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Life Beyond Trauma Program for Parents of Neurodiverse Children with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

This event is now over but if you missed it, please feel to watch the recording below


Parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders often experience traumatic events in the care of their children. However, these experiences are not widely documented or recognized by health care providers and researchers. The Life beyond Trauma program was designed to explore trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in such parents and to test the trauma-focused intervention approach Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET) in a virtual setting with the parents. We will introduce outcomes and lessons learned from this program delivering NET via video calls using trained paraprofessionals. 

When: Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Time: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. EST

Learning Objectives:

  1. Learn about trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in parents of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities.

  2. Learn about Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET), a trauma-focused program for parents with PTSD.

  3. Learn about outcomes and lessons learned from a research project delivering NET via video calls using trained paraprofessionals.

Speakers

Patrick McGrath

Patrick McGrath

Patrick McGrath, OC, PhD, FRSC, FCAH is a practicing clinician at the Centre for Medical and Psychological Health, a Researcher at IWK Health Centre and an Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at Dalhousie University. He also co-founded the Strongest Families Institute, joined the Board of Directors of the Strongest Families Institute from inception, and has been Chair of the Board since then. His research, mentorship, and health care leadership have been recognized by an appointment to the Order of Canada and election to the Royal Society of Canada and the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. With Dr. Pottie, he won the Manning and Governor General Awards for Innovation for his work with the Strongest Families Institute. His extensive career has included being a clinician, a researcher, an administrator, and a social entrepreneur.

Donna Thomson

Donna Thomson

Donna Thomson is a caregiver, author, and advocate. Her experience was shaped by caring for her son who has cerebral palsy and is medically complex. Donna is the co-author (with Dr. Zachary White) of The Unexpected Journey of Caring: The Transformation of Loved One to Caregiver (Rowman & Littlefield, 2019) and author of The Four Walls of My Freedom: Lessons I’ve Learned From a Life of Caregiving (The House of Anansi Press, 2014). Donna is a co-designer and co-instructor of The Family Engagement in Research Course and the facilitator of the Caregiving Essentials Course, both at McMaster University. Donna is a co-author of Time to be Counted: COVID-19 and Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities — an RSC Policy Briefing. For the Ontario Ministry of Health, Donna sat on The Expert Group on Home and Community Care and on the Working Group on Complex Care for Adults with Developmental Disabilities.