Online

Friday, May 8, 2026

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)

What time is this for me?

With an increase in dedicated sensory-friendly spaces for neurodivergent children and youth in schools and their community, sometimes their own home setting can be overlooked. With over 9% of children in Canada being diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder such as ADHD or ASD, there is a need to ensure that this population has tailored spaces available for them (Kids Brain Health Network, 2021). 

This one-day, virtual workshop is designed for occupational therapy professionals working with neurodivergent children and youth—especially those supporting families in home settings. While many therapeutic strategies begin in the clinic, sustainable impact happens when these supports are embedded into daily routines and into the physical home environment. Through a practical, room-by-room approach (e.g., kitchen, bathroom, dining space, play area and bedroom), this workshop will guide participants in co-creating with families and adapting home spaces to support occupational participation at home. Drawing on the BEST (Body, Emotional, Sensory, Thinking) Strategies Framework, participants will explore key assessment and intervention components that promote psychological and physical safety. Participants will gain practical tools, renewed confidence, and an evidence-based framework to guide families in creating neurodivergent-affirming spaces that support regulation, occupational participation and family well-being.

Preliminary workshop agenda

Learning objectives

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

1. Define key principles of neurodivergent-affirming practice and their relevance to home settings.
2. Become familiar with the most common neurodivergent profiles and how they may impact participation
3. Apply the BEST (Body, Emotional, Sensory, Thinking) Approach to environmental assessment to identify adaptations that support occupational participation at home
4. Identify practical, renter-friendly, and cost-conscious strategies to modify home spaces to best support neurodivergent children and youth
5. Problem-solve environmental adaptations for common challenges such as elopement, navigating shared spaces, risky play and difficulties with transitions.
6. Develop skills to effectively collaborate with and coach families in sustaining supportive home environments that align with each child’s unique needs.

Target audience

Occupational therapist clinicians; Occupational therapist educators; and/or Occupational therapist assistants who wish to feel more confident in their ability to co-create home spaces that better address the sensory, emotional, motor, and cognitive needs of neurodivergent clients.

Please note: Each participant is responsible to ensure they apply the information within the context of their licensure, provincial/territorial legislations, institution regulations, scope of practice, etc.

Client age group

Young children (0-4 years old) Children (5-12 years old) Adolescents (13-19 years old)

Areas of practice

Autism/Neurodiversity Developmental Disability Sensory Integration & Processing

Workshop level

Intermediate (3-5 years of experience in this specific practice area)

Please note: Participants with more or less than this stated level of experience are welcome to attend the workshop. The workshop content will be geared towards those with 3-5 years of experience.

Presenter

Moira Pena, BScOT, MOT, OT Reg. (Ont.)

Moira is an occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience supporting autistic children, youth, and their families. She works at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and is the founder of Moira Peña Sensory Workshops, where she delivers professional development trainings. She is the creator and host of Holland Bloorview’s Autism Summit, a knowledge-sharing initiative featuring two international summits, a coaching program for occupational therapists, an open-access autism toolkit, and the Autism Occupational Therapy Guiding Principles—co-developed in collaboration with autistic individuals, families, and professionals. Moira is also an Expert Hub Team member of the ECHO Ontario Autism Program, supporting clinicians and educators in implementing best practices in autism care. She is a published author, an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Toronto, and a certified Solution-Focused Healthcare Facilitator and Coach (C-SFHC).

Registration fees

Early bird rates: Registration and payment completed by March 11, 2026

Regular rates: Registration and payment completed after March 11, 2026

Registration deadline: May 8, 2026 at 9:59 a.m. (Eastern Time)

Please note that CAOT does not offer group registration fees.

*It may be more cost effective to become a CAOT Member or Associate rather than pay the non-member rate. See “Can a non-member register for a Workshop?” in our Professional Development FAQs to know which membership category you are eligible for.

Included in your registration fee:

Online workshop, access to the recording for a period of 14 days following the workshop, electronic copy of presentation slide handouts, opportunity to network and make connections with other occupational therapists interested in this topic, electronic certificate of attendance.

Cancellation/refund policy

All cancellation/refund requests must be sent in writing to education@caot.ca. All cancellation requests received by April 22, 2026 will be given a full refund minus a $50.00 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after April 22, 2026. Substitutions and transfers requests received by April 22, 2026 are permitted and are subject to a $50.00 administrative fee.

If you are exceptionally unable to complete the workshop, please reach out to education@caot.ca by 25 days following the end of the workshop for extended access to the recording (up to one month after the end of the workshop) or a one-time transfer to another offering of the same workshop if currently open for registration.  CAOT reserves the right to modify the workshop title, description, registration dates and information on the workshop webpage. CAOT will notify participants on or before March 27, 2026, if there is insufficient registration by that date and reserves the right to cancel a Workshop due to insufficient registration up until April 10, 2026. CAOT reserves the right to modify the offering, interrupt Workshops, change the timing of a Workshop, cancel a Workshop or change the technology for the Workshop due to the presenter no longer being able to present the Workshop, severe weather, power failure, building closures or other special circumstances that are beyond the control of CAOT by notifying participants as soon as possible. If the Workshop is cancelled by CAOT, registrants will receive a full refund of the registration fee. CAOT will not be responsible for other costs or expenses incurred by registrants as a result of any such changes. 

  Provide suggestions for Professional Development


The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is committed to accessibility as expressed in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We provide an electronic copy of the handouts approximately one week ahead of time in multiple slide layouts, auto-generated closed captioning through Zoom (excluding breakout rooms), as well as access to the recording for two weeks following the workshop. If you require additional special arrangements for accessibility, please contact education@caot.ca or 1-800-434-2268.  

Please note that workshop is offered in English.

Friday, May 1, 2026

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)

What time is this for me?

Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and occupational therapy share a consistent body of philosophical assumptions and practical modalities of facilitating health and well-being. For example, both occupational therapy and ACT emphasize meaningful activity, values-based living, pragmatism, and health and the promotion of well-being. Soft and hard skills (concepts and interventions) that work transdiagnostically (Dindo et al., 2017) provide tools to address human suffering in an effective way (Hofmann et al., 2021). Learning ACT will expand the intervention options of occupational therapists to promote a life enriched by participation in meaningful roles and valued occupations, even in the presence of pain.

This one-day workshop will explore creative ways that occupational therapists can utilize various acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) processes to support their clients in living well. Throughout the workshop, connections will be drawn between ACT as an intervention and occupational therapy as a profession. ACT will be described and compared to cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).  Foundational concepts and processes in ACT – including functional contextualism, pragmatism, creative hopelessness, workability, psychological flexibility, the Hexaflex model, acceptance, experiential avoidance, cognitive fusion and defusion, and contact with the present moment – will be explored and applied to occupational therapy practice. The structure of ACT sessions in single-session and multiple-session therapy will be outlined. Experiential exercises, metaphors, and small group discussions will be used throughout the workshop to support participants in applying the information from the workshop to their practice.

