2025 Advancing Post-Traumatic Growth Event
David Dawson
Dave has dedicated over 25 years to the fire service, prioritizing education, leadership, and helping others. Before joining in 2000, he studied Business Administration and pursued Farriery, building equine businesses across North America. Rising through the ranks, he earned his NFPA CO IV Pro Board Certification in 2020 and applied for a Fire Chief position in 2021. Known for his perseverance and heartfelt leadership, he champions transparency, unity, and encouragement to foster a supportive workplace.
Transitioning to Leadership Roles
Never forget where you come from! This single statement should remain at the top of every leader’s priority. It is far better to build a legacy, rather then be alone. Team is always the best approach to successful development and not forgetting anyone worthy along the way. We all encounter challenges and hills to climb, knowing how to support your team in their challenges is a leadership trait that can’t often be taught. Talking about your feelings is not a weakness, it’s a strength. Being real with your emotions and not being afraid to express them identifies an aspect of empathetic leadership that not all people are willing to portray. As expressed by Fire Chief David Rhodes at the 2025 Fire Department International Conference(FDIC) opening ceremonies, recruitment and retention is a lack of leadership problem. All of us need to lead our teams with servant first leadership. This presentation will discuss the need to remain focused on where you came from and not forgetting those who helped you along the way. It will also discuss the interferences and challenges that you encounter as you climb the corporate ladder. Attendees will leave with some new tools to help mentor new and upcoming people in your organization. As leaders, we must all help everyone who is deserving of a better tomorrow.
Dave Hurst
Dave Hurst is a Clinical and Counselling Psychologist at City Centre Psychology and the founder of City Centre Psychology in Toronto. He specializes in the treatment of first responders. As a previous first responder, he is aware of the unique challenges that exist when reaching out for help, and the barriers that currently exist to making treatment more difficult. Dave is a registered as a Psychologist with College of Psychologists and Behaviour Analysts of Ontario.
Trauma Informed Work Places
Dave’s approach is highly experiential and holistic; he invites and nurtures the active involvement of the whole person, including mind, emotions, and “felt sense” (the body’s response to our experiences), as all three can provide us with wisdom and direction. As such this talk will involve active participation. Expect to be challenged and to come away with:
1. An in depth understanding of Sanctuary Trauma and Moral Injury
2. How current practices can get in the way of treatment
3. What we are currently doing well and where we can improve
4. Real life “next steps” in how we can better safeguard a first responder when reaching out for help.
Rebecca Brown
Rebecca, a Master of Social Work, has over 30 years of experience in trauma, crisis response, and resilience-building. She has trained professionals, provided psychological first aid, and teaches at Western University. Passionate about healing, she offers evidence-based Equine Assisted Therapy for trauma survivors and first responders.
Leadership Well-Being
OVERVIEW:
This dynamic presentation focusses on the impact of trauma work on professionals in the public safety sector, law enforcement and emergency services. Vicarious Trauma, Moral Injury and Compassion Fatigue are “the Cost of Caring” for these dedicated professionals on the front lines. It is the personal price they pay for a career of helping others. The role of leadership in these fields has the biggest impact on whether mental health, wellness and resilience are truly embodied in the culture of the organization. Strong leaders can model these concepts, and create a culture of support for their members in a truly trauma-informed way.
GOALS:
• Understand the terms: PTSD, Vicarious Trauma, Secondary Stress, Compassion Fatigue, Moral Distress/Conflict and Burnout and their impact in public safety personnel
• Recognize signs and symptoms in ourselves personally and professionally, how they happen, how they are similar and what to do when we are impacted by the work
• Develop an Individual Resilience Tool Kit of strategies to stay healthy and incorporate these into an organizational culture of care for a truly trauma-informed workplace. Emphasis on leadership to model aspects of resilience, mental health and create a culture of support and recovery.
Dr. Larry Schmidt
Leadership Well-Being / Co-Presenter
Larry Schmidt’s medical career has spanned 42 years, practicing as a Family Physician and is a Professor Emeritus at Western University in the Department of Family Medicine. He is certified in both Lifestyle Medicine and Acupuncture and is currently the Clinical Lead at the Sauble Family Health Team and is passionate about promoting healthy lifestyle for his patients and staff.
Dr. Schmidt is a decorated educator and in his spare time enjoys landscaping, woodworking, painting and golf. Dr. Schmidt understands the impact of stress and trauma on the health of First Responders and medical professionals, and he is a leader in the field of health promotion.
