Enhancing our Practice: Working Inclusively with Difference

Supporting Post-Secondary Students Through a Neurodiversity-Affirming Lens

Neurodivergent students bring unique perspectives, strengths, and challenges to post-secondary environments, requiring thoughtful and inclusive support from counsellors. This session introduces counsellors to neurodiversity-affirming practices, providing tools to support neurodivergent students with compassion and effectiveness. It focuses on practical, strengths-based strategies and individualized supports for students with ADHD, autism, learning disabilities, and other neurodivergent profiles. Attendees will learn how to foster inclusivity, encourage self-advocacy, and build resilience, while creating accessible environments that help students thrive. Whether you’re new to neurodiversity or seeking to deepen your expertise, this session provides actionable strategies to enhance your practice.

Juliane Dmyterko is a Ph.D. Candidate in the School and Applied Child Psychology program at the University of British Columbia, where she also earned her Master of Arts in School Psychology. With many years of experience in schools and private practice, she specializes in client-centered, strengths-based psychological assessments, counselling, and consultation. She specializes in and is passionate about supporting neurodivergent individuals and their families, striving to provide compassionate, collaborative, and affirming care while being an LGBTQ2+ ally. Her career began as an educational assistant, fostering her dedication to children and youth with diverse learning needs. She has extensive experience working with schools, families, and community services to support development and success. Juliane’s doctoral research focuses on neurodiversity-affirming practices from the perspectives of neurodivergent individuals.

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AI, New Technologies & Counselling: Challenges & Constructive Solutions

The emergent technology of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has the potential to make large scale changes to the field of counselling within the post-secondary landscape and it is important for counsellors to be aware of the various tools that our students will be using for their mental health. This workshop will focus on the impacts of AI technology on Counselling, notably in post-secondary settings. Attendees will learn about the top popular AI “Therapy” platforms in use at present, the challenges these AI platforms may pose to (human) Counselling work, and how counsellors can work with AI for the benefit of post-secondary students. The remainder of the presentation opens the discussion to Q & A and possible paths forward.

Dr. Kaveh Farrokh has been a Counsellor and Learning Specialist with Langara College Counselling Services since 1989 where he also delivers workshops for student success (e.g. learning and memory, speed-reading, test-taking and exam-anxiety) as well as mental wellness workshops (e.g. Brain Emotions & Wellness, The Science of Happiness, Smartphone and Wellness). Kaveh has continually enhanced the on-line accessibility of counselling resources for the benefit of students and faculty in the Langara Counselling pages with a large array of content (handouts, videos, articles) on the Langara Student Success pages which encompass academic success as well as mental wellness topics. Kaveh also writes articles on mental wellness and success topics for Academia.edu. His latest research interests are on the impacts of modern technology (notably smartphones and social media platforms) and AI on mental wellness.

Cannabis and Youth: Weeding out the context, resources and tools

This workshop is in response to growing interest, shifting markets and drug access, and changing clinical conversations with youth clients when it comes to cannabis use. This 1.5 hour workshop is part presentation from experts in the mental health and substance use field, and part small group activities to operationalize your knowledge and collaboration. The intended outcomes of this workshop are to increase your understanding of cannabis use on the developing brain, increase your knowledge of resources and best practices that can support you and the client, and increase your confidence in your responses. Equity-orientation, harm reduction, motivational interviewing and collaborative care planning will be prominently featured in this workshop.

Karina Czyzewski (they/them) is a Registered Clinical Social Worker originally from Ottawa, located on unceded Anishinaabe Algonquin Nation territories, and has been living on stolen Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh lands for the last 12 years. They have additional degrees in Anthropology and Indigenous Health, have been working in mental health and substance use for 15 years, and has lived experience. They have done research, program development, teaching, groups and clinical team leadership in MHSU. They currently provide clinical supervision to staff at Qmunity, clinical counselling to Two-Spirit, queer, trans and autistic youth, and clinical consultation to providers interprovincially through Compass Mental Health (www.compassbc.ca). This workshop will be co-facilitated by a provider from the SURF (Substance Use Response and Facilitation) team at BC Children’s Hospital.

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Gen Z panel/presentation by Gen Z students from Langara College

A small group of Gen Z students from Langara will be hosting a discussion sharing some key thoughts and characteristics around Gen Z identity from a lens of personal experience, both domestic and international. The intended outcome is to stimulate discussion on important considerations in providing counselling services to Gen Z students in the post-secondary environment.

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Closing and Ode to PSCA

Every year we add a verse to our beloved (and delightfully corny) “Ode to PSCA” song, and sing this at the conference. Lyrics are found here on the site – if you’d like to take a walk through our history books, this is the place to start.