Preliminary workshop agenda

10:00 - 11:30 a.m. (ET)	ACT as part of the third wave of cognitive behavioural therapies. Behaviour and context ACT as a CBT therapy - Similarities and differences - CBT and ACT interventions side by side - illustration.  ACT as a transdiagnostic modality  Human suffering - Healthy normality vs. destructive normality: Assumptions that shape the way we act as health care providers  ACT foundation - Functional contextualism. Pragmatism. A pragmatic truth.
11:30 - 11:45 a.m. (ET)	Break
11:45 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. (ET)	Why do people come to therapy? The control agenda.  Creative hopelessness and workability - A possible way to start ACT work.   Psychological flexibility - The Holy Grail of ACT. The Hexaflex model. Processes associated with well-being and psychopathology, respectively.   Acceptance and experiential avoidance. Promoting acceptance and willingness through experiential exercises and metaphors. Building skills to promote acceptance and willingness. Cognitive fusion and defusion. Building skills to promote cognitive defusion - Experiential exercises and metaphors.   Contact with the present moment. Promoting contact with the present moment - Experiential exercises and metaphors
1:15 - 1:45 p.m. (ET)	Break
1:45 - 3:15 p.m. (ET)	Self as context - The observing self. Expanding the sense of self to promote the observing self - experiential exercises and metaphors.  Values clarification. Helping the client clarify their values. Experiential exercises and metaphors.  Committed action. Establishing and maintaining patterns of value-based behaviours. Building skills through experiential exercises and metaphors.   A deeper dive in understanding the power and utility of therapeutic metaphors in initiating and supporting change. Principles of change and the use of metaphors to promote behavioural change.  The ACT Matrix - Conceptualizing the clients' presentation and structuring interventions. Using the ACT Matrix for single session intervention. Applications and examples. In session modelling and practice.
3:15 - 3:30 p.m. (ET)	Break
3:30 - 5:00 p.m. (ET)	The ACT Matrix - Conceptualizing the clients' presentation and structuring interventions. Using the ACT Matrix for single session intervention. Applications and examples.  In session modelling and practice.

Learning objectives

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

1. Explain some basic ACT assumptions and philosophical foundations, including functional contextualism, pragmatism, ACT as a third wave CBT modality, and healthy normality vs. destructive normality.
2. Apply the ACT Hexaflex to address psychopathology and promote well-being in occupational therapy.
3. Promote psychological flexibility by using these six processes: acceptance, cognitive defusion, contact with the present moment, self as context, values clarification, and committed action.
4. Use therapeutic metaphors to initiate and support healthy behavioural change as well as to facilitate occupational participation.
5. Use the ACT Matrix process to conceptualize clinical presentations transdiagnostically, and to promote and support healthy behavioural change in various health care settings.

Target audience

Occupational therapist clinicians and educators who wish to learn how to use acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) effectively to support their clients in living well, even in the presence of psycho-emotional pain. Students in occupational therapy programs are also welcome to participate.

Please note: Each participant is responsible to ensure they apply the information within the context of their licensure, provincial/territorial legislations, institution regulations, scope of practice, etc. 

Client age group

Adolescents (13-19 years old), Adults (20-64 years old), Older adults (65+ years old)

Areas of practice

Case Management, Chronic Disease Management, Chronic Pain, Cognition, Forensic Mental Health, Mental Health, Primary Care, Psychotherapy, Return to Work, Substance Use/Addiction.

Workshop level

Intermediate (3-5 years of experience in this specific practice area)

Please note: Participants with more or less than this stated level of experience are welcome to attend the workshop. The workshop content will be geared towards those with 3-5 years of experience.

Presenter

Catalin Fecior, OT Reg. (Ont.)

Cata Fecior has been practicing as an occupational therapist/mental health counsellor in primary care for 13 years. He currently works for the Hamilton Family Health Team where he facilitates therapeutic change via individual and group therapy. After training and practicing with more traditional CBT models, he found himself attracted (and at times confused and perplexed) by the philosophy of functional contextualism and the practice of acceptance and commitment therapy. He has been infected with an indelible virus: the virus of the ACT Matrix, which has fundamentally changed the way he relates and practices with clients (and himself). At his current workplace, he has been facilitating an acceptance and commitment therapy community of practice, where clinicians with ACT affinities meet to discuss and practice ACT-related skills. He developed an ACT-based therapeutic group that has been running for the last three years. He has facilitated ACT workshops, more recently for the Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists and as part of the continuing professional education for The Department of Psychiatry & Behavioural Neuroscience at McMaster University. His interests outside work include playing music with no audience, being on a tennis court, as well as reading and practicing Zen Buddhism to the best of his abilities.

Registration fees

Early bird rates: Registration and payment completed by March 4, 2026

Regular rates: Registration and payment completed after March 4, 2026

Registration deadline: May 1, 2026 at 9:59 a.m. (Eastern Time)

Please note that CAOT does not offer group registration fees.

*It may be more cost effective to become a CAOT Member or Associate rather than pay the non-member rate. See “Can a non-member register for a Workshop?” in our Professional Development FAQs to know which membership category you are eligible for.

Included in your registration fee:

Online workshop, access to the recording for a period of 14 days following the workshop, electronic copy of presentation slide handouts, opportunity to network and make connections with other occupational therapists interested in this topic, electronic certificate of attendance.

Cancellation/refund policy

All cancellation/refund requests must be sent in writing to education@caot.ca. All cancellation requests received by April 15, 2026 will be given a full refund minus a $50.00 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after April 15, 2026. Substitutions and transfers requests received by April 15, 2026 are permitted and are subject to a $50.00 administrative fee.

If you are exceptionally unable to complete the workshop, please reach out to education@caot.ca by 25 days following the end of the workshop for extended access to the recording (up to one month after the end of the workshop) or a one-time transfer to another offering of the same workshop if currently open for registration.  

CAOT reserves the right to modify the workshop title, description, registration dates and information on the workshop webpage. CAOT will notify participants on or before March 20, 2026, if there is insufficient registration by that date and reserves the right to cancel a Workshop due to insufficient registration up until April 3, 2026. CAOT reserves the right to modify the offering, interrupt Workshops, change the timing of a Workshop, cancel a Workshop or change the technology for the Workshop due to the presenter no longer being able to present the Workshop, severe weather, power failure, building closures or other special circumstances that are beyond the control of CAOT by notifying participants as soon as possible. If the Workshop is cancelled by CAOT, registrants will receive a full refund of the registration fee. CAOT will not be responsible for other costs or expenses incurred by registrants as a result of any such changes. 

  Provide suggestions for Professional Development


The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is committed to accessibility as expressed in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We provide an electronic copy of the handouts approximately one week ahead of time in multiple slide layouts, auto-generated closed captioning through Zoom (excluding breakout rooms), as well as access to the recording for two weeks following the workshop. If you require additional special arrangements for accessibility, please contact education@caot.ca or 1-800-434-2268.  

Please note that workshop is offered in English.

Virtuel

Le vendredi 17 avril 2026 

12 h à 15 h 45 (Heure de l’Est)

Quelle heure est-ce pour moi?

Le Référentiel de compétences pour les ergothérapeutes au Canada (ACORE et al., 2021) souligne la nécessité pour les ergothérapeutes de s’attaquer aux inégalités sociales et de santé persistantes vécues par diverses communautés minoritaires partout au Canada. Les ergothérapeutes ont la responsabilité de travailler dès maintenant à développer ces compétences en réfléchissant de manière critique aux pratiques actuelles et en appliquant des pratiques fondées sur la lutte contre l’oppression et sur les droits de la personne. Bien que la documentation continue de faire partie intégrante des soins de santé de qualité en soutenant la réflexion, l’analyse, la communication et l’amélioration de la qualité, elle demeure néanmoins une pratique chargée de pouvoir, qui peut contribuer tant à l’oppression qu’à la lutte contre celle-ci (Healy et al., 2022; MacLachlan et Grenier, 2022).

