach, for this breakthrough course that will help you hone your skills, equip yourself to confidently deal with even your most challenging cases, and reignite your passion to the work you once loved.
- Apply evidence-based CBT techniques to multiple symptom sets.
- Illustrate methods for conducting CBT psychoeducation to elicit “buy in” from most difficult students.
- Detect, challenge and modify dysfunctional self-talk, thoughts and core beliefs.
- Implement rapport-building tips and tools to improve client relationships.
- Summarize the role of early maladaptive schemas in maintaining chronic conditions.
- Utilize schema-based strategies for breaking lifelong destructive behavioural cycles.
- Summarize eight motivations for parasuicidal behaviours and how to effectively intervene for each motivation.
SCHOOL-BASED FOCUSED | Workshop #10: Making Sense of Resistance and Opposition in Kids
Presented by
Deborah MacNamara, Ph.D.
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm May 24, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is not available for live stream.
Counterwill is a name for the instinctive reaction of a child to resist being controlled. This resistance can take many forms: opposition, negativism, laziness, noncompliance, disrespect, lack of motivation, belligerence, incorrigibility and even antisocial attitudes and actions. It can also express itself in resistance to learning. Despite the multitude of manifestations, the underlying dynamic is deceptively simple – a defensive reaction to perceived control or coercion. Counterwill is undoubtedly the most misunderstood and misinterpreted dynamic in adult-child relations. The simplicity of the dynamic is in sharp contrast to the trouble it creates – for parents, for teachers, and for anyone dealing with children. It creates a perplexing dilemma in that what is most demanded or expected from a child can become the least likely to be realized. Understanding the role of counterwill in the development process is the key to knowing how to handle it. A three-pronged approach to safely defusing counterwill and to handling the resistant child or adolescent will be discussed.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- the many faces of counterwill
- the meaning of counterwill
- how to differentiate between counterwill that is healthy and counterwill that is a sign of something amiss
- a three-pronged approach to dealing with counterwill
- why praise and reward can backfire in some children
- why counterwill is normal in toddlers and preschoolers
- why pervasive counterwill is a sign of attachment problems
- the importance of not taking counterwill personally
- how to prevent and defuse counterwill in children
- how to safeguard one`s relationship against the fallout from counterwill
- how to avoid a battle of counterwill`s
- how to help children grow out of counterwill
Evening Session: Qigong Meditation Exercise Session
Presented by
Munira Jiwa, BScPT
Evening Session | 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm May 24, 2023
EVENING SESSION:
Energize with Qigong
Join Qigong Master Teacher Munira Jiwa for an energizing, yet calming qigong moving meditation practice.
After a full day of sitting and listening to all the inspiring speakers, nourish your body, mind and spirit with gentle movement, breath awareness and a visualization practice to help balance your energy.
Put the Oxygen Mask on Yourself First!
In order to help others, it’s imperative that we prioritize our own health and well being so we can serve to the best of our ability.
Experience how qigong can help you optimize your energy so you can be the best that you can be.
Munira Jiwa, BScPT (Physical Therapy), Spring Forest Qigong Master Teacher and Certified Simplified Tai Chi Instructor Munira is a “Spreader of Qi-Joy”. She lives with her family in beautiful Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Munira experienced a profound transformation from chronic pain,…
Day Two – May 25, 2023
Morning Session: Qigong Meditation
Presented by
Munira Jiwa, BScPT
MORNING SESSION | 7:00am - 8:00am May 25, 2023
MORNING SESSION:
Qigong is a powerful and ancient form of meditation exercises dating back more than 4000 years that helps you create an internal environment of peace and healing. Learn how you can use Qigong elements of energy breathing, visualization, gentle movements and sound to experience your optimal health, peak performance, and inner peace.
COUNSELLING FOCUSED | Workshop #11: Trauma-Focused DBT: Trauma, Attachment and Brain Development
Presented by
Eboni Webb, Psy.D., HSP
MORNING SESSION | 8:30am to 12:00pm May 25, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
Working with emotionally dysregulated and traumatized clients/students in your practice can be overwhelming and exhausting. You probably feel the pull of being the “savior” for their constant state of dysregulation. Learn how to develop the skills needed to be more effective in treatment, avoid burnout and achieve positive outcomes through developing an integrative lens to treat trauma and attachment more effectively across the lifespan through integrating Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy techniques and interventions. Dr. Webb will give you the training you need through case stories, neuroscience research, and experiential activities. Learn to work together with clients/students and all relevant support systems to increase compassion through seeing the function of their behaviors through the lens of trauma, reestablish structure, and create a validating environment. Leave with the knowledge and skills to confidently teach clients/students and all critical care providers how to implement a safe structure that enables clients/students to learn and master these skills throughout all the pertinent areas of their lives.
