Presentations

List of Ready-to-Deliver Presentations

As both an instructor and a Counsellor, I enjoy designing and delivering workshops to parents, educators, and students as it provides an opportunity to wear these two hats simultaneously. While I have several presentations prepared for delivery, I am also able to accommodate the needs of your agency, school, or audience if you are interested in a new topic.

Anxiety in Children

This presentation assists parents in gaining a deeper understanding of their child’s experience of anxiety. We address such questions as: What is anxiety? Why my child, and why now? Is my child’s anxiety normal or is this an anxiety disorder? When should I seek professional help? And most importantly, what can I do as a parent? The goal of this presentation is to equip parents with concrete strategies, written materials and resources that assist them in supporting their anxious child. We also discuss ways that parents who worry about their child’s worrying can take care of themselves in the process.

Managing Big Feelings: Supporting our Child, Keeping our Cool

Emotion regulation has become a recent focus in field of psychology, as evidenced by social-emotional learning curriculum addressed in our schools. What is emotion regulation? And how do we instill this important skill in our children? This presentation will introduce the concept of emotion regulation as well as offer strategies for parents who wish to more easily support their child's transition from "melt-down" to "cool-down". In a nutshell, we will discuss ways we can support our children to better manage their big feelings while at the very same time, we try to manage our own feelings in response.

Understanding Anxiety and the Teenage Brain

This presentation will help parents understand the workings of the teenage brain and how developmental milestones in the adolescent years may give rise to anxiety. Michelle introduces the T.E.A.M. approach which equips parents with concrete strategies to help support their teen in managing anxiety. In particular, the importance of overcoming avoidance is discussed. Relevant issues, such as self-harming, social media and social anxiety are also addressed in terms of their relationship to anxiety.

Understanding and Treating Self-Injury

This presentation focuses in differentiating between suicidal behaviour and self-injury. Both parents and service providers are introduced to significant factors to consider in the assessment of self-injurious behaviours, as well as ways to respond to self-injury in a crisis situation and longer term. In addition, treatment considerations are discussed, including strategies for parents who are struggling to support their children who are dealing with self-harming behaviours.

Making Sense of a New Diagnosis

While this presentation was designed for the MS Society of Canada, it can be tailored to any audience who is grappling with the process of illness adjustment. Traditional models of illness adjustment tend to focus on ways to cope with loss and manage a decline in functioning. Instead, this presentation attempts to re-frame this adjustment an ongoing transition to a new normal, and encourages participants to find ways to live along side their diagnosis instead of giving it permission to hijack their identity. Related issues such as self-care, impact on relationships and support for caregivers are also addressed.