Featured Speakers

Background/rationale: VCI refers to cognitive problems that are caused by the effects of vascular disease on brain function, which can range from mild cognitive impairment to vascular dementia (Skrobot et al., 2018). The prevalence of risk factors for VCI, such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes, is high in Canada, and expected to worsen with an aging population (Leung et al., 2019). Symptoms of depression are associated with VCI in those with a history of vascular events, such as lacunar stroke (Ohlmeier et al., 2023).

Methods: A review of best practices for the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of VCI will be presented, including the most recent Canadian Stroke Best Practice guidelines. Implications for the role of psychologists will be examined.

Results/Conclusions: Current best practice guidelines address screening, assessment, and management of cognitive dysfunction in VCI, screening, assessment, and treatment for VCI-related mood disturbances, and psychoeducation and support for caregivers. Psychologists working with older adults should be aware of and incorporate these recommendations into their practice.

Action/Impact: From contributing to assessment and diagnosis of VCI, lifestyle modification, and treatment of VCI-related mood disturbances, psychologists can play a key role in managing this important determinant of health in an aging population.

Sherri L. Carter, Ph.D. is a psychologist with a practice in clinical neuropsychology and over 20 years of experience in the area of stroke rehabilitation. She divides her time between the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Centre, Nova Scotia Health and private practice. In addition to her clinical practice, she is the Professional Practice Coordinator for the QEII Psychology discipline in the Nova Scotia Health Rehabilitation and Supportive Care portfolio. She holds an Adjunct (Clinical Associate) appointment with the Dalhousie University Department of Psychology and Neuroscience. Sherri completed a Ph.D. in Clinical Neuropsychology from the University of Windsor, a predoctoral residency in adult neuropsychology at London Health Sciences Centre and a postdoctoral research fellowship in neuropsychological rehabilitation at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.

Sherri has served as a member of the scientific writing group for the updated Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations, Vascular Cognitive Impairment (7th edition; 2024). She was also a member of the writing group for the Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations: Rehabilitation, Recovery and Community Participation following stroke (6th edition; 2019). She has been an invited speaker on the topic of Vascular Cognitive Impairment throughout the Atlantic Provinces and she is excited to speak about this topic here today.

This presentation provides an overview of the emerging research on intergenerational trauma (IGT) and resilience in the Asian Canadian diaspora. IGT refers to the transmission of psychological trauma from one generation to the next and is considered a distal determinant of mental health outcomes; intergenerational resilience is the generational passing on of resilient responses to stress and adversity and is a vital component of IGT. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the IGT discourse in Asian communities has garnered growing interest in lay conversations, media, and clinical discussions (Lee & Yoon, 2024; Shah, 2022). Yet, despite the broader recognition of IGT in these spaces, the research has been relatively limited. In response to this limitation, there has been recent publications on IGT in Asian American contexts (Cai & Lee, 2022; Nagata et al., 2024), including research on the Hmong (Vue, 2021), Korean (Lee, 2024), Japanese (Nagata & Patel, 2021), and South East Asian (Yasui et al., 2023) communities. However, the research in the Canadian landscape is nascent. As a way to uplift the collective voices of Canadian researchers engaged in this topic, this presentation provides an overview of their emerging scholarship. Several research projects are reviewed in this presentation, along with the author's narrative study on Chinese Canadian families. Common trends across the studies are explored, as well as a discussion on possible reasons for this relative silence on this research topic in Canada. Implications and next steps for scholarship, practice, advocacy, and collective healing are discussed in the context of this presentation.

Dr. Fred Chou (周敏浩) is an associate professor in counselling psychology in the department of Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies at the University of Victoria and a registered psychologist in British Columbia. He is a 2nd generation Chinese Canadian with ancestral roots from the Guangdong province. His research interests include the mental health of Asian Canadians, intergenerational trauma, and youth mental health literacy. As a community-based researcher, he specializes in using participatory and narrative research to facilitate tangible solutions and elevate underrepresented voices. At the University of Victoria, Dr. Chou co-founded the Victoria Migrant Mental Health Network (ViMMH), a network of local mental health practitioners and academics whose aim is to facilitate collaboration and social action to support the mental well-being of migrants.

