Brock University Certificate Training Programs

Date: February 29-March 1 AND March 4-5, 2024

Registration Fee: $700 (discounts available), early bird rate until February 8, 2024.

Please use the new event/course registration portal to sign up for any current courses by clicking on the button below. For registration and payment by cheque, or if your organization requires an invoice, please contact training@obia.on.ca or phone 905-641-8877 ext. 102.

Register and Pay Online HERE

Approved by VRA Canada for 24.5 Continuing Education Hours – Certificates available upon request

In response to COVID-19, OBIA remains committed to provide training for individuals working with people with brain injuries. This certificate course will now be accessible through a live online virtual classroom and will be interactive with breakout rooms and small group discussions.

New in 2021! This course has been revised to incorporate the INESSS-ONF Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Rehabilitation of Adults with Moderate to Severe TBI into the curriculum. Participants will now learn how to implement these guidelines in their daily work with clients!

This four day Certificate Training Program will provide you with information, techniques, strategies and interventions that will equip you to better support people with ABI. Some topics include:

Introduction to Neurorehabilitation: Where brain and function meet
Foundations of Neurorehabilitation
Facilitating cognitive function in everyday life
Behavioural challenges and facilitating participation in life roles
Relationship building: Supporting engagement in social roles and developing adaptive social networks
Risk management: Seeking a balance between protection and risk

Dawn Good, PhD, CPsych is an Associate Professor, and past Chair and Director, at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, in the Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience. Her research is in the field of acquired brain injury in both paediatric and adult populations. She is a Research Associate of the Lifespan Development Research Institute at Brock University and a Registered Psychologist (Ontario) specializing in the fields of neuropsychology and cognitive rehabilitation, licensed to practice in the province of Ontario. She is a Director with the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, and a writer for the licensing EPPP (Examination for the Professional Practice in Psychology) exam for North American licensure and deemed an expert witness in neuropsychology for both civilian and criminal courts in Ontario. Her research grants have spanned the areas of paediatric acquired brain injury (ABI) and cognitive functions/strategies for persons with ABI and was acknowledged by the Canadian Institute of Health Research as a Canada 150 Health Researchers: Discoveries for Life. She also serves as a Consultant Neuropsychologist to brain injury rehabilitation and mental health programs across Ontario.
Sherrie Bieman-Copland, PhD, CPsych is a Registered Psychologist who practices in the areas of neuropsychology and rehabilitation. She is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario and is owner of Bieman-Copland & Associates. She also serves as a consultant psychologist to various community-based rehabilitation programs.
Deidre Sperry MSc, S-LP(C) is a registered Speech Language Pathologist and has been practicing for more than 15 years. Dee works in private practice and focuses her work on helping people with acquired brain injuries. In addition to working directly with people living with ABI, she has worked with others to develop various assessment and treatment tools that are now used all over the world. She was also a member of the Expert Panel for the development of the Preferred Practice Guidelines for Cognitive Communication Disorders.
Julie Baker, MA, PhD is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Counselling & Clinical Psychology at Medaille University, Buffalo, NY in the Doctoral Psychology program (American Psychological Association – Accredited, on contingency). Since 2010 she has been a part-time instructor at Brock University in the Department of Psychology and is an affiliate member of the Neuropsychology Cognitive Research Lab at Brock University. She completed her degrees in Psychology at Brock University with an emphasis in behavioural neuroscience and neuropsychology. Dr. Baker teaches graduate (PsyD, MA Psychology) and undergraduate (Psychology, Neuroscience majors) courses in brain and behaviour, neuropsychology, clinical psychopharmacology, psychometrics, health psychology, developmental psychology, trauma psychology, and cognitive and affective processes, amongst others. She was a Clinical Neuropsychology Intern in the Mental Health division of the Niagara Health System – St. Catharines site and is currently an Intern in Clinical Neuropsychology in a private practice. Dr. Baker has held a variety of scholarships and research grants each with a focus on neuroemotional and neurocognitive sequelae in persons with neurological compromise, particularly traumatic brain injury, including indices of atypical indices of sympathetic nervous system and/or neuroendocrine reactivity in response to stress. This research has been published and presented at a variety of international (e.g., International Brain Injury Association; American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine; North American Brain Injury Society) and national (e.g., Canadian Psychological Association) conferences.
Angela Dzyundzyak MA, PhD is an intern and psychometrist in Clinical Neuropsychology as well as a part-time instructor at Brock University. She completed an internship in Clinical Neuropsychology with children and adults at St. Catharines General Hospital (Mental Health division) in 2017 and since then has been working with a variety of populations (e.g., mild to severe TBI/ABI, neurodivergent, and neurotypical, individuals) engaging residential, case study and individual neurocognitive/neuroemotional assessment and treatment programming in a Clinical Neuropsychology Private Practice setting. Dr. Dzyundzyak has been involved with the OBIA Brock Certification program since 2007, first as a student and then as a Research Associate to support the development and updating of materials for the various Level I and II courses. She completed her BSc in Neuroscience (Neuropsychology stream) and her graduate studies in Psychology (Behavioural Neuroscience stream). Her research interests are in the neuroscience of reward processing, behavioural addictions (e.g., gambling), and individual differences (e.g., personality attributes such as impulsivity, history of head injury). Dr. Dzyundzyak has been involved in teaching at Brock University since 2012 and lectured and/or instructed courses in areas of neuropsychology, neuropsychopharmacology, neuroscience as well as research design/statistics. She has also served as a statistical consultant for a variety of research projects in the Department of Psychology, Department of Teacher Education and Environmental Sustainability Research Centre at Brock University.

