Virtual

Mental health concerns will directly impact one in every five people. The remaining four will know a friend, family member, co-worker, or acquaintance that struggles with their mental health. It is essential that organizations build capacity to support those with mental health concerns because early identification and support typically lead to continued employee well-being. This workshop will explore factors affecting mental health, give participants a general overview of common adult mental illnesses, and, most importantly, show how to be a…

In many organizations it is common to find employees suffering from the adverse effects of stress. In the helping field, there are additional factors related to the nature of supporting people that can contribute to compassion fatigue or secondary trauma symptoms. Left unmanaged, stress can lead to unproductive patterns and result in loss of focus, motivation, and productivity. This workshop will help participants identify personal stress factors and introduce them to practical methods for successfully managing stress. Participants will have…

In many organizations it is common to find employees suffering from the adverse effects of stress. In the helping field, there are additional factors related to the nature of supporting people that can contribute to compassion fatigue or secondary trauma symptoms. Left unmanaged, stress can lead to unproductive patterns and result in loss of focus, motivation, and productivity. This workshop will help participants identify personal stress factors and introduce them to practical methods for successfully managing stress. Participants will have…

This three-part interactive and engaging workshop series will enhance the skills of participants to better support clients/patients who drink beyond Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines and/or experience alcohol dependency. This course will provide practical, applicable tools for helping professionals to employ in their work. Learning Objectives To become familiar with Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines and its functions.To identify the helpers and clients who may benefit from use of the guidelines.To learn about the development of alcohol-use issues including signs,…

The ability to regulate one’s body and find balance in emotion, thought, and physical health is at the core of healing and well-being. This workshop is designed to first teach participants to develop these skills for themselves. From this base, the application of mindfulness-based strategies in counselling work is explored. In this highly experiential training, participants will practice mindfulness, regulation, and activation strategies meant to promote compassionate self-awareness and emotional balance. The skills learned are relevant and applicable for working…

Handling difficult interactions on the phone is a challenging task, especially if the caller is in a heightened state of emotion. For many, the ability to navigate difficult phone conversations with respect and professionalism is an essential workplace skill. This workshop is designed to provide practical strategies for dealing with clients and customers over the phone who are in a heightened emotional state. Participants will learn over-the-phone techniques for de-escalating anger, resolving conflict, and communicating effectively.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is one of the most prevalent brain-based disabilities. As a result, there is a growing need for caregivers to acquire increased knowledge and practical skills to support children, adults, and families living with FASD. This workshop will review five pillars for success when supporting individuals with FASD. These include a focus on Strengths, Healthy Relationships, Promoting FASD Self Awareness, Adaptations Strategies, and Team-Based Support. Participants will transfer newfound knowledge about FASD into practical and meaningful…

This three-part interactive and engaging workshop series will enhance the skills of participants to better support clients/patients who drink beyond Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines and/or experience alcohol dependency. This course will provide practical, applicable tools for helping professionals to employ in their work. Learning Objectives To become familiar with Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines and its functions.To identify the helpers and clients who may benefit from use of the guidelines.To learn about the development of alcohol-use issues including signs,…

For those who work in an environment where there is potential for violence, it is important to develop the skills needed to defuse dangerous situations. This workshop is designed to teach people to de-escalate potentially violent situations through assertiveness and interpersonal communication. The training will explore how anger and violence interplay, including opportunities for self-assessment of personal communication styles. Participants will develop a clear understanding of how to assess the potential for violence and respond with a diverse set of…

Handling difficult interactions on the phone is a challenging task, especially if the caller is in a heightened state of emotion. For many, the ability to navigate difficult phone conversations with respect and professionalism is an essential workplace skill. This webinar is designed to provide practical strategies for dealing with clients and customers over the phone who are in a heightened emotional state. Participants will learn over-the-phone techniques for de-escalating anger, resolving conflict, and communicating effectively.

