Kids' Skills Program

Kids' Skills is a solution-focused program to help children 4 years of age and older learn new skills and overcome social, behavioral, and emotional challenges. The program was developed by Dr. Ben Furman at the Helsinki Brief Therapy Institute and is used in schools and other organizations around the world.

Our Kids' Skills training is intended for practitioners who work with children (psychologists, social workers, psychoeducators, special education technicians, etc.) and it can be adapted for elementary school teaching staff and principals. For more information, visit www.kidsskills.ca.

Journal of Solution Focused Practices (peer-reviewed journal / free download)

SF24 - Building hope, empowering change

Presentation: Fostering resilience and post- traumatic growth

Document: AFTER a trauma

Fifth World Congress on Positive Psychology

Presentation: Combining positive psychology and Solution focused brief therapy: a promising model for promoting post-traumatic growth

Solution Focused World Conference

Presentation: For traditional men, SFBT fits like a glove- a work glove 

 Checklist: 10 practices to do what works for boys and men

SFBTA Annual conference with Heather Fiske, 2016

Presentation: Fostering hope: solution focused stories about suicide prevention

Brigitte Lavoie has been a psychologist since 1989. She has taken, developed, and given training in brief therapy and crisis intervention for more than 20 years. Although best known for her work in suicide prevention in Quebec, she began her career in school psychology in New Brunswick and has been a consultant for several employee assistance programs. Her career has included work as a psychotherapist, clinical consultant, supervisor, and manager and this has allowed her to understand and focus on the challenges of implementing and sustaining change in organizations. She has devoted her career to contributing to the improvement of mental health services. She is known for her passion for storytelling, her respect for clients, and her determination to improve services while protecting the wellbeing of mental health professionals as well as their clients. Lavoie has presented at conferences in Canada, the US, and Europe. Her training programs focus on competency building and concrete tools for clinicians.

brigitte.lavoie@lavoiesolutions.com

Sharon Casey has a background in teaching and adult education. Since 2009, she has trained nearly 1,500 practitioners and gatekeepers in suicide prevention in educational settings and health and social services agencies, in the private sector, and in non-profit organizations. In particular, she has trained professionals in the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services program Best practices in suicide intervention. She has also taught students with personal and academic difficulties (e.g. new immigrants, youth and adults with learning disabilities and mental health problems) and adolescents and young adults in drug rehabilitation centres. Sharon has a particular interest in the adaptation of services to better reach men and boys, and in reaching populations in the context of social inequalities. Her interests and convictions have led her to develop an expertise in the solution-focused approach. Her goal is to promote the application of this approach in educational settings. She is a trainer who is focused on creating the best conditions for learning and she is recognized for her ability to transmit serious and sensitive ideas with a touch of humour. 

sharon.casey@lavoiesolutions.com