Day 1

Introduction to ABI: Who am I now?
Etiology of ABI. What happens to the brain during a traumatic event?
Brain and function
Introduction to Neurorehabilitation: Where brain and function meet
Foundations of Neurorehabilitation I: Functional assessment
Personal adjustment after brain injury: Acceptance, self-esteem and personal identity

Day 2

Foundations of Neurorehabilitation II: What do you want to accomplish? Defining dreams, goals and outcome measures
Foundations of Neurorehabilitation III: How will you accomplish the what? Treatment planning
Introduction to cognitive rehabilitation: Assisting abilities and activities
Facilitating cognitive function in everyday life
What do I do when…? Discussion of class generated examples

Day 3

Behavioural challenges and facilitating participation in life roles ·
Neurorehabilitation on the front line: Collaboration, prevention and consistency
Using behaviour change principles in Neurorehabilitation: The importance of doing no harm
What do I do when…? Discussion of class generated examples

Day 4

Relationship building: Facilitating participation in social roles and developing adaptive social networks
Risk management: Seeking a balance between protection and risk
Family Issues

Date: TBA

Registration Fee: $500 (Discounts available)

Please use the new event/course registration portal to sign up for any current courses by clicking on the button below. For registration and payment by cheque, or if your organization requires an invoice, please contact training@obia.on.ca or phone 905-641-8877 ext. 102.

Register and Pay Online HERE

NOTE: OBIA is offering a 50% Student Discount! Please contact us at training@obia.on.ca to verify your student status and to register for this course.

Approved by VRA Canada for 11.75 Continuing Education Hours – Certificates available upon request

This Certificate Training Program will focus on providing information about behaviours after ABI that relate to learning and community participation. Children and youth with brain injury experience a wide range of challenges that affect their ability to manage at school, home and the community. Emphasis is on describing the cognitive-communicative problems that affect classroom learning, behaviour and community participation. Group problem solving activities will develop methods for assessing and treating educational and social challenges for these individuals from a functional perspective.

Who should attend:

This course will be extremely valuable for those working in community rehabilitation programs, social workers, therapists, educators and those working in the criminal justice system.

This course will:

Address behaviours in the home, school and community that may indicate issues with learning and behaving
Describe the cognitive-communicative problems that affect classroom learning, behaviour and community participation
Provide treatment strategies
Describe family resilience and means for support
Illustrate how to use social communication to aid learning and behaving
Plan for context-specific functional placements and outcomes

Professor Bio:

Catherine Wiseman-Hakes, PhD, is a speech-language pathologist and clinical neuroscientist who has devoted her clinical and research career toward a better understanding of the factors which impact recovery from traumatic brain injury (TBI). She is dedicated to developing knowledge and interventions to support positive outcomes and quality of life by optimizing cognitive neurodevelopment, and participation across life domains (family, social, academic, workplace and community). She is an Assistant Clinical Professor (PT) of Speech- Language Pathology, in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University in Hamilton, and an Affiliate Scientist with the Hull Ellis Concussion and Research Clinic and KITE- University Health Network, Toronto Rehab Institute. She has published over 40 peer reviewed journal articles, several book chapters and contributed to local and international guidelines for the management of TBI from concussion/ mTBI to moderate-severe injury. She is a sought after national and international presenter as well as the recipient of awards for Teaching Excellence and Mentorship from the University of Toronto. In 2021, she was awarded Honours of the Association by the Ontario Association of Speech Language Pathologists and Audiologists of Ontario (OSLA).

