2010 SERIES ARCHIVE
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Monday February 1, 2010
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@ 7pm
Parenting: Developing Healthy Relationships with Your Children
Creating and maintaining fulfilling relationships with children is often a top priority for parents and caregivers, but this isn’t always easy. This presentation focuses on the attachment relationships between children and important people in their lives, and how these bonds can impact social and emotional development throughout childhood and adolescence.
Kathleen O’Connor is a PhD student in clinical psychology at the University of Western Ontario. Her research focuses on the attachment relationships between siblings and their common mother.
Tara Morley is a PhD student in clinical psychology at the University of Western Ontario. Her research involves looking at how relationships develop between children and their parents.
Ya Xue is a PhD student in clinical psychology at the University of Western Ontario. Her research involves looking at the stability and change of mother-child relationships across time.
Mindfulness Meditation
Participants will be offered a brief introduction to Mindfulness Meditation, including background information, core principles and potential benefits of Mindfulness Meditation. Different forms of Mindfulness Meditation will be practiced during the talk.
Alexandra McIntyre-Smith is a PhD student in clinical psychology at UWO who is currently completing a one-year clinical psychology residency program at London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London. She has broad interests in adult mental health, the intersection between physical and mental health, and mindfulness meditation.
Francois Botha is a M.Sc. student in the Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Western Ontario. His research interests include the stigmatization of people suffering from depression with a specific focus on finding solutions to encourage help-seeking in this population.
Managing diabetes is like a full time job (that you didn’t ask for!) and it can be very demanding. We know that it’s important to eat a healthy diet and be active but actually doing these things is really difficult. This presentation will focus on why healthy choices are so challenging for all of us, and strategies for how you can make changes to your habits to help make healthy choices become part of your lifestyle.
Shannon Currie is a Ph.D. candidate in clinical psychology at Dalhousie University and is currently completing her residency training at London Health Sciences Centre. Her research interests include motivation for health behaviours for people living with chronic conditions such as diabetes and obesity.
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Saturday February 6, 2010
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@ 10am
Tools for Caregivers of Children with Learning Disabilities
Learning that your child has a learning disability (LD) can often be scary, both for parents and for children. But it doesn’t have to be. This talk will introduce you to the concept of LDs, and provide some background information on how LDs affect children. Tools and strategies for children with LDs, and the people that support them will be discussed. This talk is appropriate for parents, children with LDs, and even teachers.
Vanessa Hamill is a PhD student in clinical psychology at The University of Western Ontario. Her research is focused on understanding the cognitive processes of children with behavior problems.
Presentation slides available here.
Learning About Learning: What You Wish You Knew
Learning skills are an important yet often overlooked component of academic success. Whether in school, university, or acquiring new skills for the work place knowing how to learn efficiently are important. Come explore some of the theory behind effective learning and pick-up some useful techniques. Find out what active learning means and why changing your approach to education could help you succeed. Learn motivational and time management technique to help you get things done. Take home some tools and ideas to help your children achieve more academically. All you need to bring is an inquiring mind and your questions.
Rebecca McDermott is a master’s student in the clinical psychology program at the University of Western Ontario. She has spent two years working with undergraduates to improve learning skills at McMaster University. Her research interests focus on cognitive vulnerability to depression.
Getting Past Personal Barriers to Good Study and Work Habits: "I Can But I Won't, I Should but I Don't"
This talk is aimed at understanding and addressing motivational, emotional, and behavioural barriers to implementing good learning strategies and good habits generally. Our coping patterns for stress and the way we reward ourselves can act for or against us in the long run. Often, refining our sense of identity and clarifying our motivations can help us get started on what will ultimately be the most rewarding use of our time.
Matthew Shanahan is a doctoral student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Western Ontario. He studies stress and coping through mathematical models, personality traits, and physical stress response measurement. He has presented talks at the London Public Library, TriOS College, and the Learning and Study Skills Association annual conference on managing stress, procrastination, and motivational issues in education.
Friends and Loved Ones of Addicts: Is There Help for Me?
Are you concerned that your loved one, friend, or coworker is having problems with addiction? Addictions come in many forms, not just involving drugs and alcohol, but also food, gambling, sex, and a whole host of others. Even if he or she is already seeking help, addictions can place a huge amount of stress on the family, friends, or workplace, of the addict. Join us to learn and discuss strategies for identifying addiction issues, taking care of yourself, and providing a supportive environment for the addict to heal, whether he or she is in or out of recovery.
Presented by Erin Ross, M.Sc. Erin is a Ph.D. candidate in clinical psychology at The University of Western Ontario. She is currently working with individuals experiencing substance abuse issues.
Managing Stress in the Real World
This talk will explore what stress is, how our bodies respond to stress, and why it happens. Practical techniques on how to manage stress will be discussed, including relaxation exercises, coping strategies, and self-care. A discussion period will follow the talk, allowing everyone to share their own success stories of coping with stress and to provide an opportunity for further questions to be answered.
Pamela Seeds is a Ph.D. student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Western Ontario. She studies the role of life stress and thinking processes on people’s mood. In her clinical work, she had worked with children and adults helping them to manage stress in their daily lives.
