Project ECHO (Extension of Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a virtual knowledge-sharing platform.
It enables health care practitioners and community organizers to support each other, and the people they serve, through webinars, online lectures and case-based learning modules.
ECHO is an “all-learn, all-teach” approach that is interactive and brings people together across distances. ECHO sessions are free and open to all.
The Palliative Institute has partnered with Pallium Canada to deliver the ECHO model as a means for communicating innovations and best practices in palliative care in Alberta.
See below for upcoming ECHO sessions. We also encourage you to watch the videos of past sessions, where they're provided.
Upcoming Sessions
Psychosocial-Spiritual Alberta Series
Are you a professional who provides psychosocial-spiritual care to patients and families receiving palliative care and the bereaved in Alberta? Developed with Alberta content, the Psychosocial-Spiritual Alberta Series is open to social workers, spiritual care providers, creative arts therapists, occupational therapists, counsellors, psychologists, and other clinicians providing direct emotional and spiritual support.
The topics explored will be relevant to emotional, spiritual, and grief support in palliative care and bereavement as well as self-care for clinicians. This is a great opportunity to build connections and deepen your knowledge.
We ask that you commit to attending as much of the series as possible. It will continue from January through June 2024, with sessions occurring on the third Thursday of the month from noon to 1 pm.
Registered for a session but missed it? Registrants will be provided access to video recordings of the sessions and related resources. Please contact us if you have not received a password to access this page.
Session 5: Trauma-Informed Approach: Working in the Window of Tolerance
In times of crisis and high stress, it is normal to have difficulty coping. Some people shut down and others use anxiety or anger as their go-to emotions. Understanding the "window of tolerance" allows us to understand what is happening in our bodies and what tools to use to help create more capacity during stressful times.
Who: Kim Everingham, RSW, MSW
When: Thursday, April 18, 2024, 12 – 1 pm Mountain Time
Session 6: Non-physical Suffering: Challenges and Opportunities for Psychosocial/Spiritual Care Specialists
The prevention and relief of suffering, physical and non-physical, is a primary aim of palliative care. This session will provide space for participants to reflect on their own experiences working with patients’ non-physical suffering, increase their understanding of this form of suffering, and offer research-informed insights to support clinical practice.
Who: Maxxine Rattner, PhD, RSW
When: Thursday, May 16, 2024, 12 – 1 pm Mountain Time
Note: This session will not be recorded. Please attend the webinar during the scheduled meeting time to hear this presentation.
Session 7: Effective tools for Grief Care: Perspectives from Spiritual and Mindfulness-Based Practice
Who: Rasheal Charles, RCSW, Corporate Director Mission, Ethics & Spirituality
When: Thursday, June 20, 2024, 12 – 1 pm Mountain Time
Past Sessions
PalliLearn Series
PalliLearn Facilitator Training
Attendance at this facilitator training session is only open to Alberta-based health professionals with palliative care experience who have attended the PalliLearn ECHO series and are committed to facilitating at least two of the PalliLearn courses over the next year. Attendance will be capped at 15 participants.
Topics addressed in this session will include effective facilitation skills, PalliLearn course messages and frequently asked questions, evaluation and ongoing support.
Who: Mary-Ann Shantz – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Sheila Killoran – Palliative Institute (Facilitator)
When: Tuesday, February 27, 2024, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Mountain Time
Your Role in a Compassionate Community
Compassionate Communities are networks of support around people experiencing serious illness, death and grief. Gain information and ideas about how to nurture Compassionate Communities near you.
Who: Mary-Ann Shantz – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Sheila Killoran – Palliative Institute (Facilitator)
When: Tuesday, February 13, 2024, 12:00 – 1:15 pm Mountain Time
How to Have Conversations About Dying and Grief
Conversations about dying and grief are important but can be hard. This course provides practical tips on how to have caring and compassionate conversations on these topics with friends, family, colleagues and neighbours.
Who: Sheila Killoran – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Mary-Ann Shantz – Palliative Institute (Facilitator)
When: Tuesday, February 6, 2024, 12:00 – 1:15 pm Mountain Time
What Matters Most?
Knowing what matters most helps us live well now and in the future. Learn how to identify and share what matters to you in your life and in your care as well as how to find out and support what matters to the people close to you.
Who: Mary-Ann Shantz – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Sheila Killoran – Palliative Institute (Facilitator)
When: Tuesday, January 30, 2024, 12:00 – 1:15 pm Mountain Time
What Is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is more than you think. Learn what palliative care is and why it’s important in clear language that you can share with the people around you.
Who: Sheila Killoran – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Mary-Ann Shantz – Palliative Institute (Facilitator)
When: Tuesday, January 23, 2024, 12:00 – 1:15 pm Mountain Time
PalliLearn Facilitator Training
Attendance at this facilitator training session is only open to Alberta-based health professionals with palliative care experience who have attended the PalliLearn ECHO series and are committed to facilitating at least two of the PalliLearn courses over the next year. Attendance will be capped at 15 participants.
