ONLINE MEETING | Practical Tools to Assist Clients Dealing with Substance Use Issues
This meeting is being hosted by the Family Law - Vancouver Island Section.
| Speakers: |
Rob De Clark, MSW, BSW, Executive Director, Home Based Recovery & General Manager, Resilient Health Inc.
Ewan Kirkaldy, BSW, RSW, CCAC, SEP, Clinical Supervisor & Co-Founder, Home Based Recovery & Psychotherapist, Resilient Health Inc. |
| Time: |
Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 12:30pm - 1:45pm (PT) |
| Fee: |
CBA Member: Free!
Non-CBA Member: $70 (+ GST)
Don't have a CBA account? Create a non-member account to register! |
| CPD Hours: |
1.00 hour |
Family law files don’t just involve legal complexity — they often involve clients navigating acute emotional distress, substance use concerns, and high-conflict communication. Rob De Clark and Ewan Kirkaldy share practical, real-world tools to help you better identify and respond to clients who may be struggling during their legal processes.
Topics include:
- Signs and symptoms to look for
- How to recognize indicators of addiction, emotional instability, relapse risk, or deteriorating mental health that may impact decision-making, parenting capacity, or court proceedings.
- How to have difficult conversations
- Practical guidance for raising sensitive concerns with clients — including substance use, safety issues, and mental health — in a way that protects the lawyer-client relationship while encouraging appropriate support.
- Addiction support and recovery planning during separation
- What appropriate recovery support looks like, how structured recovery plans can strengthen stability and credibility, and when clinical intervention may reduce conflict and risk.
This session is designed to be practical, clinically informed, and directly applicable to the realities of family law practice. Leave with clearer referral pathways and a stronger understanding of how to support vulnerable clients while protecting your files.
About the Speakers
Rob DeClark is the Executive Director of Home Based Recovery and the General Manager with Resilient Health. He has over 27 years experience.
Ewan Kirkaldy holds a bachelor of social work degree from the University of Victoria and he is a registered social worker with the BC College of Social Workers. Ewan is also a certified addiction counsellor with the Canadian Addiction Counsellor Certification Federation.
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This event will be broadcast from the traditional and unceded territory of the Coast Salish peoples, including Tsleil-Waututh, Squamish and Musqueam First Nations. We encourage members to explore the rich history and knowledge of Indigenous people, and to continue learning about their experience in Canada past and present.
REGISTRATION INFORMATION
This meeting is for lawyers, judges, articling students & law students only.
If you are a non-lawyer working in a field related to this meeting, please contact sections@cbabc.org to request attendance. Attendance is granted to non-lawyers on a case by case basis.
ACCESSIBILITY
Please request any accommodations needed in the "Notes" area upon registering. Live captions and transcripts are available for attendees upon request.
We welcome suggestions for enhancing the inclusiveness of our activities. Please contact if you have any questions or recommendations.
LOG-IN INSTRUCTIONS
Webinar instructions will be sent 24 hours prior to this meeting date. If you have not received instructions by the morning of the meeting, please email sections@cbabc.org.
If you need assistance with the logistics of logging in to our meetings, please contact sections@cbabc.org.