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@ 8pm
Collaborative Problem Solving with Children
Many children display challenging behaviours. When a child becomes consistently frustrated with displaying certain skills – a different type of parenting approach may be beneficial. In this presentation, participants will learn the basic principles of collaborative problem solving, how to identify situations which are most appropriate for collaborative problem solving techniques, and its benefits for both children and parents.
Colin King is completing his Ph.D. in School and Clinical Child Psychology at The University of Toronto (OISE). His research and clinical interests include methods to identify and assist children struggling with learning, behavioural, and social-emotional challenges.
How do I Look? Understanding Human Interest in Body Image
Many women and men in today’s society are concerned with the way they look. From how we dress, to how much we eat, to how we perceive parts of our bodies, we all pay attention to our body image. This presentation will discuss why body image is so important to us, uncover common myths about how men and women perceive each other, provide information about some disorders of body image (e.g. eating disorders, body dysmorphic disorder), and give tips on how to maintain a healthy image.
Janani Sankar is a Ph.D. student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Western Ontario. Her research interests are in the area of the influence of hormones on cognition and mood.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Understanding WHAT it is and HOW to deal with it
OCD is often portrayed in the media as a disorder that involves bizarre routines and a comical need for precision and order. OCD, however, is very complex. It involves both observable behaviours, such as rituals and routines, as well as an underlying anxiety, and often leads to significant impairment. In this talk, I will describe the common features of OCD, in both adults and children, debunk some of the myths about OCD, and talk about common strategies for coping with OCD.
Patricia Jordan is completing her Ph.D in Clinical Psychology at the University of Western Ontario. Her research focuses on understanding the development of children’s thinking and problem-solving abilities (including the ability to think flexibly and control attention). She also studies relations between child temperament and information-processing (i.e., styles of thinking), particularly in relation to risk for the development of difficulties with mood and anxiety.
- @ 1pm
Mindfulness Meditation
Participants will be offered a brief introduction to Mindfulness Meditation, including background information, core principles and potential benefits of Mindfulness Meditation. Different forms of Mindfulness Meditation will be practiced during the talk.
Alexandra McIntyre-Smith is a PhD student in clinical psychology at UWO who is currently completing a one-year clinical psychology residency program at London Health Sciences Centre and St. Joseph’s Health Care London. She has broad interests in adult mental health, the intersection between physical and mental health, and mindfulness meditation.
Francois Botha is a M.Sc. student in the Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Western Ontario. His research interests include the stigmatization of people suffering from depression with a specific focus on finding solutions to encourage help-seeking in this population.
Helping a Friend or Family Member with Depression
Depression is a debilitating disorder that negatively affects the way people think, act, and feel. If you are a family member or friend of someone with depression, you may also feel the negative impact of this disorder in your own life. You may worry about their well-being, or you may notice problems in your relationship with them. This talk will discuss things you can do to help; such as educating yourself about the illness, helping them seek appropriate care, offering support, and learning how to take care of yourself and manage the impact of the disorder on your own life.
Sol Ibarra-Rovillard is in her first year of PhD studies in clinical psychology at the University of Western Ontario. She has done research on humor and is interested in research on social support.
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Saturday February 20, 2009
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@ 11:30am
The Road to Success: How to Promote Healthy Brain Development in Children
Everyone wants their child to be successful when they grow up and having a healthy brain is a good place to start. This talk will explore ways to promote healthy brain development in children through learning early interactions, language, a nutritious diet, and a number of other strategies. The human brain has the remarkable capacity to change, but timing is crucial. There are specific periods during which a child’s brain is particularly sensitive to certain types of learning. This can actually affect how the brain is “wired”. This workshop is best suited to expecting parents, and parents of pre-school and school-aged children.
Megan Hancock is a graduate student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Western Ontario interested in clinical neuropsychology and cognitive rehabilitation.
Kids and Stress: Understanding What Stresses Kids Out and How to Help Them
The feeling of stress is often associated with adulthood and responsibility. But everyone, including very young children, can experience stress. As a parent it can be difficult to understand what causes stress in children, and knowing what to do about it can be overwhelming. In this talk, Patricia Jordan will review some of the common factors that contribute to stress in children, and how to recognize signs that your child might be stressed. The talk will also review some basic strategies that parents and kids can use together to help children cope with stress. The talk will be geared towards parents, but others working with children are welcome.
Patricia Jordan is completing her Ph.D in Clinical Psychology at the University of Western Ontario. Her research focuses on understanding the development of children’s thinking and problem-solving abilities (including the ability to think flexibly and control attention). She also studies relations between child temperament and information-processing (i.e., styles of thinking), particularly in relation to risk for the development of difficulties with mood and anxiety.
Kathryn Turnbull is a Ph.D. student in clinical psychology at the University of Western Ontario. She researches sleep in young children and associated family characteristics.
Aimée Coulombe is a Ph.D. student in clinical psychology at the University of Western Ontario and is currently completing her residency with the London Clinical Psychology Residency Consortium. She researches sleep and mental health and sleep and parenting in families with young children.
