New York
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October 1, 2025
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October 2, 2025
Lessons from implementing the iHEAL program in diverse health care contexts: Drivers of success and implications for scale up
10:30am – 11:30am
iHEAL is a woman-led, health promotion intervention for women who are or have experienced IPV that is delivered by Registered Nurses (over 6-7 months). The program foregrounds women’s health, safety and well-being, and is tailored to the woman’s priorities, needs, and context. iHEAL is one of few interventions to show sustained benefits for both safety and health outcomes, with potential to strengthen health system responses for IPV survivors. Using concepts from implementation science and an exploratory mixed methods approach, our primary aim was to identify the conditions and resources needed to support implementation of iHEAL in ways that maintained its fidelity and benefits for women. We will discuss key lessons from this project and consider the implications for scaling up complex, trauma- and violence-informed IPV interventions, including iHEAL.
Speakers
Dr. Marilyn Ford-Gilboe
Dr. Marilyn Ford-Gilboe, RN, PhD, FAAN, FCAHS, FCAN is a Distinguished University Professor and Women’s Health Research Chair in Rural Health, Arthur Labatt Family School of Nursing, Western University. For the past 30 years, her research and community work have focused on identifying, preventing, and reducing the harmful (and often long-term) health, social and economic consequences of intimate partner violence (IPV), particularly among women facing inequities or barriers to support. Her recent research has developed and tested trauma-and violence-informed interventions that have been shown to improve the health, safety and well-being of women who have experienced IPV, both technology-based applications and community-based F2F nursing interventions. Current work is examining how to successfully integrate, scale and sustain effective interventions in order to improve services, policies and community responses for women who have experienced violence. Her ongoing research on the measurement of IPV (Composite Abuse Scale Revised – Short Form) has been taken up nationally and internationally, creating opportunities to better assess the complexity of IPV globally.
Dr. Caitlin Burd
Dr. Caitlin Burd, PhD, is a Research Associate in the Arthur Labatt's School of Nursing at Western University. Through her work as a relief Residential Counsellor at a women's shelter in Ontario, Canada, she developed a passion for supporting women and children experiencing abuse, and a desire to further her understanding of the systems involved in addressing intimate partner violence in Canada. Her broad research interests center on issues related to violence against women and gender inequality, intersectionality, and problem-setting in Canadian public policy. Caitlin's doctoral work focuses on analyzing the framing of intimate partner violence, and preventative solutions, in Canadian policy to develop ways to strengthen Canada's approach to addressing violence.
Virtual Groups for Men Who Have Used Violence Within Rural and Isolated Communities in Atlantic Canada
11:30am – 12:00pm
This presentation focuses on virtual groups for men who have used violence within rural and isolated communities in Atlantic Canada. Virtual programming not only overcomes geographical barriers to access but also creates unique opportunities for men to engage with vulnerability and accountability in ways that might be more difficult in traditional face-to-face settings. We examine how constructions of masculinity shape how men process their own experiences of violence and trauma and its influence on their own use of violence. In this presentation we will: 1) identify benefits of virtual support programming for men who have used violence in rural and isolated Atlantic Canadian communities, particularly related to accessibility and service engagement; 2) examine how constructions of masculinity influence men's experiences in virtual support groups; and 3) discuss the importance of addressing men's personal experiences of trauma and violence alongside their own use of violence in support group settings and potential concerns and benefits.
Speakers
Catrina Brown, Colin Morrison, Nancy Ross
Catrina Brown
Catrina Brown is a Professor at the School of Social Work Dalhousie University, cross-appointed to Gender and Women’s Studies. She teaches, conducts research and has a feminist narrative private practice with an emphasis on the intersection of critical theory, policy and practice specifically in the areas of mental health, health, trauma, post-trauma, depression, eating disorders and substance use. She has recently published the edited book Reframing Trauma Through Social Justice: Resisting the Politics of Mainstream Trauma Discourse.