Attend this workshop and you will discover how critical complex interventions are for the complexity of treating trauma and attachment disorders.
Join Dr. Eboni Webb, former advisor to the Dialectical Behavior Therapy National Certification and Accreditation Association, and Advanced Certified Practitioner of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and take home evidence-based strategies from both modalities to use with clients who come from hard places.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Defining trauma and attachment
- Biosocial Model
- Effects of inadequate validation in early emotional development
- Symptoms of a pervasive emotional dysregulation disorder
- Developmental vs. attachment trauma
- Single-incident trauma
- Common sources of trauma
- Parenting Styles
- Attachment Styles
Trauma and Brain Development
- Biphasic arousal model
- Core organizers of experience
Eboni Webb, Psy.D., HSP is a licensed psychologist and serves as an advisor to the Dialectical Behavior Therapy National Certification and Accreditation Association (DBTNCAA). She has practiced in numerous community settings including clinics that treat underserved communities of color, clients with…
COUNSELLING FOCUSED | Workshop #12: The Personality Disorder Toolbox: Practical Strategies for Meeting the Challenges of Your Most Difficult Cases
Presented by
Jeff Riggenbach, Ph.D.
MORNING SESSION | 8:30am - 12:00pm May 25, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
Individuals with personality disorders have long been considered the most challenging clients presenting in the clinical setting. Many patients lack motivation, most begin with poor insight, and some have such deeply engrained dysfunctional beliefs, unhealthy coping skills, and destructive behavioural patterns that continue to frustrate providers, family members, and consumers alike. Many professionals even continue to view them as untreatable.
However, there is hope. Emerging research suggests this is simply not the case. DBT, CBT, and Schema Therapy have paved the way in pioneering new attitudes and outcomes related to treating these conditions
Join leading exert in the field of personality dysfunction Dr. Jeff Riggenbach for this enjoyable training chock full of the latest research, techniques, and practical strategies. This powerful workshop will give you a new ability to help struggling individuals deal with issues related to self-injurious behaviours, multiple suicide attempts, frequently hurt feelings, intense and unpredictable mood swings, substance use, angry outbursts, toxic relationships and other problems that impair their ability to function in society. Leave this day long training with an integrated DBT/CBT /Schema Informed approach to treating these cases and giving clients with even the most complex needs a life worth living.
COURSE OUTLINE:
- Understand evidence based approaches to treating personality disorders, and learn why traditional patient care doesn’t work
- Learn communication skills for effectively engaging clients with complex needs
- Acquire skills for modifying deeply engrained beliefs driving behaviours outside of client awareness
- Disrupt lifelong self-defeating patterns
- Identify 8 motives for self-injurious behaviours and interventions that work for each
- Learn symptom-targetted strategies that help with clients in the moment
- Develop schema modification techniques proven to benefit even your most “difficult” PD clients
- Build resilience in clients by teaching strategies that help them not only get well, but stay well
ALL PROFESSIONALS | Workshop #13: Self-Compassion Skills Training for Mental Health & Education Professionals
Presented by
Tim Desmond, LMFT
MORNING SESSION | 8:30am to 12:00pm May 25, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is not available for live stream.
When our clients/students are overwhelmed by anxiety, adrift in depression, or hobbled by trauma, a lack of self-compassion is often at the heart of their difficulty. Thankfully, research has shown us that if practiced regularly, self-compassion can regulate emotions, transform negative core beliefs, and heal trauma. This experiential workshop will help you integrate self-compassion training into your work. You’ll focus on how to:
- Guide clients/students through highly individualized training sessions based on their specific strengths and obstacles
- Apply the eight core practices that make up the Map to Self-Compassion, including self-acceptance and embracing suffering
- Help clients/students feel revitalized and avoid burnout
- Choose self-compassion practices for client/student problems—including complex trauma and self-sabotage—based on key assessments
- Use the brain’s care circuit to regulate emotions and heal trauma in clients/students
This workshop will include lecture, live demonstrations, small group practices, and question and answer sessions. You will have the opportunity to present clinical cases and receive consultation to demonstrate how to apply self-compassion with your specific clients/students. We will break down all of the microskills required to treat a client/student from a self-compassion perspective, and you will have the chance to practice each of them. You will also learn about (and receive a copy of) the Map to Self-Compassion from The Self-Compassion Skills Workbook, and how to use this map to assess and choose the most appropriate form of self-compassion practice for each specific client/student. The workshop will conclude with a section on cultivating self-compassion within ourselves as clinicians and educators.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Guide clients/students through highly individualized training sessions based on their specific strengths and obstacles
- Explain how to apply the eight core practices that make up the Map to Self-Compassion, including self-acceptance and embracing suffering
- Illustrate how to help clients/students feel revitalized and avoid burnout
- Develop and put to practice self-compassion practices for client/student problems—including complex trauma and self-sabotage—based on key assessments
- Summarize the brain’s care circuit to regulate emotions and heal trauma in clients/students
Tim Desmond is a therapist, bestselling author, and Distinguished Faculty Scholar at Antioch University, teaching professional psychology rooted in self-compassion. He’s the founder of Peer Collective (https://peercollective.com) and co-founder of Morning Sun Mindfulness Center in Alstead, NH. After a troubled youth,…
SCHOOL-BASED FOCUSED | Workshop #14: Supporting the Anxious Mind at School and at Home: Sources of Anxiety, Stress Management, and Anxiety-Regulation Skills
Presented by
Christine Dargon, Ph.D.