Many people who experience mental health concerns also live with an addiction. While working with multiple issues at the same time is complicated, recovery from both of these issues is possible with an integrated, person-centred, and trauma-informed approach. This workshop provides a framework for assisting people to move forward with healthy ways of coping. Participants will explore the experience of living with an addiction and mental health concerns, be provided with an understanding of contributing and protective factors, and learn…

Harm reduction is an approach to help people explore their relationship with substances and behaviours. It works to reduce and mitigate damage and pain, and offers strategies to increase and promote safety, choice, and control. Harm reduction moves away from traditional understandings of “addiction” as a disease, and responses that are based on assumed morality and abstinence, or fear and punishment. This workshop explores the principles of harm reduction, how it works, and to whom it may apply. Participants will…

Trauma is prevalent in our world and has an impact on many of the people we interact with, including our clients and colleagues. Compassionate and trauma-informed care is essential to providing effective support and building sustainable services. This webinar explores how to build a trauma-informed culture in a workplace setting that integrates knowledge throughout the organization. Guiding principles will be explored for increasing emotional and physical safety, culturally sensitive empowerment, and creating greater resilience for all parts of an organization.

Trauma is prevalent in our world and has an impact on many of the people we interact with, including those who engage with our organizations. Compassionate and trauma-informed care is essential to providing effective support and building sustainable services. Based on our book, A Little Book About Trauma-Informed Workplaces, this workshop explores five key principles to integrate a trauma-informed approach throughout the organization. By embracing these principles, participants can better contribute to the positive transformation of individuals and relationships affected…

When diversity and cultural differences lead to misunderstandings or distrust, they are often viewed as challenges to manage within our work environments. However, they are better viewed as valuable assets to organizational health. This workshop examines specific elements of diversity and culture as they relate to communicating, power differentials, and experiences of discrimination. Participants will learn strategies for working with differences and promoting inclusion in the workplace.

Burnout is a familiar state for many passionate and determined people. It feels like perpetual exhaustion. We know we’ve pushed limits a few times too many, and we feel the price of that. Constant pressure to accomplish more, and faster, with fewer resources is a common contributor in many professional environments. This training outlines what burnout is, why it's so prevalent in today's workplace, and how the pandemic has exacerbated it. We will discuss some of the dominant discourses that…

Given that the average person spends 60 percent of their time at work, our organizations play a pivotal role in how psychologically safe we feel. A workplace can either protect our psychological health or diminish it. A psychologically safe organization actively strives to both prevent psychological harm and actively boost psychological safety. This workshop provides an overview of the characteristics of a psychologically safe workplace and the roles of both the employee and employer in promoting psychological safety. Participants will…

It is common for people to struggle and experience ambivalence when considering making a change or when others may be expecting them to make one. When those working in helping roles encounter this ambivalence in their clients, it is often interpreted as resistance and they may feel unable to respond in an effective way. By exploring the framework and strategies of Motivational Interviewing, this workshop will provide new ways to facilitate the change process in the people they work with.…

This two-part workshop series will examine the concepts of whiteness and white fragility, with a particular emphasis on the ways they impede our ability to have meaningful and authentic discussions about race. Armed with this knowledge, this workshop aims to help participants examine their own fragility and what they can do differently going forward. This workshop is delivered in two sessions and will involve facilitated learning, as well as large and small group discussions to deepen your understanding. Participants will…

This three-part interactive and engaging workshop series will provide information and practical skills to anyone in a position of supporting at-risk youth. Participants will gain an understanding of strength-based, trauma-informed, and youth-centered approaches with regards to youth substance use and the law. Additionally, the second session of this workshop series will contain a short presentation and Q&A with a Community Service Officer from the Peterborough Police. Learning Objectives To learn how to assess if a youth may be at-risk of…