She is grateful to partner with the Ontario Brain Injury Association and like-minded colleagues who are committed to social justice and making a difference in our communities. In this capacity, Catherine is the founder and director of the Compassionate Justice Fund.

Date: TBA

Prerequisite Required: Neurorehabilitation – Assisting Recovery & Function in Everyday Life Following Brain Injury (No Exceptions)

Registration Fee: $600 (Discounts available)

Please use the new event/course registration portal to sign up for any current courses by clicking on the button below. For registration and payment by cheque, or if your organization requires an invoice, please contact training@obia.on.ca or phone 905-641-8877 ext. 102.

Register and Pay Online HERE

Continuing Education Hours TBA, Pending Approval by VRA Canada – Certificates available upon request

In response to COVID-19, OBIA continues to be committed to provide training for professionals working with people with brain injuries. Our certificate course will now be accessible through a live online virtual classroom.

About the Course: This Level Two course is designed to increase your understanding of the relationship between traumatic brain injury, substance misuse and mental health challenges, and to assist you in developing a greater appreciation of the factors which make brain injury rehabilitation more challenging when a co-morbid disorder is present.

Professors, Dr. Dawn Good and Dr. Carolyn Lemsky will be teaching the program by live video conference.

Dawn Good, PhD, CPsych is an Associate Professor, and past Chair and Director, at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, in the Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience. Her research is in the field of acquired brain injury in both paediatric and adult populations. She is a Research Associate of the Lifespan Development Research Institute at Brock University and a Registered Psychologist (Ontario) specializing in the fields of neuropsychology and cognitive rehabilitation, licensed to practice in the province of Ontario. She is a Director with the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, and a writer for the licensing EPPP (Examination for the Professional Practice in Psychology) exam for North American licensure and deemed an expert witness in neuropsychology for both civilian and criminal courts in Ontario. Her research grants have spanned the areas of paediatric acquired brain injury (ABI) and cognitive functions/strategies for persons with ABI and was acknowledged by the Canadian Institute of Health Research as a Canada 150 Health Researchers: Discoveries for Life. She also serves as a Consultant Neuropsychologist to brain injury rehabilitation and mental health programs across Ontario.

Carolyn Lemsky, PhD, C.Psych. ABPP-CN is a board certified neuropsychologist with 25 years of experience working in rehabilitation settings in the U.S. and Canada. For the past 20 years she has been the Clinical Director at Community Head Injury Resource Services of Toronto. Dr. Lemsky has been a strong proponent of integrated care. For the past 10 years she has been the director of the Substance Use and Brain Injury Bridging Project, a research and knowledge transfer initiative funded by the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation (ONF). In addition to frequent conference presentations, Dr. Lemsky has contributed book chapters and articles to the neuropsychology and brain injury literature.

Date: TBA

Prerequisite Required: Neurorehabilitation – Assisting Recovery & Function in Everyday Life Following Brain Injury (No Exceptions)

Registration Fee: $500 (discounts available)

Please use the new event/course registration portal to sign up for any current courses by clicking on the button below. For registration and payment by cheque, or if your organization requires an invoice, please contact training@obia.on.ca or phone 905-641-8877 ext. 102.

Register and Pay Online HERE

Approved by VRA Canada for 11.0 Continuing Education Hours – Certificates available upon request

Program Description:

This course will focus on the nature and expression of the consequent neurobehavioural issues that can accompany an injury to the brain. Topics will examine the common neurobehavioural syndromes, and provide an overview of the neurological underpinnings, behavioural outcomes, and psycho-social implications all of which can interrupt/interfere with social skills, conduct and reintegration and, ultimately, success.

Strategies for neurobehaviourally-targeted intervention will be introduced including, environmental supports and metacognitive strategy training. These strategies can be used to address the complex behavioural issues that may arise after brain injury.

In this course, topical discussions, case examples of neurobehavioural disorders, in addition to the overview of rehabilitative strategies that can assist with those challenges, will be covered to address the following:

What are neurobehavioural impairments (e.g., self-regulation, social cognition)?
How does brain injury result in neurobehavioural impairments (i.e., what is the neurocognitive-neurobehavioural connection)?
What are the behavioural and psycho-social implications of these impairments?
How can behavioural strategies (e.g., antecedent management, distress tolerance) help?
How can metacognitive strategies be used?
How does this differentially express as a function of injury severity (e.g., mTBI vs. more severe)?
Opportunity to ask questions that may pertain to the neurobehavioural challenges of your clients.