This presentation will explore the critical intersectionality within human rights, focusing on how issues of racism, disability inclusion, and LGBTQ+ rights intersect and often coexist. Through the lens of psychology, we will examine how the American Psychological Association (APA) has been at the forefront of advocating for these rights while recognizing the unique needs of each group. The conversation will also address the importance of approaching global issues with respect and dignity for the communities, emphasizing psychology’s role in promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. We will explore critical societal issues, such as the impact of artificial intelligence, through the lens of the communities we serve. Finally, the presentation will highlight the crucial role of allyship, discussing how the collective effort of the psychological community can drive meaningful progress in advancing human rights and equity.

Maysa (MY-SA) Akbar is a respected scientist-practitioner and APA's Chief Diversity Officer and Chief of Psychology in the Public Interest. She is charged with infusing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) into the fabric of the association's work. As the leading architect of APA's evolving EDI framework, Dr. Akbar works with APA staff, leaders, and members to refine and build consensus for an overall plan, operationalize its goals and establish metrics to monitor and ensure progress. The CDO also serves as a spokesperson and advocate for EDI in the field of psychology, both within and outside the association. Before assuming the CDO post, she was the founder and chief executive officer of a clinical practice based in New Haven, Connecticut, which specialized in race-based trauma. She created a consulting firm and educational network focused on organizational cultural transformation. Her firm delivered cutting-edge programs anchored in EDI to city governments, public schools and, court systems, among other entities. Dr. Akbar's areas of specialty include racial identity development, racism, urban trauma and, allyship, topics on which she has authored research articles and books/book chapters. Dr. Akbar is an experienced instructor and master trainer in EDI for both the medical and the broader community.

To explain behaviour, embodied approaches to psychology and neuroscience encourage us to abandon a strict distinction between the mind and body. Instead, we seek to understand the dynamic ways in which the human mind is created from brain, body, and environmental interactions. In doing so, explanations of behaviour become neurophilic but not neurocentric, emphasizing mechanistic models that situate the brain in context. I will elaborate on these ideas and discuss a model of brain function known as predictive processing. I will describe recent research in my lab that tests predictions of this model in people who show traits associated with psychopathologies. Finally, I will highlight the implications of embodiment for understanding psychopathology and for explaining behaviour more broadly.

Dr. Heath Matheson is the director of the CREATE lab at Memorial University. CREATE is an acronym for Collaborative Research in Empirical And Theoretical Embodiment. The name hints at one of the central tenants of the theory of embodied cognition: that the mind is created from brain, body, environmental interactions. In the CREATE Lab, we conduct fundamental research on the nature of the mind/brain, addressing 'big picture' questions about how we learn concepts and think with them. In understanding how the healthy brain works, our research has important implications for education and health. Students in the lab gain valuable hands-on training in the scientific study of human behaviour and the brain, skills that allow them to address a variety of problems related to human psychology. With this approach, we ultimately seek to improve our understanding of the organization of the brain and behaviour.

In Canada, approximately 173,000 pediatric concussions occur each year; however, this is likely an underestimate, as one-third of cases go undiagnosed or unreported. Sustaining a single concussion increases the risk of subsequent injuries, and 30-35% of children aged 5 to 17.99 years experience persistent symptoms beyond four weeks post-injury. These persisting symptoms-referred to as Persisting Symptoms After a Concussion (PSAC)-include ongoing physical, cognitive, emotional, and sleep-related issues. Using Ontario administrative health services data from 2010 to 2020, we found that youth with a history of concussion face a 40% increased risk of mental health disorders, a 47% increased risk of psychiatric hospitalization, and a 49% increased risk of self-harm compared to age- and sex-matched youth with orthopedic injuries. We also found that early resumption of physical activity and early return to school can reduce symptom burden and the risk of PSAC. However, in our multicenter randomized controlled trial (PedCARE), early physical activity showed only modest improvements in symptom burden at two weeks post-injury. This highlights the significant need for acute interventions to prevent PSAC and associated mental health issues.

