Dear parents, teachers, caregivers, ECE teachers, please pick a topic that interests you from our various presentations below, give us the location and time, and we will make it happen!

Please note, some of the workshops listed below can have the hours applied toward an ECE license renewal. Please ask for more information when registering.

Workshops for Parents and Educators

Facilitated by Johanna Simmons

• Beyond Behaviour: Moving Toward Regulation

  “Self regulation is a myth” according to Dr. Bonnie Badenoch. We learn to self-regulate by co-regulating with our caregiver/parent.  The Synergetic (2008) principles of Lisa Dion teach us as caregivers how to provide these learning opportunities to the children in our care.

  In this 2-hour workshop, caregivers will learn what it means to be regulated and what the symptoms are of a dysregulated nervous system. We will explore each of the 4 fears that the brain sees as a threat, thus causing dysregulation in the nervous system.

  In this workshop caregivers will learn

• How to best support the dysregulated emotions of the children in their care.
• How development and neuroscience play a role in how a child regulates their emotions.

• How to support children in learning to self-regulate

• Parenting With the Brain in Mind

This two-hour workshop will look at how to approach parenting with the understanding of the child’s neurological development. Learn about how the brain develops and what can be expected from children based on which part of the brain is actually “online”. We will also look at ways to encourage brain development. This workshop is based on the work of Dr. Dan Siegel and Lisa Dion.

• The Many Faces of Anxiety (2-hour workshop)

  This presentation talks about the anxiety signs in children, common misdiagnoses of anxiety, and some simple strategies that parents can use with their anxious child.

• Parenting Challenges: Pre-School Aged Children  (2-hour workshop)

  This presentation looks at some of the most common issues that arise with young children and suggests effective ways of dealing with these.

• Becoming an Encouraging Parent  (2-hour workshop)

  Encouragement has positive effects on the brain. Learn what encouragement is, the differences between praise and encouragement and how to encourage your child.

• Help! My Kid Didn’t Come with an Owner’s Manual! (6-week course, 2 hours each week)

  Would you like to: Discover the “roles” that children adopt within the family? Explore ways to shift behaviours and patterns that are no longer working? Use consequences and encouragement versus punishment and praise? Find ways of empowering versus enabling your children? This is a parenting course combining the Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) program, Positive Discipline, attachment theory and the latest in brain research for parents of children aged 6-12. Here are some comments of parents who have taken the workshop: “What was most meaningful to me was learning about the different parenting styles and how to use reflective listening to help improve communication in my family,” and, “We feel relieved to have some strategies to manage difficult situations.”

• Putting “You” Back in Youth: Understanding Adolescents  (2-hour workshop)

  This presentation aims to provide parents, caregivers, and educators, service providers of pre-teens and teens a helpful new lens through which to view teens. By understanding teenage behaviours, adults can better connect with teens. This presentation utilizes Attachment Theory, the latest information about brain development, Family Systems and Adlerian Psychology.

Facilitated by Natascha Lawrence

• Supporting individuals with FASD
• Supporting the mental health of individuals with FASD
• Providing Trauma Informed Care in an Educational Setting
• How to co-regulate children with challenging behaviours
• Supporting your nervous system: self-care and regulation when working with complex behaviours

Facilitated by Alexia Gillespie

• The Four Pillars of Physical Health (2-hour workshop)

  In order to achieve and maintain optimal physical health, there are four pillars that need our regular attention: nutrition, physical activity, stress management and sleep. If any one of these pillars is ignored or neglected, our physical health will suffer.

  In this interactive workshop, you will complete a short health assessment and we will talk about some foundational healthy habits for each of these pillars. As an adult & child, you will identify what is already going well and together decide where to focus your attention in order to make some small sustainable changes that will have a positive impact in your lives.

• Strong Healthy Kids ~ Body, Mind & Spirit (2-hour workshop)

  A true sense of health & well-being occurs when we give adequate time and attention not only to our physical health, but also our mental, social-emotional and spiritual health. The specific habits and practices may vary from person to person and family to family, but the foundational principles remain the same.

  In this interactive workshop, you will complete a short health assessment and we will identify some foundational healthy habits for each of these domains. We will explore a variety of simple practices that can be incorporated into your family life on a daily or weekly basis to elevate your overall health and sense of well-being.

Facilitated by Quinn Cashion

• Connecting with Children

  Do you find it difficult to connect with kids sometimes? Are you running out of ideas of how best to handle conflicts in the classroom or at home? Learn the T.E.A. Formula and increase connection and reduce conflicts with greater ease.

• Mis-behaving or Insecurity

  Discover how to engage children at their best even though it looks like misbehaving. Begin with 3 simple steps and turn insecurity into confidence.

• Making Lemonade

  Spending time with children every day can feel like it’s draining your internal resources. Stress and anxiety can feel part of the job. Explore how life lemons can create greater joy and ease in your everyday life.

Workshops for Educators and Other Professional

Facilitated by Jane Keresztes

• Personality Dimension (2-hour workshop)

  What is your PERSONALITY COLOUR? This self-discovery workshop is lively, interactive and a wonderful opportunity for participants to discover more about their temperament and traits. What do you value in life, do you communicate differently at home/work and how do you handle conflict? The facilitators use the assessment tools to guide individuals to understand their strengths and limitations, learning traits, leadership styles, and team building while enriching interpersonal relationships. The flexibility of resources is designed for professionals, consultants, parents, students, group leaders, supervisors and team leaders.

Facilitated by Jill Boadway

• Scientific Hand Analysis (2-hour workshop)

  At this workshop you will:

  • Discover Essential Elements for alignment with your purpose
  • Learn about the map you already have at your fingertips, to navigate towards greater life fulfillment
  • Explore some basic principles of how hand analysis works, and apply them to reading your own hands

  You may benefit from Hand Analysis if you:

  • Are in career/life transition or feel unsure of direction
  • Wonder about a meaningful way to contribute
  • Feel like there is something missing, even if “successful”
  • Are committed to seeing your patterns & living consciously

Facilitated by Margarita, the LOL Library Lady

• S.T.E.A.M. Themes!

  Learn how to create and enhance low-budget, inquiry- and literacy-based children’s programs with related (and classic), themed storybooks, and unique STEAM activities. The activities explored will help you enhance your own creativity as you build a program that is engaging and, most importantly, fun! (Suitable for early-learning and childcare professionals working with toddlers, children 3-5 years old, and young school-agers.)

  Find the Fun : Love the Learning

Curriculum and Workshop Consultation

We will gladly come meet with you (or consult via phone), to explore
your needs and customize the workshop for your group, school or centre, if needed.  Our
planning/consultation fee is $100/hour.

New Workshops in Development

For Educators/Teachers

• Attachment Theory
• Good Leader – Lead for Success
• Self Regulation and Co-Regulation
• Shaming vs Teaching
• Challenging Behaviour