Since 2006, Dr. Walker has been actively engaged with international school and university communities. Leveraging his extensive experience, he provides invaluable training and consultation services to institutions aspiring to enhance mental health and well-being within their communities. His expertise seamlessly translates decades of practice into the development of culturally sensitive policies and procedures, identifying and supporting mental health issues in educational settings for children, adolescents, and adults.

Beyond US borders, Dr. Walker's impact extends globally. Serving as a technical advisor to the US State Department’s Office of Overseas Schools in the Middle East, Central America, and Africa, he has contributed significantly to disseminating trauma-focused, evidence-based practices. His expertise in disaster mental health was further recognized through his Fulbright Specialist Scholarship in Fukushima City, Japan, in 2016, where he conducted collaborative research into the post-2011 Tōhoku earthquake and Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant meltdown.

Dr. Walker's influence extends beyond academic and disaster-related realms. He is an affiliated consultant to the American International Schools in the Americas (AMISA) and the Council of International Schools (CIS). He has functioned as the mental health advisor for the International Task Force on Child Protection, and the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children's Response Team. In his latest role, Dr. Walker brings his wealth of knowledge and trauma-informed perspective to Scouting America’s Youth Protection Committee, serving as a volunteer advisor.

In any society, it is critical to have both unity and diversity. Unity fosters a sense of cohesion and shared purpose, while diversity brings in varied voices and perspectives. This keynote will illuminate the powerful intersection of unity and diversity in schools, demonstrating how it enables us to connect deeply, see and be seen, and create inclusive environments where everyone feels a sense of belonging.

In the age of AI and social media, our social skills face new challenges. The digital world often amplifies divisions and hinders empathetic interactions. To overcome this, we must intentionally teach and practice social skills, starting in our schools. Educators play a crucial role, not just in teaching curriculum but in nurturing people and in modeling these skills themselves.

So what are these critical life skills and how do they promote unity in diversity? In this keynote, we will unite around a vision for learning that brings us all together around a common set of expectations and a shared language to define what it means to be socially and self-aware, build relationships that value our diversity, and equip the young people in our care to make thoughtful decisions while ensuring their physical, mental, and social well-being.

This keynote is not just aspirational, it is actionable. We will explore a cohesive framework to achieve this bold and essential vision for learning. The ISCA Student Standards promote unity in diversity, and when implemented school-wide they have the power to develop cohesive and culturally competent communities. When we are united around the same learning outcomes for social-emotional learning, global perspective and identity development, academic skills, and career readiness we all become champions for unity within diversity.

Join us for this keynote, where unity in diversity is not just a theme but a practice that empowers our students and enriches our society.

A passionately committed educator who has been advocating for students, staff and families through counseling, teaching, coaching, and mentoring for the past twenty years.

She worked in universities with international students early in her career and was a High School Counselor in Colorado for ten years before joining the international school counseling realm in 2014. She currently works in the beautiful country of Oman at The American International School of Muscat (TAISM) where she enjoys interacting with an inclusive and diverse student population.

She is dedicated to helping people and her areas of focus are wellness, grief and loss, safeguarding children, and crisis prevention.  Chrystal became a Certified Daring Way Facilitator (CDWF) in 2020 and is committed to sharing Brené Brown’s work with the world.

She led a Daring Greatly Pre-Conference session in Bangkok in 2022, a Gifts of Imperfection ISCA Academy Course in 2021, and brings Brené's work into as much of her work as possible with students, staff and families in her school.

This pre-conference is about promoting mental health and SEL practices for all students by deepening, expanding and reflecting on our own Courage, Connection, Compassion and Vulnerability. Participants will explore how they can develop this work in their personal and professional lives by learning about vulnerability and courage building. Using Brené Brown's research participants will use her book and workbook Daring Greatly to work on their own growth, self-care and understanding to continue to create positive school environments where every individual feels valued, respected, and supported.

Our time together will be focused on building knowledge, skills and understanding around:

• Vulnerability and courage
• Self-compassion and self-care
• Values clarification and resiliency
• Trust building and empathy
• Shame and perfectionism
• Creativity and authenticity

Participants are required to read Daring Greatly before the pre-conference and complete a survey to prepare for the work. It is encouraged but not required to have also read Brené Brown's Gifts of Imperfection.