MORNING SESSION | 8:30am - 12:00pm May 25, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
Divorce, family breakdown, violence in society and the media, has produced a “shell shocked” generation of kids suffering from anxiety!
Join anxiety expert, dr. Christine dargon, who will demonstrate how you can “connect” with anxious children and inspire them to practice new self- regulation skills. You will learn how to help parents (“bulldozers,”“helicopters” and “snowplows”) and schools gain confidence, gratification and success in helping their most anxious kids.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- What research tells us about therapy effectiveness applied to children
- How anxiety develops in children: the “three ingredients framework”
- Biological sensitivity
- Anxiety personality style
- Stress overload
- Treatment goals, strategies and recommendations
- The baseball analogy for behavior change and symptom reduction
- Behavioral health recommendations
Christine Dargon, Ph.D., having worked in clinical practice for over 20 years, now focusses her time on speaking and education. Dr. Dargon did graduate research and her dissertation on rape-related PTSD and began working with rape survivors over 25 years…
SCHOOL-BASED FOCUSED | Workshop #15: Working with Emotional and Behaviour Problems with Children and Adolescentss
Presented by
Caroline Buzanko, Ph.D., R. Psych
MORNING SESSION | 8:30am - 12:00pm May 25, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is not available for live stream.
Every child and teen experiences emotional ups and downs and engages in challenging behaviours from time to time. Though frustrating, these reactions are an important part of development for all kids. However, these outbursts become a problem when they happen frequently, when they are excessive, and when they begin to impair a child or youth’s functioning.
Emotional and behavioural challenges have increased drastically among children and adolescents over the years with alarmingly high prevalence rates. Unfortunately, most go without effective support, which makes them susceptible for developing severe emotional and/or behavioural disorders that impair their social and emotional well-being, relationships, and development.
Early intervention and treatment are critical to support children and teen’s social, emotional, and behavioural well-being and reduce future risk. Although teachers, parents, and mental health professionals know they need to help, they aren’t always confident in how to do so – especially in the heat of the moment. They may have tried different strategies, but with limited success. Thankfully, these children and teens can be supported easily with the right tools and know-how.
This dynamic workshop is vital for anyone working with children and teens. Participants will develop an understanding of what is going on for children and teens, what happens when the demands on them outweigh their capacity to cope, the underlying needs they have, and the function of an emotional or behavioural meltdown. Participants will also learn the typical strategies adults use when they are trying to help but instead makes the situation worse. Importantly, they will learn what is truly effective (hint: it’s not behaviour charts) to promote positive behaviours and emotion regulation proactively, before an emotional or behavioural blowout occurs, and reactively, in the heat of the moment. With these strategies, participants will help children and teens build their capacity to manage their emotions and behaviours successfully across contexts.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Understand the unique stress kids and teens face and their underlying needs
- Identify the function of behaviours and emotions and typical adult traps that escalate emotional reactions and problematic behaviours
- Learn how to respond effectively when big emotions/behaviours show up and promote emotion regulation and positive behaviours
Caroline Buzanko, Ph.D., R. Psych, is a Psychologist. Mother. International Speaker. Yoda of Anxiety. Neurodivergent Superhero. Changer of Lives. She is a dynamic force in the field of psychology, dedicating nearly three decades to transforming the lives of children, teens,…
COUNSELLING FOCUSED | Workshop #16: Trauma-Focused DBT: Common Survival Resources and Critical Interventions
Presented by
Eboni Webb, Psy.D., HSP
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00pm - 4:00pm May 25, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
Working with emotionally dysregulated and traumatized clients in your practice can be overwhelming and exhausting. You probably feel the pull of being the “savior” for their constant state of dysregulation. Learn how to develop the skills needed to be more effective in treatment, avoid burnout and achieve positive outcomes through developing an integrative lens to treat trauma and attachment more effectively across the lifespan through integrating Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy techniques and interventions. Dr. Webb will give you the training you need through case stories, neuroscience research, and experiential activities. Learn to work together with clients and all relevant support systems to increase compassion through seeing the function of their behaviors through the lens of trauma, reestablish structure, and create a validating environment. Leave with the knowledge and skills to confidently teach clients and all critical care providers how to implement a safe structure that enables clients to learn and master these skills throughout all the pertinent areas of their lives.