This three-part interactive and engaging workshop series will provide information and practical skills to anyone in a position of supporting at-risk youth. Participants will gain an understanding of strength-based, trauma-informed, and youth-centered approaches with regards to youth substance use and the law. Additionally, the second session of this workshop series will contain a short presentation and Q&A with a Community Service Officer from the Peterborough Police. Learning Objectives To learn how to assess if a youth may be at-risk of…

This three-part interactive and engaging workshop series will provide information and practical skills to anyone in a position of supporting at-risk youth. Participants will gain an understanding of strength-based, trauma-informed, and youth-centered approaches with regards to youth substance use and the law. Additionally, the second session of this workshop series will contain a short presentation and Q&A with a Community Service Officer from the Peterborough Police. Learning Objectives To learn how to assess if a youth may be at-risk of…

For those who work with youth, managing challenging behaviours that interfere with development, learning, or success can be both frustrating and exhausting. This workshop will review challenging behaviours related to aggression, non-compliance, and attention-seeking, and will provide a framework for intervening with these behaviours. Participants will analyze the effectiveness of their current approach and develop insights into what is happening when attempts at intervention do not work. Guidelines for structuring interactions for positive outcomes will be given, and a coaching…

This three-part interactive and engaging workshop series will provide information and practical skills to anyone in a position of supporting at-risk youth. Participants will gain an understanding of strength-based, trauma-informed, and youth-centered approaches with regards to youth substance use and the law. Additionally, the second session of this workshop series will contain a short presentation and Q&A with a Community Service Officer from the Peterborough Police. Learning Objectives To learn how to assess if a youth may be at-risk of…

OAMHP’s 2nd Annual Conference, Adapting, Building, Changing: Rethinking Normal in a Post-Pandemic World, will be held virtually this fall from September 23 to October 2, 2021. Our conference this year will focus on the topic of the mental health implications of COVID-19. We will also showcase the latest in student psychological research.

The ability to thrive and manage life’s difficulties is greatly influenced by our mental wellbeing from an early age. Children and youth need supports in their lives to help navigate the challenges that come along with mental health, and to connect them with the necessary support and services. This workshop provides a general overview of the common mental illnesses for children and youth, including the signs and symptoms, themes for treatment, and the controversies that surround some of the diagnoses.…

Community Living Ontario is excited to host the 68th Annual Conference virtually from September 30 to October 1. The theme of this year’s conference is Still In This Together: Expanding Possibilities for Lasting Change. Throughout the past year, we have all had the opportunity to rethink and break out of the status quo. This conference aims to provide an event that will inspire innovation, collaboration and thinking outside of the box.

Helpers regularly encounter stories and symptoms of trauma in their roles. There is growing evidence that the impact of directly supporting others through experiences of trauma goes beyond burnout or fatigue. The toll of witnessing intense human experiences and emotions can contribute to a negative transformation of a helper’s own sense of safety, and of being competent and purposeful. This workshop will provide participants with the opportunity to examine their own experiences and become aware of the signs of both…

The 1st North American Conference on Integrated Care in association with the 6th World Congress on Integrated Care will be run as a virtual conference in partnership with the University of Toronto, KPMG Canada, HSPN and iCOACH from 4 – 7 October 2021. With the overarching theme ‘Co-designing for health and wellbeing with individuals and communities’, the conference will bring together leaders, researchers, clinicians, managers, citizens, patients and caregivers from around the world who are engaged in the design and…

It is common for people to struggle and experience ambivalence when considering making a change or when others may be expecting them to make one. When those working in helping roles encounter this ambivalence in their clients, it is often interpreted as resistance and they may feel unable to respond in an effective way. By exploring the framework and strategies of Motivational Interviewing, this webinar will provide new ways to facilitate the change process in the people they work with.…

An in-depth look at harm reduction as a foundational model for health and social services. This interactive multimedia workshop series will invite participants to engage in several core principles that comprise harm reduction as related to substance use. Through large and small group discussions and various group and individual exercises, participants will cultivate a more concrete understanding of harm reduction and work to develop an assortment of tools and strategies to better implement harm reduction practically in their professional and…

