Gentle Teaching International Conference 2025 - The many Colours
Speakers
Speakers
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About
Bo Hejlskov Elvén is a clinical psychologist and author known for his work on managing challenging behavior through low-arousal approaches. He provides guidance and lectures on problem behavior, especially in children and adults with developmental disorders such as autism, ADHD, and intellectual disabilities.
His methods focus on changing the behavior of staff and parents rather than the individual with challenging behavior. Bo Hejlskov Elvén has written several books on the subject, including "No Fighting, No Biting, No Screaming" and "Sulky, Rowdy, Rude?"Program description
Thinking about about people with intellectuel disability: the oldest debate in the world.
Care staff’s choice of method is affected by both their knowledge and ethics. It is especially evident in choice of method when managing challenging behaviour. The choice between harsh behaviour management and gentle methods are guided by ancient mechanisms in human thinking and morals. By acknowledging our limitations and challenges as humans as well as staff we can monitor and correct our practice.The lecture is based on a research project looking at care ethics in an evolutionary frame work by Bo Hejlskov Elvén.
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About
Ingelis Arnsbjerg is an Occupational Therapist specialized in sensory processing and sensory health who have studied and worked as an OT in Denmark and the USA for over 30 years.
Ingelis has been in private practice in Denmark for 26 years through her company Sans & Samling ( Regulate through sensation).
Ingelis is a certified practitioner in the acoustic therapies Integrated Listening Systems (iLs) developed by Neurologist and Psychiatrist Dr. Ron Minson and Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) developed by Psychiatrist and Neurophysiologist Dr. Stephen Porges.
Ingelis is a certified instructor in Integrated Listening Systems (ILS) and certifies ILS practitioners in Denmark.
Since 2015, Ingelis has been the Chair of the Board of The Danish Association of Pediatric Occupational Therapists under the Danish Association of Occupational Therapy.Program description
This presentation will introduce Dr. Stephen Porges Polyvagal Theory and how the theory can be applied for individuals with special needs as well as for professionals and caretakers.
It will be highlighted how the theory neurobiologically supports Gentle Teaching as a relational pedagogy, where felt sense of safety is the foundation in human contact and interaction.
The internationally recognized psychiatrist and neurophysiologist Dr. Stephen Porges has researched human autonomic states for over 50 years. Porges has demonstrated through the Polyvagal Theory the significance of internal autonomic states for our ability to engage socially and communicate in a way that facilitates safety and trust. The Poyvagal Theory also explains defensive responses to felt sense of threat and how these responses are meant to protect us.
Physiological states within the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) have a significant impact on the outcomes of pedagogical and therapeutic efforts, due to the inner states impact on felt safety and trust, sensory processing, attention and concentration.
This presentation will focus on the importance of self-care and self-regulation among professionals who provide special pedagogical, therapeutic, psychological, and caregiving support for individuals with neurodivergence and disabilities. -
About
I am 56 years old and a native and resident of Akureyri, Iceland, where I have lived my entire life. I am married to Sunna Vilborg Jónsdóttir, and together we have three children and two grandchildren. My introduction to Gentle Teaching began in 1993 through Dan Hobbs, and since 2012, I’ve been fortunate to collaborate closely with many wonderful individuals within the Gentle Teaching community.
I began working in this field in 1988 and took on the role of Director in 1991. My primary work focuses on providing services to individuals with intellectual disabilities, with a specialization in addressing challenging behaviors. As a Director, I oversee financial management, staff organization, and ensure that the people we support receive the daily care and services they need.Since 1993, I have actively implemented Gentle Teaching in my organization and across Iceland, benefiting people with disabilities as well as the elderly. Since 1996, I’ve been delivering presentations on Gentle Teaching throughout Iceland and at various GTI conferences. As a certified Master Mentor since 1995, I have also been training caregivers across Iceland in the principles and practices of Gentle Teaching.
Program description
In my presentation, I will share how we introduced Gentle Teaching into our service in 1993 and the profound impact it has had on reshaping our organizational culture. I will discuss the challenges we encountered along the way and the vital role patience plays in achieving meaningful outcomes. Step by step, I will outline our journey, what we have accomplished, and where we are headed.
Additionally, I will explore how we have grown as an organization by prioritizing collaboration and highlighting the value of sharing knowledge and experiences. I will also provide insights into how we train caregivers and mentors in Iceland, ensuring they are well-prepared to embrace and apply the principles of Gentle Teaching. -
About
Marie Louise holds an MSc in Social Science and Psychology specializing in pedagogical professionalism. She is the co-owner and co-founder of the consultancy company Sopra Konsulenterne, which since 2008 has provided consultancy, development of skills and supervision in the specialized field.
Marie Louise is deeply committed to collaboration - both with the individual resident and between the associated professionals. Marie Louise rarely finds herself behind a desk but is instead out in the various organizations, where she works with professionals and residents to develop initiatives that promote well-being in everyday life for the individual resident.