Attend this workshop and you will discover how critical complex interventions are for the complexity of treating trauma and attachment disorders.
Join Dr. Eboni Webb, former advisor to the Dialectical Behavior Therapy National Certification and Accreditation Association, and Advanced Certified Practitioner of Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and take home evidence-based strategies from both modalities to use with clients who come from hard places.
Common survival resources
- Survival resources
- Somatic resources
Critical Interventions
- Proximity maintenance: Restructuring boundaries
- Creating a secure therapeutic base
- Creating a safe therapeutic haven
- Validation: Connection before Redirection
COUNSELLING FOCUSED | Workshop #17: Mastering the Core Skills and Competencies of CBT
Presented by
Jeff Riggenbach, Ph.D.
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00pm - 4:00pm May 25, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is the most empirically supported therapeutic approach for multiple psychiatric disorders, and is widely considered the “gold standard” treatment for a variety of issues. Most mental health professionals claim to do “some CBT,” but many clinicians in the trenches resort to a more “eclectic” approach and treatment often loses direction. Leave this 3-hour afternoon session with international CBT expert Dr. Jeff Riggenbach with core competencies, transformed clinical skills, and an improved understanding of conceptualization based treatment that will ensure you never get stuck in therapy again.
You will be able to utilize concrete strategies for helping your clients who suffer from:
- Bipolar and depressive related disorders
- Anger
- Anxiety disorders
- Personality Disorders
Through case studies, interactive discussions, role-plays, and reproducible handouts, you will take away practical CBT strategies to use immediately with any client. Leave this conference armed with tools you can use in your very next session!
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Develop core competencies in CBT, including the therapeutic alliance, collaborative agenda setting, fostering behavioural and cognitive change, and giving client feedback.
- Understand the role of cognitive distortions in information processing and the unique processing present in specific symptom sets.
- Learn evidence based strategies for treating clinical conditions including depression, anxiety disorders, anger management, and personality disorders
- Utilize techniques from traditional CBT, meta-cognitive, and schema based approaches
- Demonstrate how case conceptualization drives effective treatment planning & improves therapy outcomes.
- Discuss case studies to increase understanding of specific cognitive models of depression, anxiety and anger and effective treatment strategies for each.
ALL PROFESSIONALS | Workshop #18: Mindfulness: From Affect Tolerance to Fearlessness & Equanimity
Presented by
Tim Desmond, LMFT
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00pm - 4:00pm May 25, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is not available for live stream.
In the 20 years I spent studying under Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, I learned his approach to facing stress, challenging relationships, burnout, and how to be a force for good in the world. In this experiential session, I will share the highlights of Nhat Hanh’s teachings on how we can apply mindfulness to transform our lives. We will learn:
- Concrete practices for cultivating joy and gratitude.
- How to embrace our fear, anger and grief with compassion.
- How to develop openness and equanimity in the face of uncertainty and division.
Many clients and students aren’t interested in learning mindfulness practices for their own sake, so we will also discuss how to present mindfulness in a way that supports the intrinsic motivational factors in the people we’re helping.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Express how mindfulness practices can benefit students and therapy clients in a way that maximizes engagement.
- Teach two practices that create a positive mood state.
- Guide a student or therapy client to apply mindfulness to their own distress.
SCHOOL-BASED FOCUSED | Workshop #19: Supporting the Anxious Mind at School and at Home: School Recommendation, Medication, Interventions for Separation Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety & Panic Disorder
Presented by
Christine Dargon, Ph.D.
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00pm - 4:00pm May 25, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
Divorce, family breakdown, violence in society and the media, has produced a “shell shocked” generation of kids suffering from anxiety!
