The Educational Psychologist team is made up of Mr. Conrad Boehme and Lana Caldwell.
Mr. Boehme and Ms. Caldwell work with the FSLC team and occasionally provide direct support to the Academic Advisors but most frequently are involved with direct interaction with students conducting student observations, assessments and consultation with teachers and parents in the development of individual education plans.
- Education Psychology-related assessments – this covers a wide range of assessments, some of which (Level B such as Woodcock-Johnson IV) can also be performed by some of our learning support teachers and others which are explicitly the responsibility of these two trained psychologists.
- Assist in educational programming, behaviour programming, drawing upon assessments and observations, specifically attending to interventions, supports, strategies or best practices specific to the challenges of students as highlighted through assessment and consultation.
- Being familiar with assistive technology in support of education programming
- Individual and small group counselling
- Specialized Trauma Therapy including EMDR (Conrad) and Equine Therapy (Lana)
- Worry Dragon Workshops
- Other Mental Health/Behaviour support for Westwind Teacher/EA staff – this includes providing professional development support at the Westwind EA conference and assisting at school-based PD or small group sessions from time to time in the division.
- Providing Training in SIVA (Supporting Individuals through Valued Attachments) SIVA is the trained method by which we respond to severe, potential or actual physical behaviour challenges in the classroom. Teachers, administrators, and education assistants receive training in SIVA. From the SIVA site – “When an individual’s behaviour presents an imminent risk of harm to self or others, emergency safety interventions may be applied. These tactics aim to restore safety and balance to both the individual and the environment so that pro-social personal growth can resume. When emergency safety interventions are applied, the individual is rendered safe and secure in the least restrictive manner possible. SIVA will train caregivers to differentiate between aggressive and violent behaviour and determine the most effective approach to restoring safety. We will also teach caregivers how to avoid the adverse and potentially life-threatening effects of positional and restraint asphyxia, especially for individuals with compromised cardiovascular or central nervous systems.”
- VTRA training – Violent Threat Risk Assessments - Our FSLC and Admin team is likewise trained in VTRA protocol which is triggered by a perception of threat from outside the school or within students, staff or family in the school
- Suicide/At-Risk Assessments
- Consultation and support to School Administration, Academic Counsellors, Teachers and FSLC’s in their work with individual students.
- Supervision of Educational Psychologist and Master of Counselling Interns
- Crisis Intervention – Prepare and support in crises
- Referral to or consultation with other professional specialists – Doctor, Pediatrics, Neuro-Psychologists