Program description
Marie Louise is a co-developer of the LA2u method and will give a practical introduction to this method. LA2u is a method that originates from a recovery-orientated mindset and is also based on elements from the Low Arousal approach. The method is a meta-method that gathers, illuminates and adjusts practice from a systematic-reflective practice. LA2u differs from the classic LA2 focusing on visually supported material.
LA2u is a dialogue and reflection method where we systematically attempt to investigate what the resident experiences as crucial to his/her well-being and what is experienced as helpful in relation to the support offered. This is essential, as LA2u is a method that insists that collaboration on the resident’s perspective is crucial when working to prevent unhappiness and violent incidents.
Collaboration is not only a good idea, but it is the key premise for whether we can create good solutions together. Collaboration should take place with the individual resident, but also with the resident’s network and the collaboration amongst professionals.
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About
Michael is the founding CEO of Creative Options Regina (COR) — a for-impact, charitable organization that develops personalized support services for people experiencing disability in Regina, Canada. Under Michael’s leadership, COR has grown to become one of the province’s largest support providers in the mental health and disability services sector.
Michael is passionately committed to nurturing a culture of gentleness within the workplace, with a particular focus on employee experience. Launching the COR Academy in 2024, Michael’s vision is to influence cultures of support across Canada and beyond through dedicated Gentle Teaching Mentorship and Training Initiatives.
Michael is a proud recipient of Canada’s Most Admired CEO Award (2021) - Broader Public Sector; COR has been recognized as one of Canada’s Most Admired Corporate Cultures (2020-2024), Canada’s Healthiest Workplaces (2019-2024), Canada’s Top 100 Employers (2022-2024), along with a number of other national and regional awards.
Program description
Deepening Our Understanding of Gentle Teaching with Intention
If we’re committed to truly embodying Gentle Teaching – not just in theory, but in practice – then deepening our understanding is essential. Gentle Teaching Canada’s training programs are designed to support exactly that: a thoughtful, progressive learning journey that helps us grow in how we relate, connect, and care.
It begins with Level 1, which lays the foundation. It introduces us to the heart of Gentle Teaching – the Four Pillars of feeling safe, loved, loving, and engaged – and the tools we use to express that: our hands, eyes, words, and presence. It’s more than an overview; it invites us to start seeing our role differently.
Level 2 takes us further. It challenges us to reflect, to think critically, and to apply these principles in real, practical ways. Through case examples and personal reflection, we start asking deeper questions – about how we build trust, how we communicate safety, and how we shape the environments around us.
Then we move into Level 3, a series of focused modules that offer space to explore specific, complex areas of practice: how our language shapes experiences, how trauma impacts connection, how to lower or stretch demands thoughtfully, and how to build structure without rigidity. These are not surface-level concepts, they require vulnerability, curiosity, and a willingness to grow.
Together, these trainings don’t just teach us what Gentle Teaching is. They invite us into a deeper relationship with the people we support – and with ourselves as caregivers. Because at its core, Gentle Teaching is not a technique. It’s a way of being.
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About
Niels works as a Special Education Consultant at Sødisbakke and brings extensive experience and expertise in special education. His competencies include the development of dialogue and educational materials, professional supervision, coaching, and idea development. He holds a Master’s degree in Music Therapy (1989), a Diploma in Journalism (2000), and a Master’s degree in Organizational Coaching (2013). In addition, he has pursued further education in neuro-pedagogy, mentalization and trauma, polyvagal theory, dementia, innovation, violence prevention, and Gentle Teaching.
At Sødisbakke, Niels is involved in education, professional supervision, idea development, coaching, observation, and pedagogical assessment. He teaches subjects such as neuro-pedagogy, Gentle Teaching, grief and trauma, mentalization, attachment, and developmental assessments relevant to the target group.
Niels has been a VISO specialist since 2009 and has previously worked as a music therapist, high school teacher, innovation consultant, journalist, and musician.
Program description.
The care services for residents with mental disabilities in Denmark have undergone radical changes in recent years. Costs have skyrocketed, recruiting qualified personnel has become increasingly difficult, and public attention to the quality of services has intensified. Since care services in Denmark are organized, funded, and delivered within the framework of public governance, there is a strong political demand for transparency and evidence-based practices.
As experienced care practitioners, we know—just as humanistic research over the past 70 years has shown—that feeling safe, being attached and connected, feeling valued, and being socially engaged are universal core elements of human life. We can plan, organize, and deliver a wide range of services, but if these four core elements are not considered, there is a significant risk that the services will not achieve their intended outcomes.
This calls for a way of working with safety, connectedness, importance, and engagement/empowerment in care services that aligns with the demands of public governance, transparency, and evidence.
At OVUS—the North Denmark Region’s service organization for adults with mental disabilities—we are currently experimenting with various approaches to integrate these core elements into our care practices in a transparent and evidence-based manner. This keynote presentation will showcase some of the methods we are currently working with.