12-20 September 2026
This presentation addresses the “missing middle” in mental healthcare - the gap for young people whose needs are not adequately met by traditional services. We introduce the Human Nature Program, a nature-based therapeutic model that delivers therapy and mentoring...
Outdoor programs are often described as naturally engaging, therapeutic or transformative. Yet being outside does not automatically create participation, safety or meaningful change. Outdoor experiences can reproduce the same adult agendas found in classrooms,...
Over the last decade, widespread concern that social media is harming young people, and the recurring cycles of moral panic that often accompany new technologies, have been growing. But is this really new? Drawing on the available evidence, Dr. Chris Ferguson will...
If a young person returns more compliant, polite or settled, has the intervention genuinely helped, or simply produced obedience? This webinar introduces an ecological model of psychological development to examine why good outcomes do not necessarily indicate good...
Presenter: Dr. Stephan Natynczuk (Spare Krab Adventure Therapy) Abstract: What does borshch have to teach us about meaningful, helpful, and useful conversations? In this session, I will take a playful look at the ingredients of a good conversation and, using the...
Presenter: Nadine Delaney (Nature Based Therapies Australia) Abstract: Equine and Animal Assisted Therapy integrates horses and other animals into clinical practice, offering unique opportunities for healing and growth under the guidance of qualified mental health...
Young people can often find themselves in the crosshairs of intersecting crises - crises that can be exacerbated by the vulnerabilities of youth and the disregard that can be present for young people’s wellbeing and needs. Not only are young people grappling with...
Presenter: Lynette Nikkel MSW, RSW Abstract: What does it mean for a therapist to be authentic and how does that impact the therapeutic relationship? This open exploration dives into the role of authenticity in clinical practice, examining how ego, power dynamics,...
Presenters: Mark Cartner, Sam Harris, & Josh Heins Abstract: Walkabout Training offers bespoke outdoor therapeutic interventions in Queensland. The organisation was founded by an experienced youth worker with a background as a detective and extensive experience in...
Presenter: Doug Moczynski Abstract: Have you ever paused to consider how the young people you work with perceive you? Through your words, actions, and presence, the example you set shapes what meaning they make from their experience. Are you actively creating...