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International Women's Day 2011

BD&P was pleased to host its 3^rd annual International Women's Day luncheon on International Women's Day, March 8, 2011.  Many female clients joined BD&P lawyers in the luncheon at the Calgary Petroleum Club which was held on the one hundredth anniversary of International Women's Day.

The theme for Canada's International Women's Day, 2011 was "Girls Rights Matter" – which was very fitting in terms of BD&P’s guest speaker, Lois Sapsford. Lois is founder, executive director and clinical therapist of Juno House, a private counseling service specializing in the unique problems and challenges the are faced by adolescent girls, particularly eating disorders, anxiety and cutting. The mission of Juno House is to motivate girls and young women to build their capacity for emotional health, while inviting their parents to develop a more coherent understanding of themselves and their children.

With over 25 years experience, Lois specializes in providing therapy to adolescent girls and young women, and their families. Building on 15 years of adolescent girls therapy in the non-profit community, for the past 10 years, Lois has developed a greater understanding of neurobiology and attachment-based psychotherapy. As these areas of brain development evolved over this ‘decade of the brain’, she has integrated this new, scientific-based learning to create a unique, effective approach to identifying the underlying attachment pattern and treatment that ‘changes the brain.’ Using interpersonal neurobiology and current research in brain development, Juno House's treatment approach strives to re-wire the brain to overcome past self-harming behaviours. Lois and three other therapists provide individual and family therapy and have partnered with a consulting nutritionist, adolescent pediatrician, psychiatrist, and personal trainer to deliver comprehensive services. 

Lois was an engaging speaker who left her audience much better educated about issues that affect far too many of our young women today. Thanks to the generosity of the BD&P lawyers and clients in attendance, we were able to raise over $11,000. for the Juno Foundation, a non-profit company established to support Juno House clients by raising fund to provide subsidized counseling for those who might not otherwise be in a position to afford it.