Description
LIVE STREAM: November 4 – 6, 2024 from 8:30am – 4:00pm (Winnipeg, MB) Please adjust your start time according to your specific time zone.
ON-DEMAND: Recorded footage & course content (certificate, videos, quiz) will be available November 18 – December 9, 2024. Extensions cannot be granted under any circumstances.
Registration will close November 3, 2024.
Monday, November 4, 2024 | Day One
Proven Brief Interventions to Help Students with Emotional and Behavioural Problems
PRESENTED BY Caroline Buzanko, Ph.D., R. Psych
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.
Worried & Distressed: Dealing with Anxiety Disorders in School Age Children
PRESENTED BY Caroline Buzanko, Ph.D., R. Psych
Think you’ve mastered everything you need to know about anxiety management? Think again – you might be surprised!
When it comes to supporting anxious students, most adults unknowingly perpetuate ineffective methods. For instance, do you provide accommodations to students to help relieve their anxiety? Do you advocate deep breathing or relaxation techniques as anxiety-busting strategies? If so, you may be unwittingly making student anxiety stronger.
Anxiety is at epidemic levels among children and teens. However, it is highly treatable when you know how to support students in helpful ways. This workshop is vital for every educator and school mental health professional committed to mastering their understanding of emotional health and to making a real difference in the lives of anxious students.
Revolutionize Your Approach to Enhance Student Well-Being
This is not just another workshop on anxiety – it’s a game-changer in mental health and education. Through practical applications and interactive learning, you will be equipped to support not just individual students but the entire classroom in managing anxiety and other big emotions while fostering emotional resilience.
Tuesday, November 5, 2024 | Day Two
Fostering Social Emotional Learning Skills in Students
PRESENTED BY Steven G. Feifer, D.Ed., ABSNP
In the wake of the global pandemic, the mental health landscape in Canada has undergone significant challenges, particularly among children and adolescents. This workshop delves into the impact of mental health conditions on academic performance and social-emotional well-being in young learners. Through a comprehensive exploration of assessment strategies, intervention techniques, and classroom accommodations, participants will gain insights into fostering emotional growth and resilience in students. From understanding the prevalence of emotional disabilities to dissecting the neurological underpinnings of stress and trauma, this course equips educators with practical tools to support students’ holistic development.
By the end of this workshop, participants will be equipped with actionable strategies to create nurturing environments that prioritize emotional wellness, thereby fostering academic success and social competence in children and adolescents.
Proven Interventions to Help Children & Adolescents with Reading and Writing Difficulties
PRESENTED BY Steven G. Feifer, D.Ed., ABSNP
This intensive 3-hour course delves into the cognitive neuroscience behind language-based learning disorders in children and adolescents. Participants will explore reading and writing disorders through a brain-based educational lens, gaining insights into classification, assessment, and intervention strategies.
Wednesday, November 6, 2024 | Day Three
Self-Regulation & Mindfulness for the Classroom: Practical Strategies and Interventions
PRESENTED BY Varleisha D. (Gibbs) Lyons, Ph.D, OTD, OTR/L
Embark on an illuminating journey with sought-after occupational therapist Dr. Varleisha (Gibbs) Lyons, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, ASDCS, FAOTA, as she guides you through a transformative six-hour workshop experience. Dr. Lyons will delve into the foundations of selecting appropriate interventions for students exhibiting challenging behaviors, including hyperactivity, aggressiveness, self-stimulatory behaviors, and inattentiveness, among others.
In this workshop, participants will be ignited by the revelations uncovered in Dr. Lyons’ evidence-based presentation. Through a simplistic yet profound exploration, attendees will gain a deep understanding of the connection between neuroscience and classroom performance, particularly in terms of self-regulation and sensory processing.
Additionally, participants will be introduced to the Classroom Self-Regulation and Mindfulness program, a cutting-edge approach designed to empower educators and therapists in fostering self-regulation skills among students.
Throughout this immersive workshop, attendees will navigate the intricacies of neurobiology and its intersection with various sensory strategies, techniques, and equipment used when working with children facing challenges with self-regulation. Diagnoses such as sensory processing disorder, trauma, autism, and ADHD will be addressed, with treatment techniques including mindfulness, social skill programs, music and movement, and respiratory-based approaches thoroughly analyzed.
Join Dr. Varleisha (Gibbs) Lyons on this enlightening journey as we unlock the keys to promoting self-regulation and sensory processing in the classroom, leaving equipped with invaluable insights and actionable strategies for transformative change.