Cet atelier d’une demi-journée dote les ergothérapeutes et autres prestataires de soins de connaissances fondamentales sur les pratiques de documentation anti-oppressives, et d’outils concrets pour commencer à les appliquer. Au cours de la première partie de l’atelier, les personnes présentatrices partageront des concepts importants des pratiques de documentation anti-oppressives sous forme de conférence. Au cours de la deuxième partie, les personnes participantes auront l’occasion de s’exercer à appliquer les concepts appris et de discuter des défis actuels et des occasions à saisir en sous-groupes, avec le soutien des personnes présentatrices.

Ordre du jour préliminaire

Objectifs d'apprentissage

À la fin de cet atelier, les personnes participantes seront en mesure de :

1. Reconnaître comment les pratiques de documentation peuvent contribuer à l’oppression ou à la lutte contre celle-ci, en particulier pour les communautés minoritaires du Canada.
2. Réfléchir de manière critique à leurs pratiques de documentation actuelles.
3. Appliquer les pratiques de documentation anti-oppressives dans leur travail.

Public cible

Ergothérapeutes, assistantes et assistants de l’ergothérapeute et personnes étudiantes dans les programmes d’ergothérapie qui souhaitent améliorer leur compréhension et leurs compétences en matière de documentation anti-oppressive dans tous les domaines de pratique et avec des clientèles de tous les groupes d’âge. Les physiothérapeutes et les travailleuses et travailleurs sociaux sont également bienvenus.

Veuillez noter : Chaque personne participante est responsable de s'assurer qu'elle applique les informations dans le contexte de son permis d'exercice, des lois provinciales ou territoriales, des règlements de son établissement, de son champ de pratique, etc.

Groupes d'âge de la clientèle

Jeunes enfants (0-4 ans), Enfants d’âge scolaire (5-12 ans), Personnes adolescentes (13-19 ans), Adultes (20-64 ans), Personnes âgées (65 ans et +)

Domaines de pratique

La défense des droits et intérêts, l'équité et la justice, la santé des Autochtones, le leadership et le changement, l'élaboration de politiques

Personnes présentatrices

Marie-Lyne Grenier, MScOT, DOT, Ph. D. (c), erg.

Marie-Lyne Grenier réside et travaille à Tiohtià:ke (Montréal) sur les terres non cédées du peuple Kanien'kehá:ka. Elle travaille comme ergothérapeute depuis 2010 et a exercé la profession aux États-Unis et au Canada dans des domaines de pratique incluant la réadaptation musculosquelettique, le retour au travail, les soins à domicile et l’ergonomie. Elle est également chargée de cours au Département d’ergothérapie de l’Université McGill et candidate au doctorat au Département d’études intégrées en éducation de McGill. Sa recherche doctorale vise à mieux comprendre les expériences éducatives qui soutiennent le développement et/ou le renforcement de l’engagement des personnes étudiantes en soins de santé pour l’équité et la justice dans les contextes de soins.

Frais d'inscription

Date limite de l’inscription: 17 avril 2026 à 9 h 59 (Heure de l’Est)  

Veuillez noter que l'ACE n’offre pas de frais d'inscription de groupe pour les ateliers.

*Il peut être plus rentable de devenir membre ou associé(e) de l'ACE plutôt que de payer le frais de non-membre. Consultez la section "Un non-membre peut-il s'inscrire à un atelier ?" de notre FAQ sur le développement professionnel pour des renseignements supplémentaires.

Inclus dans vos frais d'inscription

Atelier virtuel, accès à l’enregistrement pour une période de 14 jours suivant l’atelier, une copie électronique des documents de l’atelier, possibilité de réseauter et de créer des liens avec d'autres ergothérapeutes qui s'intéressent à ce sujet, certificat de participation électronique.

Politique d’annulation ou de remboursement

Toutes les demandes d'annulation ou de remboursement doivent être envoyées par écrit à education@caot.ca. Toutes les demandes reçues avant le 1er avril 2026 recevront un remboursement complet moins des frais administratifs de 50,00 $. Aucun remboursement ne sera accordé après le 1er avril 2026. Les demandes de substitution et de transfert reçues avant le 1er avril 2026 sont autorisées et sont assujetties à des frais administratifs de 50,00 $.

Si vous n'êtes exceptionnellement pas en mesure de terminer l'atelier, veuillez contacter education@caot.ca dans les 25 jours suivant la fin de l'atelier pour un accès prolongé à l'enregistrement (jusqu'à un mois après la fin de l'atelier) ou un transfert unique vers une autre offre du même atelier si l'inscription est actuellement ouverte.

L'ACE se réserve le droit de modifier le titre de l'atelier, la description, les dates d'inscription et les renseignements sur la page Web de l'atelier. L'ACE avisera les personnes inscrites au plus tard le 6 mars 2026 s'il y a un nombre insuffisant d'inscriptions à cette date et se réserve le droit d'annuler un atelier pour cette raison jusqu'au 20 mars 2026. L'ACE se réserve le droit de modifier l'offre, d'interrompre les ateliers, modifier l'horaire d'un atelier, annuler un atelier ou changer la technologie de l'atelier si que les personnes présentatrices ne sont plus en mesure de le présenter ou en raison de conditions météorologiques extrêmes, d'une panne de courant, de fermetures de bâtiments ou d'autres circonstances spéciales qui échappent au contrôle de l'ACE en informant les personnes inscrites dans les plus brefs délais. Si l'atelier est annulé par l'ACE, les personnes inscrites recevront un remboursement complet des frais d'inscription. L'ACE ne sera pas responsable des autres coûts ou dépenses engagées par les personnes inscrites à la suite de tels changements. 

L'Association canadienne des ergothérapeutes (ACE) s'est engagée pour l'accessibilité telle qu’inscrite dans la Loi sur l'accessibilité pour les personnes handicapées de l'Ontario (LAPHO). Nous fournissons une copie électronique des documents environ une semaine à l'avance en plusieurs diapositives, des sous-titres codés générés automatiquement via Zoom (sauf dans les salles de petits groupes), ainsi que l’accès à l'enregistrement pendant les deux semaines suivant l'atelier. Si vous avez besoin de mesures d’accessibilité supplémentaires, veuillez contacter education@caot.ca ou 1-800-434-2268.

Friday, March 20, 2026

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)

What time is this for me?

Aging in place is defined as the extent to which older adults are able to age in their own homes and communities for as long as possible. Supporting Canada’s growing older adult population to age well, in reasonably good health, and to live independently requires a combination of health and social services (Iciaszczyk et al., 2023). Occupational therapists (OTs) have expertise in assessing and addressing the impact of the context on a person’s occupational participation (ACOTRO et al., 2021), including the fit between persons and the built environment (Ainsworth & de Jonge, 2018), as well as the need for personal care and other assistance. Given that the majority of current housing stock is inaccessible or unsafe for people living with physical and/or cognitive impairments (Choi, 2021; Reid, 2022; Statistics Canada, 2022), OTs are often asked to recommend home modifications, including assistive devices and structural adaptations. This requires an in-depth level of knowledge and training that OTs are unlikely to receive during their entry-level occupational therapy education (Meyer & Proganc, 2022).

