Pushor Mitchell LLP’s West Coast Brain Injury Conference announces 2022 WCBIC speaker line-up

On Thursday, June 23rd, 2022, BrainTrust Canada will be hosting the West Coast Brain Injury Conference at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan (UBCO) Campus in beautiful Kelowna, BC.

We respectfully acknowledge the Syilx Okanagan Nation and their peoples, in whose traditional, ancestral, unceded territory UBC Okanagan is situated.

With the support of Pushor Mitchell LLP and UBCO’s Faculty of Health and Social Development, the West Coast Brain Injury Conference will bring together leaders in the brain injury community from across North America to network, exchange ideas, discuss, and plan the future of brain injury rehabilitation.

We are excited to welcome Dr. Kim Gorgens from the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology as the keynote speaker.

Dr. Gorgens will draw on her experience in clinical psychology, rehabilitation, and forensic psychology in her talk “The Colorado Brain Injury Model: Lessons from the US about Brain Injuries in Criminal Justice”. As well, she will lead a workshop for criminal justice professionals on identification and assessment of brain injuries in the justice system.

In line with the conference’s theme of “Changing the Narrative on Brain Injury”, there will be a diverse group of speakers.

Dr. Maya Libben, Associate Professor of Psychology, Registered Psychologist, and lead investigator of the Psychopathology Lifespan and Neuropsychology (PLAN) Lab at UBCO, will be presenting on “Psychological Treatment for Brain Injury: Current Approaches and Future Growth”.

She will discuss current and innovative means of psychological treatment for traumatic brain injury and how these treatment approaches can be used by health-professionals, clients, and caregivers to improve overall function.

Ian Cull is the former Senior Advisor on Indigenous Affairs at UBCO where he worked to sustain UBCO’s commitments to Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation process.

In his talk, “Changing the Narrative on Brain Injury: Using the TRC Calls to Action as a Path Forward”, he will identify how the TRC calls to action can be acknowledged and used to change the narratives and approaches to the delivery of care for Indigenous people living with brain injury.

Bryan Fitzpatrick, Personal Injury Lawyer at Pushor Mitchell LLP will share his experience as a criminal lawyer to provide insight on how persons with brain injury can advocate for themselves in today’s “no fault” insurance world, including how to navigate a Civil Rights Tribunal to resolve a personal injury claim.

The title of his talk is “Advocating for Yourself in a No Fault World”.

Lori Kline will present “Traumas and Triumphs: My Experience as a Caregiver”, discussing the traumas and triumphs of her personal journey as a loving caregiver of a young woman living with brain injury. She will also address the ripple effects of brain injury on the entire family.

Dr. Zach Walsh, Professor & Registered Psychologist at UBCO, will speak about “Cannabis, Substance Use, and Public Health”. He will describe how cannabis substitution may have an overall positive impact on public health, with a particular focus on issues of relevance to individuals living with acquired brain injury, their loved ones, and their caregivers.

Dr. Sheila Cote-Meek, Vice-President Equity, People & Culture at York University will present on “Considerations for Decolonizing the Healthcare System: An Indigenous Perspective”. This talk will start with recognizing how the health care system remains deeply rooted in colonial practices and will be followed by exploring how we can do better and work towards decolonization.

For more details, please visit the conference webpage: https://braintrustcanada.com/events/west-coast-brain-injury-conference/ to purchase tickets, see speaker details and more. Tickets are available to attend the conference in-person or virtually. All talks will be recorded and can be viewed by ticket holders at a later date.

BrainTrust Canada is a B.C. based, non-profit organization that provides evidence-informed, person-centred services to individuals affected by concussion and acquired brain injury.

Through collaboration and community engagement, BrainTrust Canada works to maximize the potential of those with brain injury and works to reduce the incidence of preventable brain injuries.