An in-depth look at harm reduction as a foundational model for health and social services. This interactive multimedia workshop series will invite participants to engage in several core principles that comprise harm reduction as related to substance use. Through large and small group discussions and various group and individual exercises, participants will cultivate a more concrete understanding of harm reduction and work to develop an assortment of tools and strategies to better implement harm reduction practically in their professional and…

For those who work in a helping role, it can be very challenging when clients are vulnerable, stressed-out, or quick to engage in conflict. Complicating matters is that difficult dynamics in the relationship are often amplified by different styles of communicating. This workshop reviews what contributes to these challenges, including the intra-personal, inter-personal, and organizational factors. By looking at case studies, participants will learn how to alter their interactions with clients they find difficult in order to transform unhealthy relational…

Lateral violence occurs when harmful behaviours we experience show up in our interactions with others. It is expressed in many forms including lack of trust, favouritism, and poor communication – these issues typically lead to conflict between individuals or within an entire group. Moving beyond the cycle of lateral violence begins with people becoming aware of its causes and impacts. This workshop explores the various dynamics of lateral violence and offers solutions for prevention. Participants will develop better personal awareness…

Dealing with issues related to mental health in the workplace can be challenging and difficult to navigate. It is essential that organizations have the capabilities to manage mental health because early identification and support typically leads to continued productivity and retention of employees. With the right support, people with mental health concerns can thrive in the workplace. This workshop provides a roadmap to help managers participate in conversations with employees who may require support when experiencing difficulties related to mental…

Walk-in clinics and other forms of quick access to services have become a key part of the landscape of service delivery in Ontario as outlined in the policy paper, “No More, No Less: Brief Mental Health Services for Children and Youth" (Duvall, J., Young, K.,Kays-Burden, A.,2012). Narrative therapy ideas and practices provide therapists with ways of quickly engaging people in deeply meaningful and useful conversations. These practices are a perfect fit for settings in which just a brief encounter with…

This two part, 8 hour webinar provides participants with an experiential and reflective opportunity to learn to support clients who hear voices, or experience other types of alternate realities (visual, tactile, etc. hallucinations) using a client centred, recovery-based theoretical framework. Alternate realities will be explored and defined. Foundational concepts and skills are explored and linked directly to practice.  These are then applied to examples of clients who may experience distressing voices or alternate realities.  The workshop includes a mixture of…

For those who work in an environment where there is potential for violence, it is important to develop the skills needed to defuse dangerous situations. This workshop is designed to teach people to de-escalate potentially violent situations through assertiveness and interpersonal communication. The training will explore how anger and violence interplay, including opportunities for self-assessment of personal communication styles. Participants will develop a clear understanding of how to assess the potential for violence and respond with a diverse set of…

An in-depth look at harm reduction as a foundational model for health and social services. This interactive multimedia workshop series will invite participants to engage in several core principles that comprise harm reduction as related to substance use. Through large and small group discussions and various group and individual exercises, participants will cultivate a more concrete understanding of harm reduction and work to develop an assortment of tools and strategies to better implement harm reduction practically in their professional and…

This workshop is facilitated by an Indigenous trainer and blends a Western approach with her unique Indigenous perspective. Working with individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts or impulses is challenging, which is why a broad and diverse approach is needed to prevent and respond to the issue. This workshop explores various insights related to suicide intervention, with a key emphasis on life promotion. Participants will practice the skills needed to identify and assist those at risk of suicide and learn how to…

A restorative justice approach works to repair harm and strengthen communities where wrong has occurred. It seeks to meet the needs of those harmed, while also considering the causes of the wrongful behaviour in order to promote accountability and growth for the one who caused harm. This highly experiential workshop utilizes a trauma-informed approach, and provides frameworks for identifying and responding to the needs of all those who were impacted by the wrong. Participants will be trained in the philosophy…