Join anxiety expert, dr. Christine dargon, who will demonstrate how you can “connect” with anxious children and inspire them to practice new self- regulation skills. You will learn how to help parents (“bulldozers,”“helicopters” and “snowplows”) and schools gain confidence, gratification and success in helping their most anxious kids.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
- Recommendations for schools
- Pros and cons of medication
- Nature’s remedies
- Herbal treatments
- Homeopathy
- DSM-5® anxiety disorders: current updates
- Separation anxiety
- Normal separation process
- Therapeutic exposure
- “Helicopter,”“bulldozer” and “snowplow” parenting
- Strategies to help parents let go
SCHOOL-BASED FOCUSED | Workshop #20: The Power of Connections
Presented by
Caroline Buzanko, Ph.D., R. Psych
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00pm - 4:00pm May 25, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is not available for live stream.
All humans have an inherent need to belong, and our greatest fear is not belonging. However, we never doubt whether we belong when we have strong connections.
Connection is the most important factor in everyone’s lives – and especially for kids. Connection is the number one protective factor for children and teen’s social, emotional, and even physical well-being. Connection is critical for learning and strengthening prosocial emotions like pride, gratitude, and compassion. Connection is essential to move through stress and trauma. Connection is also crucial for optimizing lifelong success through perseverance, confidence, and resilience.
Although a substantial number of children are feeling disconnected, there are effective ways to get them feeling connected and engaged at home, at school, and with friends. In this workshop, participants will learn about connection, why connection is important to healthy development, and the power connections have in a child’s overall well-being. Participants will also learn what gets in the way of establishing connections, the common traps that disrupt connection, and what to do to promote strong connection across contexts.
After completing this workshop, participants will have a whole new (positive) outlook on connecting with disengaged children and teens and feel empowered knowing exactly how to connect with children and teens effectively to help them manage big emotions, self-regulate, and positively influence their behaviours.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Understand the importance of connection and its influence on development
- Identify barriers that disrupt connections
- Learn how to establish and strengthen connections to promote self-regulation, emotional resilience, and self-efficacy.
Evening Session: The Family and Addictions
Presented by
Carissa Muth, Psy.D., CCC, R.Psych
and Sara Klinkhamer MA, RCC
EVENING SESSION | 6:30pm - 7:30pm May 25, 2023
EVENING SESSION:
Given that SUD is considered a disorder of not just the individual, but of the family system, addressing family members’ concerns is an essential part of the recovery process. Out of their own desperation and panic, family members can present in erratic and controlling ways when advocating for their loved one’s treatment. This can place mental health professionals in a precarious position as they navigate maintaining ethical standards while also providing help to the family. This session will address the complications and necessity of working with family members as part of the SUD recovery process. Techniques and tools will be provided based on 20 years of psychotherapy experience in the SUD recovery field as well as the latest research on family interventions in SUD treatment.
Dr. Carissa Muth is a registered psychologist in Alberta 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 Social Work degrees…
Sara brings a background of working on the Downtown Eastside in Vancouver for more than 10 years, which has given her much experience working with addiction and mental health issues, particularly trauma. Sara has also worked in both residential and…
Day Three – May 26, 2023
COUNSELLING FOCUSED | Workshop #21: Trauma and the Struggle to Open Up: Relational Strategies to treat Challenging Trauma Clients
Presented by
Robert T. Muller, Ph.D., C. Psych.
MORNING SESSION | 8:30am to 12:00pm May 26, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
This practical full day workshop, led by Dr. Robert T. Muller, author of psychotherapy bestseller: Trauma and the Avoidant Client, builds our understanding of the therapeutic relationship with challenging trauma clients.
As therapists, we try to maintain a strong therapeutic relationship, but this can be easier said than done. Drawing on attachment theory and research, and using a relational, integrative approach, Dr. Muller follows the ups and downs of the therapy relationship in trauma work. He points to choices therapists make in navigating the process, examining how they affect outcome
Specifically, we look at relationship patterns in trauma work, and how these can lead to troubling therapist-client enactments. When left unchecked, such patterns lead to ruptures in the relationship. In trauma work, how do we repair a ruptured alliance? And how can we help clients grow from the experience? This workshop looks at such issues in detail.
Theory is complemented by case examples and therapy segments. We draw from Dr. Muller’s new book, Trauma and the Struggle to Open Up, winner of the 2019 ISSTD award for the year’s best written work on trauma.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Use an attachment theory framework in relational trauma work
- Recognize therapist-client relationship patterns in trauma treatment
- Consider their own (therapist’s) feelings in the therapeutic process (e.g. the wish to rush into trauma work, or the wish to avoid it)
- Notice problematic relational enactments
- Navigate conflicts and relational ruptures to get treatment back on track
- Use conflicts and relational ruptures to bring about posttraumatic growth
Robert T. Muller, Ph.D., C.Psych. is on faculty as a Full Professor of Clinical Psychology at York University, is a Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Trauma & Dissociation (ISSTD); and both of his books have won…
ALL PROFESSIONALS | Workshop #22: The “Wow” Effect: How Awe and Wonder Make Us Happier, Healthier, and More Connected
Presented by
Jonah Paquette, Psy.D.
