Workshops
Personal Mental Health
Act It Out - A practical approach to letting go of trauma and life's drama
A Case of Mistaken Identity - Reawakening Your Inner Self
Dear Food: Understanding our Relationship with our Appetite
Oh, come on, laugh a little - Making change through humor
Purpose is a Painkiller! - Transforming pain into purposeful advancement
Rated S - for singles only - Success as a single
Mental Resilience in Times of Uncertainty
Dramatic and catastrophic daily headlines have unleashed a new layer of fear, panic, and worry in the world, causing many of us to respond in unhealthy ways. This workshop discusses the influence of stressors and the pandemic on our physical and mental health. During this workshop learn strategies and solutions for managing the uncertainties of life during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Course Learnings: Managing stress and anxiety, negative coping strategies, impacts of COVID-19, positive coping strategies, ways to find balance, 5R lessons, and application.
Audiences: Anyone and Everyone
Format: Full Day; In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 01
Working with Vulnerable Populations in Challenging Times
We are in a challenging new era of service delivery. Social distancing, fear, increased isolation, economic difficulty, personal losses and death have taken a toll on the people we serve. How do we in our current environment remain hopeful, and continue to inspire courage, resilience, and perseverance in those we serve? As an employee of a direct service provider, how are you caring for yourself as you care for others? This workshop provides strategies for providing supportive services for groups that are most impacted during adverse events and upheaval.
Course Learnings: Identify vulnerable populations and develop sensitive approaches to working with them, maintaining calm in crisis situations, reducing the background noise of life stressors, and developing practical tools and practices to help with flexibility, patience, and persistence.
Audiences: Direct service providers, Caretakers, Therapists, Clergy, Nursing Home Workers, Personal Support Workers, Social Workers, Crisis Workers, Children’s Aid Workers
Format: Full Day; In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 02
Piece of Mind - An Overview of Mental Illness & Addictions
The inability to recognize reality, over-stimulated thought patterns, scattered pieces of memory, compromised truths, inflated sense of self, and distorted world views can all be signals of living with a mental illness and/or addiction issues. What can we do when our family, friends, co-workers, or strangers show signs and symptoms of panic, fear, anxiety, isolation, depression, or suicide? This workshop offers participants a general overview of the biopsychosocial model. We look at the interaction of biological factors (genetic, biochemical, etc.), psychological factors (mood, personality, behavior, etc.), and social factors (cultural, familial, socioeconomic, medical, etc.) and their contribution to mental wellness.
Course Learnings: An in-depth look at mental illness and addictions, definitions, common signs and symptoms, unpacking the biopsychosocial model, the impacts of culture, treatment and resource options, and personal application.
Audiences: Anyone and Everyone
Format: Full Day; In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 03
Recurring Thoughts of Trauma - (Trauma) awareness and management
This workshop helps to identify what trauma is and how we can meaningfully address it. Within health professions, the importance of diagnosing a problem is well accepted. Knowing what wound, injury, or disease you have is key to charting a treatment course towards healing. Our mental health is no different, we can only be healed once we know what our wound is. This workshop helps participants distinguish between stress, acute stress disorder, and post traumatic disorder (PTSD). It examines how these conditions may affect you, your loved ones, or even your clients. Recurring Thoughts of Trauma offers solutions and coping strategies on how to manage trauma in an effective way. Skills learned here will also help you identify when more help is needed.
Course Learnings: Understanding and identifying the differences between stress, acute trauma, and PTSD, causes and symptomology, the intersection with mental illness and addictions, looking at our short and long term responses to trauma, breaking the cycle of trauma, misdiagnosis, treatment, creating safety and recovery options, case studies, resource options and application-putting it all together.
Audiences: Individuals, Trauma survivors, Caretakers, Therapists, Clergy, Personal Support Workers, Social Workers, Crisis Workers, Children’s Aid Workers
Format: Full Day; In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 06
Trauma & the Workplace
This workshop seeks to help frontline workers manage traumatic events that happen at the workplace and/or to individuals we are working with. Whether it is a suicide, a life-altering accident, or a traumatic event, learn skills that will help you to understand how you could be affected, what to expect and the things you can do to help yourself.
Course Learnings: Introduction to Trauma, learning the potential impact on self, and others, looking at our short- and long-term responses to trauma in the workplace, creating a safe work environment, the intersection with a breakdown of mental wellness, negative coping strategies and addictions, case studies, resource options and application-putting it all together.
