April 2024

The Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) program focuses on:

• Mindfulness
• Distress Tolerance
• Emotional Regulation
• Interpersonal Effectiveness

DBT Skills for Teens with LD/ADHD

The goal of DBT Skills for Teens with LD/ADHD is to help youth develop their own toolboxes of effective strategies to regulate emotions, solve problems, improve relationships, and have a strong sense of self-efficacy in their own lives.



This group is designed for middle school and high school students between the ages of 14 to 17, and is co-facilitated by two Registered Provisional Psychologists in small groups.

Offered by Foothills Academy Community Services.

Writing Change Into The World

To celebrate National Poetry Month, Wakefield Brewster, Calgary's Poet Laureate and spoken word artist, is offering a FREE one week poet-in-residence series working with youth aspiring to find their voice and bring it from "the page to the stage."

Youth Poets, ages 15-18

FREE after-school program from 4:00-5:30 pm

April 8 - 12, with a performance on Saturday, April 13

April 15 -19, with a performance on Saturday, April 20

The workshops will be at two YMCA Locations: Brookfield Residential Seton YMCA in the south, and Shane Homes Rocky Ridge YMCA in the north. 

Dr. Sterling Sparshu,

Calgary Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

In-person workshop!

Forgetful and Fretful: Untangling ADHD and Anxiety

"ADHD and anxiety have a complicated relationship. They can be difficult to tell apart and one can mimic the other. All too often though they arrive together with over a quarter of youth with ADHD also having an anxiety disorder. This can delay diagnosis, increase impairment and make treatment more challenging."

Join Dr. Sparshu as he explores this overlap and explains how to support that anxious, absent-minded person in your life.  

Foothills Academy Community Services

May 2, 7 - 8:30 pm

ADHD Community Needs Assessment Survey

"CADDAC is looking to expand its programs and services in Canada, and we would like to get a better understanding of how to support individuals living with ADHD and their families.

We would be grateful if you would take a few minutes to fill out this survey. Those who complete the survey will be entered into a draw to win 1 of 3 $50 Amazon gift cards!"

2024 Owerko Centre Conference on ADHD

Attend the 2024 Owerko Centre Conference to explore insights and advancements in ADHD

"Each year, the Owerko Centre Conference, through the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute, brings together researchers, trainees and community partners to hear from engaging speakers, learn from thought-provoking panel discussions, enjoy trainee presentations and network with colleagues and collaborators."

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

Conference: 9:00 am – 3:35 pm

Reception: 3:35 pm – 4:45 pm

Health Sciences Centre, Foothills Campus, University of Calgary 

(At Least) 10 Ways to Help Striving Adolescent Readers

"While attention has increased for young readers who are striving, older readers—students in grades 5–12—need special attention to help gain the literacy skills that will serve them after their academic careers. Our expert teacher Jason DeHart has worked for much of his career with middle and high school students who struggle with reading.

Join us for DeHart’s engaging presentation, which will focus on 10 ways to help the older reader who is still working through developmental skills. You’ll learn about new ideas and strategies, all of which are flexible enough to be adapted to meet a variety of student needs, and come from a teacher and researcher whose work has been centered around solving the mystery of how to help older readers further develop literacy."

Wednesday, April 10, 2024 | 2 p.m. (MT) 

Online presentation

The Edmonton Educator's Workshop Series

In-person in Edmonton or join the livestream. Attend each full-day workshop or choose your own combination of the three days for insight and actionable strategies.

Monday, May 6: Workshop #1 Proven and Effective Interventions to Enhance Executive Skills in Children & Adolescents

PRESENTED BY Peg Dawson, Ed.D., NCSP

Tuesday, May 7: Workshop #2 Optimizing Self-Regulation and Managing Big Emotions

PRESENTED BY Caroline Buzanko, Ph.D., R. Psych

Wednesday May 8: Workshop #3 Working with Highly Emotionally Dysregulated Children & Adolescence

PRESENTED BY Eboni Webb, Psy.D., HSP

IDA Ontario Learning and Literacy Conference 2024

April 27 & 28, Toronto

"Join us in improving the lives of children who struggle to learn to read. Our sold-out 2023 conference was a resounding success, uniting educators and dyslexia advocates across Canada and the USA.

This 2024 conference will attract 900+ participants, 20+ speakers and 25+ exhibitors, providing a forum for teachers, parents, physicians, psychologists, interventionists, and speech-language pathologists to connect, communicate and collaborate to improve outcomes for students with dyslexia. We look forward to another fantastic conference in 2024!"

How do you accommodate employees with disabilities at work?

How do you ask for accommodations an employee?

If you are not sure, learn from the experts at the Alberta Human Rights Commission.

"The Commission offers virtual workshops that provide participants with information about Alberta’s human rights legislation, an overview of the complaints process, and concepts like the duty to accommodate, as well as strategies for preventing and addressing discrimination in the workplace."

Each workshop takes place online over two half-days, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Email educationcommunityservices@gov.ab.ca to register for one of the following workshop dates: April 9 - 10, 2024 or June 11 - 12, 2024.

The Learning Disabilities & ADHD Network is a collaborative initiative of a broad group of organizations, which is operated through Foothills Academy and supported by an Anonymous Donor at the Calgary Foundation.