MORNING SESSION | 8:30am - 1:00pm May 26, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
What do you feel when you gaze up at the Milky Way, see a beautiful rainbow, or stand before a mountain that seems impossibly high? This feeling – often complete with goosebumps and a shiver down our spine – is known as awe. And as it turns out, this under appreciated and often misunderstood emotion holds an important key to a happy, meaningful, and healthy life. This interactive workshop will explore the exciting new science of awe, and how the moments that make us go “wow!” impact our immune system, brain functioning, social connection, physical health, stress levels, and much more.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
- Describe and define the experience of awe in concrete terms
- Explain the effect of awe on social relationships and connection
- Describe the link between awe and compassion
Jonah Paquette, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist, international speaker, and writer. He is the author of four books including Happily Even After (PESI Publishing, 2022), Awestruck (Shambhala Publications, 2020), The Happiness Toolbox (PESI Publishing, 2018), and Real Happiness: Proven Paths for Contentment, Peace, and Well-Being (PESI Publishing, 2015).…
More information: www.jonahpaquette.com
ALL PROFESSIONALS | Workshop #23: Healing the Healer: Self-Care as an Act of Resilience
Presented by
Eboni Webb, Psy.D., HSP
MORNING SESSION | 8:30am - 12:00pm May 26, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is not available for live stream.
This is an experiential session, please wear comfortable clothing.
All professionals who work with traumatized clients and or students may experience one or several negative and harmful effects including: burnout, secondary traumatic stress, vicarious traumatization, compassion fatigue or caregiver stress. Oftentimes, self-care goes out the window for professionals as they take on greater workloads and put the needs of their clients/students ahead of their own. Ignoring the early warning signs often leads to a wide array of debilitating consequences including: distress, hopefulness, work/life dissatisfaction and serious physical and mental health problems.
In this experiential workshop, Dr. Webb will teach a vast array of tools to heal the traumatized self along with possible ways to integrate and apply the skills to help you and your clients/students improve their lives. Eboni will introduce the concept of resilience and self-care as an act of resilience. She will demonstrate how to restore and process stress and emotions through the body and effectively address traumatic cycles.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Identify the key emotional language of the stressed body.
- Define stressors and the impact of stress on the traumatized body.
- Describe three strategies to process stress and trauma through the body.
- Incorporate the tools and practices offered in this program in ways beneficial to clients or students.
SCHOOL-BASED FOCUSED | Workshop #24: Play Therapy Toolbox: How to Use it! Specific Techniques and Novel Approaches
Presented by
Christine Dargon, Ph.D.
MORNING SESSION | 8:30am - 12:00pm May 26, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
This workshop will teach attendees how to use Play Therapy as an incredible method of communication and diagnostics. It will teach you how to interpret the ways in which children and adolescents play, the importance of what they play with/what they create, and how to interpret their interactions with us as the professional. You will learn how to understand and determine what the individual is struggling with and causes for presenting behaviours and emotions.
Play Therapy allows for the clinician to be creative, adapt techniques to fit any given individual or setting and is fun! This workshop will teach attendees a wide variety of such tools but will also do so in a hands on manner so that attendees can immediately return to work and implement these tools into their day to day work.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
Play Therapy – How to use it!
Specific Techniques and novel approaches
- Assessment and Diagnostic
- Therapeutic Benefits
- Non-Directive versus Directive/Soft and Hard Mediums
Hands on learning and using the techniques – from crayons, to puppets, to movement and much more! This will be the focus of the day.
Non-Directive Techniques:
- Sand Tray Work
- Watercolors
- Play Dough
- Drawings
- House- Tree-Person
- Finger Painting
Directive Techniques
- I spy
- Movement and Music
- Drama
- Puppets
- Maps – where in the world do you want to be?
- What do you want to be when you grow up?
- What Animal am I?
- Doll House
- Dance and Movement
- Board games
- Emotions – Feeling Face
ALL PROFESSIONALS | Workshop #25: The Intersection of Inner Consent and Personal Responsibility When Working with Addictions
Presented by
Sara Klinkhamer MA, RCC
MORNING SESSION | 8:30am - 12:00pm May 26, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is not available for live stream.