Audiences: Individuals, Teams, Emergency Workers, First Responders, 911 Operators, Hospitals, Police Departments, Fire Departments, Correctional Institutions, Social Service Workers, Crisis Workers, Heavy Manufacturing, Industrial Facilities and Plants, Hazardous Materials Workers
Format: Half Day or Full Day; In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 07
Undoing Racism - Conversation and Reconciliation
Our world today can cause us to feel hopeless, disempowered and confused when it comes to matters of race and social justice. “Where do I fit in?” “Is my voice being heard?” “Do I have a ‘right’ to speak?” “Am I a racist?” “Whose different opinions have I unintentionally strangled into silence?” How do we begin to discuss such an explosive and volatile topic of Racism without causing increased segregation and exclusion? This workshop’s objective is to interrupt our toxic thoughts and unconscious biases. Collectively we will break the silence by engaging in beneficial conversations about race and racism and looking at how reconciliation conversations can play a vital role in recovery. In this workshop participants will learn how to create a community of allyship with the black community. By acknowledging differences and celebrating the mosaic and unique melody of the Canadian people, our Tables of Reconciliation method breaches the barriers that encircle marginalized communities.
Course Learnings: Learning to see the world from an anti-oppressive and anti racism stance, what does it mean to be marginalized… identifying your “social location” (Social locations reflect the many intersections of our experience related to race, religion, age, physical size, sexual orientation, social class…), understanding that there is nothing wrong with seeing colour, becoming an ally to marginalized communities, using film, video and dramatizations as a learning tool, learning to pick up the banner of change in my sphere of influence.
Audiences: Individuals, educators, managers, supervisors, people who serve the public, youth workers, child & youth workers, social workers, public & city officials, police & corrections, social workers, homecare workers
Format: Full Day, or 2 Day; In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 11
Compassion Fatigue & Self-Care - Care for the Caretakers
This workshop attempts to help participants manage the sometimes traumatizing and emotional journey of ongoing work with complex clients in fields such as mental health, crisis intervention, trauma, and addictions . You will learn to recognize the signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue that can lead to burn out, absenteeism, increased mistakes,irritability, intrusive imagery, loss of hope and potential career changes and/or breakdown of personal & family relationships. Learn ways to develop healthier work life balance and give yourself permission for self-care.
Course Learnings: Define Compassion Fatigue , Recognize the signs and symptoms of Compassion Fatigue in yourself and others, Learn skills to cope with Compassion Fatigue and methods for engaging in adequate self-care, Identify methods to prevent Compassion Fatigue in your respective agency or jurisdiction
Audiences: Caretakers, Therapists, Clergy, Nursing Home Workers, Personal Support Workers, Social Workers, Crisis Workers, Children’s Aid Workers
Format: half-day or full day, In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 14
But I'm Not Trained for That!
Ever wonder, ‘how did I get into this situation’ and ‘how do I get out’? Staying balanced at work can be very challenging when faced with emotional outbursts and other unpredictable behavior from clients, coworkers and the general public. This workshop provides practical guidance on creating a safe and productive emotional and intellectual work environment. We will explore techniques for normalizing emotions, identifying support opportunities, and setting clear boundaries. Learn about people’s natural range of episodic and chronic mental health concerns, and how to integrate differences in processing, capacity, and demeanor in workplace and public settings. Customized to each audience, the workshop empowers attendees to determine what is reasonable and healthy for them to accomplish themselves, and when to draw a line and call in professional support or services.
Course Learnings: Establish and practice healthy boundaries related to addressing mental health concerns. Learn practical application of tools and techniques to work within the mental health spectrum. Explore how to respond to individuals behaving in unpredictable or concerning ways. Create open dialogue and spaces for greater holistic development and emotional well-being and leverage opportunities for cultural, social, and situational sensitivity. Discover experiential and tools for emotional processing. Address crisis needs and build capacity for post-event restorative communication. Build confidence and adaptive capacity navigating concerns around emotional life and mental health.
Audiences: Employees, managers, office staff, educators, first responders, security staff, public employees, private businesses, social service agencies, housing authorities, transportation agencies, and enterprise corporations.
Format: 90 Minutes to Full Day - Customized to Audience
Workshop ID: 22
Purpose is a Painkiller! - Transforming pain into purposeful advancement
“This is either gonna kill me or make me stronger!” Words we have all recited in our heads at one time or another. This workshop invites learners to take the scattered pieces of yesterday’s setbacks, mistakes and pain and reframe them into opportunities for today. Without purpose we walk aimlessly through life, never living up to our full potential. We will explore ways to harness the power and potential that lies within, by reclaiming our purpose.