• This session will be collaborative and interactive.
• The facilitator will use videos, large group presentations, and small group workbook activities to help participants dig deep into this work.
• Time will be provided to reflect personally on the topics as well as think about how the topics can be transferred to work with students, parents and staff.
• There will be opportunities to share together and support each other in new learning and questions about the learning.
• Time will be built in so that you may leave with your workbook completed and have ideas to bring back to your school.

School counsellors often recommend external mental health interventions for students.

Typically, counsellors are well equipped to provide valuable information about expectations, process and potential outcomes of therapy, but less so for medical intervention. This may be due to a number of reasons including uncertainty about ethical considerations and knowledge in this area.

Let’s Talk about Medication aims to build knowledge about medical intervention so counsellors can feel more confident discussing this with families.

During the workshop participants will learn about ethical considerations, titrating, side effects, switching and augmentation. Five medication classes will be explored using metaphors and stories, as well as how medication and therapy work together, with time for questions.

At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will walk away with a personalised ‘What to Talk About’ list, to take back to their school, as well as an information booklet on typical interventions, both medical and therapeutic, for a number of common psychological disorders.

An experienced Clinical Psychologist who is currently working as an Educational Psychologist in International Schools, first in Qatar and now in Thailand.

Prior to moving abroad, she worked in various clinical, educational and forensic settings. Terese has specialised in domestic violence, professional supervision, workshop facilitation, and educational assessments.

She previously worked with adults and children presenting with mild to moderate disorders, utilising a CBT intervention that integrates narrative and expressive techniques.

A licensed psychologist, is the author or co-author of seven books and numerous chapters on school crisis and suicide including authoring or co-authoring all National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) best practices chapters on suicide. He also co-authored handouts on self-injury for schools and parents for NASP.

Additionally, he was a previous President of NASP and the Prevention Division Director for the American Association of Suicidology. He is currently faculty at Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and the Director of the Suicide and Violence Prevention Office.

School counselors around the world are increasingly faced with students who are engaging in self-injury and students who have suicidal thoughts and plans. Youth suicide is the second leading cause of death in many countries.

This presentation will provide practical guidelines on how to intervene with at-risk students and clarify all steps needed for student safety. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of following school procedures and working as a school team to increase the circle of care for an at-risk student.

Self-injury is a complex behavior. Students engage in SI as a coping behavior with cutting being the most common with 14-18% of teenagers.

This presentation will identify many factors regarding this behavior, provide information about the most promising therapies, sample guidelines for schools, and clarify the relationship between SI and suicide.

Join us for "Nurturing Neurodiversity," a comprehensive workshop dedicated to exploring neuro-affirming approaches and language. Participants will delve into the complexities of neurodiverse experiences, examining the challenges and nuances of diagnosis. Through engaging discussions and experiential activities, attendees will gain a deeper understanding of neurodiversity and how to foster an inclusive, supportive environment.

The workshop will highlight the importance of neuro-affirming language and approaches, ensuring that participants leave with practical strategies to validate and empower neurodiverse individuals. This workshop will explore controversies around therapeutic support and answer the question "If not ABA, then what?" by incorporating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Counselors will be equipped with effective tools to support the emotional regulation, resilience, and well-being of all neuro-diverse students.

Additionally, the workshop will address the influence of cultural perspectives on neurodiversity, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive approaches in international schools. A trauma-informed lens will be applied throughout, acknowledging the potential impact of trauma on neurodiverse individuals and providing strategies for compassionate care.

Join us for an enriching experience that blends theory, practical application, and compassionate support.

Denise Granai is a school psychologist and counselor with Linden Global Learning & Support, Presence Learning (U.S.A.), and Anglo-American School of Sofia in Bulgaria. Since 2004, she has worked as a counselor/psychologist in California, Serbia (ISB), Egypt (CAC), the Netherlands (ISA), Thailand (NIST), and Bulgaria (AAS Sofia). Denise has an M.A. from California State University, Northridge in educational psychology, and a M.S. from Lesley University in dance and movement therapy. Over the years, Denise has worked with all grade levels and feels the most important skill we can teach children of any age is how to create healthy boundaries...this includes adults modeling them!

