Brain Story Certification – Alberta Family Wellness Initiative

A comprehensive online course that provides knowledge around early brain development and how stress and trauma experienced in early life contribute to changes in the brain that can lead to physical and mental health issues later on.

Lifelong health is determined by more than just our genes: experiences at sensitive periods of development change the brain in ways that increase or decrease risk for later physical and mental illness, including addiction. That finding is the premise of the Brain Story, which puts scientific concepts into a narrative that is salient to both expert and non-expert audiences. The Brain Story synthesizes decades of research and reflects a body of knowledge that experts agree is useful for policy-makers and citizens to understand.

The Alberta Family Wellness Initiative (AFWI) has developed an online course to make Brain Story science available to professionals and the public. Brain Story Certification is designed for those seeking a deeper understanding of brain development and its consequences for lifelong health. The course is also designed for professionals seeking certification in a wide range of fields. 

To register: Alberta Family Wellness Initiative- Training

Psychological First Aid – Johns Hopkins University

Learn to provide psychological first aid to people in an emergency by employing the RAPID model: Reflective listening, Assessment of needs, Prioritization, Intervention, and Disposition.

Utilizing the RAPID model (Reflective listening, Assessment of needs, Prioritization, Intervention, and Disposition), this specialized course provides perspectives on injuries and trauma that are beyond those physical in nature. The RAPID model is readily applicable to public health settings, the workplace, the military, faith-based organizations, mass disaster venues, and even the demands of more commonplace critical events, e.g., dealing with the psychological aftermath of accidents, robberies, suicide, homicide, or community violence. In addition, the RAPID model has been found effective in promoting personal and community resilience. Participants will increase their abilities to: - Discuss key concepts related to PFA - Listen reflectively - Differentiate benign, non-incapacitating psychological/ behavioral crisis reactions from more severe, potentially incapacitating, crisis reactions - Prioritize (triage) psychological/ behavioral crisis reactions - Mitigate acute distress and dysfunction, as appropriate - Recognize when to facilitate access to further mental health support - Practice self-care

To register: Coursera – JHU – PFA

Provincial Addiction & Mental Health Curricula & Experiential Skills (PACES) – Alberta Health Services

Learn how to support individuals struggling with addictions, mental health, and concurrent disorders.

The Provincial Addiction & Mental Health Curricula & Experiential Skills (PACES) Learning Pathway advances learners from a basic understanding to a mastery of the competencies required to assess, treat, and support recovery from addictions, mental health or concurrent disorders.

PACES provides accessible, self-paced, and personalized addiction and mental health education for all skill levels through e-learning modules, educational videos, simulated clinical scenarios, and virtual skill-building sessions.

The learning pathway consists of four learning phases, allowing individuals to develop their skills based on their unique needs.

Read The Provincial Addiction and Mental Health Curricula & Experiential Skills Learning Pathway.

PACES consists of both Accredited Self-Assessment Learning and Simulation Activities (Section 3) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and approved by the University of Calgary Office of Continuing Medical Education (CME) and Professional Development. Upon completion of each activity, the learner can request a CME certificate of participation. In addition, the PACES Beginning, Developing, and Advancing phases are duly accredited by the Canadian Addiction Counsellors Certification Federation.

To register: AHS - PACES

Alberta Opioid Dependency Treatment Virtual Training (ODT) – Alberta Health Services

Learn how to support those struggling with opioid dependencies, from a healthcare provider perspective.

The Alberta Opioid Dependency Treatment (ODT) Virtual Training Program is a component of broader efforts to respond to the drug poisoning crisis in Alberta by improving the capacity of prescribers and allied health care providers involved in treating opioid use disorder.

Read The Alberta ODT Virtual Training Program Course Overview for module learning objectives and durations.

The training program is an Accredited Simulation Activity (Section 3) as defined by the Maintenance of Certification Program of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and is approved by the University of Calgary Office of Continuing Medical Education and Professional Development.

To register: AHS – ODT Virtual

The Science of Well-Being for Teens – Yale

A course for youth on how to be happy, less stressed, and thrive during their youth and into adulthood.

A recent survey found that 37% of teens say they have poor mental health. This 6-week course aims to curb this mental health crisis by bringing together the best insights from Dr. Laurie Santos’ popular Yale course Psychology and the Good Life. In this course, you will explore what the field of psychology teaches us about how to be happier, how to feel less stressed, and how to thrive in high school and beyond. The lessons along with short weekly ‘happiness homework’ assignments will ultimately prepare you to put these scientific findings into practice. The ultimate goal is for you to feel better and build healthier habits. Parents, teachers, and other professionals supporting teenagers may also find the course beneficial.

To register: Coursera – Yale TSWBT

Mindfulness and Well-being Specialization – RICE University

A 3 course series on the benefits of mindfulness to educate and provide moments for practice and self-reflection.

The goal of the specialization is to showcase the ways in which the practice of mindfulness is an effective means of enhancing and maintaining optimal health and overall well-being that can be implemented in every aspect of daily living. The intention of the Specialization is to supply learners with practical tools to support thriving in life. Each course will feature mindfulness practices, directions for implementation and application, experiential exercises and reflection opportunities.

Applied Learning Project

Each week, there will be lectures to watch, discussions to contribute to, and short quizzes to assess your learning. You will also have the opportunity to practice mindfulness yourself, and you will find different ways to try it out when you complete the weekly challenges/experiences.

To register: Coursera – RICE - MWBS

Music for Wellness – Berklee College of Music

Learn how music can be a valuable tool in supporting your well-being.

You love music. You listen to music all the time. Maybe you sing, play an instrument, or compose music. You don’t need to have musical talent to use music to enhance your well being, and even your health.

Learn simple techniques to enrich your mind, body, and spirit through music. The methods can be applied in your daily life, particularly when you are feeling down or stressed out. Developed by a board-certified music therapist and a vocalist/pianist/composer/recording artist specializing in Indian music, these strategies combine science with the wisdom of Eastern philosophy. In the course, discover how to unlock your creativity. You will learn not only how to listen to music in a new way, but also how to listen to the impact that music has on you. You will find out how to care for yourself by practicing coping techniques that are supported by music that is special to you.

To register: Coursera – Berklee MW