This one-day workshop will build the competency of occupational therapists regarding what to assess and how, as well as how to overcome physical access barriers by matching home modification solutions to the needs of aging and older adults, and their care partners. This workshop will begin with an overview of how and where older Canadians typically live, the challenges they face both in terms of overcoming functional limitations and navigating the health care system, and the need for occupational therapy-based aging-in-place services. The presenter will then briefly touch on the collaborative role that occupational therapists (OTs) play relative to others involved in the home health and home modification industries (e.g., supplier-dealers, designers, contractors, builders, funders). Significantly more time and attention will be spent describing areas and methods of assessments, as well as residential design standards and guidelines for improved function, safety, and accessibility. This includes reviewing examples of home modification assessment tools, documentation, and report templates. Case scenarios and images of real-world projects will be used to explore best practices for age-inclusive, health promoting built environments. Small group discussions will be used throughout the workshop to assist participants in applying their knowledge to case scenarios.

Preliminary workshop agenda

Learning objectives

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

1. Define key terminology, including aging in place, home safety, home modifications, accessibility, and universal or inclusive design.
2. Understand the role of occupational therapists in facilitating aging in place via home modifications.
3. Identify methods and practices used during occupational therapy-based home modification assessments with older adults.
4. Describe home modification solutions to remove physical access barriers for aging and older adults.
5. Describe home modification solutions to promote occupational participation among older adults.
6. Respond to the individual and societal factors that influence the adoption of home modifications for aging in place.

Target audience

Occupational therapist clinicians with a minimum of 3-5 years of clinical experience working in the community with (older) adults. Late-career OTs who are planning ahead for their own aging journey are also welcome to attend

Please note: Each participant is responsible to ensure they apply the information within the context of their licensure, provincial/territorial legislations, institution regulations, scope of practice, etc.

Client age group

Adults (20-64 years old), Older adults (65+ years old)

Areas of practice

Assistive Technology, Cognition, Dementia, Equipment Assessments, Home Assessment & Modification, Insurance Assessment, Medical-Legal Services, MSK Rehabilitation, MVA Rehabilitation, Older Adults, Role-Emerging, Universal & Inclusive Design, Veterans Affairs or Armed Forces

Workshop level

Intermediate (3-5 years of experience in this specific practice area)

Please note: Participants with more or less than this stated level of experience are welcome to attend the workshop. The workshop content will be geared towards those with 3-5 years of experience.

Presenter

Margot McWhirter, MA, OT Reg. (Ont.)

Margot McWhirter is an occupational therapist with a Master's Degree in Gerontology, as well as certifications in Universal Design, Patient Navigation, and the Executive Certificate in Home Modifications (ECHM) from the University of Southern California. She operates her Ontario-based practice, Inclusive Aging, which focuses on family-centred, aging-in-place services. These services include both simple and complex home modifications, equipment and care coordination, and education for clients, family and/or care partners Margot also collaborates with businesses to enable accessible, age-inclusive products, spaces, and services. She is the co-chair of the CAOT's Home Modifications and Inclusive Design Network, a member of an interprofessional Design and Dementia Community of Practice, and a retired member of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA)'s B651 Technical Committee on Accessible Design for the Built Environment. Frequently invited as a public speaker and guest lecturer, Margot taught for York University's Faculty of Health - Health Leadership and Learning Network (HLLN) prior to its closure in May 2024. Margot is dedicated to ending one of the last socially acceptable prejudices - ageism - and is committed to empowering others to grow (b)older with purpose.

Registration fees

Registration deadline: March 20, 2026 at 9:59 a.m. (Eastern Time)  

Please note that CAOT does not offer group registration fees.

*It may be more cost effective to become a CAOT Member or Associate rather than pay the non-member rate. See “Can a non-member register for a Workshop?” in our Professional Development FAQs to know which membership category you are eligible for.

Included in your registration fee:

Online workshop, access to the recording for a period of 14 days following the workshop, electronic copy of presentation slide handouts, opportunity to network and make connections with other occupational therapists interested in this topic, electronic certificate of attendance.

Cancellation/refund policy

All cancellation/refund requests must be sent in writing to education@caot.ca. All cancellation requests received by March 4, 2026 will be given a full refund minus a $50.00 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after March 4, 2026. Substitutions and transfers requests received by March 4, 2026 are permitted and are subject to a $50.00 administrative fee.

If you are exceptionally unable to complete the workshop, please reach out to education@caot.ca by 25 days following the end of the workshop for extended access to the recording (up to one month after the end of the workshop) or a one-time transfer to another offering of the same workshop if currently open for registration. 

CAOT reserves the right to modify the workshop title, description, registration dates and information on the workshop webpage. CAOT will notify participants on or before February 6, 2026 if there is insufficient registration by that date and reserves the right to cancel a Workshop due to insufficient registration up until February 20, 2026. CAOT reserves the right to modify the offering, interrupt Workshops, change the timing of a Workshop, cancel a Workshop or change the technology for the Workshop due to the presenter no longer being able to present the Workshop, severe weather, power failure, building closures or other special circumstances that are beyond the control of CAOT by notifying participants as soon as possible. If the Workshop is cancelled by CAOT, registrants will receive a full refund of the registration fee. CAOT will not be responsible for other costs or expenses incurred by registrants as a result of any such changes.

  Provide suggestions for Professional Development

The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is committed to accessibility as expressed in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We provide an electronic copy of the handouts approximately one week ahead of time in multiple slide layouts, auto-generated closed captioning through Zoom (excluding breakout rooms), as well as access to the recording for two weeks following the workshop. If you require additional special arrangements for accessibility, please contact education@caot.ca or 1-800-434-2268.  

Please note that workshop is offered in English.

Thursday, March 5 & Friday, March 6, 2026

12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)

What time is this for me?

Interoception is the sixth sense that is at the core of how the internal body environment is regulated (Mahler, 2015). The body was designed with a multitude of interoceptive receptors to give the brain clues regarding how it is feeling and what is needed in order to find balance and comfort. The journey of interoception for clients must start with learning the language of the different body sensations, then moving on to recognize and match the intensity of these body sensations to emotion (Mahler, 2015).  Occupational therapy professionals can equip clients to identify body sensations and understand their relationship to emotions. This set of emotional literacy skills empowers clients to be in tune with their bodies, their needs, their authentic selves and, with this knowledge, to advocate for the tools necessary to process stress and to regulate self. Teaching interoception and emotional literacy facilitates occupational therapy practices that are neurodiversity affirming and trauma sensitive (Mahler, 2015; Endow, 2023). 

This experiential and interactive workshop will explore interoception as the sixth sense and its relevance to self-regulation and daily life participation. A variety of evidence-based tools and interventions relevant to the pediatric population will be discussed and experienced. Participants will have the opportunity to participate in the interventions first, and these learning experiences will influence how they apply them to their occupational therapy practice.  Throughout this workshop, research related to masking, mental health, suicide, trauma, and their relationship to interoception will be discussed. Large and small group discussions, experiential exercises for individuals and in groups will be utilized to facilitate the integration of knowledge into practice. 