Dr. Andrée-Anne Ledoux is an early career Scientist for the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute (CHEO), Assistant Professor for the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Adjunct Professor for the School of Psychology at the University of Ottawa, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Neuroscience at Carleton University.  Dr. Ledoux earned her PhD in Experimental Psychology and Behavioural Neuroscience, specializing in neuropsychology and neuroimaging from the University of Ottawa in 2013.  In 2019, she completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship, studying pediatric concussion at CHEORI. Dr. Ledoux is co-PI of TRANSCENDENT Integrated Discovery Program -- Ontario Brain Injury and Industry Partnerships Pillar Lead. Dr. Ledoux is one of the authors of the Living Pediatric Concussion Guideline (pedsconcussion.com) and sits on the expert panel. Her research program has three overarching objectives: (1) identify and understand clinical, neural, and neuropsychological markers of acute and subacute symptom burden, recovery and resilience from pediatric concussion; 2) develop accessible behavioural concussion management protocols that harness resiliency and promote neuronal repair; and 3) demonstrate the effectiveness of behavioural management protocols on reducing symptom burden and the likelihood of persisting symptoms after concussion, as well as their impact on resiliency, wellbeing and neural protection.

Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is a cognitive individual difference variable involving fear of anxiety-related sensations due to beliefs that these sensations signal imminent catastrophe. AS has been posited as a transdiagnostic construct that may help explain the high comorbidity of anxiety and substance use disorders. AS has also been theorized as a useful intervention target for preventing and treating both anxiety and harmful substance use. The first half of this address will review survey research linking AS to both anxiety and substance use symptoms and disorders, and multi-method lab-based research identifying mechanisms to help explain how AS confers this transdiagnostic vulnerability. The second half of the address will introduce AS targeted transdiagnostic interventions as preventative and therapeutic tools for both anxiety and harmful substance use. This section will begin with the rationale for these transdiagnostic interventions, their therapeutic orientation (i.e., psychoeducational, motivational, cognitive-behavioral), and their general structure. Then a series of trials (completed and in progress) will be presented, testing the efficacy of the AS-focused transdiagnostic approach on both anxiety and harmful substance use outcomes. The talk will conclude with suggestions for the next steps in this line of research at both the mechanistic and intervention levels.

Dr. Sherry H. Stewart is a Tier 1 Canada Research Chair in Addictions and Mental Health and a Professor at Dalhousie University, with appointments in Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, and Community Health and Epidemiology. She is also a licensed clinical psychologist in Nova Scotia and a Fellow of CPA and of the Royal Society of Canada. Dr. Stewart's research focuses on the psychological factors contributing to alcohol use disorders, gambling disorders, and the comorbidity of emotional and addictive disorders. She serves as Graduate Program Coordinator for Dalhousie's MSc and PhD programs in Psychiatry Research. Dr. Stewart is the NPI of the Atlantic Node of the CIHR-funded Canadian Research Initiative in Substance Misuse (CRISM). Dr. Stewart's research is funded by several agencies, including the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC), the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), the New Frontiers in Research Fund (NFRF), and the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) (see also website: http://maaclab.psychology.dal.ca/).

Conversations about feminism, multiculturalism, social justice and human rights have been a critical part of counselling psychology's evolving history for well over 50 years. Yet, clients, students and psychologists from Historically, Persistently and Systemically Marginalized communities have (and continue to) face numerous barriers and challenges when engaging with the discipline. Despite a large body of research that indicates ways that psychology can be practiced, taught and researched in more inclusive ways, traditional approaches prevail, and as such, continue to uphold the status quo. Due to my own diverse upbringing and lived experience, along with meaningful mentorship, I have been on a quest for critical social justice in psychology for over 20 years. Unfortunately, the journey has been arduous and discouraging, and I believe it has yielded minimal change. In this address, I will present some historical developments related to social justice in counselling psychology. I will also share my own experiences and struggles, advocating for more inclusivity and critical change across multiple areas of the discipline (eg. training, psychology organizations, governing bodies). I will also invite attendees to consider their own positionality and responsibility to leverage bold shifts in order to ensure that psychology is responsive to HPSM communities.