"Participatory Approaches to Advancing Trauma- and Violence-Informed Physical Activity"
1:00pm – 2:00pm
This panel presentation examines the development and implementation of trauma- and violence-informed physical activity (TVIPA) programs, co-designed in partnership with members of four equity-owed communities across three Canadian cities. These communities, which face significant social inequities, trauma, and both familial and structural violence, were engaged through collaborations with community advisory boards and local organizations. The TVIPA programs incorporated a range of physical activities, including yoga, strength training, non-contact boxing, and dance, delivered over six-week periods across locations. In addition to describing the program design and evaluation, the panel discussion will address service provider experiences with social learning spaces, discuss outcomes of our TVI modules, and present StoryMap for community advocacy around TVIPA.
Speakers
Dr. Francine Darroch
Dr. Francine Darroch is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Carleton University. She is an interdisciplinary researcher with expertise in qualitative health research, public health, inequities in pregnancy and physical activity, maternal health, and the intersections of racism, gender-based violence, substance abuse, trauma, and structural violence. As founder of the Health and Wellness Equity Research Group at Carleton University, Dr. Darroch leads feminist participatory action research that focuses on leveraging physical activity to improve the quality of life of self-identified women and their families. Her current work aims to address inequities in physical activity for pregnant and parenting individuals and families through trauma- and violence-informed approaches to physical activity. While Dr. Darroch’s research is predominantly focused on self-identified women and children, her work also extends to explore and advocate for gender-sensitive programming for fathers living in marginalizing circumstances. Dr. Darroch’s main overarching goal is to co-create programs and resources to increase access to physical activity, enhance social cohesion, community connections, and improve overall health by way of addressing individual, systemic, and structural barriers to health and well-being. Overall, Dr. Darroch’s multi-faceted research efforts are a reflection of her passionate commitment to social justice, health equity, and challenging power differentials in research practices as an advocate for populations that experience systemic marginalization.
Candace Roberts
Candace Roberts is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Health Sciences at Carleton University. In her community-based participatory research, she focuses on health inequities within diverse communities using a social learning and trauma-and violence-informed lens. Fuelled by her past experiences with limited opportunities for participation in physical activity, her interests are in improving equitable access to physical activity programming.
Dr Grace McKeon
Dr Grace McKeon is an Exercise Physiologist and Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Carleton University, Ottawa. Her research focuses on the role of physical activity and diet in improving health outcomes for trauma-affected populations, including refugees and survivors of gender-based violence. She has authored 45 publications and secured >$1.5M in research funding. As a translational researcher, she employs a broad range of methodologies, including co-design, qualitative, and quantitative approaches. In 2022 she received the prestigious Exercise and Sport Science Australia Medal for the best PhD thesis in the field.
Nadine Simpson
Nadine Simpson is a community member, research participant, parent of a research participant, Community Advisory Board member; Community-Based Research Assistant; and a MSc Student Researcher. Her research focuses on improving the lived experiences of equity-owed people and communities who are systematically denied full participation in life. She is specifically interested in bodies labelled disAbled and how physical activity as an intervention can increase the quality of their lives and their life expectancy. Nadine's own personal experiences with mental and physical health challenges are a driving factor in her research.
Anna Ferdinand
Anna Ferdinand has been in the fitness industry for almost 20 years, working as a certified trauma-informed Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, Dance Teacher, Aquafit Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and a 500-hour Yoga Teacher. Founder of Play! Joyful Fitness, Anna aims to bring a childlike curiosity and joy to the classes she teaches, from children to older adults and all in between! Currently, Anna is also studying Psychology and plans to create a second career as an Adlerian Play Therapist.
Making Space – Trauma- and Violence-Informed Movement Session
2:00pm – 2:30pm
This gentle Yoga practice, delivered through a trauma-informed lens, invites participants to become attuned to their breathing and movement. Together, we will flow through a series of postures designed to allow for expansion in the body, breathing, and mind!