Preliminary workshop agenda

Day 1

Day 2

Learning objectives

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

1. Understand interoception and how it relates to daily participation, emotional literacy, and self-regulation.
2. Discuss the role of interoception when addressing emotional literacy, masking, mental health challenges, suicide, and trauma from a neurodiversity-affirming and trauma-sensitive lens.
3. Learn to implement into practice a variety of evidence-based tools and interventions that address interoception awareness when working with children, youth, and families.

Target audience

Occupational therapists, occupational therapist assistants, and students in occupational therapy programs or OTA/PTA programs who are seeking increased skills in addressing interoception in a neurodiversity-affirming and trauma-sensitive way when working with children, youth, and their families.

Areas of practice 

Autism/Neurodiversity, Caregiver/Family Education, Developmental Disability, Mental Health, Parental Health, Pediatrics, Occupational Therapist Assistant, Sensory Integration & Processing, Self-regulation, Trauma 

Client age group

Young children (2-4 years old), Children (5-12 years old), Adolescents (13-19 years old) 

Workshop level

Intermediate (3-5 years of experience in this specific practice area) 

Please note: Participants with more or less than this stated level of experience are welcome to attend the workshop. The workshop content will be geared towards those with 3-5 years of experience.

Presenter

Alex Thompson, Reg. OT (BC) 

Alex Thompson is the executive director and founder of Power for All, a charity that has been offering nature-based occupational therapy services to clients of all ages and abilities in the Fraser Valley for the last 16 years. Alex has a variety of credentials in the areas of early years and school age education, outdoor recreation, adventure therapy, mental health, trauma, yoga, fitness and occupational therapy. She shares her passion for an accessible world by teaching at the University of the Fraser Valley in the Child, Youth, and Family Studies department. She is a speaker at local and international  conferences and offers training at municipal Parks and Recreation departments, private and public-school districts, and community organizations. She has worked in Inuit communities and abroad in a variety of countries as an OT pediatric consultant. She is a published author and researcher in the Journal of Disability and Rehabilitation. In her spare time, she loves being in nature and volunteering for social justice and inclusive sport causes.

Registration fees

Registration deadline: March 5, 2026 at 11:59 a.m. (Eastern Time)

Please note that CAOT does not offer group registration fees.

*It may be more cost effective to become a CAOT Member or Associate rather than pay the non-member rate. See “Can a non-member register for a Workshop?” in our Professional Development FAQs to know which membership category you are eligible for.

Included in your registration fee:

Online workshop, access to the recording for a period of 14 days following the workshop, electronic copy of presentation slide handouts, opportunity to network and make connections with other occupational therapists interested in this topic, electronic certificate of attendance.

Cancellation/refund policy

All cancellation/refund requests must be sent in writing to education@caot.ca. All cancellation requests received by February 18, 2026 will be given a full refund minus a $50.00 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after February 18, 2026. Substitutions and transfers requests received by February 18, 2026 are permitted and are subject to a $50.00 administrative fee.

If you are exceptionally unable to complete the workshop, please reach out to education@caot.ca by 25 days following the end of the workshop for extended access to the recording (up to one month after the end of the workshop) or a one-time transfer to another offering of the same workshop if currently open for registration.  CAOT reserves the right to modify the workshop title, description, registration dates and information on the workshop webpage. CAOT will notify participants on or before January 23, 2026 if there is insufficient registration by that date and reserves the right to cancel a Workshop due to insufficient registration up until February 6, 2026. CAOT reserves the right to modify the offering, interrupt Workshops, change the timing of a Workshop, cancel a Workshop or change the technology for the Workshop due to the presenter no longer being able to present the Workshop, severe weather, power failure, building closures or other special circumstances that are beyond the control of CAOT by notifying participants as soon as possible. If the Workshop is cancelled by CAOT, registrants will receive a full refund of the registration fee. CAOT will not be responsible for other costs or expenses incurred by registrants as a result of any such changes.

  Professional Development FAQs

  Provide suggestions for Professional Development


The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is committed to accessibility as expressed in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We provide an electronic copy of the handouts approximately one week ahead of time in multiple slide layouts, auto-generated closed captioning through Zoom (excluding breakout rooms), as well as access to the recording for two weeks following the workshop. If you require additional special arrangements for accessibility, please contact education@caot.ca or 1-800-434-2268.    

Please note that workshop is offered in English.

Online

Thursday, February 12 & Friday, February 13, 2026

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)

What time is this for me?

As our understanding of autism and co-occurring conditions continues to evolve, health care professionals, including occupational therapists, are being called upon to adopt strengths-based, neurodiversity-affirming, and trauma-informed best practices to support participation in occupations that are meaningful to our clients and their families (e.g., Dallman et al., 2022; Kornblau & Robertson, 2021).

This two-day interactive workshop explores sensory processing, recommended assessments, evidence-based sensory-based interventions (SBIs), and strengths-based coaching approaches that you can utilize with neurodivergent children, teens, and adults who experience sensory processing differences* (including, but not limited to, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder as well as anxiety and other mental health conditions) to support occupational participation. The first day of the workshop will highlight the different sensory systems, relevant theories and research on sensory processing as well as an update on our current understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with implications for occupational therapy practice. Recommended assessments and outcome measures will also be identified and discussed. The second day will focus on the presenter’s BEST (Body, Emotional, Sensory, and Thinking) approach. The approach will be explored in detail and you will have the opportunity to consider how to develop a therapy plan using this approach while maintaining a neurodiversity-affirming and strengths-based stance.

Small group activities, case studies, practice opportunities, ongoing reflection, and discussion will be utilized throughout the two days.  

* Please note that the presenter’s clinical experience is primarily with autistic persons and that the case studies/videos used will focus on autism and common co-occurring conditions).

Preliminary workshop agenda

Day 1

Day 2

Learning objectives

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

1. Explain sensory processing, the eight sensory systems and understand their relationship with our physical and mental health.
2. Describe the impact of sensory processing challenges on the lived experience of autistic children, youth, and adults and their families.
3. Gain an understanding of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), describe new ways of interpreting autism, and be aware of the latest relevant research findings that have implications for occupational therapy practice.
4. Describe different types of sensory-based behavioural responses and identify sources of interfering or challenging behaviours such as: anxiety co-occurring medical conditions, autistic behavioural characteristics, etc.
5. Select from recommended sensory processing assessments and outcome measures that best support our work with autistic and other neurodivergent people and their families while maintaining a neurodiversity-affirming stance.
6. Begin to implement the BEST (Body, Emotional, Sensory and Thinking) approach to support a person’s occupational participation.
7. Understand how to implement key solution-focused communication (SFC) principles and strengths-based approaches when supporting neurodivergent people and their families.
8. Articulate the key role of occupational therapy in supporting the occupational participation of autistic and other neurodivergent people within collaborative and multidisciplinary contexts.
   

Target audience

Occupational therapists, occupational therapist assistants, students in occupational therapy programs and other health professionals who work with neurodivergent children, youth and adults who present with sensory processing differences* (including, but not limited to autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder as well as anxiety and other mental health conditions)

Please note: This workshop was previously offered under the title “A comprehensive introduction to sensory processing and autism: Towards the development of a strengths-based and neurodiversity-affirming occupational therapy practice”. Each participant is responsible to ensure they apply the information within the context of their licensure, provincial/territorial legislations, institution regulations, scope of practice, etc.

