Calendar of Events

Over the past eight years, the Fraser Valley Brain Injury Association has helped over 1500 people with acquired brain injuries and their families connect with their communities. We hope you will join us in this effort by participating in our third annual fundraising dinner.

Last year’s event successfully raised $20,000 to support our Case Management Program, support groups, art and photography programs as well as drop-in programs. We need your help to achieve this year’s goal of $25,000!

This two day interactive workshop is suitable for people working with adults who have emotional or behavioral problems following brain injury. The course focuses on developing an understanding of how and why such problems occur, and how best to assess and treat them. Attendees should have completed the Basic Cognitive Rehabilitation workshop & the Attention and Information Proc- essing Advanced Cognitive Rehabilitation workshop.

AIMS:

•   To extend skills & knowledge about emotional & behavioral issues following neurological injury
•   To develop understanding of the causes of emotional and behavioral problems
•   To explore approaches to assessment
•   To provide practical approaches to take away and apply immediately in clinical practice

  Course Content:

  INTRODUCTION & DEFINITIONS: Definition of emotions; primary and secondary emotions; the difference between emotions and feelings. Why is it important to consider emotional and behav- ioral problems following neurological injury?

  THE NEUROANATOMY OF EMOTIONS: Are we wired at birth? The limbic structures; the amyg- dala; the high and low roads of emotions; neurochemistry and emotions.

  THE EMOTIONAL & BEHAVIORAL CONSEQUENCES OF NEUROLOGICAL INJURY: Anxiety; emotional liability; depression; anger; irritability; aggression; impulsivity; dis-inhibition; inflexibility; obsessive behavior; self centredness; insight; awareness; disorders of arousal, drive and motiva- tion.

  THE CAUSES OF EMOTIONAL & BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS: Organic damage; pre-injury per- sonality; cognitive and executive changes; the environment; how staff can cause problems; aware- ness; denial; adjustment issues.

  ASSESSMENT OF EMOTIONAL & BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS: The 6 stage assessment proc- ess; psychosocial assessment tools; assessment of overt behavioral problems.

  TREATMENT OF EMOTIONAL & BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS: Practical session on assessment using a case study. How to improve emotional and behavioral problems using cognitive rehabilita- tion, psychological support, anxiety management techniques, education of staff, patient & relatives, and drug therapy. How to deal with emotional and behavioral problems using behavioral manage- ment techniques; accelerative and de-celerative techniques; practical session on treatment using a case study.

  Course Fees:

  Register 2 or more people to be entered into our draw for a chance to win one free registration!
  Contest ends March 31, 2012. Regular Price: $525

  To register please visit our website @:

  http://www.seasonsconsultgroup.ca/behaviourproblemaafterinjuryworkshop.htm

A 2-Day Skills Training Workshop for the Progressive Goal Attainment Program (PGAPTM): An Evidence-Based Treatment Program for Reducing Disability Associated with

Pain, Depression, Cancer and other Chronic Health Conditions

June 15 & 16, 2012
LOCATION : The Westin Wall Centre Vancouver Airport Hotel · 3099 Corvette Way · Richmond · British Columbia

Evidence-based practice is quickly becoming the expected standard for rehabilitation interventions. The Progressive Goal Attainment Program (PGAPTM) is currently considered one of the most empirically supported interventions for targeting psychosocial risk factors for disability. PGAPTM was originally conceived to target risk factors for pain-related disability and has now been modified to target risk factors for various disabling health conditions including pain, depression, cancer and other chronic illnesses. Selected topics from this standardized, skills training workshop include:

The Problem of Disability in Modern Society, A Biopsychomotor Perspective of Disability, Evidence-Based Practice for Disabling Health Conditions, Risk Factors for Chronicity, Assessment of Psychosocial Risk Factors for Disability, Activity Mobilization, Activity Scheduling, Treatment Techniques Specifically Designed to Reduce Health-Related Fears, Catastrophic Thinking, Perceived Injustice, Disability Beliefs, Maximizing Adherence to Treatment, Maximizing Client Motivation to Attain Rehabilitation Goals, Therapeutic Return to Work.

Psychologist, Dr. Michael Sullivan will direct the training workshop. Dr. Sullivan is a Professor of Psychology, Medicine, Neuroscience, Neurology, Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy at McGill University and Scientific Director of the University Centre for Research on Pain and Disability. Dr. Sullivan has lectured nationally and internationally on the social and behavioral determinants of disability, and currently holds a Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Health. For the past twenty years he has been working on developing interventions that will prevent disability in individuals suffering from various chronic health and mental health conditions. Dr. Sullivan has published more than 100 scientific articles, 19 chapters and 4 books on the topic of psychosocial factors associated with disability. For more information about Dr. Sullivan’s work or download a copy of his CV, please visit the training workshop portion of our website. www.pdp-pgap.com  

The cost of this 2-day workshop is $750.00 plus 12% HST for a total of: $840.00. Registrations received by, March 15, 2012 will benefit from an early-bird fee of $695.00 plus 12% HST for a total of: $778.40. Space is limited for this workshop and the waitlist from the March 2012 workshop will fill a significant number of spaces available. Registrations will be processed in order in which they are received with payment. Registrations cannot be accepted by e-mail or telephone. Deadline for registration is May 15, 2012 or until all spaces are filled.

For information on how to register, visit http://www.pdp-pgap.com/files/workshop/2012_Vancouver_PGAPWorkshop.pdf.