Schedule

With our switch to an all online event, we have expanded the conference to cover 10 days. All talks have been pre-recorded and will be available at 12:01 AM EDT of the scheduled date. We will host a "Watch Party" on Facebook at the times listed below. Some speakers have also generously agreed to participate in Question & Answer sessions. These sessions will be live and the recordings will be posted to the Sleeposium content site a few days after the session.

Regardless of whether you participate in the Watch Parties or the Live Q&A, you will have access to the recordings of the talks and the Q&A sessions for 2 years.

Day 1 - Monday, April 27, 2020

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10:00 AM EDT

Sleep Biology Fundamentals for Advanced Practice

By Lyndsey Hookway

Understanding the bigger and broader picture of sleep can be transformative.

In this session, we move beyond sleep latency, overtiredness, and wake windows and understand how autonomic regulation impacts sleep, and how this can be used as a change tool to support families with confidence.

This presentation will cover:

  • The key principles of sleep biology
  • The importance of homeostasis in regulation
  • The role of stress in dysregulation
  • The relationship between the autonomic nervous system and sleep
  • How responsive, attuned care leads to less dysregulation
  • How to facilitate parents to be calm, confident, and connected to improve sleep
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1:00 PM EDT

Live Q&A with Lyndsey Hookway

 

Day 2 - Tuesday, April 28, 2020

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10:00 AM EDT

The Truth About Night Waking

By Lyndsey Hookway

Night waking is the cause of much frustration and conflict.

With endless mixed messages about whether to prioritise responsive parenting or optimal sleep, it is no wonder that families sometimes feel confused. In this session, we will explore what large studies say about night waking and unpick myths around night feeding. We will also discuss feeding to sleep and the hormonal influences of feeding and sleeping.

This presentation will cover:

  • Normal sleep at night in infancy
  • Night waking/feeding myths
  • Feeding to sleep - complexities and confounders
  • Benefits of night waking for infants
  • When might night waking/feeding be a problem?
  • How to gently address night waking
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1:00 PM EDT

Live Q&A with Lyndsey Hookway

 

Day 3 - Wednesday, April 29, 2020

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10:00 AM EDT

The What, Why, and How-to of the Montessori Bed

By Kim Lockhart-McMahon

Many families are choosing to adopt the practices of Maria Montessori and create a Montessori nursery space.

What does that mean to us as Sleep Coaches? Join me to understand the principles behind Maria Montessori’s pedagogy and how this relates to sleep.

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1:00 PM EDT

Live Q&A with Kim Lockhart-McMahon

 
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2:00 PM EDT

Collecting the Hearts of Children

By Nikki Taylor

We all need someone to love and who loves us.

The research on the impacts of healthy and secure attachments is clear and the results last a lifetime. Together we will explore Dr. Gordon Neufeld's work and peek into the world of attachment from the child's perspective.  You will discover the 6 stages of attachment, how "right relationships” protects children from stress and helps develop self-regulation and resilience. We will also explore some of the indicators of healthy adult/child attachment and the inherent risks to attachment created by fostering independence too early in children.

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3:00 PM EDT

Live Q&A with Nikki Taylor

 

Day 4 - Thursday, April 30, 2020

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10:00 AM EDT

Applying Neufeld's Attachment Framework to Family Sleep for Parents with Babies and Young Children

By Heather Boyd

Sleep is a developmental and physiological process that is heavily influenced by the environment.

In this presentation, Heather will explore the factors that support sleep development in infants and young children through the lens of attachment, with particular emphasis on the stages of attachment described by Dr. Gordon Neufeld, developmental psychologist. Exploring parent responsiveness as a key factor in the sleep environment, Heather will outline strategies that support sleep development while honouring the irreducible needs of young children.

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1:00 PM EDT

Live Q&A with Heather Boyd

 

Day 5 - Friday, May 1, 2020

 
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10:00 AM EDT

Growing Resilient Children by Building a Rich Family Culture

By Savannah Hepburn Penny

Stressful situations and separations happen in every child's life.

As parents and caregivers, we possess all the tools we need to provide our children with a deep resilience to these inevitable experiences. Establishing connection-focused traditions within our homes builds security in our children, and empowers them with the confidence they need to handle life's twists and turns.

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1:00 PM EDT

Live Q&A with Savannah Hepburn Penny

 

Day 6 - Monday, May 4, 2020

 
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10:00 AM EDT

Using Self Regulation Strategies to Address Bedtime Challenges for Preschoolers and Children

By Shannon Rolph

Bedtime often brings out challenging behaviours as children try to delay bedtime and spend more time connecting with parents.

This is also a time when children can have heightened worries and anxiety. The stress of their day may come crashing down when they should be relaxing and falling asleep. In this session you will learn why self-regulation is an important part of bedtime, and what strategies we can use to promote improved self-regulation for children. You will walk away with practical tools that you can teach to parents to promote relaxation, manage worries, and help parents to feel more competent and confident in settling their child down to sleep.

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1:00 PM EDT

Live Q&A with Shannon Rolph

 
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2:00 PM EDT

Sleep Coaching Gems from the Life of a Professional Sleep Coach

By Tracy Spackman

A career in sleep coaching has not only led me to help sleepless mothers everywhere but has been applicable to my older children and improved my own parenting skills!

