Upcoming Workshops
Indigenous Counselling Skills
Kayla Cardinal, DTATI, MSW, RSW, RCAT
September 2023
This workshop aims to provide the skills and tools for psychotherapists to support Indigenous clients in achieving and maintaining a balance in their biological, social, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing. It is based in Indigenous counselling principles, existential theory, spirituality, relational therapy, and narrative approaches. Students can expect to gain theoretical, practical, and experiential knowledge through this online workshop.
Kayla Cardinal is a Metis woman and scholar, a registered social worker in Alberta and Manitoba, as well as a registered Canadian art therapist. She has been in private practice for 13+ years and is currently an instructor of social work and art therapy at various universities and institutes across Canada. She offers instruction, advising, supervision, mentorship, thesis support, and clinical counselling and art therapy to individuals, groups, couples, and students.
Date: September 16-17, 2023 (Sat-Sun, 9am-5pm)
Cost: $350
Location: online via Zoom
Registration deadline: September 11, 2023 (minimum enrollment 6)
Life and Success after Grad School
Olga Perju MA, RP, CCC-S, RCAT
October 2023
So, you graduated from a degree in art therapy or psychotherapy, and now what? This workshop will empower you and answer any questions you may have about: what you need to do once you graduate, who you need to register with, and how to launch and private practice. Create the job you want – and learn what you need to get you started!
Olga Perju, MA, RP, CCC-S, RCAT is passionate about supporting clinicians and recent grads in their pursuit of a successful and meaningful life after grad school. Having supervised therapy interns and clinicians for almost five years, and shifted her own work from an agency to a successful private practice, Olga is thrilled to share what she has learned with others through workshops and individual coaching.
Date: Oct 14, 2023 (Sat, 9am-5pm)
Cost: $175
Location: online via Zoom
Registration deadline: Oct 10 (minimum enrollment 8)
Art Therapy and ADHD
Stephanie Godel and Cammi Manchur
November 2023
Many art therapists work with at least one client who lives with ADHD, but very few art therapy resources describe best practices for supporting this population. Come learn about art therapy for individuals with ADHD from two art therapists who have lived experience with ADHD! This workshop will provide you with foundational knowledge about life with ADHD, key themes to consider when making your art therapy practice more affirming for neurodivergent people of all ages, and concrete strategies for supporting people with ADHD at every step of the therapy process.
Stephanie N. Godel, BEd/BSc, MPS-AT is an art therapist, psychotherapist, and former K-12 teacher. As a person with ADHD, she uses her firsthand experience to bring a compassionate, relational approach to therapeutic and scholarly work in the field of art therapy. She lives in amiskwaciy-wâskahikan (Edmonton), where she enjoys hand-mending well-loved things and spending time in nature.
Cammi Manchur MCP-AT, CCC, BCATR works both online and in-person as an art therapist and psychotherapist in private practice. Cammi works from a psychodynamic perspective with a Jungian foundation and specializes in working with individuals who connect to the label of ADHD. Cammi is proud to be allied with the Queer community, and to be part of the neurodivergent community with a lived experience of ADHD.
Date: Nov 26, 2023 (Sun, 9am-5pm)
Cost: $175
Location: online via Zoom
Registration deadline: Nov 20 (minimum enrollment 6)
Introduction to Trauma Related Mental Health Disorders
Dr. Chelsea Jones
January 2024
This introduction to trauma related mental health disorders will provide participants with valuable and up-to-date evidence-based information on therapeutic treatment with a holistic lens. Through expert speakers with lived experience and experiential learning techniques, workshop participants will gain knowledge on the effects of trauma and stressors on individuals, families and communities, types of traumas, trauma and stressor related disorders, first line and novel treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder, and considerations for special populations. A focus on the role of counsellors and spirituality in trauma treatment will be highlighted. This workshop aims to create a foundation of knowledge that enables participants to continue to learn and develop skills related to trauma specific psychotherapy.
Dr. Chelsea Jones is an Occupational Therapist at the Edmonton Operational Stress Injury Clinic where she provides trauma specific therapy for military members, veterans, and RCMP. She previously worked for the Canadian Armed Forces and has been working with trauma affected populations for over 10 years. Chelsea is a Post-Doctoral Fellow with the Heroes in Mind, Advocacy and Research Consortium (HiMARC) at the University of Alberta. Her research focuses include cognition, workplace reintegration, and trauma treatment for military members, veterans, first responders, and healthcare workers.