Topics addressed in this session will include: effective facilitation skills, PalliLearn course messages and frequently asked questions, evaluation and ongoing support.
Who: Mary-Ann Shantz – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Sheila Killoran – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Vidhi Vinayak – Palliative Institute (Host)
When: Tuesday, October 31, 2023, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Mountain Time
What Matters Most?
Knowing what matters most helps us live well now and in the future. Learn how to identify and share what matters to you in your life and in your care as well as how to find out and support what matters to the people close to you.
Who: Mary-Ann Shantz – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Sheila Killoran – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Vidhi Vinayak – Palliative Institute (Host)
When: Tuesday, October 17, 2023, 12:00 – 1:15 pm Mountain Time
How to Have Conversations About Dying and Grief
Conversations about dying and grief are important but can be hard. This course provides practical tips on how to have caring and compassionate conversations on these topics with friends, family, colleagues and neighbours.
Who: Sheila Killoran – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Mary-Ann Shantz – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Vidhi Vinayak – Palliative Institute (Host)
When: Tuesday, October 10, 2023, 12:00 – 1:15 pm Mountain Time
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is more than you think. Learn what palliative care is and why it’s important in clear language that you can share with the people around you.
Who: Sheila Killoran – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Mary-Ann Shantz – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Vidhi Vinayak – Palliative Institute (Host)
When: Tuesday, October 3, 2023, 12:00 – 1:15 pm Mountain Time
Your Role in a Compassionate Community
Compassionate Communities are networks of support around people experiencing serious illness, death and grief. Gain information and ideas about how to nurture Compassionate Communities near you.
Who: Mary-Ann Shantz – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Sheila Killoran – Palliative Institute (Facilitator), Vidhi Vinayak – Palliative Institute (Host)
When: Tuesday, September 26, 2023, 12:00 – 1:15 pm Mountain Time
Psychosocial-Spiritual Alberta Series
Session 4: Exploring the Benefits of Music in Grief and Pediatric Palliative Care
Music therapists are consistently in unique positions to support families and patients in vulnerable moments. Marc Houde and Sarah Van Peteghen, certified music therapists at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, will share their experiences and provide insights on the use of music in environments of grief and pediatric palliative care.
Who: Marc Houde, MTA, MMT and Sarah Van Peteghen, MTA, BMT
When: Thursday, March 21, 2024, 12 – 1 pm Mountain Time
Session 3: Complex Grief and Self-Care for the Practitioner
Join registered psychologist and assistant clinical professor at the University of Alberta Dr. Noelle Liwski to explore the topic of complex grief and learn strategies for cultivating self-care.
Who: Dr. Noelle Liwski, PhD, RPsych
When: Thursday, February 15, 2024, 12 – 1 pm Mountain Time
Session 2: How Do I Know What I Don’t Know? Exploring the Alberta Palliative Care Competency Frameworks
Who: Carleen Brenneis – Palliative Institute (Facilitator)
When: Thursday, January 18, 2024, 12 – 1 pm Mountain Time
Video recording and other resources (password protected)
Session 1: Holiday Blues: Supporting Patients Receiving Palliative Care and Grieving Families during the Holidays
Who: Sheila Killoran – Palliative Institute (Facilitator)
When: Thursday, December 14, 2023, 12 – 1 pm Mountain Time
Video recording and other resources (password protected)
Plan Ahead Alberta Series
Planning for Life’s Journey: Connecting Health, Financial and Estate Planning in Community Education
This session covered how advance care planning fits within life planning, important legal documents for planning ahead (personal directive, will, enduring power of attorney) and the resources needed to support life planning educational initiatives in your community.
Who: Michelle Goonasekera – Palliative Institute (Speaker), Shelley Waite – Lawyer, McLeod Law (Speaker), Vidhi Vinayak – Palliative Institute (Moderator)
When: Tuesday, July 11, 2023, 12:00 pm Mountain Time
Missed the session? Watch the video.
Introducing Advance Care Planning: Empowering People to Plan For Their Health Care
This section covered the five steps of advance care planning, the importance of having conversations about wishes and values and how to facilitate ACP discussions and initiatives in the community.
Who: Sheila Killoran – Palliative Institute (Speaker), Michelle Goonasekera – Palliative Institute (Speaker), Vidhi Vinayak – Palliative Institute (Moderator)
When: Tuesday, July 4, 2023, 12:00 pm Mountain Time
Missed this session? Watch the video.
Other ECHO Sessions
Introducing Death Cafe: Facilitating Conversations about Death Over Coffee, Tea and Cake
This session covered important information on Death Cafes and encouraged participants to facilitate Death Cafe events of their own.
A panel of facilitators explained why they facilitate these events, shared insights into effective facilitation and answered questions.
Who: Keltie Watson – Palliative Institute (Moderator), Jessica Johnson – Peace Hills Hospice Society, Gina Vliet – Charon Consulting
When: Thursday May 4, 2023 from 3:00 to 4:00 pm Mountain Time
Missed this session? Watch the video.
