Transforming Practices Conference 2025: Full Schedule

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10:30am PDT

Child Interviews from the Prosecution's Perspective (1 hr)

Friday May 30, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am PDT

How a child is interviewed, what information is captured in notes, and whether that information is ultimately disclosed can change the course of a prosecution. In this session, I will bring some real world (well-vetted) examples and give some tips on what to try to avoid while interviewing a child.

Speakers

Ann Siford

Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, Red Deer ACPS Office

Ann Siford has been a prosecutor for the majority of her 16 years as a lawyer. She has been with the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service serving central Albertans for 11 years. She has had conduct of a number of serious, complex prosecutions involving children and other vulnerable... Read More →

Friday May 30, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am PDT

Breakout Sessions

10:30am PDT

Gergory Williams (1 hr)

Friday May 30, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am PDT

Breakout Sessions

10:30am PDT

Therapy is great, but what about the rest of the time? (1 hr.)

Friday May 30, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am PDT

We will do a quick review of the impact of trauma (emotional, neurological, CNS, health) but the focus of this session will be to explore what we can do outside of the therapy office. Pulling heavily from The Other 23 Hours and Life Space Crisis Intervention concepts, we will explore specific strategies from models such as NMT and polyvagal theory, to discuss the role and impact that all safe adults can have in the recovery of traumatized children.

Speakers

Shantelle Szuch

Registered Psychologist in 2 provinces, since 2011. Gained provisional hours while working in live-in treatment for children and adolescents through Children's Services from 2007-2011 and moved back to AB to help create and launch AHS Step Up Step Down program. Certified in TFCBT... Read More →

Friday May 30, 2025 10:30am - 11:30am PDT

Breakout Sessions

10:30am PDT

Commercial Sex: Empowerment or Exploitation? (1.5 hr.)

Friday May 30, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm PDT

This session explores various legislative responses to commercial sex, development of the Equity Model, legal changes in Canada, and challenges facing Canada's current PCEPA legislation, the Protection of Communities and Exploited Person Act, enacted in 2014.

Speakers

Andrea Heinz

Andrea, a former experiential woman, holds a diploma in Correctional Services and is presently completing a Bachelor of Professional Arts in Governance, Law, and Management.Together Kathy King and Andrea spent three years researching and compiling a book, When Men Buy Sex: Who Really... Read More →

Kathy King

Kathy is a retired clinical social worker (MSW) and mother of a MMIW, with over five decades of professional and volunteer experience.

Friday May 30, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm PDT

Breakout Sessions

10:30am PDT

Innovation in Sexual Assault Response & Tour of NEW Sexual Assault Medical Suite (1.5 hrs)

Friday May 30, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm PDT

Third Floor Classroom - Child Advocacy Centre

More details to come.

Speakers

Ronnie Biletsky

Central Alberta Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence program Coordinator, Central Alberta Child Advocacy Centre

Ronnie is the Clinical Nurse Educator & coordinator for the Central Alberta Sexual Assault Response Team (CASART) & Domestic violence program in the Central Zone, providing edcaution to RCMP, physicians, nurses, students & community partners on sexual assault response, domestic violence... Read More →

Friday May 30, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm PDT
Third Floor Classroom - Child Advocacy Centre

Breakout Sessions

10:30am PDT

Kairos Blanket Exercise: Building Bridges Toward Reconciliation (1.5 hrs)

Friday May 30, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm PDT

Join us for an engaging and transformative experience that deepens understanding and fosters connection. The Blanket Exercise is an interactive workshop that brings to life the history and ongoing impacts of the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Canada. Through hands-on participation, you'll gain insight into nation-to-nation relationships and explore meaningful steps toward reconciliation.
Following the exercise, engage in a reflective sharing circle to discuss how we can support young people in overcoming trauma and systemic barriers. Transform your practice to empower resilience and foster success by deepening your knowledge and understanding. This session offers a unique opportunity to build bridges of respect, understanding, and hope.

Speakers

Hayley Christen

Coordinator, Learning Services, Red Deer School Division

Hayley Christen is a Coordinator with First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Learning Services for Red Deer Public Schools. With over 25 years of experience as a teacher and a vice-principal, Hayley has dedicated her career to supporting students with diverse learning needs and at-risk... Read More →

Heather Steele

Heather Steele is a passionate First Nations Social Studies educator and advocate for youth empowerment. Known for her innovative teaching methods, Heather creates engaging, hands-on learning experiences that connect students to real-world issues. Her work emphasizes inclusivity... Read More →

Friday May 30, 2025 10:30am - 12:00pm PDT

Breakout Sessions

11:00am PDT

Internet Child Exploitation in Alberta (1.5 hrs)

Friday May 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:30pm PDT

Red Deer Polytechnic

The Northern Alberta Internet Child Exploitation (NAICE) Unit welcomes everyone to attend an information session on the realities of internet child exploitation in Alberta, and strategies to navigate these issues in an open and collaborative way. Some of the topics we discuss include: who we are and what we do, the internet and social media, child luring and sextortion, artificial intelligence and emerging online sites/apps, our partners, and how we can all work together to keep kids safe online.