Annabelle van Nieuwkoop-Read is a British and Dutch neuro-affirming therapist based in the Netherlands and virtually with Linden Global Learning & Support. For more than 15 years, she has worked in international schools around Holland and was Head of Support Services at the International School of the Hague. Annabelle holds a master's in Arts Therapy (Drama), an MEd in Autism, and certification in ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy).

Janice finds fulfillment in aiding those with extreme childhood trauma on their path to healing, but her true passion lies in empowering fellow therapists, counselors, and healers. With a profound understanding of how adverse life experiences affect us, Janice dedicates herself to training professionals internationally. Join her in the mission to create a trauma-informed world—one where healing and freedom become accessible to all.

In these challenging times, the way we deliver school counseling services needs to adapt. Recognizing the short-term and long-term effects of adversity and trauma on human behavior is crucial. This course equips participants to evaluate and implement effective programs that cater to the needs of their students.

By the end of this 3-hour course, participants will have a comprehensive understanding of how trauma affects the human nervous system and the various human responses to threats to their safety across different ages. They will also acquire practical tools for providing responsive services that are both adequate and appropriate.

Participants will receive PDF resources that can be utilized in staff meetings, group counseling, advisory periods, or individual sessions with students. This course aims to be both educational and applicable, providing tangible benefits to enhance the effectiveness of school counseling and administrative practices.

In the workshop, participants will be immersed into the turbulent landscape of panic attacks, starting with an exploration of the nervous system's underlying mechanisms behind anxiety and panic. The facilitator will share her anxiety story to inspire counsellors to create their own metaphors or analogies to effectively communicate these concepts to students of all ages —a central aspect of treatment.

Participants will explore the thought processes of panic and the anxiety/avoidance cycle, both of which can perpetuate or alleviate panic. Everyone will have the option to try out an interoceptive exposure technique, with time for reflection afterwards. After this, the cornerstone of panic treatment will be explained; graded exposure and systemic desensitization. Finally, counsellors will spend time reflecting on how to support students in external therapy as well as managing panic in real-time. Join us to deepen your understanding and refine your skills in guiding students through the complexities of panic.

Join us as we decode Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and explore how it can transform your school's Advisory programs, wellness initiatives, counseling lessons, and SEL curriculum from Pre-K through graduation. This session will illuminate the diverse ways SEL can be implemented across all grade levels, while uniting us around a shared vision grounded in the ISCA Student Standards.

The extended time of this deep dive format will allow us to collaboratively create lessons using the new ISCA Student Standards Learning Progression tool. Make and take lessons back to your school that are aligned to standards and based on the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) with an aim to make learning accessible to all students.

The impact of COVID-19 on young, developing brains has emphasized the urgent need for international school communities to recognize and address mental illness among their students. This situation brings to light challenges such as emotional regulation difficulties, perceived loneliness, and an inability to manage everyday stressors across entire international school communities. Even before the pandemic, mental illness in children and youth was a significant global public health issue with the WHO reporting that one in seven 10-19-year-olds suffers from a mental disorder, representing 13% of the global disease burden for this age group.

Recognizing mental illness among international students and the larger school community is a complex challenge due to diverse global opinions and multicultural perspectives. This Deep Dive will challenge the phrase “mental health and well-being” by highlighting that, given the unique stressors in international school communities, over 14% of international students will experience a mental health disorder that disrupts their ability to thrive both educationally and socially.

This workshop will equip counselors with practical tools for creating meaningful and measurable change by adopting culturally appropriate elements from existing evidence-based models. Ultimately, the workshop aims to empower you to build an inclusive school community where every member can effectively manage and overcome mental health challenges.

 A Clinical Psychologist based in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA. With 26 years of professional practice, he has served as a clinician, Clinical Director, and Chief Programs Director at Mercy Family Center, an outreach ministry of Mercy Health System - St. Louis. A graduate of the University of North Texas, where he earned his doctorate, Dr. Walker specialized in the emerging field of Psychoneuroimmunology, focusing on the profound impact of stress on the human immune system. 

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