First Annual CPA Satellite Conference

Every year, the CPA hosts an Annual Convention that brings together more than 1,200 members from across Canada to share and generate new ideas, network, and advance psychological science, practice, and education. Knowledge sharing and collaboration are essential to the evolution of psychology in Canada, and by creating more spaces for these conversations, we can continue to drive meaningful progress in the field.

As the needs of our membership grow and the landscape of psychology evolves, there is a need for a new, dedicated space to dive deeply into single, pressing topics. That’s why we’re launching the Annual CPA Satellite Conference—a yearly event focused on one issue that is important to our members. Each year, we will determine the topic of the conference based on what we and our membership feel is currently significant to psychology and deserving of in-depth and targeted discussion. These two-day events will bring together psychologists and students from across Canada to exchange ideas and insights, learning from the country’s leading psychology experts.

This year, our Satellite Conference will focus on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Psychology. The AI landscape is rapidly evolving in Canada and beyond. What does this mean for psychological science, practice, and education in Canada? What can psychology teach us about how we use and interact with AI? What is psychology’s place in AI in Canada?

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage in critical discussions on AI’s role in psychological science, practice, and education. Join us in Vancouver at the stunning Nest at UBC for two days of insight, learning, and networking.

Plenary Speakers

Dr. Stéphane Bouchard

Title of Plenary: The Use of AI in Psychology and Its Impact on the Research Field

Description of Plenary: Applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in psychology arise from two broad types of AI: (a) discriminative AI, which could be used to improve the understanding of psychological processes and the detection, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders; and (b) generative AI, which enables rich interactions with computer programs, virtual people, and virtual psychologists. We will look at examples of exciting applications of AI that have been published in peer-reviewed journals. Researchers using discriminative AI need to consider implications for privacy, explainability, potential interactions with clinical characteristics or risk factors, and maintaining digital trust. The hype cycle of generative AI is at its peak, and it is important to understand how Large Language Models work and why they have been called ‘stochastic parrots’. The relevance of different tools for researchers in psychology will be illustrated, as well as research implications on accuracy, social bias, content modulation according to clinical disorders, addictions, social presence and anthropomorphism.

Bio:

Dr. Stéphane Bouchard held the Canada Research Chair in Clinical Cyberpsychology for 21 years and teaches cyberpsychology and psychotherapy at the Université du Québec en Outaouais. As a scientist-practitioner, his research is dedicated to both meaningful clinical applications of cyberpsychology and rigorous science in the treatment of anxiety and other mental disorders. Since 1999, his research projects have included developing virtual environments for the treatment of complex anxiety disorders and pathological gambling, conducting randomised control trials on the efficacy of in virtuo exposure for mental disorders (anxiety, addictions, etc.), and conducting experimental studies to understand why virtual reality is an effective treatment tool. Another prolific area of expertise is telepsychotherapy, where he conducts randomised control trials and process studies on the efficacy of delivering cognitive-behavioural therapy via videoconferencing. He is now incorporating discriminative and generative artificial intelligence tools into his work, as well as exploring issues of cyber security and digital trust. He is a dynamic workshop leader and a prolific scholar whose scientific articles have been cited more than 13,000 times. A bibliometric study by Guan et al. (2025) examined the 100 most cited papers on mental health and virtual reality. They included Stéphane Bouchard in both of their short lists of the most influential scientists. He was listed as first author in the list of 15 scientists who published two or more of the most cited papers, and in a similar list based on corresponding authors.

Dr. Rebecca Pillai Riddell

Title of Plenary: Embracing Technology in Mental Health: Pitfalls and Possibilities

Description of Plenary: Dr. Rebecca Pillai Riddell is the Nominated Principal Investigator for DIVERT Mental Health, a CIHR-funded Health Research Training Platform dedicated to supporting mental health researchers and clinicians at the juxtaposition of inclusivity, equity, and technology. Moving into the future as clinicians and researchers, there is a tension between efficiency and the human components upon which our professions are built. On one hand, technology promises a further reach than ever imagined possible. On the other hand, the struggles of upholding genuine human connections through digital and virtual interfaces. Dr. Pillai Riddell will discuss the pitfalls and possibilities of mental health from a technological and clinical perspective.

Bio:

Dr. Rebecca Pillai Riddell is the Nominated Principal Investigator for DIVERT Mental Health (https://divertmentalhealth.ca/). She is the Tier 1 York Research Chair in Pain and Mental Health and Director of the Opportunities to Understand Childhood Hurt Laboratory (OUCH Lab; https://www.yorku.ca/ouchlab/) in the Department of Psychology of York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is also a registered clinical psychologist, focused on her practice in perinatal/parent mental health, infant mental health, and chronic pain. As both a basic behavioural scientist and a clinician-scientist, Dr. Pillai Riddell leads a multi-national research program that studies parents and babies during painful procedures. Her research is funded by all three national Canadian research councils (Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council). She is also involved extensively in supporting EDI initiatives in research ecosystems. She also leads an open-access online learning platform for Canadian researchers on how to adjudicate more inclusively and supportively (POLARIS; https://www.yorku.ca/research/project/polaris/). Dr. Pillai Riddell is a fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences and a member of the Royal Society of Canada’s College of New Scholars, Artists, and Scientists. She was also recently awarded the 2020 Canadian Pain Society’s Outstanding Mentorship Award and the 2019 American Pain Society’s Jeffrey Lawson Award for Advocacy in Children’s Pain.

Dr. Brenda Stoesz

Title of Plenary: Empowering or Undermining? The Role of Generative Artificial Intelligence in Today’s Teaching and Learning Context

Description of Plenary: Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is influencing perspectives and practices across all levels of education—from K-12 to postsecondary studies. In her interactive plenary session, Dr. Brenda M. Stoesz will examine the strengths, limitations, and ethical considerations when implementing genAI into various teaching and learning contexts (e.g., classrooms, laboratories, and practica). She will share how these technologies can empower postsecondary educators to create interactive and personalized learning experiences for students, identify the connections between genAI use, learning, and academic integrity (or misconduct), and the examine the potential impact on traditional teaching and learning strategies. Drawing on her higher education research and practical teaching experience, Dr. Stoesz will provide insights into the effective integration of genAI in education to ensure that these technologies support rather than diminish educational quality.

Bio:

Brenda began her teaching journey in 2000, teaching high school general science and biology before moving on to teach human anatomy and physiology at Assiniboine Community College’s Licensed Practical Nursing program. Years later, during her graduate studies in psychology at the University of Manitoba, her interest in teaching led to numerous teaching assistant, lab, and sessional instructor positions. As a researcher, Brenda’s interests vary widely from academic integrity policy analysis to effectiveness of educational interventions, particularly how technologies can be used to promote academic integrity, prevent academic misconduct, and enhance learning. In her spare time, Brenda collaborates with several UM researchers on projects related to the assessment and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders; health and well-being of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities; and workplace health and safety of older adults.