Takeaways: Empowering Women Symposium 2026
These takeaways come from the speaker presentations delivered at the Empowering Women’s Symposium in Sparwood, BC in 2026. A community event hosted by CAMP, focused on practical, evidence-informed strategies to support resilience and reduce burnout. The notes below reflect the key themes, tools, and prompts shared by our guest speakers across healthcare, leadership, relationships, and everyday wellbeing—captured and organized into clear, actionable ideas participants can use in daily life.
Lately, more of us are running on empty. A major thread throughout this symposium was simple: resilience isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about building steady supports—inside the body, in daily habits, and in our relationships—so the load becomes more manageable.
Below is a clear hierarchy of takeaways, moving from core principles → practical tools → where to start.
The Big Picture
What resilience actually requires
Across every talk, the same foundations kept showing up:
Regulation (bringing the nervous system back toward safety)
Movement (small, repeatable actions that shift stress physiology)
Practical support (reducing load, not just enduring it)
Curiosity (better questions create better outcomes)
Connection (we recover better with safe relationships)
Manageable challenge (growth happens in the “stretch zone”)
Small, repeatable actions are often what create long-term change.
1) Start with the Nervous System
Dr. Tyla Mackay, R.Psych, CRHSP — Registered Psychologist
Self-regulation and perceived threat
Stress is closely tied to perceived threat. One of the most powerful self-checks is simple:
“Am I actually safe in this moment?”
Regulation isn’t only a mindset shift—it starts in the body. When the body is in a threat state, it’s hard to access calm, clarity, or patience.
A practical reset: A–T–F (30–90 seconds)
ASK: “Am I 100% safe right now?”
TAKE: One slow deep breath (helps bring the “front brain” back online)
FIND: Relaxation in the body (choose one):
quick body scan + squeeze/release tense muscles
diaphragmatic breathing
“wet noodle” softening
Use it when: you feel your chest tighten, you want to snap, you’re spiralling, doom-scrolling, or heading into a hard conversation.
Check out the CAMP Conversations Podcast with Guest Dr. Tyla Mackay for more of her insight.
2) Build Resilience Through Daily Movement
Kate Powell, BSc, MPT, OLY — Physiotherapist & Olympian
Movement as a resilience tool
Movement isn’t only exercise. Daily movement—especially low-intensity movement—can be more realistic and sustainable, and it directly supports stress regulation.
A key takeaway: muscle contraction is necessary. Standing desks can help, but they don’t replace movement.
What movement breaks support
Short movement breaks throughout the day can improve:
focus
energy
mood
stress levels
You don’t need intense workouts. Consistency matters more.
Two simple practices
A) “5 minutes every 30”
Set a timer and do 5 minutes of movement every 30 minutes: walking, stairs, squats, light mobility.
B) “12-minute reset walk” (3–4x/week)
A 12-minute uninterrupted walk can help shift the body toward “rest and digest,” lower stress chemistry, and reset focus and mood.
Make it easier: environment matters
Choose one change that makes movement more likely:
walking meetings
movement breaks in meetings
desk position changes
reminder “pingers”
friend walks
floor time/stretching
simple home mobility (counter/sink stretch, tennis ball release)
Check out the CAMP Conversations podcast with guest Kate Powell for more of her insight.
3) When It Feels “Off,” Look Beyond Mindset
Emily Fisher, MScPT, BScKin — Physiotherapist
Brain performance and nervous system awareness
Not everything is about effort, motivation, or mindset. Sometimes the nervous system is working harder because parts of the system (eyes, vestibular system, neck, balance) aren’t functioning optimally.
The key message: awareness comes first. If something feels off, it may be worth investigating.
Quick check: 60-second “brain scan”
Notice:
headache
dizziness
fogginess
nausea
neck pain
light-headedness
head pressure
eye ache
Simple screening idea: convergence check
Bring a target toward your nose, notice symptoms, repeat 3x. If symptoms show up (or it doesn’t feel normal), that may be costing you extra brain energy—especially with screens.