Childhood Cancer: Effects on the Family
When a child is diagnosed with cancer, the lives of all family members are disrupted. Parents, siblings, and the child with cancer are forced to manage stress related to hospitalizations, treatments, and uncertainty of the future. This presentation focuses on how lives are changed when a child is diagnosed with cancer and the importance of supporting the entire family.
Kendra Massie is a PhD student in clinical child psychology at the University of Toronto and a psychology resident in the London Residency Consortium. She has conducted research in the field of childhood cancer at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.
Dementia: What to Expect and How to Cope
Family caregivers of individuals with dementia face many challenging decisions regarding the treatment and management of their loved one. This talk will focus on common features of Dementia, as well as the typical progression of diseases causing Dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease. It will also address the community resources available to assist the patient and family caregivers in the management of Dementia.
Carolyn is a PhD candidate in Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Waterloo, currently completing her residency training at University Hospital in London. Her clinical interests focus on understanding cognitive deficits in brain damaged populations. Her research investigates the neurobiological bases of cognitive impairment in neurological and psychiatric disorders.
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Thursday February 25, 2010
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@ 7pm
Gender Identity: Redefining "She" and "He"
What is gender identity? How does it differ between someone's sex or sexual orientation? What happens when gender identity conflicts with biological sex? This talk will examine these issues (and more!) from both psychological and social perspectives.
Claire Salisbury is a M.Sc. student in the Clinical Psychology program at the University of Western Ontario. She is currently researching in the field of human sexuality with specific focus on gender differences surrounding orgasm occurrence during intercourse.
Jennifer Gartner is a M.A. student in the Theory and Criticism program at the University of Western Ontario. Her research focuses on issues surrounding transgender identity.
Understanding Bullying: What is it, Why Does it Happen, and How Can Adults Help?
Bullying is a relationship problem in which some children learn to use power and aggression to control their peers. In this presentation, Emily Simkins-Strong will describe the different forms of bullying and cyber bullying, and will explain how these problems can develop. Ways for adults to recognize when bullying is happening and tips for preventing or intervening in bullying situations will also be discussed.
Emily Simkins-Strong is a Ph.D. student in the Clinical-Developmental Psychology program at York University, and is currently completing her residency with the London Clinical Psychology Residency Consortium. Her research focuses on preventing violence in schools by engaging and supporting at-risk youth.
Building Youth Self Esteem: An Interactive Seminar
How youth feel about themselves affects their happiness, performance in school, relationships with family and friends, decision making, and success in life. Parents and educators can play an important role in helping to build youth self-esteem. Are you looking for hands on activities to do with your child/teenager to boost their self-esteem? Are you wondering what the causes and consequences of low-self esteem are? Are you looking for observable ways to differentiate healthy self-esteem from low self-esteem? This interactive seminar will provide tools, resources, and exercises that you can use with your child/teenager.
- This presentation is CHILD FRIENDLY J – Youth (ages 6-15) are welcome and encouraged to attend with their parents or adult mentors!
Lyndsay Evraire is a Masters student in the clinical psychology program at the University of Western Ontario. Her research focuses on the developmental origins of cognitive vulnerability to the negative interpersonal processes associated with depression.
Kim Edwards- is a Doctoral student in the clinical psychology program at the University of Western Ontario. She has extensive extracurricular, job, and volunteer experience working with children. Her research interests include examining the relationships between different facets of humour and health.
- @ 1pm
Monkey See Monkey Do: How Does Your Behavior Affect Your Child?
No one will argue that parents play a vital role in shaping their child’s behavior. As primary role models through which children learn to behave, interpret, and interact socially parents can influence their child’s thoughts and behaviors in even more ways than they think. This talk will review ways in which the behavior of parents can influence their children behaviorally, emotionally, and cognitively and is designed to promote parental awareness of their own behavior in interaction with their child.
Katie Kryski is an MSc student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Western Ontario. Her research interests include the exploration of gene-environment interactions in mood disorder development within a developmental psychopathology framework as well as the role of psychophysiological reactivity and recovery in elucidating these interactions.
Understanding and Reducing Difficult Child Behaviour
Parents often struggle with challenging child behaviour and would like to change those that create problems for their children at home or at school. This presentation reviews some of the most helpful strategies for changing difficult behaviour and clears up some common misconceptions about how to apply strategies correctly.
Kathryn Turnbull is a Ph.D. student in clinical psychology at the University of Western Ontario. She researches sleep in young children and associated family characteristics.
February 21, 2009:
Increase your happiness.
Francois Botha, M.Sc. Student, Clinical Psychology Program, University of Western Ontario
Offered as part of the, 2009 "Finding Your Way" lecture series on the psychology of everyday life.
Presentation slides available here.
February, 2009:
Mindfulness Meditation.
Alexandra McIntyre-Smith, Ph.D. Candidate, Clinical Psychology Program, University of Western Ontario
Offered as part of the 2009, "Finding Your Way" lecture series on the psychology of everyday life.
Presentation slides available here.
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