Things that I wished I had known when my children were small, surprisingly, have application to my children as they get older. Hear some funny stories about how concepts for parenting babies apply to everyone.

Day 7 - Tuesday, May 5, 2020

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10:00 AM EDT

Sleep Problems of Children & Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder - Part 1 of 2

By Gregory Hanley, PhD, BCBA-D

Sleep problems are prevalent among children, especially children with autism.

Addressing sleep problems can be challenging, and when left unaddressed, sleep problems can lead to or worsen other behavior problems such as aggression and noncompliance while also making learning in school difficult. The goal of this workshop is to provide attendees with a sound understanding of factors that worsen and improve children's ability to achieve age-appropriate amounts of sleep as well as strategies for addressing common issues such as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep and nighttime routine noncompliance. As a result, attendees will have a better understanding of how family members and support staff can work as a team to promote the healthy sleep of the children in their care. The seminar will involve opportunities to design individualized and parent-friendly treatments for specific sleep problems and a review of strategies to prevent sleep problems from occurring.

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1:00 PM EDT

Promoting Better Sleep in Parents and Adults

By Andrea Strang

Parents often present their children’s sleep habit as the reason for their family’s sleep problems, when in fact, parents may have underlying sleep issues themselves that are exacerbated by their little one’s sleep.

Working on a child's sleep habits may be challenging and may not always be appropriate. Promoting good sleep habits in parents, however, can go a long way in helping a family out of a sleep crisis. Andrea shares how she incorporates adult insomnia coaching into her practice and shares evidence-based principles for better sleep for parents and adults.

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2:00 PM EDT

Live Q&A with Andrea Strang and Tracy Spackman

 

Day 8 - Wednesday, May 6, 2020

 
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10:00 AM EDT

Sleep Problems of Children & Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder - Part 2 of 2

By Gregory Hanley, PhD, BCBA-D

Sleep problems are prevalent among children, especially children with autism.

Addressing sleep problems can be challenging, and when left unaddressed, sleep problems can lead to or worsen other behavior problems such as aggression and noncompliance while also making learning in school difficult. The goal of this workshop is to provide attendees with a sound understanding of factors that worsen and improve children's ability to achieve age-appropriate amounts of sleep as well as strategies for addressing common issues such as difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep and nighttime routine noncompliance. As a result, attendees will have a better understanding of how family members and support staff can work as a team to promote the healthy sleep of the children in their care. The seminar will involve opportunities to design individualized and parent-friendly treatments for specific sleep problems and a review of strategies to prevent sleep problems from occurring.

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1:00 PM EDT

Live Q&A with Gregory Hanley

 
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2:00 PM EDT

The Goulding Process - SleepTalk®

By Kris Pedder

Professionals know and most parents would agree that it is difficult for children to enjoy restful sleep or confidently deal with issues in their life if they are anxious, fearful, or unhappy

Children trying to cope with bed-wetting, anger, or fear for example, are often anxious, sad, lack self-confidence, and be poor sleepers. Parents can transform the naturally occurring fears, pains, and behavioural issues in children using the Goulding Process for Children - SleepTalk®. This process is for every parent who has experienced difficulty parenting their child and even those who do not. It works well with all parenting styles, including attachment parenting. With this process, parents learn to work with their own children and when children awaken, they have a more positive mind set. It only takes parents about 2 minutes per evening and the changes last for life.

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3:00 PM EDT

Live Q&A with Kris Pedder

 

Day 9 - Thursday, May 7, 2020

 
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10:00 AM EDT

How to Support Breastfeeding Families in a Sleep Crisis

By Lyndsey Hookway

In a sleep crisis, families often report a situation that is unsustainable and unmanageable.

Finding respectful and responsive strategies to improve sleep while maintaining lactation and gentle parenting can be a challenge. In this session, we will explore the challenges and options open to families at different stages of lactation, drawing on case studies and real-life examples from practice.

  • What defines a sleep crisis, and how is it different?
  • Which families are more at risk of a sleep crisis?
  • How to support children responsively through a crisis
  • Out of the box thinking with a sleep crisis - what other strategies might help?
  • Practical case studies
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1:00 PM EDT

Live Q&A with Lyndsey Hookway

 

Day 10 - Friday, May 8, 2020

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10:00 AM EDT

The Power of Positivity - How Understanding Attachment, Emotional Connection, and Stress Can Transform Sleep

By Lyndsey Hookway

Many parents are increasingly looking for sleep support that builds not only the connection with their child, but also decreases everyone's stress, optimises relationships, and improves parental confidence.

In Lyndsey's final session, she will offer practical tools and strategies to improve calm, connection, and confidence for overall optimal family well-being.

  • Why improving sleep doesn't always mean focusing on sleep
  • How attachment affects sleep
  • Practical tools to support secure attachment and optimal sleep
  • How to build trust when children feel anxious
  • Supporting connection and relationships for well-being and sleep
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1:00 PM EDT

Live Q&A with Lyndsey Hookway