My Curious Brain is a fun, interactive, and educational book for parents and caregivers to teach their children about how the brain works. When parents and caregivers have a greater understanding of how their own brain works and their children’s brains work, they will better understand how to support their child and promote healthy brain development. With a greater awareness of how the brain works and with supportive caregivers, children can develop self-regulation skills and strategies to help them effectively deal with stressors.
This presentation will provide an overview of the My Curious Brain book, Resource Room, and User Guide. A panel of service providers will share some of the ways they use My Curious Brain in their work with children and families.

Brent is the co-author of the books My Curious Brain and The Hand You Hold is the Legacy You Leave. Brent has had a wide variety of experiences as a social worker in mental health. His experience includes teaching and supervising social work students at the University of Regina. He has developed and evaluated programs for men who are violent and sexual offender programming. He shifted his focus in 2002 when the KidsFirst Program started, and is currently working as a Senior Mental Health Worker with the Saskatchewan Health Authority. His current primary focus involves working with vulnerable families and children under the age of 3 years. This work has led Brent into the intersection of maternal mental health, trauma, trauma-informed practices, and attachment theory.

Connie is the Nobody’s Perfect Parenting Program Coordinator for Saskatchewan. In this role, she offers training, ongoing education, and support, to service providers who work with parents and families. Connie is also a mom of a 7-year-old daughter and a 13-year-old son. As a Parent Program Coordinator and a parent, Connie recognizes that parenting is one of the most important, and also most challenging, roles that we have in our lives. Through support, information, and capacity building, service providers can play an amazing part in helping parents gain confidence and effectiveness, and build healthy, positive connections with their children.

Jackie is the Community Action Program for Children (CAPC) Training and Education Coordinator for the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute. Jackie is responsible for resource development and organizing trainings, presentations, and workshops to support the work of CAPC Projects throughout Saskatchewan. Being the mother of three children, along with experience in the field of education, fuels Jackie’s passion for supporting parenting education.

Donna is a graduate of the University of Manitoba. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a Bachelor of Arts, and is a student of Art Therapy. Donna is specialized in ceramics and interpersonal art. Delivering clay programming through numerous agencies for over 10 years, she has worked with more than 3,000 Manitoban children. Donna spent 4+ years working in the domestic violence sector, delivering trauma-based recovery services to both children and parents exposed to domestic and systemic violence. She is the current Director of Child and Family Programming with Sober Families Alliance, where she creates and delivers health and wellness programming using a combination of education, therapeutic counselling, and experiential programming to foster healing and resilience in clients at all stages of their recovery journey. Having received an autism diagnosis late in life, Donna identifies herself as neurodiverse and strives for inclusion, empathy, and interpersonal connection in all facets of her life and professional practice.

Lisa received an Early Childhood Educator certification in 2001 and has worked for 20 years in the early childhood field, with the highlight being her tenure as Director of TLC Daycare Inc. in Birch Hills. In April of 2022, she switched her focus from the early childcare world to the world of tweens, teens, and everything in between. Lisa has been implementing the My Curious Brain program with a group of 8 – 13-year-olds as part of their weekly programming. The program has been successful to date and keeps evolving and expanding. Lisa loves how flexible the program is as the group tends to jump around depending on the day and where they are emotionally.

Larissa is from Fond-du-Lac, SK., which is situated in Treaty 8 territory. She currently works as a Community Justice Worker with the Whitecap Dakota First Nation and has worked in the justice field for eight years. Larissa does work in the areas of restorative justice and prevention programming, and utilizes the My Curious Brain book to teach young students emotional, social, and conflict resolution skills.

Christin is the Regional KidsFirst Community Developer for the Saskatoon region. Christin’s social work career has been spent supporting families with young children, with a specific focus on early childhood for the past 10 years. In her time away from work, Christin enjoys spending time with her family, reading a good book, and relaxing at the lake.