“A life spent making mistakes is not more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” ― G. B. Shaw
Course Learnings: Understanding the power of pain, reframing & using pain as a way to strengthen our resiliency muscles, a brief look at grief, understanding stages of change and the self reconciliation & restructure model, resource options and application - putting it all together.
Audiences: Anyone and Everyone
Format: Half Day; In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 08
Revealing self-worth and assessing personal strengths
Many have been told that they must make the decision between doing what they love and having food on the table. Most people opt for the latter option. But what if you could have both? What if you could make a living from your creative work and passion? What would it look like to have confidence to use your creative imagination in your place of work? In this workshop learn ways to allow your artistic side to become an asset, rather than a liability, in any organization. This workshop helps you to redefine, reframe, and unleash your creativity in any environment that you are in.
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up” ― Pablo Picasso
Course Learnings: In this workshop you will begin to recognize the importance of the creative arts and the role it can play in personal and organizational development. Learn ways to identify your personal creative talents and the talents of those around you. You will explore approaches to discovering your unique gifts and authentic voice, look at some historical narratives and artistic work that have helped to challenge bias and stereotypes while breaking down systems oppression. Learn ways to leverage your creative capacity to help build tables of inclusion and diversity.
Audiences: Career changers, managers, inventors, creatives, problem-solvers, intuitives, cooks, artists, designers, actors, comics, crafters, do-it-yourselfers, independent minds, makers
Format: Half Day; In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 10
A Case of Mistaken Identity - Reawakening Your Inner Self
Have you ever felt like an imposter? Have you felt like you were reading the life story of some sad victim in a 99-cent novel, only to realize it was your life that you were unenthusiastically living? Or perhaps you have thought, “This is not where I expected to be at this age”. What happened to the young, passionate, adventurous, risk taker that was ready to take on the world? In this coaching series learn ways to recapture the endless possibilities that once made you jump out of bed, or to make believers out of those who said, “you are not working to your full potential”. This series is ideal for those who realize it is not too late to be recharged, reset, and relaunched into their destiny and a life they once dreamed about.
Course Learnings: Discovering your personal strengths, turning your weaknesses into assets, creating a personal inventory list; mission statement and applying for a job to be you, turning lifelong dreams into bite size applications, learning and practicing mindfulness.
Audiences: Anyone and Everyone
Format: this is a coaching package that is done over time. Duration will vary based on the needs of participants.
Workshop ID: 09
Wellness Recovery Action Plan - (WRAP)
Facilitating through the lens of lived experience this workshop series is a wellness and recovery approach that helps people to: 1) decrease and prevent intrusive or troubling feelings and behaviors; 2) increase personal empowerment; 3) improve quality of life; and 4) achieve their own life goals and dreams. Working with a WRAP® can help individuals to monitor uncomfortable and distressing feelings and behaviors and, through planned responses, reduce, modify, or eliminate those feelings. A WRAP® also includes plans for responses from others when an individual cannot make decisions, take care of him/herself, and/or keep him/herself safe. This workshop is facilitated by persons with lived experience.
Course Learnings:
Create a safe wellness tool, Develop a list of things to do every day to stay as well as possible, Create a crisis plan, Create a post-crisis plan with individuals living with mental illness. Includes topics such as 5 Key Concepts (Hope, Education, Personal Responsibility, Self Advocacy, Support), Identifying Wellness Tools and Accessing Community Resources, Daily Maintenance Plan, Boundaries and Stressors with Action Plans, Understand early warning signs to prevent a downward spiral, Crisis Planning and Post-Crisis Plans with follow-up supports
Audiences: People struggling with mental illness & addictions, people who care for those with mental illness & addictions.
Format: 1 session per week for 12 weeks. In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups up to 15
Workshop ID: 13
Oh, come on, laugh a little - Making change through humor
Constantly reliving the past causes depression, overthinking the future causes anxiety. So just how do I find balance? This workshop is all about the daily intention of receiving joy, having gratitude and shedding the weight…of tears. It is the happiness workshop that invites participants to laugh, teaches the importance of expressing gratitude and understanding that tears are a normal and much needed journey to health, healing, and hope.
Course Learnings: Understanding that living a life with Joy is an intentional decision we make. Being thankful keeps us from focusing on what we do not have, but rather on the goodness and grace that surrounds us everywhere.