Date: Jan 13-14, 2024 (Sat-Sun, 9am-5pm)
Cost: $350
Location: online via Zoom
Registration deadline: Jan 8 (minimum enrollment 4)
Spiritual Suffering: Dark Night Perspectives
Dr. Zinia Pritchard
February 2024
“Spiritual Suffering: Dark Night Perspectives” is an interactive workshop drawing upon the power of images, spiritual practices, story and song to shine a light on transformative spiritual suffering. It offers the spiritual theology of the Dark Night of the Soul to invite participants’ spiritual exploration of personal, shared and clinical experiences of spiritual suffering. Building upon learners’ personal and professional wisdom, the shared experience of global pandemic, and clinical scenarios within the palliative and end of life contexts, the workshop will equip learners to recognize the antecedents and characteristics of spiritual suffering, and the contemplative spiritual postures required to accompany the spiritual sufferer.
Zinia Pritchard (DMin), Associate O.P. is a Contemplative Practical Theologian and Dark Night scholar, tracing the contours of transformative spiritual suffering within personal and clinical contexts over two decades. Zinia has presented on the Dark Night at local, provincial, national, and international venues within clinical, public and spiritual formation contexts. She is a certified spiritual care practitioner (CASC). Zinia lectures at St. Stephen’s College where she serves as an Associate Faculty representative on Academic Senate.
Date: Feb 24-25, 2024 (Sat-Sun, 9am-5pm)
Cost: $350
Location: online via Zoom
Registration deadline: Feb 19 (minimum enrollment 6)
Eating Disorders
Dr. Amanda Stillar
March 2024
Eating disorders are one of the most lethal psychiatric illnesses and one of the most complex and challenging psychological conditions to understand, diagnosis, and treat. Eating disorders are often widely misunderstood conditions that leave individuals feeling alone and isolated. This workshop will explore the development, diagnosis, and best-practice treatment guidelines, across the lifespan. Participants will become familiar with the current DSM categorization of eating disorders. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the deeper underlying functions of eating disorder symptoms. This workshop will combine conceptual knowledge and experiential integration of evidence-based assessment and treatment interventions for adolescents and adults and families.
Dr. Stillar is a Registered Psychologist in the province of Alberta who specializes in the treatment of eating disorders across the lifespan. Dr. Stillar has worked in the field of eating disorders for the past 10 years as a researcher and clinician. Within her clinical practice, Dr. Stillar specializes in emotion-focused therapy for eating disorders as well as emotion-focused family for eating disorders.
Date: Mar 23, 2024 (Sat, 9am-5pm)
Cost: $175
Location: online via Zoom
Registration deadline: Mar 18 (minimum enrollment 10)
Couples Counselling Skills
Kayla Cardinal, DTATI, MSW, RSW, RCAT
April 2024
This workshop aims to provide the skills and tools for psychotherapists to support couples in achieving and maintaining a healthy relationship and resolve conflict. It is based in Gottman’s principles of effective couples therapy, relational therapy, and narrative approaches. Students can expect to gain theoretical, practical, and experiential knowledge through this online workshop.
Kayla Cardinal is a Metis woman and scholar, a registered social worker in Alberta and Manitoba, as well as a registered Canadian art therapist. She has been in private practice for 13+ years and is currently an instructor of social work and art therapy at various universities and institutes across Canada. She offers instruction, advising, supervision, mentorship, thesis support, and clinical counselling and art therapy to individuals, groups, couples, and students.
Date: April 13-14, 2024 (Sat-Sun, 9am-5pm)
Cost: $350
Location: online via Zoom
Registration deadline: April 8, 2024 (minimum enrollment 6)
Engaging the Whole Self in Art Therapy: Integrating somatic, mindful and art therapy practices
Dr. Mary Norton
May 2024
This workshop will invite a deeper integration of somatic, mindfulness, and art therapy approaches in your personal and professional practices. Following a review and discussion of theories and practices of art therapy as a mindful, somatic process, a range of experiential activities will be introduced to invite more intentional integration of somatic, mindfulness, and art therapy approaches. The workshop will include time for reflection about activities, witnessing each other’s art and discussing experiences and possible application in practice. This workshop is introductory and is not intended as training in somatic, mindfulness or art therapies. Resources for further learning and links to training organizations will be provided.
Mary lives in Mi’kma’ki, the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People. Weaving arts-based approaches into adult literacy programs and adult education courses to support learning led her to study and practice art therapy and expressive arts. Mary works in community-based and private practices, integrating art therapy, expressive arts and other somatic approaches. She values these approaches as pathways to serious play, to express and address challenges, and to imagine possibilities.
Date: May 25, 2024 (Sat, 9am-5pm)
Cost: $175
Location: online via Zoom
Registration deadline: May 21 (minimum enrollment 8)