Dr. Kassan is currently located on the Treaty 7 Region in Southern Alberta and Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III. She uses she /her pronouns.

Dr. Kassan is an associate professor with a high-impact position in child and youth mental health in the School and Applied Child Psychology program at the University of British Columbia. She graduated from the Counselling Psychology program at McGill University and completed her Pre-Doctoral Internship in Professional Psychology at the University of California, Irvine Counselling Center.

Dr. Kassan's program of research is influenced by her own bicultural identity and is informed by an overarching social justice lens. She is presently studying the impact of immigration across different communities. She is also conducting teaching and learning research, investigating cultural and social justice responsiveness in professional psychology.  She is a Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association, and she recently co-edited a book entitled Diversity and Social Justice in Counseling, Psychology, and Psychotherapy: A Case Study Approach.   She also owns a small business, Vividhatà Psychological and Consultation Services, where she works mainly with many clients and provisional psychologists from communities who have been historically, persistently, or systemically marginalized.

Global environmental crises, climate breakdown, and plummeting biodiversity affect all of us. These threats to the finite planetary system that sustains all of life— human and non-human alike—strike at the very core of our existence and well-being. Eco-anxiety (or climate anxiety) is, understandably, on the rise, impacting the mental health of growing numbers of people. Indeed, a case can be made that eco-anxiety lurks beneath the surface in all of us as it spawns a cascade of fundamental existential anxieties relating to our basic human concerns with respect to identity, happiness, mortality, isolation, and meaning in life. This state-of-the-world clearly demonstrates how we, as humans, have become disconnected from the beyond-human natural world. At the same time, a large (and growing) body of empirical findings consistently evidences how connecting with nature contributes to psychological health and helps to provide meaning in our lives by addressing our need for coherence, significance/mattering, purpose, and relatedness. Indeed, some researchers have proposed that connecting with nature is a basic human need, the satisfaction of which is predictive of adaptive human feeling and functioning, and the thwarting of which can diminish well-being. To date, research examining the dynamics of the humannature relationship has largely been relegated to environmental, academic research areas of psychology. However, the inherent appeal that nature holds for us has important practical implications for applied psychologists (and their clients). This talk will provide an overview of the theories grounding work in this area and supportive research findings, while also introducing accessible, applied nature-based interventions to boost individual well-being and the well-being our planet.

Dr. Holli-Anne Passmore is an Associate Professor and Department Chair of Psychology at Concordia University of Edmonton (CUE) in Alberta, Canada. She is also Director of the multi-university Nature-Meaning in Life (NMIL) Research Lab, an Editor of the International Journal of Wellbeing, and Science Chair of the Spirituality and Meaning Division of the International Positive Psychology Association. She collaborates with

researchers around the globe primarily focusing on the development and validation of practical interventions to enhance well-being through noticing and engaging with everyday nature close to home. Within the meaning stream of her research, she examines pathways that lead to greater meaning in life, particularly among university students. Of course, these two research streams often overlap. Holli-Anne's academic research articles and book chapters have been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals and publications, and featured in various media and podcasts. She regularly presents her research findings at national and international conferences, as well

delivering keynote talks and workshops at local community-based organizations events. Holli-Anne is passionate about both her research and her teaching. She is known to friends, students, and colleagues simply as "H!A!", reflecting her general enthusiasm about life.

This presentation will delve into the comparative evaluation of two prominent parenting programs: Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) and Circle of Security Parenting (COSP). This research is situated within the domain of family and child psychology, focusing on interventions designed to enhance parenting practices and child outcomes.