Speakers
Dr. Francine Darroch
Dr. Francine Darroch is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Carleton University. She is an interdisciplinary researcher with expertise in qualitative health research, public health, inequities in pregnancy and physical activity, maternal health, and the intersections of racism, gender-based violence, substance abuse, trauma, and structural violence. As founder of the Health and Wellness Equity Research Group at Carleton University, Dr. Darroch leads feminist participatory action research that focuses on leveraging physical activity to improve the quality of life of self-identified women and their families. Her current work aims to address inequities in physical activity for pregnant and parenting individuals and families through trauma- and violence-informed approaches to physical activity. While Dr. Darroch’s research is predominantly focused on self-identified women and children, her work also extends to explore and advocate for gender-sensitive programming for fathers living in marginalizing circumstances. Dr. Darroch’s main overarching goal is to co-create programs and resources to increase access to physical activity, enhance social cohesion, community connections, and improve overall health by way of addressing individual, systemic, and structural barriers to health and well-being. Overall, Dr. Darroch’s multi-faceted research efforts are a reflection of her passionate commitment to social justice, health equity, and challenging power differentials in research practices as an advocate for populations that experience systemic marginalization.
Anna Ferdinand
Anna Ferdinand has been in the fitness industry for almost 20 years, working as a certified trauma-informed Personal Trainer, Group Fitness Instructor, Dance Teacher, Aquafit Instructor, Pilates Instructor, and a 500-hour Yoga Teacher. Founder of Play! Joyful Fitness, Anna aims to bring a childlike curiosity and joy to the classes she teaches, from children to older adults and all in between! Currently, Anna is also studying Psychology and plans to create a second career as an Adlerian Play Therapist.
Engaging Black men as leaders in Domestic Violence Prevention
10:15am – 11:15am
This interactive workshop introduces a community-driven model focused on engaging Black men as leaders in domestic violence prevention. Rooted in Africentric principles, trauma-informed practice, and Ubuntu philosophies, the approach recognizes the intersection of systemic racism, intergenerational trauma, and patriarchal norms in shaping Black men’s lives. By reframing Black men not as solely perpetrators or bystanders but as vital contributors to healing and change, this workshop offers a transformative lens on violence prevention.
The session will share insights from a train-the-trainer program that mobilizes Black men to act as peer mentors and advocates within their communities. Through role-play, reflective exercises, and dialogue, participants will explore strategies to foster accountability, build trust, and centre healing practices. The workshop will also introduce tools for creating safe, culturally relevant spaces where Black men can confront harmful behaviours, unpack trauma, and cultivate healthy relationships. This session is ideal for practitioners, researchers, and community leaders who are looking to build or enhance programs that centre the voices and leadership of Black men in family violence prevention.
Speakers
Dr. Patrina Duhaney, Sheryl Thompson
Dr. Patrina Duhaney
Dr. Patrina Duhaney, project lead, is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary. Her research grapples with issues related to race, racism, victimization, domestic violence and criminalization. She has published widely in multi-disciplinary peer reviewed journals and recently published an article titled, “Criminalized Black women’s experiences of intimate partner violence in Canada” in the Violence Against Women Journal. Dr. Duhaney has over 14 years of experience working as a social worker. She has worked in the violence against women sector for several years supporting women who have experienced gender-based violence. As an educator, she utilizes critical approaches to raise awareness of anti-Black racism and address structural and systemic barriers.
Breaking the Silence: Strengthening Black Communities Through Collective DV Prevention
11:15am –12:00pm
This session invites participants into a reflective and engaging conversation on mobilizing Black communities to prevent domestic violence through culturally responsive, trauma-informed, and community-anchored practices. Drawing from my research, frontline experiences, and community-based projects, I will share stories and case examples that demonstrate how Black communities are actively confronting gender-based violence while building trust, healing, and accountability. The session will explore lessons learned from initiatives that centre the voices and leadership of Black men and families, while also confronting systemic barriers such as racism, anti-Blackness, and institutional distrust. Through guided storytelling, audience reflection, and collective dialogue, we will examine the role of cultural identity, intergenerational trauma, and community solidarity in fostering transformative change. This session is designed to foster relational engagement. Participants will be invited to reflect on their own experiences, share insights, and explore ways to integrate community-rooted practices into their own work. This conversation is intended for practitioners, researchers, and community organizers who are committed to advancing domestic violence prevention that honours the lived realities and strengths of Black communities.