Client age group

Young children (0-4 years old), Children (5-12 years old), Adolescents (13-19 years old), Adults (20-64 years old)

Areas of practice

Autism/Neurodiversity, Caregiver/Family Education, Generalist, Health Promotion & Wellness, Leadership & Change Agency, Occupational Therapist Assistant, Pediatrics, Sensory Integration & Processing

Workshop level

Beginner (0-2 years of experience in neurodiversity-affirming practice) 

Please note: Participants with more than this stated level of experience are welcome to attend the workshop. The workshop content will be geared towards those with 0-2 years of experience and/or those who are interested in learning about neurodiversity-affirming practices and taking steps towards embedding these into their practice. 

Presenter

Moira Peña, BScOT, MOT, OT Reg. (Ont.)

Moira Peña is an occupational therapist with over 25 years of experience who is passionate about equipping occupational therapy practitioners and other health care and education professionals with neurodiversity-affirming and strengths-based practice knowledge & skills that best support autistic people. She works at Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and is the founder of Moira Peña Sensory Workshops, where she delivers professional development trainings. She is the creator and host of Holland Bloorview’s Autism Summit, a knowledge-sharing initiative featuring two international summits, a coaching program for occupational therapists, an open-access autism toolkit, and the Autism Occupational Therapy Guiding Principles—co-developed in collaboration with autistic individuals, families, and professionals. Moira is also an Expert Hub Team member of the ECHO Ontario Autism Program, supporting clinicians and educators in implementing best practices in autism care. She is a published author, an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Toronto, and a certified Solution-Focused Healthcare Facilitator and Coach (C-SFHC). 

Registration fees

Registration deadline: February 12, 2026 at 9:59 a.m. (Eastern Time)

Please note that CAOT does not offer group registration fees. 

 *It may be more cost effective to become a CAOT Member or Associate rather than pay the non-member rate. See “Can a non-member register for a Workshop?” in our Professional Development FAQs to know which membership category you are eligible for.  

Included in your registration fee:

Two-day online workshop, access to the recording for a period of 14 days following the workshop, electronic copy of presentation slide handouts, opportunity to network and make connections with other occupational therapists interested in this topic, electronic certificate of attendance.

Cancellation/refund policy

All cancellation/refund requests must be sent in writing to education@caot.ca. All cancellation requests received by January 28, 2026 will be given a full refund minus a $50.00 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after January 28, 2026. Substitutions and transfers requests received by January 28, 2026 are permitted and are subject to a $50.00 administrative fee.

If you are exceptionally unable to complete the workshop, please reach out to education@caot.ca by 25 days following the end of the workshop for extended access to the recording (up to one month after the end of the workshop) or a one-time transfer to another offering of the same workshop if currently open for registration.  CAOT reserves the right to modify the workshop title, description, registration dates and information on the workshop webpage. CAOT will notify participants on or before January 2, 2026 if there is insufficient registration by that date and reserves the right to cancel a Workshop due to insufficient registration up until January 16, 2026. CAOT reserves the right to modify the offering, interrupt Workshops, change the timing of a Workshop, cancel a Workshop or change the technology for the Workshop due to the presenter no longer being able to present the Workshop, severe weather, power failure, building closures or other special circumstances that are beyond the control of CAOT by notifying participants as soon as possible. If the Workshop is cancelled by CAOT, registrants will receive a full refund of the registration fee. CAOT will not be responsible for other costs or expenses incurred by registrants as a result of any such changes.

  Professional Development FAQs

  Provide suggestions for Professional Development


The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is committed to accessibility as expressed in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We provide an electronic copy of the handouts approximately one week ahead of time in multiple slide layouts, auto-generated closed captioning through Zoom (excluding breakout rooms), as well as access to the recording for two weeks following the workshop. If you require additional special arrangements for accessibility, please contact education@caot.ca or 1-800-434-2268.    

Please note that workshop is offered in English.

Online Workshop

Friday, January 9, 2026 

10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)

What time is this for me?

Anxiety disorders are prevalent in Canada, affecting approximately 5.2% of individuals aged 15 and older, with a notable increase from 2.6% in 2012 to 5.2% in 2022. These conditions significantly impact daily functioning, with 27% of those affected reporting substantial interference in their lives. Occupational therapists (OTs) are uniquely positioned to assist clients with anxiety by employing therapeutic interventions that address the physical, emotional, and cognitive aspects of anxiety. Through personalized strategies, OTs can enhance clients' coping mechanisms, improve daily functioning, and promote overall well-being. Given the rising prevalence of anxiety disorders in Canada, integrating OT services into mental health care is essential to provide comprehensive support for individuals affected by anxiety.

In this workshop, we will explore nervous system regulation, brain retraining, and relevant OT strategies for managing anxiety. We’ll discuss techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness, and sensory modulation to help clients regulate their nervous system. The session will cover brain retraining through neuroplasticity, focusing on reshaping anxiety-related thought patterns. Participants will learn practical OT strategies such as graded exposure, self-compassion, and cognitive restructuring to enhance emotional regulation and daily functioning. Emphasizing a client-centered approach, we will provide tools for OTs to tailor interventions and support clients with anxiety, fostering resilience and improving overall well-being.

Preliminary workshop agenda

By the end of this workshop, you will learn evidence-based strategies for nervous system regulation, brain retraining, and client-centered OT interventions to effectively support clients managing anxiety 

Target audience

Occupational therapist clinicians and educators who wish to learn how to use acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) effectively to support their clients in living well, even in the presence of psycho-emotional pain. Students in occupational therapy programs are also welcome to participate.

Please note: Each participant is responsible to ensure they apply the information within the context of their licensure, provincial/territorial legislations, institution regulations, scope of practice, etc.

Client age group

Children (5-12 years old) Adolescents (13-19 years old) Adults (20-64 years old) Older adults (65+ years old)

Areas of practice

Acute Care Autism/Neurodiversity Brain injury/Concussion/Spinal Cord Cancer Care Cardio-Respiratory Care Case Management Chronic Disease Management Chronic Pain Education & Fieldwork Forensic Mental Health Generalist Global Health Hand Therapy Health Promotion & Wellness Indigenous Health Mental Health MSK Rehabilitation MVA Rehabilitation Neurology Older Adults Primary Care Psychotherapy Return to Work Sensory Integration & Processing Service/Business Administration Sexuality & Gender Substance Use/Addictions Veterans Affairs or Armed Forces

Workshop level

Beginner (0-2 years of experience in this specific practice area)

Please note: Participants with more or less than this stated level of experience are welcome to attend the workshop. The workshop content will be geared towards those with 3-5 years of experience.

Presenter

Zara Dureno 

Zara Dureno is an Occupational Therapist with extensive experience and training in Mental Health, ME/CFS, long COVID, chronic pain, and concussion recovery. With a compassionate, holistic, and evidence-based approach, she helps clients regulate their nervous systems, build resilience, and reclaim their lives. Informed by her own recovery from chronic conditions and her love of neuroscience, Zara integrates many holistic and evidence-based to support lasting change. As a presenter, she is passionate about sharing practical strategies that empower both clients and clinicians in their journey toward healing and well-being.

