SESSIONS, SEMINARS & WORKSHOPS:

Assertiveness Training

This half-day seminar will explore the four major communications styles: passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive and assertive. The session’s goals are to assist the participant in identifying their preferred way of getting their needs met and for participants to strategize ways in which they could move towards healthier ways of communication.

The Freedom of Healthy Anger

Many of us were raised to believe that all expressions of anger are wrong, sinful or unhealthy. This session aims to assist the participant in accepting that anger is not a negative emotion. We will explore ways in which our anger, when expressed in healthy ways, can be used to bring about necessary change in our personal lives and on a societal level.

What Does Anti-Racist/Anti-Oppressive Practice Mean on the Front Lines?

The term anti-racist/anti-oppressive (ARAO) has become commonplace in social work theory and vernacular. This session will assist the practitioner in understanding how this term can be incarnated in everyday practice. The participant will leave the session having identified practical ways in which this philosophy can benefit their clients and significantly impact their practice.

Finding My Social Location

This session takes participants through honest self-exploration in order to uncover all the aspects of themselves that they bring into their work, including their histories, beliefs, biases, etc. In doing so, participants will then be able to identify possible issues that could have a negative impact on their clients and colleagues and to strategize to ensure that this does not happen.

Effects of Chronic Depression on Daily Functioning

The goal of this session is to explore, together with participants, the ways in which an individual’s ability to navigate through daily life is significantly hampered by ongoing or recurring depression. The session aims to provide a fuller understanding of interventions/strategies that could be helpful and those that could be more harmful. This session is of most benefit to frontline workers.

Effects of Chronic Low Self-Esteem on Daily Functioning

Many of us know people who are extremely talented but are constantly putting themselves down and seem unable to appreciate their many strengths. This session aims to assist the frontline worker in understanding this often debilitating condition and its impacts. Participants will discuss the efficacy of current techniques and identify the most helpful ways of working with individuals with this diagnosis.

Effective, Strength-Based Case Management

We often hear of/speak about clients who are resistant to being involved in the process that would lead to the achieving of their goals. This session explores ways of working within the client's strengths and preferences rather than working in opposition to the client, labelling them as uncooperative.

Principles of Group Facilitation

Are you interested in discovering ways to increase the participation of group members? This session will identify best ways to structure and facilitate groups in order to foster appropriate member participation that is of benefit to all.

What Does Trauma Informed Care (TIC) Look Like on the Front Lines

This session looks to demystify this popular term and assist practitioners in strategizing ways in which they can alter their practices so as to increase access of programs to all, regardless of the clients' potential histories of trauma history.

Harm Reduction: A Philosophy of Practice

The term harm reduction has been used specifically in relation to substance use and, more generally, to other behaviours considered to be harmful in nature or in how it is commonly practiced. This session explores harm reduction as an overall philosophy of practice rather than lists of do’s and don’ts or distribution of clean equipment.

Substance Use – A Symptom of PTSD

Over the years, substance use and addictions have been viewed in various ways. As increasing evidence shows that a majority of clients that come through the doors of our agencies have experienced trauma at some point in their lives, we are realizing that many have been coping with the emotional pain by using substances and/or other behaviours that cause harm to the individual. This session explores ways of addressing substance use from this perspective rather than as a separate diagnosis.

Seeking Safety

Seeking Safety is a stage one PTSD intervention protocol. Stage one involves a period of stabilization where participants explore the negative consequences of current unhealthy coping mechanisms, including self-harm (e.g. cutting), risky behaviours and substance use and begin to discover healthier alternatives. The goal of these sessions is to prepare the client for stage two where the trauma is recounted in detail and specific symptoms and unhealthy thought patterns are delved into. This session provides training to staff in delivering this protocol to groups or individuals.