Audiences: Anyone and Everyone
Format: Half Day , In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 16
Rated S - for Singles Only - Success as a single
Some say that “it is not good for man to be alone”, does that make singleness bad? Our world is built for two…for families, or such is messaging we absorb from media. But what happens to the person who never finds a life partner or to the person who loses their spouse of 25 years? What now? How do I learn to keep my own company while not losing my mind? This workshop taps into the adventure, attraction, and advantages of being single.
Course Learnings: Learning to be content in the season of life you are in.
Audiences: Individuals, Emergency Workers, First Responders, 911 Operators, Hospitals, Police Departments, Fire Departments, Correctional Institutions, Social Service Workers, Crisis Workers
Format: Half Day or Full Day, In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 17
Dear Food - Understanding our Relationship with our Appetite
Having a tough time deciding between the salad and the Big Mac? Do you crave a drink with flavor and bubbles, not just plain water? Do you come from a culture where food is the very essence of fellowship? Is food your goto for celebrations, for a cloudy day, for a date, for something to do, or for a quick pick me up? This workshop is ideal for adults and teens who struggle and have an unbalanced relationship with food. Dear Food will help you understand why you eat the way you do and help you discover the situations, thoughts and emotions that affect your food choices.
Course Learnings: Understand how your learned behaviors, including your personal experiences, culture, ethnicity, and societal norms have influenced your eating habits. Learn tools and techniques to discover your problematic eating triggers. Learn ways to have a more balanced and healthy relationship with food. Learn ways to maintain positive changes.
Audiences: Everyone 16 years and older
Format: Half Day, Full Day, or Four Week series - Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
**Facilitated by a person with lived experience, this group workshop is not recommended for someone who has been diagnosed with an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia.
Workshop ID: 21
Act It Out - A practical approach to letting go of trauma and life's drama
Tired of listening to people tell you how to fix yourself? Been to talk therapy, but still feeling like you aren’t making progress? Ever feel like old wounds are pushing you to act out your pain? Come act it out with us, tap into the parts of our psyche that words can’t touch, and release hidden trauma. The tools of theater - movement, vocalization, rhythm, and controlled tension - provide the lever to unstick long-held emotional baggage and toxic stories. This workshop gives an approachable and powerful pathway to rapid meaningful personal change.
“Trauma is trying to forget, hiding how scared, enraged or helpless you are. Theatre is about ways of telling the truth and conveying deep truths to your audience.” – Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD, trauma expert
Course Learnings: Explore the feelings lodged in our bodies during painful moments. Use expressive practices to get out of our own heads, inhabit vulnerable emotional spaces safely, and release negative experiences. Discover the hidden gems in our identities revealed by transforming our wounds into the scars that distinguish us.
Audiences: Anyone and Everyone
Format: 8 Sessions , In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 23
Crisis Response & Management
During this workshop participants begin to develop skills to screen for and assess safety, risk, crisis, and emergency situations particular to persons with mental health and addictions disorders, and to intervene or refer as necessary. Learn ways to manage fear and agency, client, and personal expectations.
Course Learnings: To be able to define crisis, emergency & risk, to identify risk factors for crisis among vulnerable populations, to be familiar with safety screening questions, to be familiar with risk assessment tools (Global Appraisal of Individual Needs–Short Screener (GAIN-SS) Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)) & practices, to be familiar with available crisis services, to be aware of provincial legislation that affects responses in crisis situations
Audiences: Individuals, Emergency Workers, First Responders, 911 Operators, Hospitals, Police Departments, Fire Departments, Correctional Institutions, Social Service Workers, Crisis Workers
Format: Full Day - Two Day, In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 15
Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (Living Works ASIST)
The world's leading suicide intervention training program. Trusted by professionals yet learnable by anyone, LivingWorks Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST) is the only workshop of its kind. Updated continually to reflect new knowledge, LivingWorks ASIST has been empowering people to provide skilled, life-saving interventions for over 35 years.
Audiences: Anyone and Everyone
Format: Two Full Days, Groups of up to 30, In-Person
Workshop ID: 19
Suicide Prevention (Living Works safeTALK)
Learn and practice powerful, life-saving skills, using a simple yet effective model, LivingWorks safeTALK empowers everyone to make a difference. With over 120,000 people attending each year, it is the world's fastest-growing suicide prevention training.
