Workshops & Trainings
I draw from over 20+ years of experience as a social worker, therapist and educator to develop engaging and participatory workshops that are scalable to your organizational needs and objectives.
Rooted in mindfulness and trauma-informed practice, my workshops employ experiential learning and evidence-based tools to support the growth and development of your team or organization.
Depending on your organization’s resources and needs, my workshops are available as half-day, one-day or two-day sessions, and follow-up sessions. My workshops can be adapted to support small teams or groups of up to 1000.
I believe in the art of gathering and facilitation. I seek to embody joy, learning and growth in all of my workshops and trainings. I create brave, caring spaces that create connections, reflections, and link the personal to the political.
My current workshops and trainings include:
Strategies for Personal & Collective Care During Challenging Times
A workshop exploring themes of vicarious trauma, self-care and trauma-informed practice from a social justice lens. This workshop is designed for care workers and will reflect on strategies to sustain ourselves in the work, align with our values, and deepen our understand of trauma-informed practice. We will explore meaningful ways to care for ourselves and others from a micro, mezzo and macro lens
Trauma Informed Practice (Introductory)
This workshops explore trauma, vicarious trauma, and trauma- informed practice through a social-justice and strength-based lens. Participants will consider the fundamentals of trauma (brain, body, nervous system and systems), explore and reflect on trauma-informed approaches and tools to use in their work and build confidence in interacting with diverse persons and communities that have experienced trauma. Through considering the teachings and writings of Vikki Reynolds, Resmaa Menakem, Kai Cheng Thom and others, participants will be encouraged to analyze the ways trauma overlaps with the chronic and systemic experiences of oppression and racism and how their own lived experiences might impact their work.
Trauma-informed practice (Advanced): Bridging Theory & Practice
This course builds upon the introductory workshop. Participants will delve deeper into nuanced, complexities and liberating potentials of trauma-informed practice. It’s designed to be interactive, scenario based and will embody trauma-informed strategies. Participants will be more reflective and confident in bridging theory in practice on a micro, mezzo and macro level. This workshop will aim to foster a sense of community, connection, an exchange of resources and insight into one’s own lived experiences.
You Are Not Alone: Navigating Supporting Survivors of Sexual Assault and Violence
Activist and survivor led movements have shined a light on t he extreme pervasiveness of sexual violence and sexual assault in society. As a result, it is critical for helping professionals to gain the necessary tools and resources in order to hold these truths in meaningful, supportive and trauma-informed ways. In this workshop, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how to support survivors from a trauma informed, strength based and social justice lens. The topic will be understood and taught from a clinical, social and political lens while centring the experiences of survivors. Meaningful and reflective tools will be explored on how to work with and to support survivors with skill, care and compassion. The workshop will explore elements of consent, healing approaches, risk assessment for safety concerns and trauma informed tools. Participants will also engage with how to sustain and support themselves as they do this important work.
Strong Back and Soft front: Trauma-informed Leadership and Skills workshop
There is a tremendous amount of suffering caused by complex situations that leaders are regularly confronted with. This is particularly true in the social and community services sector.In order to be an effective, caring, and compassionate leader, Individuals need to broaden skills and deepen self-reflection. This workshop aims to support those in leadership and supervisory positions by building on their trauma- informed practice, and is focussed on developing a foundation for trauma-informed leadership growth to take place. The following topics are covered: communication, debriefing and supervision skills; emotional awareness; conflict resolution, countertransference and parallel processes; and self care and collective care. Participants will engage with concepts of vicarious trauma and burnout, and will learn to support and lead staff in meaningful ways. Participants will reflect on their own leadership styles while also critically engaging their understanding of trauma and leadership from a social justice and compassionate lens.
Mindful Movement Strength-Based Workshops
This workshop explores practical tools to be more connected to our bodies while we engage in exercise and fitness. Survivors of trauma and people who have experienced oppression often have understandable negative connotations to exercising and finding strength in their bodies. The first half of the workshop is discussion-based on trauma- informed practices to bring into our fitness and the other second half will be finding simple movements to connect to our bodies and to connect to our strength. Research has shown that exercise and movement greatly affect mental health and symptoms of PTSD. But before we can start to do this, we have to contend with all the barriers that exist within and outside of us. Designed for all bodies, all abilities are welcome, and no equipment is required.
Queer and Trans Affirming Care and Practices
This workshop explore strategies and tools to deepen affirming care for the 2SLGBTQ+communities. Participants will become more confident in creating and embedding affirming care and practices from both local and wider social lens.
Gender-based Violence and Safety Planning
This workshop provides an introductory understanding on gender-based and intimate partner violence with a focus on safety planning through an anti-oppressive, trauma-informed and strength-based lens.
Navigating High Risk and Complex Cases in Social Services
This workshop helps provide tools and approaches for high risk complex situations such as gender-based violence or suicidal clients. Together we look to strategies that are not focused on carceral approaches and will delve into the nuances in helping people and communities navigate multiple barriers and oppression. The workshop covers the many facets of safety planning and collaborating in high risk citations.
Critical Incident Debriefings
A workshop for helping professionals or managers wanting to be more skilled and confident in leading and facilitating critical incident debriefings. Critical incident debriefings are key to mitigating vicarious trauma, to learning from misses, to process trauma and to be client and staff centered. Debriefings are a powerful resource that are needed more and more in the current social service sector, and this workshop enables participants with the tools to better use and facilitate them.
My past workshop and training clients:
- Ontario Association of Social Workers
- Somerset West Community Health Centre
- COSTI Immigrant Services
- SickKids Learning Institute
- Friends of Ruby
- Fred Victor
- The Crisis and Trauma Institute
- Toronto Hostels Training
- Mindseed
- and many others!
Testimonials
“Karine does a great job at modelling trauma informed approaches in how she trains and teaches. She provides a great relational way of connecting with participants, which makes the sessions more engaging and richer.”
“Gentle, non-judgmental, open and inviting. Karine was so accessible in language and explanations and delivery. Insights were so relatable and easy to replicate. I loved how we did check-ins throughout with our bodies.”
“It is clear to me that Karine is a gifted teacher and approaches her students with a great deal of care and consideration. She manifests a supportive, quiet and contemplative teaching style that models clinical practice. The students are fully engaged as if solving problems together.”