All Webinars

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) was initially designed to treat Borderline Personality Disorder and suicidal behaviours, though emerging research has demonstrated significant outcomes in treating other mental health issues including major depressive disorder, substance use disorders, eating disorders, ADHD, and PTSD. This introductory webinar will delve into the integral parts of DBT, including cognitive-behavioural interventions, dialectics of acceptance and change, and the coping skills taught throughout the treatment – all of which aim to help clients build a ‘life worth living’. You will learn the model for understanding emotion dysregulation, as well as the diagnoses and symptoms that can improve from this treatment modality. You will explore the differences between adherent DBT and DBT-informed approaches to delivering the treatment.

Participants will explore the core principles and theoretical underpinnings of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

Participants will understand the incorporation of the four categories of DBT skills, including Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. Participants will learn the different modes of treatment and the differences between adherent DBT treatment delivery and delivering standalone components of the DBT model.

This webinar will acquaint social workers with knowledge and tools to support parents with disabilities across various sectors. In this session, we examine the principles of disability justice and explore strategies for fostering inclusive and empowering environments for parents with disabilities. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges faced by parents with disabilities and learn best practices for providing culturally competent and inclusive care. Whether you are a seasoned social worker or new to the profession, this webinar offers resources and perspectives to enhance your practice and promote inclusive and equitable services for all families. Join us as we work towards a more just and inclusive society for parents across Canada. 

Disasters are a social work issue, and practitioners, researchers, students, and academics should not think otherwise. We live in an increasingly fragile world, and much of this fragility can be laid at the door of an indifferent humanity whose relationship with Mother Earth has been one of exploitation which has often left poor and marginalised people in both the Global South and the Global North behind.

Join The Honourable Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard and Dr. Lena Dominelli for a spirited conversation that will challenge social workers and social work educators to rise above indifference and restore healthy relationships between peoples, plants, animals, and our beautiful planet.

Senator Bernard and Dr. Dominelli will draw upon green social work perspectives and argue for transdisciplinary approaches to be used to address disaster challenges which are part of the climate crisis.

For those who wish to intervene by adopting a duty of care for our physical environment and all it contains, examples will be shared on how to do this. Canada’s First Nations and Inuit peoples, for example, have much to offer in this regard if we listen to their teachings and enact them. We can follow the teachings of indigenous peoples and their guidance to act as custodians of the Earth and leave it as sustainable in perpetuity.

Value 2: Promoting Social Justice

This webinar focuses on the principles of social justice that are the underpinnings of the social work profession. The webinar discusses social workers’ ethical responsibilities to uphold the rights of service users to have equitable access to services and opportunities, to have meaningful participation in services including receiving services in their preferred language and to be free of oppression, racism, and discrimination. The webinar highlights social workers’ responsibility to support the stewardship and protection of the environment, to understand that climate change disproportionately impacts vulnerable people, and to advocate for policies and programs that support the common good of all people.

Valeur 2 : Promouvoir la justice sociale

Ce webinaire se concentre sur les principes de justice sociale, essentiels en travail social. Il explore les responsabilités éthiques des travailleuses et travailleurs sociaux, notamment la défense d’un accès équitable aux services et aux opportunités. Les participants apprendront l’importance d’une participation significative des utilisateurs aux services, y compris le droit de recevoir des services dans leur langue de prédilection. Le webinaire souligne aussi la nécessité d’être libre d’oppression, de racisme et de discrimination. En outre, il met en lumière la responsabilité des travailleuses et travailleurs sociaux dans la protection de l’environnement. Ces derniers doivent comprendre l’impact disproportionné du changement climatique sur les personnes vulnérables. Bref le webinaire encourage les travailleuses et travailleurs sociaux à défendre des politiques et des programmes qui favorisent le bien commun.

Participants will be introduced to the pillars of self-compassion,and how to engage clients in self-compassion practices will be presented.

How often have you invited a client to talk to and treat themself as they would a friend, only to find the self-critical behavior continuing?

There are common beliefs that get in the way of clients adopting self-compassion practices. Without uncovering and addressing these beliefs,the chances of a client adopting self-compassion practices is low.

In this webinar,evidence-based CBT interventions will be taught that specifically address the obstacles of clients practicing self-compassion.

Given that self-criticism is a transdiagnostic process which maintains poor mental health, learning how to effectively engage clients in self-compassion is critically important.