Michelle Zare
What is the Cost of Doing Nothing
Zare Paralegal Services offers WSIB legal services, in Ontario, as licensed paralegals and is proudly located in Hamilton, Ontario. Their team effectively advocates for injured workers who need help with WSIB and other disability claims and appeals.
Wendy Lund
What is the Cost of Doing Nothing
Wendy has a MSc in Mindfullness Studies and is an expert in building proactive resiliency. She is the founder of Wellth Management, an organization that supports individuals and organizational resiliency by filling the gap most of us have in our upbringing; how to cultivate wellbeing ~ especially mental wellbeing.
Nicole Biros-Bolton
What is the Cost of Doing Nothing
Nicole Biros-Bolton is a human rights lawyer and the founder of Bird Bolt Law, a feminist, trauma-informed law practice based in Hamilton, Ontario. Drawing on over 20 years of experience working with survivors of gender-based violence and systemic harm, Nicole approaches her work through a trauma-informed lens, prioritizing safety, choice, collaboration, and empowerment. She advocates for clients navigating complex human rights and employment issues, including PTSD, workplace harassment, and discrimination. Nicole’s work is grounded in dignity, transparency, and the belief that legal spaces must support, not retraumatize, those seeking justice.
Dr. Katie Stewart
Recognizing PTSD and OSI in the Workplace
Dr. Katie Stewart is a clinical psychologist. She is currently working at Ontario Shores as a clinical consultant, providing consultation and training to allied health professionals. She also provides assessment and treatment at Nellie Health. She has expertise in the treatment of anxiety, post-traumatic stress, obsessive-compulsive, and mood disorders. She also works with clients who have experienced workplace injury, including first responders and Public Safety Personnel. She is also currently involved in a clinical trial examining the effect of psilocybin integrated massed cognitive processing therapy for chronic PTSD. She has 10 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Stewart is also a board member of the Ontario Psychological Association.
Dr. Candice Monson
Recognizing PTSD and OSI in the Workplace
Candice M. Monson, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at the Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University). Dr. Monson is one of the foremost experts on traumatic stress and the use of individual and conjoint psychotherapies to treat PTSD. She has been funded by the US Department of Veterans’ Affairs, National Institute of Mental Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Defense, and Canadian Institute of Health Research for her research on interpersonal factors in traumatization and individual- and conjoint-based interventions for PTSD. She is a Fellow of both the American and Canadian Psychological Associations, received the Canadian Psychological Association Trauma Psychologist of the Year Award in 2013, and was inducted into the Royal Society of Canada in 2016. Dr. Monson has co-authored 7 books, including the treatment manuals Cognitive Processing Therapy: A Comprehensive Manual, Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD, and Treating PTSD with Cognitive-Behavioral Therapies: Interventions That Work. She has published over 100 peer-reviewed publications. Dr. Monson is well-known for her efforts in training clinicians in evidence-based assessments and interventions for PTSD.
Samantha Zahra
Recognizing PTSD and OSI in the Workplace
Samantha’s experience is not just rooted in her professional qualifications but also in a deep understanding of the challenges faced by those in the front lines of healthcare and emergency services.
“As a first responder who has experienced post-traumatic stress injury, I understand the daily struggles that front-line personnel and healthcare professionals face. I also appreciate the difficulty that can arise when trying to connect with a qualified mental health professional who is versed in the specific needs of first responders. As a result, I offer treatments that have been proven effective in treating their presenting concerns, with an attention to their unique experiences.” – Samantha Zahra
Samantha is passionate about supporting those who dedicate their lives to helping others. She is committed to providing evidence-based treatments tailored to the unique experiences and needs of first responders and healthcare professionals. Her approach is one of understanding, empathy, and dedicated care
Derek Sienko
Brief Introduction to Diversified Rehabilitation Group
Since 2000 Diversified Rehabilitation Group has been dedicated to helping individuals and organizations overcome the psychological and physical challenges and return to a sustainable life balance.
Emily Wilson, RP
Nervous System Regulation Practice
Emily Wilson, RP, a clinical team lead at Dimensions Retreats, will be guiding a nervous system regulation practice designed to cultivate balance, calm, and mental clarity. A Registered Psychotherapist with training in somatic and trauma-informed approaches, she specializes in supporting Veterans, First Responders and individuals living with PTSD, anxiety, and depression. This practice offers a practical tool you can carry into daily life whenever you need to pause, reset, and return to the present moment.
