Alyson Quinn and Suzanne Ferera

FACILITATORS: Alyson Quinn  Alyson has been an Adjunct professor at UBC's School of Social work for 7 years, and a counsellor for 30 years specializing in group therapy, trauma therapy, and conflict resolution. She is a Clinical Counsellor with a Masters degree from the University of British Columbia and a Diploma in Conflict resolution from Royal Roads University. Alyson has taught students in a Trauma informed Counselling class, in a group work class and also in an Integrative Seminar and has a great deal of experience as an individual and couples counsellor. She is an author of 3 published books. Her chapter: "Pedagogy for an Integrative Practice" is published in the text book Holistic Engagement: Transformative Social Work Education in the 21st Century. Alyson’s text book Experiential Unity Theory and Model: Reclaiming Your Soul, published in 2012, is aligned with the principles of a Trauma Informed Practice, and she has taught her therapeutic model at both International and Canadian conferences. Alyson was born in Zimbabwe and trained as a Social worker in South Africa. She launched her Social work career in London, England and then emigrated to Vancouver, Canada. Her self help book Reclaim Your Soul: your path to healing published in 2014 also builds on Trauma informed principles. Her website is alysonquinnwrites.com Suzanne Ferera Suzanne Ferera is a registered Occupational Therapist with 25 years of experience in mental health and is trained as a certified Calmer, Easier, Happier parenting practitioner.  Her private practice work takes her into both families’ homes to help with children who have behavioural difficulties, and also into schools where she teaches classroom management. She has worked as a Family Counsellor for the Vancouver Family Preservation and Reunification services, working with families who are at risk. Learning about a trauma informed theory and practice has long been a passion of hers and also her commitment to bringing a somatic oriented approach to her work with families. Her work is most often focused on the impact of triggers and how they impact relationships particularly parent/child relationships. Her work often involves facilitating increased awareness for parents around their own trauma triggers. This assists in contributing a deeper understanding to their interactions with their children in order to avoid reactivity, and maintain a close relationship.  She helps parents, teachers and professionals who work with children explore ways of understanding and working with these triggers, using the Calmer, Easier, Happier, parenting and teaching strategies and trauma informed modalities.  https://www.parentingsuccess.ca/.  Feedback received from past participants of this workshop:  •  "I enjoyed the workshop very much. I used the concepts learned the day after, and the positive results were immediate.” •  "Being able to practice the Breathe and feel and metaphor and tapping and mindfulness/ breathing exercises was very helpful. Having Alyson as a resource during the exercises was also helpful". •  “ I loved it! Thank you for sharing your valuable wisdom”. •  "I really appreciated the clinical experience and that it was research based.” •  “Great, clear delivery and presented at the perfect level. Excellent!” •  "The course was practical to a broad range of support industries”. •  “I really appreciated the integrative approach of the different interventions.” •  “Appreciated the experiential exercises, the real-life demo’s of sessions, and the language to use with clients. I also liked that the instructors addressed the audience’s questions and wonderings.” •  “It was a wonderful workshop! Will recommend to others! Thank-you for sharing your knowledge and experience.” •  “I really appreciated the anecdotal evidence from both of your practices – and the handout! I also appreciate all the tools, tricks and strategies that I am walking away with! “ •  “I enjoyed this course immensely!!” •  “I really enjoyed the in-depth look at trauma.” •  “I really appreciated the info about trauma and the brain, EUT, and tapping – thank-you!” •    “I appreciated thinking of trauma in terms of the body and where trauma is held. I also appreciated moving the focus away from talking exclusively”. •  “Great workshop!! “ •  “The opportunity to practice using the tools and applying the knowledge – being encouraged to connect with your own intuition and that it is essential to do this work more effectively – love having more tools to help my clients heal trauma and transform”. •  “Thank you! This is tremendously important work: uplifting and empowering for all”. •  “Thank-you for everything! It was a wonderful experience!” •  “I enjoyed the practice and enjoyed the science based approach.”