The Edmonton School Mental Health Conference

Join us for a 3-day intensive focused on supporting student mental health and behaviour in school settings. Leading experts share practical, brain-based strategies to address anxiety, trauma, ADHD, autism, and disruptive behaviours. Participants will gain evidence-informed tools to build resilience, improve emotional regulation, and create supportive, effective classroom environments. Perfect for educators and school-based mental health professionals seeking real-world strategies they can implement immediately.
Day One – Supporting the Anxious and Worried Mind (Caroline Buzanko, Ph.D., R. Psych)
Rethink how anxiety is supported in schools. Learn evidence-based strategies that reduce avoidance, build resilience, and strengthen emotional regulation across the entire classroom—not just individual students.

Day Two – Brain-Based Strategies for Stress & Trauma (Steven G. Feifer, D.Ed., ABSNP)
Explore how stress and trauma impact the developing brain and learning. Gain practical, neuroscience-informed interventions to improve coping skills, academic performance, and emotional wellness in school settings.

Day Three – Autism, ADHD & Brief CBT Interventions (Cara Daily, Ph.D.)
Morning: Understand and address disruptive behaviours in students with ASD and ADHD using functional behavioural assessment and evidence-based interventions.
Afternoon: Learn brief, practical CBT strategies and self-regulation tools to reduce anxiety, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation while promoting positive behaviour and social success.

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Day One – May 6, 2026

Supporting the Anxious and Worried Mind in the Classroom and at School
Presented by Caroline Buzanko, Ph.D., R. Psych

8:30am - 4:00pm May 6, 2026

COURSE DESCRIPTION

Think you’ve mastered everything you need to know about anxiety management? Think again – you might be surprised!

When it comes to supporting anxious students, most adults unknowingly perpetuate ineffective methods. For instance, do you provide accommodations to students to help relieve their anxiety? Do you advocate deep breathing or relaxation techniques as anxiety-busting strategies? If so, you may be unwittingly making student anxiety stronger.

Anxiety is at epidemic levels among children and teens. However, it is highly treatable when you know how to support students in helpful ways. This workshop is vital for every educator and school mental health professional committed to mastering their understanding of emotional health and to making a real difference in the lives of anxious students.

Revolutionize Your Approach to Enhance Student Well-Being

This is not just another workshop on anxiety – it’s a game-changer in mental health and education. Through practical applications and interactive learning, you will be equipped to support not just individual students but the entire classroom in managing anxiety and other big emotions while fostering emotional resilience.

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Day Two – May 7, 2026

Brain-Based Strategies for Children with Stress & Trauma: Building Resilience and Coping Skills in Students
Presented by Steven G. Feifer, D.Ed., ABSNP

8:30am - 4:00pm May 7, 2026

COURSE DESCRIPTION

According to the World Health Organization (2020), nearly half of all children worldwide, or approximately one billion children, suffer some form of violence each year. Exposure to trauma has been linked to a range of negative mental health outcomes including post-traumatic stress (PTS), anxiety, depression, and learning difficulties. Often times, early childhood traumatic experiences lead to maladaptive coping behaviours, heightened aggression, as well as poor social-emotional decision-making skills, all of which can impact mental health and school achievement. However, not all children exposed to trauma experience detrimental outcomes, as many are capable of devising internal coping and resilience strategies to grow from these experiences. Therefore, this workshop will explore the neural underpinnings of stress, trauma, and anxiety in children and its subsequent impact upon learning and behaviour. There will be a detailed discussion on specific brain regions impacted by trauma, as well as the relationship between anxiety and poor academic performance. Numerous interventions and practical classroom interventions will be emphasized. In summary, schools can enhance emotional wellness through early prevention efforts, appropriate assessment and screening techniques, and an improved school climate to foster emotional growth for all children.

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Day Three – May 8, 2026

Disruptive and Challenging Behaviours with Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD
Presented by Cara Daily, Ph.D.

8:30am - 11:45am May 8, 2026

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This morning workshop provides a foundational, evidence-based framework for understanding and addressing disruptive and challenging behaviors in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and ADHD. Participants will examine diagnostic criteria, neurodevelopmental underpinnings, and assessment tools used to identify autism and ADHD. Emphasis will be placed on functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and the design of effective behavioral interventions that increase appropriate behaviors while reducing challenging and disruptive ones. Through practical examples and applied strategies, attendees will gain tools they can immediately implement across school, clinical, and community settings.

Brief Interventions including CBT strategies for Children and Adolescents with ADHD, Autism, and Anxiety
Presented by Cara Daily, Ph.D.

12:45pm - 4:00pm May 8, 2026

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This afternoon workshop focuses on brief, practical, and empirically supported cognitive-behavioral interventions for children and adolescents with ADHD, autism, and anxiety. Participants will explore self-regulation strategies, mindfulness-based techniques, and structured CBT programs shown to reduce anxiety, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation. The workshop also addresses social skills training, environmental modifications, and an overview of psychopharmacological considerations. Attendees will leave with a comprehensive toolbox of cognitive-behavioral and environmental strategies that support emotional regulation, positive behavior change, and functional success.

Info: Think you’ve mastered anxiety management? Think again. When supporting anxious students, well-meaning adults often rely on strategies that unintentionally reinforce fear and avoidance. Common practices like excessive accommodations, relaxation exercises, or attempts to eliminate anxious feelings can sometimes strengthen anxiety rather than reduce it.

With anxiety at epidemic levels among children and teens, educators and school-based professionals need approaches that truly work. The good news: anxiety is highly treatable when we understand how to respond effectively. This workshop equips you with evidence-based, practical strategies that move beyond surface-level fixes and focus on building resilience, emotional regulation, and long-term coping skills.

This is not just another session on anxiety—it’s a transformative learning experience. Through interactive discussion and real-world application, you’ll gain tools to confidently support anxious students.

Info: Nearly half of all children worldwide experience some form of violence each year, and trauma exposure is closely linked to post-traumatic stress, anxiety, depression, learning difficulties, and behavioural challenges that impact school success. Early trauma can contribute to maladaptive coping, aggression, and poor social-emotional decision-making. Yet many children demonstrate remarkable resilience when given the right supports.

This workshop examines the neuroscience of stress, trauma, and anxiety, highlighting how specific brain regions are affected and how these changes influence learning and behaviour. Participants will explore the connection between anxiety and academic performance and gain practical, evidence-based classroom strategies to support coping and resilience. Emphasis will be placed on prevention, effective screening, and creating a positive school climate that promotes emotional growth and well-being for all students.

Info: This morning workshop provides a foundational, evidence-based framework for understanding and addressing disruptive and challenging behaviors in children and adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and ADHD. Participants will examine diagnostic criteria, neurodevelopmental underpinnings, and assessment tools used to identify autism and ADHD. Emphasis will be placed on functional behavioral assessment (FBA) and the design of effective behavioral interventions that increase appropriate behaviors while reducing challenging and disruptive ones. Through practical examples and applied strategies, attendees will gain tools they can immediately implement across school, clinical, and community settings.

Info: This afternoon workshop focuses on brief, practical, and empirically supported cognitive-behavioral interventions for children and adolescents with ADHD, autism, and anxiety. Participants will explore self-regulation strategies, mindfulness-based techniques, and structured CBT programs shown to reduce anxiety, impulsivity, and emotional dysregulation. The workshop also addresses social skills training, environmental modifications, and an overview of psychopharmacological considerations. Attendees will leave with a comprehensive toolbox of cognitive-behavioral and environmental strategies that support emotional regulation, positive behavior change, and functional success.

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Host or Publisher Jack Hirose & Associates