The presentation will highlight findings from a randomized controlled trial in Ontario comparing Triple P and COSP to treatment as usual, involving 502 caregivers of children aged 2-6 years. Various parenting and child outcomes were examined, with families followed up for one-year post-intervention. Additionally, process evaluation findings will be presented, derived from focus groups with providers trained in the programs and one-on-one interviews with participating families.

Emerging themes include the differential impacts of these theoretical frameworks on parenting efficacy and child development. Key issues addressed will be the suitability of each program for diverse family contexts and the mechanisms through which they achieve their outcomes. Critical questions to be discussed include: Which program works best for whom? How may the underlying theories influence the effectiveness of the interventions? What are the practical implications for practitioners and policymakers aiming to promote healthy family environments?

Andrea Gonzalez is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University, with cross-appointments in the Department of Psychology, the Neuroscience Graduate Program, and the Department of Health Research Methods, Evidence, and Impact. She holds a Tier II Canada Research Chair in Family Health and Preventive Interventions. Dr. Gonzalez's research focuses on the developmental consequences of early life adversity, the impact of traumatic experiences on brain development and health, and the intergenerational transmission of risk. She is dedicated to developing and evaluating evidence-based preventive interventions to build stronger families and communities.

Psychologists have traditionally been asked to achieve weight loss through behaviour change, despite little evidence for sustained success. This has diminished the contribution of psychology to obesity. The revised model of obesity opens up psychological intervention to a more full scope of practice. This session will orient attendees to the potential of managing obesity as a chronic disease.

Dr. Vallis is a health psychologist based in Halifax, Canada. He is an Associate Professor in Family Medicine at Dalhousie University. He obtained his Ph.D. and M.A from the University of Western Ontario, London, and his B. Sc. From Dalhousie University. His main area of expertise is adult health psychology, with an emphasis on obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular risk, and gastroenterology. He spends most of his time training healthcare providers in behaviour change for chronic disease management. He regularly supervises clinical and academic students and is active in research on motivation, behavioural change, and adaptation to chronic disease. He consults nationally and internationally and is heavily involved in academic publications, journal editing, and clinical practice guidelines. He was on the executive of the Canadian Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Obesity (2020) and lead author of the Psychological and Behavioural Chapter for these new guidelines as well as the 2006 guidelines. As well, he is an author of the Psychology and Mental Health chapter of Diabetes Canada's Clinical Practice Guidelines (2023, 2018, 2013, 2004). He received the distinguished service award from the Canadian Association of Bariatric Physicians and Surgeons, the 2021 Charles H Best award from Diabetes Canada, and holds a Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal by the Government of Canada on the recommendation of Diabetes Canada.

History shows that psychology has been a thriving discipline that began in the 19th century with few people in academia and developed into one of the most sought-after subjects at universities, permeating institutions, public and private life, not only in the western world but also in the Global South. Psychology has been promoted while having significant theoretical, methodological, and ethical limitations. Explanations for the expansion of psychology are presented, including participation in the “modernization” of society, collaboration with power, and collusion with neoliberal capitalism that benefits from turning the gaze to interiority. Despite the “successes”, the scientific goal of developing a theory of subjectivity is missing. Reasons such as the subdivision of mental life into minute parts, a highly successful research strategy in the natural sciences, and the institutionalized particularization of mental life for practical purposes, and their consequences are discussed. A framework for theorizing subjectivity is laid out, from the entanglement of the social, cultural, historical, with the relational and internal to focusing on possibilities rather than actualities. New ideas for theorizing subjectivity that address historical and contextual changes and the importance of drawing on a theory for understanding human mental life are advanced.

Thomas Teo is a professor of psychology in the Historical, Theoretical, and Critical Studies of Psychology Program at York University, Toronto, Canada. He has been active in the advancement of theoretical, critical, and historical psychology throughout his professional career. His research has been meta-psychological to provide a more reflexive understanding of the foundations, trajectories, and possibilities of human subjectivity. He is co-editor of the Review of General Psychology (Sage), editor of the Palgrave Studies in the Theory and History of Psychology, and co-editor of the Palgrave Studies in Indigenous Psychology. He is former president of the International Society for Theoretical Psychology, of the American Psychological Association's Society of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology (Division 24), and former chair of the History and Philosophy of Psychology Section of the Canadian Psychological Association. He has research record with more than 200 academic publications and refereed conference presentations.