Traditional ‘treatment’ for addiction has mainly come out of the Disease Model and therefore focuses on the ‘powerlessness’ of the individual. Existential psychology, with its focus on personal responsibility, assumes that addiction arises in the individual as a response to an existential vacuum. It is existentially impossible to feel fulfillment and have personal meaning without taking responsibility for oneself. Inner consent is the concept used to describe one’s “inner felt-yes,” and it is a way to make authentic and congruent decisions. In this presentation, Sara will explore the intersection of inner consent and personal responsibility during addiction treatment and how it can improve treatment outcomes.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Understand what is meant by the term inner consent and how to illicit this experientially.
- Understand how personal responsibility relates to a subjective feeling of fulfillment in life.
- Understand how both inner consent and personal responsibility can be harnessed in the treatment of addiction.
COUNSELLING FOCUSED | Workshop #26: Trauma and the Struggle to Open Up: Relational Strategies to treat Challenging Trauma Clients (CONTINUATION)
Presented by
Robert T. Muller, Ph.D., C. Psych.
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00pm - 4:00pm May 26, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
CONTINUATION from the morning session.
This practical full day workshop, led by Dr. Robert T. Muller, author of psychotherapy bestseller: Trauma and the Avoidant Client, builds our understanding of the therapeutic relationship with challenging trauma clients.
As therapists, we try to maintain a strong therapeutic relationship, but this can be easier said than done. Drawing on attachment theory and research, and using a relational, integrative approach, Dr. Muller follows the ups and downs of the therapy relationship in trauma work. He points to choices therapists make in navigating the process, examining how they affect outcome
Specifically, we look at relationship patterns in trauma work, and how these can lead to troubling therapist-client enactments. When left unchecked, such patterns lead to ruptures in the relationship. In trauma work, how do we repair a ruptured alliance? And how can we help clients grow from the experience? This workshop looks at such issues in detail.
Theory is complemented by case examples and therapy segments. We draw from Dr. Muller’s new book, Trauma and the Struggle to Open Up, winner of the 2019 ISSTD award for the year’s best written work on trauma.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Use an attachment theory framework in relational trauma work
- Recognize therapist-client relationship patterns in trauma treatment
- Consider their own (therapist’s) feelings in the therapeutic process (e.g. the wish to rush into trauma work, or the wish to avoid it)
- Notice problematic relational enactments
- Navigate conflicts and relational ruptures to get treatment back on track
- Use conflicts and relational ruptures to bring about posttraumatic growth
ALL PROFESSIONALS | Workshop #27: Fostering Well-Being: A Strength-Based Approach to Change
Presented by
Jonah Paquette, Psy.D.
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00pm - 4:00pm May 26, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
While most mental health approaches focus on addressing deficits and treating psychopathology, recent research has begun to shed light on the core principles for well-being, and how we can harness these skills towards lasting positive change. Combining neuroscience and positive psychology, participants in this workshop will learn about some of the key brain systems linked to well-being, and how to strengthen these through positive self-directed neuroplasticity. In addition, we will explore how specific skills such as compassion, gratitude, savouring, and self-compassion can improve our physical health, social connections, and overall functioning. We’ll also explore some of the common myths related to happiness, and discuss factors that help explain why happiness can feel so hard to come by.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Identify the key benefits of happiness to our physical health, emotional well-being, and interpersonal relationships
- Articulate the concept of the brain’s negativity bias and its importance
- Administer specific practices to cultivate self-compassion, create flow states, identify and utilize strengths, and savour positive experiences
ALL PROFESSIONALS | Workshop #28: Healing the Healer: Self-Care as an Act of Resilience (REPEAT SESSION)
Presented by
Eboni Webb, Psy.D., HSP
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00pm - 4:00pm May 26, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is not available for live stream.
This is an experiential session, please wear comfortable clothing.
This is a repeat of the morning session.
All professionals who work with traumatized clients and or students may experience one or several negative and harmful effects including: burnout, secondary traumatic stress, vicarious traumatization, compassion fatigue or caregiver stress. Oftentimes, self-care goes out the window for professionals as they take on greater workloads and put the needs of their clients/students ahead of their own. Ignoring the early warning signs often leads to a wide array of debilitating consequences including: distress, hopefulness, work/life dissatisfaction and serious physical and mental health problems.
In this experiential workshop, Dr. Webb will teach a vast array of tools to heal the traumatized self along with possible ways to integrate and apply the skills to help you and your clients/students improve their lives. Eboni will introduce the concept of resilience and self-care as an act of resilience. She will demonstrate how to restore and process stress and emotions through the body and effectively address traumatic cycles.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Identify the key emotional language of the stressed body.
- Define stressors and the impact of stress on the traumatized body.
