"I loved that your guest speaker Sarah included case studies and talked about the process of assessing participants from a mental health perspective, the outcome, and the consequences for the expedition. 

You guys are SUCH a great resource for the industry and putting events like this on!  THANK YOU!!"
​
  - Jes Logher, Head of Outdoor Education, West Point Grey Academy, Vancouver B.C.
Photo credit: Pavel Fiala

Upcoming events

MHWFA hosts regular guest speakers, all professionals with expertise in a mental health field, speaking on topics relevant to remote areas and wilderness. These online live events are an awesome way to network with others in the industry as well as access and learn directly from a variety of experts in the mental health field.
Views expressed are the guest speakers' own and may or may not reflect the views of MHWFA.

Joel Pippus, BRS, CYC Cert
Push to Heal Team lead, and
​Pathways to Prevention: A Centre for Childhood Trauma Training facilitator 

Joel has been employed with Hull Services since 2010 and during that time has worked in a variety of roles. As a result, he has gained a solid foundation of skills for working with children and youth with complex needs and families through involvement with Therapeutic Campus Based Care, Hull School and the Push To Heal project.  He is an agency trainer, a fully certified member of the Child and Youth Care Association of Alberta since 2013 and holds a Neurosequential Model in Sports certification. Currently, Joel works at Pathways to Prevention: A Centre for Childhood Trauma as Training & Education Facilitator (helping to support practical implementation of the Neurosequential Model (NM) concepts into programs and projects across Hull’s continuum as well as training community members) as well as the project lead for Push To Heal (using skateboarding through the lens of the NM as an alternative treatment for high needs kids).  Through Push To Heal, Joel’s focus is on integrating NM concepts into skateboarding in ways that support folks engaged in Hull’s continuum of services, the wider community and international partnerships in the social skate sector. During his free time, you’ll find Joel skateboarding and doing other sports and activities as much as time will allow and spending time with his wife and four young children.​

Online Live event: Monday 25 November 2024
5:30pm Pacific / 8:30 pm Eastern
Skateboarding and Trauma Healing

Joel Pippus in 2018 served as team lead in the creation of this mini-documentary Push to Heal (see below), which documents the link between skateboarding and trauma healing in young people.  Join us to hear from Joel about how rhythmic, repetitive, relational activity, such as skateboarding, can support children and adults alike, through the lens of Dr. Bruce Perry's neurosequential model of trauma healing.

​In the presentation, we will follow the history of how Push To Heal developed, stopping at various points in the story to discuss:
  • The connection between skateboarding and the NM
  • Our research and programming
  • Resources and partnerships
  • How we see skateboarding adding value in various settings as a tool for regulation, connection, learning new skills, resilience building, and healing
Register for this Free Live event

    guest speaker registration form

Past Events & Guest Speakers

Past Events

Tracy Moulaison, Cultural Worker & Counsellor
Sun Dance, Ceremony, & Reconnecting to Your Heart
Jes Logher, M.Ed.
Attachment and Nature Theory
Renée Dumas, C.C.C.
Nature's Resilience Boost: Rewiring your brain through outdoor adventure
Michael "Doc" Crawford, Slipstream Wilderness First Aid
Medications in Wilderness Contexts
Laura Whiddon, MA candidate
Gardening Therapy
Sean J Stevens, Meditation & Mindfulness Instructor
Mindfulness for Outdoor Contexts
Chris Mushumanski, MA & Greg Miller, MA; BC Search and Rescue Association
Critical Incident Stress Management
Aaron Lyons, MA, Restorative Justice Expert
De-Escalation Tools for Field Settings
Catherine Allen, Somatic Experiencing Therapist
Trauma, Healing, & the Mountains
Kennedy Lewis, CCC
The Neurology of Self-Care for Frontline Workers
Jeremy Addleman, CCC
The Power of Nature in Healing Trauma - Somatic Psychotherapy
Kate Pinsonneault, RCC
​Managing Dual Relationships in Remote Communities
Tara Souch, RCC, CCC
Tuning in to Natural Cycles as a Model for Healing
Sarah Hagar, RCC
Neurobiology of Trauma and Healing in Outdoor Pursuits
Daye Hagel, CCC
​Trauma & Resilience after the Colorado Marshall Fires
Joelle Prevost, CCC
The Conversation Guide
Michael McCarthy, Counsellor
Traditional Healing Practices of Our Ancestors
We do not require personal medical information from our students, volunteers,
staff, or contractors as a condition of providing services.