Research indicates that many academics feel ill equipped to discussion concepts related to decolonization and reconciliation promotion because they have not received formal education on the subject and/or are not members of the Indigenous community. Recognizing the need to act on the recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, it is imperative that
reconciliation promotion is infused into psychology curriculum.

In 2023, the Canadian Psychological Association, Standards of Accreditation introduced a new foundational competency, Indigenous Interculturalism. This competency outlines education and training (e.g., Indigenous worldviews, values, and practices) required to work alongside and for Indigenous Peoples in the professional practice of psychology. This presentation will discuss elements of Indigenous Interculturalism, and methods of weaving reconciliation promotion in psychological curriculum to improve research collaboration and/or delivery of psychological service to First Nations, Métis, and Inuit populations in Canada. Teaching strategies such as land acknowledgment discussions, review of colonization examples that have and continue to impact Indigenous Peoples, and reconciliation promotion activities will be reviewed. Strategies will aid in the development of cultural literacy guidelines/direction for working alongside Indigenous Peoples of Canada.

Dr. Natasha Wawrykow is a member of the Skuppah Band in the Nlaka'pamux Nation. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Victoria. She received her Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia in 2020.

Dr. Wawrykow strives to pursue collaborative Indigenous community-driven research topics and counselling opportunities that promote reconciliation and prosperity for the Indigenous community. Her research highlights Indigenous ways of healing and fostering self-worth, and contributes to culturally sensitive delivery of clinical service and conducting research. Her teaching focuses on the clinical training of graduate students and promotion of reconciliation between the field of psychology and Indigenous Peoples. Her undergraduate and graduate courses on reconciliation promotion have garnered national recognition and have been given the "Cool Course" distinction by Maclean's Magazine.

Working with Indigenous Peoples in different hospital, community, and university counselling clinics has affirmed Dr. Wawrykow's use of Narrative Therapy in her clinical practice. While the sharing of knowledge through storytelling has always been part of Indigenous Peoples' tradition, Dr. Wawrykow has learned that using narratives therapeutically aids in understanding how health can be experienced holistically for Indigenous Peoples and promotes strong, culturally appropriate therapeutic alliances.

Background/Rationale: The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the importance of the work-family interface, raising questions on whether shifts in work practices promoted inclusivity or deepened inequalities.

Methods: This talk leverages empirical research from the presenter and other scholars, examining the impacts of remote work, caregiving demands, and gender expectations on work-family outcomes.

Results: Remote and hybrid work blurred the lines between professional and personal life, affecting work-family balance. Caregiving demands increased, disproportionately impacting working women, influencing short- and long-term outcomes.

Conclusions: The pandemic highlighted the complex interplay between work and family. By analyzing shifts in remote work, caregiving, and gender roles, this talk discusses challenges and opportunities in the post-pandemic landscape and suggests future research for organizations and work-family researchers.

Action/Impact: The findings indicate a need for organizations and families to reassess the work-family interplay, emphasizing the development of more inclusive and sustainable approaches to work and family.

Dr. Alyson Byrne is an associate professor in organizational behaviour and human resource management at the Faculty of Business Administration at Memorial University. She received her PhD in organizational behaviour from Queen's University in 2013. Prior to arriving at Memorial, Dr. Byrne also worked at the University of Manitoba and completed a post-doctoral fellowship on leader character at the Ian O. Ihnatowycz Institute for Leadership at the Ivey Business School at Western University.

Dr. Byrne's research interests lie primarily in leadership, gender, and work-family.  She has been published in journals such as Organization Science, Journal of Management Studies, Harvard Business Review and The Leadership Quarterly. She has presented her research at numerous international conferences and has also been the keynote speaker for a number of public events concerning her research on leadership, gender, teams, and well-being.