MHC, Brandon Niwa Fund start up parent-focused workshop series

By Samantha Johnson Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on October 12, 2023.

reporter@medicinehatnews.com

Medicine Hat College is providing a parent-focused workshop series starting in late October, made possible through the Brandon Niwa Legacy Fund.

The workshop will focus on supporting children in their teen years, from ages 12 to 18. Clinical psychologist Dr. Emily Wang and Shawn O’Grady, a registered social worker, will be facilitating Parenting Through Adolescence.

“In my experience, dysregulated kids often grow up to become dysregulated adults,” said O’Grady. “This program will help parents better understand their child and learn strategies to effectively communicate, avoid conflict and work through negative behaviours in a way that helps instill positive mental health in children as they approach adulthood.”

Topics to be covered include understanding an adolescent’s brain, developing strategies for relationship building, navigating neurodivergent diagnoses and managing high-risk behaviours in adolescents.

An MHC advisory panel consisting of representatives from the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education, Medicine Hat Public School Division, Prairie Rose Public Schools and Medicine Hat Police Service identified the need within the community for this workshop series.

Visit mhc.ab.ca to register or for more information. To find out more about the Brandon Niwa Legacy Fund, go to mhc.ab.ca/BeejProject.

The workshop has five modules and the first will be held Oct. 28.

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