Audiences: Anyone and Everyone
Format: Half Day, Groups of up to 30, In Person
Workshop ID: 20
Finding Hope in the Body - Mental health strategies for faith communities
Spirituality sometimes becomes more important in times of emotional stress, physical and mental illness, loss, bereavement, and the approach of death. Our medical and religious perspectives don’t always play well together. This session looks at mental wellness, while including a conversation about spiritual contributors and the influences belief systems and practice can have on an individual’s recovery journey. This workshop is especially helpful for pastors, clergy, ministry leaders, and believers alike. We will discuss the impact of maladaptive behaviour patterns, un-forgiveness, rejection, and bitterness and the impact they have on our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing.
Course Learnings: Signs and symptoms of mental illness and addictions, a biblical perspective of mind, body, and spirit, what are maladaptive behaviors from a Christian perspective, the obstruction of Christian culture, how can we help fill the gap to the medical/health care system, an integrated approach to healing and recovery, becoming an ally to professional supports, Renewing the mind and finding hope, treatment and resource options, and putting it all together.
Audiences: Individuals, Ministers, Pastors, Priests, Clergy, Religious Leaders, Churches, Mosques, Temples, Faith Groups, Spiritual Study Groups, Seminary Students, Interfaith Groups
Format: Full Day; In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 05
The heART of Worship - Creativity and Faith
Can I serve in my church if I am depressed? It's part of our lot in life as artist-types that many of us tend to be built with a wider emotional range than the rest. We feel highs higher, and we feel lows lower. Using our creative arts gifts in the churches, in front of a movie camera or backstage, as believers we are called to use these gifts no matter what season we are in. Being an artist you can be prone to struggle with feelings of depression, anxiety and unworthiness. Tap into your resiliency and use your sensitive nature to leverage personal strength and creative success.
Course Learnings: Recognize when depression is “emotionally circumstantial” to the highs and lows of being creative. Learn strategies to still serve while you struggle with the cadence of emotions and anxieties.
Audiences: Music leaders, creative arts leaders, artist, performers, writers, spoken word artist, hip hop artist, mimes, dancers, musicians, singers, teachers, youth group pastors & leaders, children’s ministry workers and leaders
Format: Half Day or Full Day, In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 18
A World of Big Feelings - Understanding Children’s Emotional Lives
A world of big feelings explores the ups and downs of the moods, emotions, and behaviours of young people and provides support tools for caregivers. Parents have many questions about what is normal and right. “What is normal when it comes to our children’s emotions?” “Should I allow my child to be medicated?” “I am afraid that a diagnostic label will follow them for the rest of their life?” “Is a mental health label just an excuse for bad behaviour?” “Why won’t anyone listen to me?..I am the expert of my child.” Questions like these exemplify the challenges for parents looking for answers to concerns about children’s emotions, behaviors, and mental health. This workshop will help you understand when, how, and why help is needed, and will give you tools to help navigate the often-fragmented world of children’s mental health.
Course Learnings: Signs and symptoms of children’s mental health concerns, treatment and resource options, a look at the impact of our biopsychosocial environments, nurture vs. nature - how biology & parenting plays a role, system navigation, importance of self-care, becoming an ally with the “so called” experts and professionals
Audiences: Parents, Grandparents, Caregivers, Daycare Workers, PTA Groups, Children’s Aid Workers, Youth Group Leaders,Children's Advocates
Format: Half Day or Full Day; In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 04
Youth in Transition - Turning Risk into Resiliency
Being labelled "at risk", "disenfranchised", "generation nowhere" and considered lazy, unproductive, and indifferent leaves a destructive legacy. Many of our marginalized youth are being written off before they are being encouraged, inspired, or mentored to be more than just a statistic. This workshop is designed for youth, their caregivers and the professional staff working with them. It will challenge biases and feelings of defeat while motivating participants to a call to action to fight and protect our most vulnerable and valuable resource...our next generation.
Course Learnings:
For Adults: learn how burn out, bias, preconceived notions and stereotyping can have a negative impact on your relationship with youth, learn to be a mentor and role model in your community, learn how to inspire and become allies with marginalized youth
For Youth: learn the value of what you ‘put out there’, explore the importance of a positive self-image and social media presence, body language and effective communication skills, the effects of trauma, short vs. long-term consequences of recreational drug use, and the negative impact of living in a fatherless generation
Audiences: Students, Drop Outs, Athletes, Outcasts, Academics, Invisibles, Non-Conformists, Minorities, Teachers, First Responders, Foster Parents, Schools, School Boards, Alternative Schools, Police, Child and Youth Workers, Sex Workers, Gang Members, Corrections Workers, Children’s Aid Workers
Format: Half Day or Full Day, In-Person Groups up to 20; Remote Groups of any size
Workshop ID: 12