Registration fees

Early bird rates: Registration and payment completed by November 12, 2025

Regular rates: Registration and payment completed after November 12, 2025

Registration deadline: January 9, 2026 at 9:59 a.m. (Eastern Time)

Please note that CAOT does not offer group registration fees. *It may be more cost effective to become a CAOT Member or Associate rather than pay the non-member rate. See “Can a non-member register for a Workshop?” in our Professional Development FAQs to know which membership category you are eligible for.  

Included in your registration fee:

Online workshop, access to the recording for a period of 14 days following the workshop, electronic copy of presentation slide handouts, opportunity to network and make connections with other occupational therapists interested in this topic, electronic certificate of attendance.

Cancellation/refund policy

All cancellation/refund requests must be sent in writing to education@caot.ca. All cancellation requests received by December 24, 2025 will be given a full refund minus a $50.00 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after December 24, 2025. Substitutions and transfers requests received by December 24, 2025 are permitted and are subject to a $50.00 administrative fee.

If you are exceptionally unable to complete the workshop, please reach out to education@caot.ca by 25 days following the end of the workshop for extended access to the recording (up to one month after the end of the workshop) or a one-time transfer to another offering of the same workshop if currently open for registration.  CAOT reserves the right to modify the workshop title, description, registration dates and information on the workshop webpage. CAOT will notify participants on or before November 28, 2025 if there is insufficient registration by that date and reserves the right to cancel a Workshop due to insufficient registration up until December 12, 2025. CAOT reserves the right to modify the offering, interrupt Workshops, change the timing of a Workshop, cancel a Workshop or change the technology for the Workshop due to the presenter no longer being able to present the Workshop, severe weather, power failure, building closures or other special circumstances that are beyond the control of CAOT by notifying participants as soon as possible. If the Workshop is cancelled by CAOT, registrants will receive a full refund of the registration fee. CAOT will not be responsible for other costs or expenses incurred by registrants as a result of any such changes.

  Provide suggestions for Professional Development


The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is committed to accessibility as expressed in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We provide an electronic copy of the handouts approximately one week ahead of time in multiple slide layouts, auto-generated closed captioning through Zoom (excluding breakout rooms), as well as access to the recording for two weeks following the workshop. If you require additional special arrangements for accessibility, please contact education@caot.ca or 1-800-434-2268.  

Please note that workshop is offered in English.

Online workshop

December 11 & 12, 2025

12:30 to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)

What time is this for me?

Occupational therapy professionals can offer input into the design of internal and external environments to support, develop, and motivate children and adolescents’ self-regulation skills. Shanker (2017) stated “the ability to self-regulate — to strategically modulate one’s emotional reactions or states to be more effective at coping and engaging with the environment — is a critical aspect of human development”. While many children can develop self-regulatory skills on their own, either by trial and error or by observing others (Bandura, n.d.), others have significant difficulties in developing these skills. By examining principles of Polyvagal theory (Porges, 2022), the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (Perry, 2019), and sensory-enhanced movement (Stoller, 2019), occupational therapy professionals can facilitate children and adolescents’ learning of self-regulation skills, which then facilitates their participation in occupations.

This experiential workshop will expand occupational therapy professionals’ knowledge of theories and techniques that can have a positive impact on teaching self-regulation to children and adolescents. Participants will learn how the relationship and application of Polyvagal theory, the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics, interoception, and sensory-enhanced movement contribute to the development of self-regulation skills. A variety of experiential learning activities and resources will be used to support participants in learning and practicing evidence-based techniques to teach self-regulation to children and adolescents.

Preliminary workshop agenda

Day 1 — December 11, 2025

Day 2 — December 12, 2025

Learning objectives:

• Understand and apply relevant principles of Polyvagal theory to the development of self-regulation skills.
• Understand and apply relevant principles of the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics to the development of self-regulation skills.
• Understand and apply relevant principles of interoception to the development of self-regulation skills.
• Understand and apply relevant principles of sensory-enhanced movement to the development of self-regulation skills.
• Utilize a variety of evidence-based techniques for teaching self-regulation to children and adolescents.

Target audience:

Occupational therapist clinicians, occupational therapist assistants, students in occupational therapy programs, students in OTA/PTA programs, speech-language pathologists, social workers, and teachers/educators who wish to improve their ability to effectively teach self-regulation to children and adolescents. The tools and interventions discussed are meant to be delivered in a multi-tiered, Response to Intervention (RTI) model.

Please note: Each participant is responsible to ensure they apply the information within the context of their licensure, provincial/territorial legislations, institution regulations, scope of practice, etc. To fully participate in the workshop, participants will need to be in a space where they can move, be active, and participate in discussions that require privacy and focused attention. Activewear clothing and shoes are recommended. A chair and/or yoga mat will be helpful to participate in workshop activities.

Areas of practice:

Autism/Neurodiversity, Chronic Pain, Cognition, Developmental Disability, Health Promotion & Wellness, Mental Health, Occupational Therapist Assistant, Parental Health, Pediatrics, Sensory Integration & Processing, Universal Design

Client age group:

Children (5–12 years old), Adolescents (13–19 years old)

Workshop level:

Intermediate (3–5 years of experience in this specific practice area)

Participants with more or less than this stated level of experience are welcome to attend the workshop. The workshop content will be geared towards those with 3–5 years of experience.

Presenter

Alex Thompson, Reg. OT (BC)

Alex Thompson is the executive director and founder of Power for All, a charity that has been offering nature-based occupational therapy services to clients of all ages and abilities in the Fraser Valley, BC for the last 15 years. Alex has a background and a variety of credentials in the areas of early years and school age education, outdoor recreation, adventure therapy, mental health, trauma, self-regulation, yoga, fitness, and occupational therapy. She shares her passion and knowledge for an accessible world by teaching at the University of the Fraser Valley in the Child, Youth, and Family Studies department. She is a speaker at conferences and offers training at various local Parks and Recreation departments, private and public-school districts, community, and early years organizations. She has also worked in Inuit communities and abroad in a variety of countries as a pediatric school therapy consultant. She is a published author and researcher in the Journal of Disability and Rehabilitation. In her spare time, she loves being in nature, seeking community, and volunteering to social justice, environmental, and sport causes.

Registration fees

Registration deadline: December 11, 2025 at 12:29 p.m. (Eastern Time)

CAOT does not offer group registration fees. Pending sufficient space, CAOT offers late registration for workshops at the regular rate plus a $50 administration fee. *It may be more cost effective to become a CAOT Member or Associate rather than pay the non-member rate. See Professional Development FAQs to know which membership category you are eligible for.

Included in your registration fee: Online workshop, access to the recording for a period of 14 days following the workshop, electronic copy of presentation slide handouts, opportunity to network and make connections with other occupational therapists interested in this topic, electronic certificate of attendance.

Cancellation/refund policy

All cancellation/refund requests must be sent in writing to education@caot.ca. All cancellation requests received by November 26, 2025 will be given a full refund minus a $50.00 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after November 26, 2025. Substitutions and transfers requests received by November 26, 2025 are permitted and are subject to a $50.00 administrative fee.

If you are exceptionally unable to complete the workshop, please reach out to education@caot.ca by 25 days following the end of the workshop for extended access to the recording (up to one month after the end of the workshop) or a one-time transfer to another offering of the same workshop if currently open for registration.