- Describe three strategies to process stress and trauma through the body.
- Incorporate the tools and practices offered in this program in ways beneficial to clients or students.
SCHOOL-BASED FOCUSED | #29: Play Therapy Toolbox with Children and Adolescents: Hands on Directive & Non-Directive Techniques
Presented by
Christine Dargon, Ph.D.
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00pm - 4:00pm May 26, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is available via live stream.
This session builds on content that is discussed in the morning session “Play Therapy Toolbox: How to Use It! Specific Techniques and Novel Approaches”
This workshop will teach attendees how to use Play Therapy as an incredible method of communication and diagnostics. It will teach you how to interpret the ways in which children and adolescents play, the importance of what they play with/what they create, and how to interpret their interactions with us as the professional. You will learn how to understand and determine what the individual is struggling with and causes for presenting behaviours and emotions.
Play Therapy allows for the clinician to be creative, adapt techniques to fit any given individual or setting and is fun! This workshop will teach attendees a wide variety of such tools but will also do so in a hands on manner so that attendees can immediately return to work and implement these tools into their day to day work.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
What techniques are best for what disorders:
- Anger (OCD)
- Anxiety
- ADHD
- Depression and self-esteem issues
- Trauma/PTSD
- Abuse
- Fears
Play Therapy with Families, groups and couples
Areas of Caution
- Hard and soft mediums
- Sexualized and acting out behaviors
- Children who have been abused and repetitive play
ALL PROFESSIONALS | Workshop #30: The Family Impact on Substance Use Disorder Treatment
Presented by
Carissa Muth, Psy.D., CCC, R.Psych
AFTERNOON SESSION | 1:00pm - 4:00pm May 26, 2023
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This session is not available for live stream.
Effectively working with the families of individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) can have a direct impact on the SUD recovery process. The importance of social support for recovery has been extensively stated in research, but limited studies have explored the mechanisms of change. This presentation will provide the findings of a systematic literature review considering the last 6 years of research exploring how families impact SUD treatment. These findings will expand the ability of therapists to effectively develop and implement family programming and interventions to increase motivation for treatment and decrease relapse rates posttreatment.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
- Gain awareness of the mechanisms of change for families with loved ones in SUD recovery
- Develop an understanding of effective interventions for increasing positive family impact
- Acquire skills to guide families toward optimally supporting their loved ones in recovery
Registration & Fees
| Registration | Early bird Fee | Regular Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Individual 1 Day Enrollment | $259 | $279 |
| Individual 2 Day Enrollment | $469 | $489 |
| Individual 3 Day Enrollment | $659 | $679 |
| Group 3-7 | $639 | $659 |
| Group 8-14 | $619 | $639 |
| Group 15+ | $599 | $619 |
| Full-Time Student | $599 | $619 |
All fees are in Canadian Dollars ($CAD)
Fees do not include applicable taxes (5% GST).
Early bird cutoff date: May 19, 2023
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.
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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.
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Recommended Accommodation
Best Western Premier Calgary Plaza Hotel & Conference Centre
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.
May:
Select King Room: $139.00 plus tax
Select 2 Queen Room: $139.00 plus tax
July:
Select 2 Queen Room: $179.00 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.
DoubleTree by Hilton North Calgary
2120 16 Ave NE, Calgary, AB T2E 1L4
phone: 1.403.291.4666
website: www.hilton.com/en/attend-my-event/yyccydt-jha-56f418a1-cb00-4755-b07e-abbafa2c92f2/
Our rates:
Please contact the hotel directly and reference Jack Hirose & Associates to receive special conference pricing. To make a reservation over the phone, call 1.403.291.4666 or book online HERE
Room Rate: $135.00 plus tax
*Room reservations are subject to availability*
When booking hotel rooms, ask for the Jack Hirose and Associates corporate rate. To receive our corporate rate, rooms must be booked one month prior to the workshop date. Please keep in mind hotel rates may fluctuate.
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 College of Professional Counsellors and Psychotherapists (CCPCP)
- 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)
- Employee Assistance Certification Commission (EACC)
† 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.
Exhibitors
Exhibitors Welcome:
At the conference, exhibitor tables will be provided to allow your organization the opportunity to display and circulate informational packages to conference attendees who may require the services of your respective organization or business.
The conference is an excellent opportunity for exhibitors to gather attendee information – collect business cards to enter a draw, scan badges to participate in your activity and interact with mental health and education professionals throughout the country.
Exhibitor booth, all 3 days, fee: $2,500.
To secure an exhibitor booth, please contact our office at 604-924-0296 or email: registration@jackhirose.com
Related Events
There are no related events at this time.