Speakers
Dr. Patrina Duhaney, Sheryl Thompson
Dr. Patrina Duhaney
Dr. Patrina Duhaney, project lead, is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary. Her research grapples with issues related to race, racism, victimization, domestic violence and criminalization. She has published widely in multi-disciplinary peer reviewed journals and recently published an article titled, “Criminalized Black women’s experiences of intimate partner violence in Canada” in the Violence Against Women Journal. Dr. Duhaney has over 14 years of experience working as a social worker. She has worked in the violence against women sector for several years supporting women who have experienced gender-based violence. As an educator, she utilizes critical approaches to raise awareness of anti-Black racism and address structural and systemic barriers.
Supporting women with intimate partner violence and substance use: Findings from the Strong Women virtual social support group and workbook intervention
1:00pm –1:30pm
Women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) have significantly higher rates of substance use (SU) and mental health concerns, sometimes in response to IPV. These interconnections underline the importance of offering dual focused responses and interventions, but such integrated approaches are rare. In this research presentation, we share findings from the Strong Women project, in which we designed, piloted, implemented, and evaluated a dual focused intervention consisting of a six-session virtual social support group, curriculum, workbook, and facilitator’s guide developed for use within either anti-violence or substance use services across Canada.
Speakers
Lorraine Greaves, Andreea Brabete, Nancy Poole, Lindsay Wolfson, & Carol Muñoz Nieves
Dr. Lorraine Greaves
Dr. Greaves is the founding Executive Director of the Centre of Excellence for Women's Health and its Senior Investigator since 2009. She was previously the Director of the Centre for Research on Violence Against Women and Children in London ON. She is a medical sociologist and has worked in education, government, hospitals, and academia. She was appointed Chair of Health Canada’s Scientific Advisory Committee on Health Products for Women in 2019. She has received numerous awards for her work, including a Doctorate of the University from the University of Ottawa. She is leading the academic evidence review and the co-development of the workbook, social support curriculum, and facilitator’s guide. She has experience in creating social support group curricula, leading numerous national and international projects and has authored twelve books, 120 journal articles, and numerous reports, guidance documents, workbooks, toolkits and articles on sex and gender science, intimate partner violence and substance use.
Dr. Nancy Poole
Dr. Poole is the Director of the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, and a leader on online participatory methods for knowledge generation and exchange on complex women’s health issues. She has co-led system change initiatives and co-developed toolkits, training curricula and guidelines on trauma-informed practice with organizations, institutions and governments across Canada. She has a strong commitment to working with Indigenous partners to incorporate strengths based and Indigenous wellness approaches in all health and substance use related initiatives. She received an Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the Justice Institute of BC in 2021 for her work in advancing women’s health including trauma-informed practice and the treatment of substance use and addiction. She will co-lead the development of and training for the workbook and social support intervention with onsite facilitators during the pilot and implementation phases and lead the development of the knowledge translation products and knowledge dissemination processes.
Dr. Andreea Brabete
Dr. Brabete is a Research Associate at the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health where she is involved in different projects related to women´s health and substance use. Andreea studied psychology and holds a PhD in Women´s Health earned at the Complutense University of Madrid (Spain). Her PhD dissertation focused on the impact of immigration on health status and its relationship with sex and gender related factors, acculturation, and personality. Her research interests include the interplay of intersections of social determinants of health in different populations, substance use, mental health, intimate partner violence, and psychometrical characteristics of questionnaires. She will conduct the scoping review, lead the drafting of the scoping review report, and support the development of the workbook and social support curriculum. She will oversee the data analysis and the focus groups, observe the intervention for fidelity at some sites, co-lead focus groups with facilitators and participants and prepare the report on the pilot and implementation findings.
