SPEAKERS

Adrienne offers support to both parents and professionals with troubling or complex child and adolescent behaviours through her business Heartsync NZ. Her current role on Faculty with the Neufeld Institute alongside her past experience puts her in a unique position to make sense of what is behind our kids’ drive toward screens in the Digital Age we now find ourselves in. Adrienne has two talks: 1. Teens and their Screens (Targets parents of 11-18yrs) - Understand key risky online behaviours that are driving the adolescent mental health crisis - Learn about recent research-based protocols around digital safety - Get insight into the root cause behind teens’ drive towards screens grounded in instinct, emotion and the attachment-circuitry of the brain. 2. Raising Resilient Kids in a Digital World: Can be tailored to target either teaching professionals or parents of teens and pre-teens - Discover the roots of resilience based in rest, play and emotional expression - Uncover the impact of screens on the natural resilience process - Equips parents and professionals to cultivate resilience in kids amidst the challenges of the digital age

Samantha is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of General Practice and Primary Healthcare at the University of Auckland. Her PhD focused on the relationship between screen use and childhood obesity in children and adolescents. Samantha's interests include social media use, youth mental health, and cyberbullying. She approaches these issues through the lens of relationship science, drawing on her 10 years of experience in science communication to share her research with both academic and broader audiences. Samantha gives two different talks on screen use and children. For rangatahi (youth), her presentation focuses on smartphones and social media use, making it suitable for primary, intermediate, and secondary school parents and educators. The first part of the talk explores how social media and other technology are designed, how teens develop, and the mismatch between the two. The second part is solution-focused, aiming to empower parents and communities to navigate the digital environment effectively and make informed decisions for the well-being of their children. For tamariki, Samantha's presentation targets parents of kindergarten and early primary school children, addressing a range of screen use topics from TVs to smartphones. It examines how screens impact early childhood development and provides a holistic parenting approach, emphasising the importance of nurturing a strong parent-child relationship

Holly Jean Brooker is a parenting speaker and educator, passionate about helping families navigate the digital world. With a background in teaching, media, and advocacy, she equips parents with practical strategies for online safety, screen-time management, social media, gaming, and fostering a healthy family culture around device use. As the co-founder of Makes Sense, Holly works in advocacy and education to protect children from online harm and exploitation, pushing for stronger regulations at both the government and industry levels. She brings a wealth of experience, having spent five years at Parenting Place developing content and media around parenting and digital wellbeing. Previously, she was a high school teacher in health education and social sciences. Academically, Holly holds a BA in Political Studies and Sociology, a Graduate Diploma in Education, and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Public Policy at the University of Auckland, with a research focus on online harm. Holly’s engaging, research-backed talks offer practical, real-world advice to help parents confidently support their kids in a rapidly changing digital landscape. She offers a primary focussed talk, or intermediate/high school talk

Kathy Harding is a Resilience Facilitator who blends her expertise in psychology and education to support schools and their wider communities across Aotearoa. Holding a Master of Arts in Psychology from the University of Auckland, Kathy began her career in the fitness sector, where an early interest in physical health evolved into a deeper commitment to resilience and mental wellbeing. Her passion for supporting young people has grown over time but so too has her understanding that lasting change must involve the systems that surround them. Kathy has spent over a decade in school governance at both community and national levels, serving on a range of advisory groups. These roles have given her valuable insights into the evolving needs of educators, leaders, and students particularly in the face of rising pressures in the digital age. Kathy now delivers practical, evidence-based workshops for school staff and parents. Her facilitation style is approachable, research-informed, and highly engaging. Drawing on psychology and neuroscience, she has created a suite of programmes that help entire school communities manage stress and build resilience from the classroom to the staffroom to the family home. In a world where our children are suffering from information overload, today's youth are bombarded with content that shapes unrealistic standards and fuels a silent epidemic of anxiety, shame, and disconnection. Kathy’s presentation Raising Mentally Healthy Children highlights the growing impact of screens, social media, and digital dopamine on young minds. It offers an urgent call to reconnect with what’s real and human. Designed for educators, parents, and anyone working with children, this powerful talk challenges us to move away from a culture of consumption and toward one of authenticity, belonging, and emotional wellbeing. It is not about more entertainment for our children but about helping our tamariki thrive with confidence, connection, and calm in a noisy world.

This talk focuses on what we lose when our kids spend hours of their day online. For young people and adolescents, play, independence and challenge (especially outside) are essential to healthy development and learning. The talk covers how kids and adolescent brains develop, how kids learn, the role that dopamine plays - and how all of this is interrupted by smartphones. It explores the role of discomfort in personal growth, the different types of fun, and how experiential learning works. For parents and educators Malindi shares practical strategies to support healthy development for kids of all ages - how to get kids exploring, outside, and trying new things. Recognising the role of the parent-child relationship, Malindi will also cover personal strategies to maintain optimism and hope as a parent even when things get tough.

Martin has worked with schools and communities across New Zealand over the last 20 years to raise learning outcomes and lower screen time for students and to reduce stress and workload for teachers and caregivers. He is a certified Google trainer, Change Manager and Professional Learning Coach. Martin’s talk is equally accessible for students (year 5 and above), teachers and caregivers. Screentime is a complicated issue and so Martin’s talk covers the following topics: 1. Brain development 2. Learning 3. Parenting 4. Adulting 5. Managing changes of habits within a school, whanau and community 6. Technical solutions as part of an holistic approach When we develop a shared understanding of how our brains develop and thrive, collective action around screentime can become much easier for everyone to manage

Richie has runs a private practices as an educator and consultant, as well as working with New Zealand’s Ministry of Social Development #Change Is Possible campaign. His work on mental health and sexual violence prevention bought him to study a Masters of Sociology and the impacts social media and smart phone use has had on society, especially our youth. Richie’s presentation covers some of the risks that unrestricted access to phones and social media has on young people. These include online predators, exposure to pornography and sexual content, and online bullying. He also presents the research and argumentation of how social media is negatively affecting mental health, and body image, as well as being part of the driver of political radicalization and social polarization. Richie has spoken with tens of thousands of students in high schools, as well working within businesses, government agencies and NGOs

Vanessa McHardy worked for over 20 years in the UK as an Integrative Child Psychotherapist (MA, UKCP registered) and now works in NZ, where her kaupapa focuses on reigniting a love for learning in schools through Life Skills for Mental Health and Wellbeing—a whole school community approach. Vanessa also provides counselling and coaching for young people and parents. In Vanessa's workshop, Reclaim Your Family Life with the Digital Reset, she focuses on... In today’s tech-driven world, screen time can feel like a constant battle. Vanessa empowers families with practical tools to reclaim balance, foster confidence, and support mental wellbeing. This powerful, three-step programme helps families: - Explore their values and priorities - Identify their true relationship with technology - Implement real, lasting changes to reclaim family life Digital Reset Workshop Series Vanessa facilitates parents with simple, actionable strategies over two sessions, one month apart: - Navigate the challenges of raising children in the digital age - Promote emotional resilience and healthy social development - Foster independence and mindful tech use - Reduce stress and create a more balanced family dynamic - Look at the different impact on girls and boys