The 2024 theme for Black History Month is ‘Black Excellence: A Heritage to Celebrate; a Future to Build.’ This theme invites an opportunity to celebrate the legacies of Black social workers across Canada who have made significant contributions to the profession.   

Celebrate Black Excellence with us on February 19th, as we honor remarkable Black elders in social work from Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Nova Scotia. These social workers have shaped their communities, while overcoming challenges and embodying resilience.

This celebration event will be an evening of storytelling and knowledge sharing hosted by Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard. Listen to the incredible stories of Black social work pioneers and be inspired to contribute towards building a future rooted in Black Excellence.

Join the celebration and be part of a collective effort to honor the past, embrace the present, and actively shape a future that reflects the extraordinary heritage of Black Excellence in social work.

Host: Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard

Esteemed Panelists:

• Temilola Gbadamosi
• Sophie Jassat 
• Carol LaFayette-Boyd
• Jemell Moriah

This event is co-sponsored by the Alberta Association of Black Social Workers (AABSW), the Saskatchewan Association of Black Social Workers, the Nova Scotia Association of Black Social Workers (NSABSW), the Office of Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard, and the Canadian Association of Social Workers (CASW).

Value 1: Respecting the Dignity and Worth of All People

This webinar takes a deeper look at the social work profession’s ethical responsibilities to treat all people with respect, promote self-determination, and upholding the human rights of everyone. This includes the rights to live free from violence and to have equitable access to services that respects the service users’ ethnicity, national origin, age, economic status, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, marital status, culture, varying abilities, language, religion, values, and beliefs. The significance of applying a trauma informed and strengthen based approach to social work practice when working with individuals, families, groups, and communities is also discussed.

Valeur 1 : Respecter la dignité et la valeur de toutes les personnes

Ce webinaire aborde les responsabilités éthiques dans le travail social, en mettant l’accent sur le respect de tous. Il défend l’autodétermination et  les droits humains, y compris la protection contre la violence et l’accès équitable aux services. Ces services doivent respecter divers aspects tels que l’ethnie, la nationalité, l’âge, la situation économique, le genre, l’identité et l’expression de genre, l’orientation sexuelle, le statut matrimonial, la culture, les capacités, la langue, la religion, ainsi que les valeurs et croyances. Le webinaire souligne également l’importance d’une approche basée sur la compréhension des traumatismes. Il vise à renforcer la pratique du travail social auprès des individus, des familles, des groupes et des communautés.

In this webinar, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) will share the results of an analysis of national data about children in out-of-home care. The data were compiled by PHAC in collaboration with provincial and territorial governments and other child welfare partners, and were derived from public and custom sources of aggregate data. The objectives of the project were to estimate the number of children in out-of-home care in Canada in 2021, and examine rates of out-of-home care by gender, age group, placement type, province/territory, and year. The webinar will provide an overview of the results, a chance to offer feedback, and a discussion about opportunities for future analyses of national child welfare data.

ISS Canada is a non-profit organization which mobilizes domestic and international networks of professionals to effectively connect individuals, children and families separated by international borders to access the services and supports they need. 

In this era, children and families are travelling or are being displaced more frequently than ever before. Immigration, voluntary moves or even seeking refuge and security, people are moving at rates that is unimaginable. This will affect people’s current lives and possibly their future. In turn this global trend will impact Canadian social workers and other professionals working with children and families. 

Everyday ISS Canada provides support and case management to professionals who are working with families and individuals that have links to other countries. ISS Canada and the ISS Network believe that every child and every individual have rights and we have to make sure that we play the role of advocate to seek what is in the best interest of the children.  

ISS Canada accesses its members of the Network that are located in over 120 countries in order to do social work worldwide.  At ISS Canada we provide Canadian professionals with the support they need to assist families and children.

According to the Healthy immigrant effect, newly-arrived immigrants and refugees have better health than the Canadian-born population, however with time in Canada, mental and physical health declines (CAMH, 2022). Why is that? This introductory webinar will help you explore significant contextual factors that should be considered when engaging with newcomer/refugee communities. It will also provide participants with tangible strategies to better support newcomer/refugee clients, and increase their sense of belonging/welcoming in order to build healthier communities.

Learning Objectives: 

• Understand contextual factors that impact newcomer & refugee communities.
• Identify & implement key principles of best practices and strategies to support newcomer & refugee communities.
• Gain awareness of your own social location to bolster inclusive service provision to support newcomer & refugee clients.