The baseline that supports everything
Your “big four” foundations:
movement
sleep
nutrition
mental health/stress support
4) Curiosity as a Daily Resilience Skill
Dayna Haig-Conway, MA, RCC — Clinical Counsellor (CAMP Mental Health)
Curiosity for emotional regulation + performance
Curiosity isn’t fluffy. It’s a practical resilience skill with two useful forms:
Soft curiosity helps regulate emotion and protect relationships
Strategic curiosity improves decisions and restores performance
Curiosity supports psychological safety, clarity, and capacity—reducing burnout risk over time.
Soft curiosity (when things feel heated)
Try:
“Help me understand what that was like for you.”
“What matters most to you here?”
“What am I missing?”
“How are you really doing?”
Strategic curiosity (when clarity is needed)
Try:
“What assumptions are we making?”
“If this fails, why will it fail?”
“What data would change our minds?”
“What’s the real problem we’re trying to solve?”
We have another LIVE Virtual CAMP Workshop Group opening up soon, get on the wait list!
5) Reduce the Invisible Load
Anne Keery, CCMP — Change Management Consultant
Practical mental health support for real life
Support doesn’t need to be dramatic to matter. Often the biggest relief comes from reducing load, not pushing through.
A clear theme: needing help isn’t weakness—it’s being human. Guilt and judgment often block the most practical supports.
Quick decision tool: “Stress → Solve?”
Ask:
What’s causing me stress right now?
Can I solve it with money, support, or a trade with a friend?
Then choose one thing to try this month:
grocery pickup
outsource a friction point
simplify a recurring task
trade support with a friend
The line that stuck:
“You’re already standing in the rain. Buy the umbrella.”
6) Resilience Is Relational
Lindsay Day, MSc — Registered Clinical Counsellor (BC) & Registered Psychologist (AB)
Burnout, relationships, and recovery
Burnout isn’t personal failure. It’s nervous system overload, and it shows up at home through exhaustion, irritability, disconnection, and reduced emotional availability.
Relationships can absorb stress—or become part of recovery.
A fast self-check: A.R.E.
Accessibility: Can I reach you?
Responsiveness: Can I rely on you emotionally?
Engagement: Do I matter?
The Repair Loop (this week)
name burnout
name the cycle/pattern
turn toward each other
regulate first
share needs/longings
build micro-connections
create rituals
Micro-connection examples (fast and effective):
a quick cuddle, a genuine smile across the room, a 60-second check-in, undivided attention for one minute.
7) Supporting Resilience in Kids
Vanessa Oleksow, RCC-ACS — Clinical Counsellor
Resilience grows with supported challenge
Children build resilience when they have at least one stable, caring adult and opportunities to face manageable challenge—not when all discomfort is removed.
A helpful frame: growth happens in the stretch zone, not only the comfort zone.
Effective support balances:
acceptance
confidence
A key practice is resisting the urge to step in too quickly when a child can safely work through something with support.
8) Hormones and Resilience Across Life Stages
Dr. Kallie Doucette, ND (MSCP) — Naturopathic Doctor
Hormones impact mood, stress, and resilience
Hormones influence mood and stress responses, and perimenopause/menopause experiences vary widely.
Practical reminders shared:
ensure adequate iron; consider checking iron and ferritin
different stages of life require different supports
listen to your body and talk with your doctor
note: BC coverage changes were mentioned for eligible contraceptives, diabetes medications, and menopausal hormone therapy
Where to Start
If you want a simple way to apply this without overwhelm, choose one action from each category:
Regulation: A–T–F once a day
Movement: 12-minute reset walk 3x/week
Load: solve one stressor with support, simplification, or a trade
Curiosity: use one soft curiosity question in a real conversation
Connection: one micro-connection each day
Resilience grows when support becomes small, repeatable, and real.