Trauma is a wound that injures us emotionally, psychologically, physically, and spiritually. As a result, the impact of trauma can be far-reaching and enduring. This workshop provides an overview of the way trauma affects a person through the brain and nervous system. A framework which describes different stages in the process of regulating and resolving the impact of trauma is reviewed. Protective steps for enhancing helper wellbeing are also provided. Participants will learn key principles and strategies for working with…

Handling difficult interactions on the phone is a challenging task, especially if the caller is in a heightened state of emotion. For many, the ability to navigate difficult phone conversations with respect and professionalism is an essential workplace skill. This workshop is designed to provide practical strategies for dealing with clients and customers over the phone who are in a heightened emotional state. Participants will learn over-the-phone techniques for de-escalating anger, resolving conflict, and communicating effectively.

At the end of this conference, participants will be able to: describe and integrate promising practices in mental health care for older adult populations;identify basic and applied research on the contributors to wellbeing and mental illness in older adult populations; andapply interdisciplinary strategies that promote the mental health of older adult populations.

It is common for people to struggle and experience ambivalence when considering making a change or when others may be expecting them to make one. When those working in helping roles encounter this ambivalence in their clients, it is often interpreted as resistance and they may feel unable to respond in an effective way. By exploring the framework and strategies of Motivational Interviewing, this workshop will provide new ways to facilitate the change process in the people they work with.…

Due to limited resources or time, our role of supporting others as counsellors and helpers is often brief. That is why it is essential to have the skills to explore meaningful goals and achieve practical advancements in a short period of time. Solution-focused therapy (SFT) is a short-term, goal-oriented counselling approach that seeks to help clients by focusing on solutions rather than problems. This workshop provides an overview of the SFT framework and explores its strengths and limitations. Participants will…

An increasing preference for online counselling sessions has resulted in counsellors needing to learn how to adapt their practice to the online world in an ethical and professional way. This workshop provides practical strategies to enhance engagement and connection, and reviews best practices for online video counselling. Ethical considerations specific to the online counselling experience will be reviewed. Participants will be inspired to creatively use the online medium as a tool to empower change.

Mental health concerns will directly impact one in every five people. The remaining four will know a friend, family member, co-worker, or acquaintance that struggles with their mental health. It is essential that organizations build capacity to support those with mental health concerns because early identification and support typically lead to continued employee well-being. This workshop will explore factors affecting mental health, give participants a general overview of common adult mental illnesses, and, most importantly, show how to be a…

It is very common for anyone working in the helping profession to encounter ethical dilemmas. Ethics are at the heart of competent and effective practice for anyone in the helping field, particularly when managing boundaries and relationships. This workshop is designed to give individuals and organizations an opportunity to review common principles and standards for ethical practice that are relevant for their settings. Participants will practice using an ethical decision-making process to work through common areas of ethical concerns and…

Trauma is prevalent in our world and has an impact on many of the people we interact with, including those who engage with our organizations. Compassionate and trauma-informed care is essential to providing effective support and building sustainable services. Based on our book, A Little Book About Trauma-Informed Workplaces, this workshop explores five key principles to integrate a trauma-informed approach throughout the organization. By embracing these principles, participants can better contribute to the positive transformation of individuals and relationships affected…

Conference Presenters: Mike Franklyn, BSc, HBSc, MSc, MD, CCFPWiplove Lamba, MD, FRCPC, Dip ABAM, ISAM (C)Valerie Primeau, MD, FRCPC, OPA Executive, North Bay RAAM Physician Lead Learning Objectives:Upon attending the day, attendees will be able to: Compare and describe current evidence-based pharmacotherapy options for people who use substances in both the withdrawal and maintenance phase, including opiate agonist treatment and anti-craving medicationsCompare and describe psychotherapy principles and available psychosocial treatments for people who use substancesEngage in a discussion around various…

This is an open enrollment public 5-day certificate program for those working in Indigenous communities & organizations. This program blends both Western and Indigenous perspectives, and provides participants an opportunity to develop a set of competencies for effectively responding to people experiencing trauma and grief.