Speakers

Constable Scott Sterling

Constable Scott Sterling has been a member of the RCMP for nearly 20 years and has been working in the ICE unit since 2022.

Constable Stephanie Bosch

Constable Stephanie Bosch has been a member of the Edmonton Police Service for 6 years and joined the ICE team in September 2024.

Friday May 30, 2025 11:00am - 12:30pm PDT
Red Deer Polytechnic

Breakout Sessions

12:30pm PDT

Canada's Indigenous Policy: understanding its lasting effects - historical trauma in a contemporary world (1.5 hrs)

Friday May 30, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm PDT

Participants will be able to build their foundational knowledge by exploring many Canadian government policies that have affected Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island for centuries. Historical trauma/intergeneration trauma have been the direct result of many governmental policies. This session will be presented as a Breakout EDU game. Breakout EDU is a fun filled, participant centered, active way to learn! Solve puzzles, collaborate, and remove all the locks in a preset amount of time! Work as a team to accomplish your mission! Then, to wrap up the session, participants be given the opportunity to share their insights and learning as a result of participating.

Speakers

Terry Lakey

Lead Teacher, Red Deer Pubic Schools

Terry Lakey has been a teacher with Red Deer Public since 1999. As well as a classroom teacher, he has spent many years developing and sharing, both with students, district staff, and provincially as well, resources connected to Indigenous peoples authentic histories, stories, and... Read More →

Brian St. Germain

Brian St. Germain was born and raised in Red Deer. He's been teaching with Red Deer Public School District for many years. Brian is a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta and also a descendant of the Alberta Papaschase Band/First Nation. He has presented throughout the province... Read More →

Friday May 30, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm PDT

Breakout Sessions

12:30pm PDT

Commercial Sex: Empowerment or Exploitation? (1.5 hrs)

Friday May 30, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm PDT

Speakers

Kathy King

Kathy is a retired clinical social worker (MSW) and mother of a MMIW, with over five decades of professional and volunteer experience.

Andrea Heinz

Friday May 30, 2025 12:30pm - 2:00pm PDT

Breakout Sessions

1:00pm PDT

Child Interviews from the Prosecution's Perspective. (1 hr.)

Friday May 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

Speakers

Ann Siford

Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor, Red Deer ACPS Office

Friday May 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

Breakout Sessions

1:00pm PDT

Gergory Williams (1 hr)

Friday May 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

Breakout Sessions

1:00pm PDT

Therapy is great, but what about the rest of the time? (1 hr.)

Friday May 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

Speakers

Shantelle Szuch

Friday May 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:00pm PDT

Breakout Sessions

1:00pm PDT

Cultivating Connection: Interpersonal Neurobiology, Mindfulness, Compassion, and Attunement (1.5 hrs)

Friday May 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm PDT

Participants will learn about Dr. Daniel Siegel's (1999) Interpersonal Neurobiology and how the brain develops within the context of close relationships. We will explore the role of mindfulness and compassion in cultivating attunement through improved neural integration. Integration encourages healthy brain development, cognitive flexibility, self-awareness, emotional well-being, and psychological resilience. Emotional states like compassion and contemplative practices (e.g., mindfulness) facilitate integrative attunement, which enhances well-being within one’s own body-mind as well as promotes security and connection within relationships. Attunement allows people to feel safe with their own emotions and experiences and to become a healing presence for others (e.g., partners, children, clients, coworkers, etc.). Together we will do short practices to cultivate mindfulness, compassion, and attunement (e.g., mindful breathing, body scan, loving-kindness, wheel of awareness).

Speakers

Dr. Anomi Bearden

Dr. Anomi G. Bearden has been teaching Psychology at Red Deer Polytechnic since 2008. She teaches courses in social psychology, positive psychology, mindfulness, motivation & emotion, consciousness, consumerism, interpersonal relationships, and gender. Anomi also supervises student... Read More →

Friday May 30, 2025 1:00pm - 2:30pm PDT

Breakout Sessions