Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Sessions

Friday 13 June, 2025

Time Zone: (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
8:30
8:30
Welcome
5 minutes, 8:30 PDT - 8:35 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary

8:35
8:35
Opening remarks
10 minutes, 8:35 PDT - 8:45 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary

Tanya Houghton M.H.A., CHE, CPHR, WorkSafeBC (Speaker)

8:45
8:45
Keynote: The Hero Mindset: Fast Tracking Success for Clinicians, Patients, and Providers
1 hour, 8:45 PDT - 9:45 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Keynote

Kevin Rempel (Keynote speaker)

Workplace injuries reach far beyond just the person who is injured. It spans to reach the employer and employees, family and friends, and local com...
10:10
10:10
Communicating Effectively With Culturally Different People
55 minutes, 10:10 PDT - 11:05 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary

Lionel Laroche (Speaker)

Culturally different people don’t just look or sound different; they think differently because they were taught to communicate and think differentl...
11:10
11:10
Breakout 1b: Somatic Symptom Disorder
50 minutes, 11:10 PDT - 12:00 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Breakout

Dr. Andrew Howard MD, FRCPC (Speaker)

Learning objective:To assist the attendee in better diagnosing psychiatric conditions causing chronic pain and other functional somatic syndrom...
13:00
13:00
Breakout 2b: Better together: Occupational Therapy and Psychotherapy Collaboration in Trauma-Focused Treatment of Work-Related PTSD
50 minutes, 13:00 PDT - 13:50 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Breakout

Jodie Mackoff, West Coast Resiliency Centre (Speaker)

Dr. Iris Torchalla Ph.D., R.Psych, West Coast Resiliency Centre (Speaker)

Learning objectivesAlthough various clinical practice guidelines for the treatme...
13:55
13:55
Breakout 3b: Mental Health and Return to Work: Best Practices
50 minutes, 13:55 PDT - 14:45 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Breakout

Dr. Ash Bender MD, FRCPC (Speaker)

Learning objectives:1. Improve skills in assessment and treatment planning with mental health disability.<...
15:10
15:10
Gabi and Jules Handmade Pies: an employer story
15 minutes, 15:10 PDT - 15:25 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary

Lisa Beecroft, Gabi and Jules Handmade Pies (Speaker)

Come meet the owner of Gabi and Jules – a small business owner with big visions on what can be possible. Listen to the story of Li...
15:25
15:25
Introducing WorkSafeBC's Chief Medical Officer
10 minutes, 15:25 PDT - 15:35 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary

Dr. Aamir Bharmal MD, MPH, CCFP, FRCPC, WorkSafeBC (Speaker)

Our new Chief Medical Officer will introduce himself, share a little bit about his background, and offer insights into his key areas of focus with ...
15:35
15:35
Stakeholder Collaboration: Perspectives on Supporting Injured Worker's Recovery and Return to Work
50 minutes, 15:35 PDT - 16:25 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary

Nicole Swisher B.Sc., CDMP, Fraser Health Authority (Speaker)

Leanne Cianfrini Ph.D., R.Psych, Actum Health (Speaker)

Dan Kovacs, WorkSafeBC (Speaker)

Join us for a collaborative session, showcasing the importance of each stakeholder in the recovery and return-to-work journey of an injured worker....
16:25
16:25
Gift Basket Draws and Closing Remarks
5 minutes, 16:25 PDT - 16:30 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary

Thursday 11 June, 2026

Time Zone: (GMT-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
8:30
8:30
Welcome
5 minutes, 8:30 PDT - 8:35 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary

8:35
8:35
Opening Remarks
10 minutes, 8:35 PDT - 8:45 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary

Lisa Smith, WorkSafeBC (Speaker)

8:45
8:45
Keynote: You Matter Too: Reconnecting with Purpose, Resilience, and the Heart of Care
1 hour, 8:45 PDT - 9:45 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary

Dr. Shahana Alibhai MD, CCFP (Keynote speaker)

As health care providers working with WorkSafeBC, you show up every day for others — helping them recover, rebuild, and return to themselves. But i...
10:10
10:10
In Plain Sight: Five Years Later
1 hour, 10:10 PDT - 11:10 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary

Harmony Johnson BA, MHA (Speaker)

In 2020 and 2021, the results of an independent review of Indigenous-specific racism in B.C.’s healthcare system were released. The In Plain Si...
11:10
11:10
The Difference Between Trauma-Informed Care and Trauma Treatment
50 minutes, 11:10 PDT - 12:00 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Breakout

Katelyn Peterson BSc, MC, RCC, EHN Canada (Speaker)

Learning Objectives​:Define trauma ​Gain an understan...
13:00
13:00
Gentleness and Resilience in Complex Clinical Work
1 hour, 13:00 PDT - 14:00 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary

Ashley Good, Fail Foward (Speaker)

Healthcare providers enter this profession to heal—to help people move forward, regain function, and reclaim their lives. Yet in complex clinical s...
14:00
14:00
Beyond Symptoms: A Capacity-Based Framework for Concussion Recovery
45 minutes, 14:00 PDT - 14:45 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Breakout

Brian Condon, Link Rehab (Speaker)

Giancarlo Brancati, Link Rehab (Speaker)

By the end of this session, participants will be able to: Summarize current evidence regarding concussion recovery trajectories an...
15:10
15:10
Aligning Recovery Across B.C.
25 minutes, 15:10 PDT - 15:35 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary

Dr. Aamir Bharmal MD, MPH, CCFP, FRCPC, WorkSafeBC (Speaker)

Across British Columbia, clinicians and claim owners play a critical role in supporting injured workers on their journey toward recovery an...
15:35
15:35
Demystifying Vocational Rehabilitation: Success Through Collaboration
50 minutes, 15:35 PDT - 16:25 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary

Cassie Strachan, WorkSafeBC (Speaker)

Jodi Lavigne, WorkSafeBC (Speaker)

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) plays a critical role in supporting injured workers to return to work (RTW) safely and sustainably. This session pro...
16:25
16:25
Prize Draws and Closing Remarks
5 minutes, 16:25 PDT - 16:30 PDT

Westin Bayshore, Vancouver - Salon ABC

Plenary