The Provincial HSJCC Conference is the network’s premiere educational event- bringing together more than 400 professionals from across the human services and justice sector to share promising practices, build cross-sector networks and engage in solutions for the people they serve.

Many people who experience mental health concerns also live with an addiction. While working with multiple issues at the same time is complicated, recovery from both of these issues is possible with an integrated, person-centred, and trauma-informed approach. This workshop provides a framework for assisting people to move forward with healthy ways of coping. Participants will explore the experience of living with an addiction and mental health concerns, be provided with an understanding of contributing and protective factors, and learn…

Harm reduction is an approach to help people explore their relationship with substances and behaviours. It works to reduce and mitigate damage and pain, and offers strategies to increase and promote safety, choice, and control. Harm reduction moves away from traditional understandings of “addiction” as a disease, and responses that are based on assumed morality and abstinence, or fear and punishment. This workshop explores the principles of harm reduction, how it works, and to whom it may apply. Participants will…

After a violent incident, it is not uncommon to find that people were aware of clues that violence was being planned. This is because most violent incidents often follow an evolutionary process where signs and indicators can be seen. Yet, without a clearly defined process to gather information and assess the situation, violence prevention is extremely difficult. This workshop provides a communication and decision-making model to help businesses, schools, organizations, and communities become more effective in their management of threats.…

Gender and sexuality are central features of identity development in adolescence. When a person’s internal experience of gender and/or sexuality does not match what would typically be expected of them based on their external appearance, it can cause great distress and difficulty. This workshop explores social and developmental experiences of gender and sexual diverse youth, and shows helpers affirming ways to support youth in these situations and within their identities. Participants will develop an awareness and understanding of the systemic…

The ability to regulate one’s body and find balance in emotion, thought, and physical health is at the core of healing and well-being. This workshop is designed to first teach participants to develop these skills for themselves. From this base, the application of mindfulness-based strategies in counselling work is explored. In this highly experiential training, participants will practice mindfulness, regulation, and activation strategies meant to promote compassionate self-awareness and emotional balance. The skills learned are relevant and applicable for working…

Self-injury refers to deliberate, self-inflicted tissue damage such as cutting or burning. Self-injury has reached alarming proportions among our youth; studies show that 14-24% of adolescents and young adults have engaged in this behaviour at least once, with a quarter of these reporting current, chronic self-injury. Helpers are increasingly encountering young people who are involved with self-injury. This workshop will assist participants in understanding the experience and motivations of adolescents who intentionally injure themselves. In addition, practical strategies for working…

When diversity and cultural differences lead to misunderstandings or distrust, they are often viewed as challenges to manage within our work environments. However, they are better viewed as valuable assets to organizational health. This workshop examines specific elements of diversity and culture as they relate to communicating, power differentials, and experiences of discrimination. Participants will learn strategies for working with differences and promoting inclusion in the workplace.

For those who work in an environment where there is potential for violence, it is important to develop the skills needed to defuse dangerous situations. This workshop is designed to teach people to de-escalate potentially violent situations through assertiveness and interpersonal communication. The training will explore how anger and violence interplay, including opportunities for self-assessment of personal communication styles. Participants will develop a clear understanding of how to assess the potential for violence and respond with a diverse set of…

Lateral violence occurs when harmful behaviours we experience show up in our interactions with others. It is expressed in many forms including lack of trust, favouritism, and poor communication – these issues typically lead to conflict between individuals or within an entire group. Moving beyond the cycle of lateral violence begins with people becoming aware of its causes and impacts. This workshop explores the various dynamics of lateral violence and offers solutions for prevention. Participants will develop better personal awareness…