Lindsay Wolfson
Lindsay is the Research Project Manager at the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health and a MSW student at Wilfrid Laurier University. She holds a Master of Public Health, Social Inequities and Health, from Simon Fraser University. Lindsay is responsible for research and collaboration on projects relating to women’s substance use and stigma reduction, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder prevention, Indigenous health and wellness, and the integration of gender, trauma, culture, violence and equity-informed approaches into policy, research, and practice. She will coordinate activities with project partners, observe the intervention for fidelity at some of the sites, co-lead focus groups with facilitators and participants and support research and knowledge exchange activities.
Carol Muñoz Nieves
Carol Muñoz Nieves, MA, is a researcher and communicator focused on women’s health and gender equity. As a former journalist, Carol is committed to exploring and helping build shared understandings of the root causes of inequities to advance transformative projects. Since joining the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health, she has worked on initiatives related to gender-transformative violence prevention, women’s substance use treatment, chronic pain, and integrating gender into emergency management.
Connection, reflection, and skill-building: The development of a participant-led methodology for addressing intimate partner violence in Northeastern Ontario at the Building Opportunities for Women Program
1:30pm –2:00pm
This presentation highlights the Building Opportunities for Women (BOW) Program, a 12-week, remotely facilitated support group for self-identified women (16+) in Sudbury & District who have experienced or are at risk of intimate partner violence. Developed in response to gaps in post-shelter services, BOW focuses on connection, reflection, and skill-building. Participants explore the roots of gendered violence, build self-esteem, and identify education and training needs. Grounded in an iterative evaluation process, the program has evolved based on the lived experiences and insights of women in the region. This participant-led approach centers women’s agency while acknowledging the broader systemic issues contributing to IPV. By the end of the presentation, attendees will better understand how BOW was developed, how ongoing evaluation has shaped its methodology, and why community-based, participant-driven programs are critical in addressing intimate partner violence in rural and remote contexts.
Speaker
Jen Johnson
Jen Johnson (PhD York, MSt. Oxon) is a Program Evaluator of the Building Opportunities for Women Program (BOW). With 22 years postsecondary teaching and research experience, Jen contributes pedagogical support as well as critical evaluation of the BOW program. Jen is formerly associate professor and chair of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (Thorneloe University at Laurentian). She is the Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies (School of Liberal Arts) at Laurentian University. Her research and teaching interests include feminist geographical approaches to the study of social reproduction, gender, race and racism and structural violence in the context of workplaces, and feminist pedagogies.
The art of developing online training: Planning is everything!
2:00pm – 3:00pm
The COVID-19 pandemic has fostered an unprecedented boom in the use of new technologies to meet informational needs in innovative ways. Online training has multiple advantages, including being able to reach geographically dispersed populations. Still, the benefits can vary depending on the computer literacy of participants. The Research Chair on Mistreatment of Older Adults has been involved in the co-creation of multiple online trainings, including some for the Ministry of Health in Quebec. The main objective of this workshop is to discuss the crucial elements to consider in the development of online training such as development plan, partners, costs, etc. Examples will be drawn from the recent development of Acknowledging and Responding to Mistreatment in CARegiving (ARMCAR), an online program that aims to increase awareness and knowledge of older caregivers and community organizations workers about this difficult subject. ARMCAR comprises expert videos, realistic vignettes illustrated with AI-generated images, and written content about mistreatment and useful resources.
Speakers
Mélanie Couture
Mélanie Couture, PhD - Holder of the Research Chair on Mistreatment of Older Adults, Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Université de Sherbrooke Researcher in social gerontology for more than a decade, her research focuses on the co-construction and integration of clinical and organizational innovations for the prevention and management of mistreatment situations in the context of family care, in shared living environments and in the use of home support technologies.
Renée-Pier Filiou
Renée-Pier Filiou - Since joining the Chair team in 2023, she has contributed to a variety of projects and written several articles as a research professional. Her works focuses on preventing elder mistreatment and supporting aging in place through technology. She is particularly interested in the potential of technological solutions to optimize services and support clinical decision-making to improve the lives of older adults.