CAOT reserves the right to modify the workshop title, description, registration dates and information on the workshop webpage. CAOT will notify participants on or before October 31, 2025 if there is insufficient registration by that date and reserves the right to cancel a Workshop due to insufficient registration up until November 14, 2025. CAOT reserves the right to modify the offering, interrupt Workshops, change the timing of a Workshop, cancel a Workshop or change the technology for the Workshop due to the presenter no longer being able to present the Workshop, severe weather, power failure, building closures or other special circumstances that are beyond the control of CAOT by notifying participants as soon as possible. If the Workshop is cancelled by CAOT, registrants will receive a full refund of the registration fee. CAOT will not be responsible for other costs or expenses incurred by registrants as a result of any such changes.

  Professional Development FAQs

  Provide suggestions for Professional Development

The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is committed to accessibility as expressed in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We provide an electronic copy of the handouts approximately one week ahead of time in multiple slide layouts, auto-generated closed captioning through Zoom (excluding breakout rooms), as well as access to the recording for two weeks following the workshop. If you require additional special arrangements for accessibility, please contact education@caot.ca or 1-800-434-2268.

Please note that workshop is offered in English.

Online

Thursday, December 4, 2025

10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)

What time is this for me?

Occupational therapists have a recognized importance in mental health care delivery given their unique strengths for task analysis and assessing function, but can be quite varied in how assessments and interventions are carried out. Four factors that promote positive mental health outcomes and decrease readmission to hospital include psychoeducation to improve well-being (Tyler et al., 2019), medication adherence, decreasing suicide, and ensuring transition of support to community (Tyler et al., 2019; Owusu et al., 2022). Having agreed upon core outcomes for mental health discharge, as well as a clear description of occupational challenges that the therapy aims to address, will provide structure and transparency to service, and lead to greater understanding of effective therapy (Tyler et al., 2019). 

This one-day practical skills workshop will focus on providing a structure for occupational therapy assessment and interventions and clarifying outcomes for mental health discharge. The workshop will provide an overview of the following entry points for occupational therapists to assess needs: activation, assess/facilitate occupational possibilities, coping strategy training, and relapse prevention. At each of these entry points, case studies will illustrate the content and process to deliver interventions. The benefits of task sessions, functional assessments, and standardized assessments will be overviewed to provide a cognitive functional profile for the client and team. Coping strategies will be organized in four coping categories, with a summary of what each category brings to managing the stress response, participating in valued occupations, and promoting function. Kolb's Adult Learning Model (Kolb, 2014) will be described and illustrated as a tool to teach coping strategy content. Four coping modules will be reviewed specifically to target outcomes for successful transition to the community. These modules will address healthy and meaningful routines, medication adherence, suicide safety, and communication tools to connect with personal and professional supports.

Small group discussions and practice opportunities in breakout rooms will be utilized to support occupational therapists in gaining efficiencies in clinical reasoning and decision making, collaborating with clients, and delivering interventions in mental health. By the end of this workshop, occupational therapists will have the tools and language to advocate and illustrate their role with clients experiencing mental health challenges.

Preliminary workshop agenda

Learning objectives

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

1. Structure mental health interventions based on four levels of needs (activation, assess/facilitate occupational possibilities, coping strategy training, relapse prevention).
2. Identify six techniques to activate and empower clients.
3. Name one formal and one informal assessment to aid in determining functional cognitive profiles related to various occupations.
4. Define benefits for four coping categories and name corresponding coping strategies.
5. Demonstrate Kolb's Adult Learning Model (Kolb, 2014).
6. Justify four coping modules for relapse prevention.

Target audience

Occupational therapist clinicians and educators who are seeking a structured approach for assessment and interventions to ensure greater transparency of service, inform clinical reasoning, and promote efficiencies in mental health service delivery.

Please note: Each participant is responsible to ensure they apply the information within the context of their licensure, provincial/territorial legislations, institution regulations, scope of practice, etc.

Client age group

Adolescents (13-19 years old), Adults (20-64 years old)

Areas of practice

Acute Care, Advocacy, Education & Fieldwork, Mental Health, Psychotherapy

Workshop level

Beginner (0-2 years of experience in group therapy)

Please note: Participants with more than this stated level of experience are welcome to attend the workshop. The workshop content will be geared towards those with 0-2 years of experience in this specific area of practice.

Presenter

Theresa Straathof, OT Reg. (Ont.)

Theresa Straathof has worked 32 years as a clinical occupational therapist in acute mental health. She completed her Diploma in Adult Education through St. Francis Xavier University, where she received the Lynn Irlam "Make a Difference Award" for her development of coping strategies modules. She has written two manuals to facilitate teaching a variety of coping strategy content using Kolb's Adult Learning Cycle (Kolb, 2014). She has presented nationally, internationally and is a guest lecturer with three Canadian universities on topics related to behaviour activation, coping strategy training, adult learning, and suicide prevention. She is a member of the CAOT network: Addressing Suicide in Occupational Therapy Practice.

Registration fees

Registration deadline: December 4, 2025 at 9:59 a.m. (Eastern Time)

Please note that CAOT does not offer group registration fees. 

*It may be more cost effective to become a CAOT Member or Associate rather than pay the non-member rate. See “Can a non-member register for a Workshop?” in our Professional Development FAQs to know which membership category you are eligible for. 

Included in your registration fee:

Online workshop, access to the recording for a period of 14 days following the workshop, electronic copy of presentation slide handouts, opportunity to network and make connections with other occupational therapists interested in this topic, electronic certificate of attendance.

Cancellation/refund policy

All cancellation/refund requests must be sent in writing to education@caot.ca. All cancellation requests received by November 19, 2025 will be given a full refund minus a $50.00 administrative fee. No refunds will be given after November 19, 2025. Substitutions and transfers requests received by November 19, 2025 are permitted and are subject to a $50.00 administrative fee.

If you are exceptionally unable to complete the workshop, please reach out to education@caot.ca by 25 days following the end of the workshop for extended access to the recording (up to one month after the end of the workshop) or a one-time transfer to another offering of the same workshop if currently open for registration. 

CAOT reserves the right to modify the workshop title, description, registration dates and information on the workshop webpage. CAOT will notify participants on or before October 24, 2025 if there is insufficient registration by that date and reserves the right to cancel a Workshop due to insufficient registration up until November 7, 2025. CAOT reserves the right to modify the offering, interrupt Workshops, change the timing of a Workshop, cancel a Workshop or change the technology for the Workshop due to the presenter no longer being able to present the Workshop, severe weather, power failure, building closures or other special circumstances that are beyond the control of CAOT by notifying participants as soon as possible. If the Workshop is cancelled by CAOT, registrants will receive a full refund of the registration fee. CAOT will not be responsible for other costs or expenses incurred by registrants as a result of any such changes.

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The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) is committed to accessibility as expressed in the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). We provide an electronic copy of the handouts approximately one week ahead of time in multiple slide layouts, auto-generated closed captioning through Zoom (excluding breakout rooms), as well as access to the recording for two weeks following the workshop. If you require additional special arrangements for accessibility, please contact education@caot.ca or 1-800-434-2268.    

Please note that workshop is offered in English.