Professors, Dr. Dawn Good and Dr. Carolyn Lemsky will be teaching the program by live video conference.

Dawn Good, PhD, CPsych is an Associate Professor, and past Chair and Director, at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, in the Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience. Her research is in the field of acquired brain injury in both paediatric and adult populations. She is a Research Associate of the Lifespan Development Research Institute at Brock University and a Registered Psychologist (Ontario) specializing in the fields of neuropsychology and cognitive rehabilitation, licensed to practice in the province of Ontario. She is a Director with the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, and a writer for the licensing EPPP (Examination for the Professional Practice in Psychology) exam for North American licensure and deemed an expert witness in neuropsychology for both civilian and criminal courts in Ontario. Her research grants have spanned the areas of paediatric acquired brain injury (ABI) and cognitive functions/strategies for persons with ABI and was acknowledged by the Canadian Institute of Health Research as a Canada 150 Health Researchers: Discoveries for Life. She also serves as a Consultant Neuropsychologist to brain injury rehabilitation and mental health programs across Ontario.

Carolyn Lemsky, PhD, C.Psych. ABPP-CN is a board certified neuropsychologist with 25 years of experience working in rehabilitation settings in the U.S. and Canada. For the past 20 years she has been the Clinical Director at Community Head Injury Resource Services of Toronto. Dr. Lemsky has been a strong proponent of integrated care. For the past 10 years she has been the director of the Substance Use and Brain Injury Bridging Project, a research and knowledge transfer initiative funded by the Ontario Neurotrauma Foundation (ONF). In addition to frequent conference presentations, Dr. Lemsky has contributed book chapters and articles to the neuropsychology and brain injury literature.

Daily schedule TBA

Date: TBA

Prerequisite Required: Neurorehabilitation – Assisting Recovery & Function in Everyday Life Following Brain Injury (No Exceptions)

Registration Fee: $600 (Discounts available)

Please use the new event/course registration portal to sign up for any current courses by clicking on the button below. For registration and payment by cheque, or if your organization requires an invoice, please contact training@obia.on.ca or phone 905-641-8877 ext. 102.

Register and Pay Online HERE

Approved by VRA Canada for 18.0 Continuing Education Hours – Certificates available upon request

Program Description

Individuals who have sustained a brain injury have varied skills and abilities intact and/or altered and these changes will directly affect their functional recovery and social reintegration. Due to the complexity and individuality of acquired brain injury, often a neuropsychological assessment will be required in order to assist in understanding, planning and operationalizing programming and treatment for these persons. This course will present an in depth discussion on ‘Neuropsychological Assessment’ including the approaches and tools used in assessment and how to make use of an assessment in practice and/or everyday life. This will be achieved through both lecture and case study formats. There will also be an opportunity to review special issues related to assessment and recommendations including malingering and vocational re-entry. NOTE: Review of the Neuroanatomy Section of the Level 1 training manual is recommended prior to taking this course.

Dawn Good, PhD, CPsych is an Associate Professor, and past Chair and Director, at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario, in the Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience. Her research is in the field of acquired brain injury in both paediatric and adult populations. She is a Research Associate of the Lifespan Development Research Institute at Brock University and a Registered Psychologist (Ontario) specializing in the fields of neuropsychology and cognitive rehabilitation, licensed to practice in the province of Ontario. She is a Director with the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards, and a writer for the licensing EPPP (Examination for the Professional Practice in Psychology) exam for North American licensure and deemed an expert witness in neuropsychology for both civilian and criminal courts in Ontario. Her research grants have spanned the areas of paediatric acquired brain injury (ABI) and cognitive functions/strategies for persons with ABI and was acknowledged by the Canadian Institute of Health Research as a Canada 150 Health Researchers: Discoveries for Life. She also serves as a Consultant Neuropsychologist to brain injury rehabilitation and mental health programs across Ontario.

Sherrie Bieman-Copland, PhD, C.Psych. is a Registered Psychologist who practices in the areas of neuropsychology and rehabilitation. She is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology at Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario and is owner of Bieman-Copland & Associates. She also serves as a consultant psychologist to various community-based rehabilitation programs.