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Young people need to make mistakes in order to become resilient, independent people.

AUTHOR OF DROP THE WORRY BALL

Lavin Exclusive Speaker

ALEX RUSSELL is a clinical psychologist who helps children develop resilience and their own personal relationship with school and achievement. At the heart of his message—and his book, Drop the Worry Ball—is that children learn by experiencing non-catastrophic, painful failure. It’s through the process of these failures that they mature into strong, resourceful and emotionally balanced individuals.

Dr. Alex Russell is a clinical psychologist who lives and works in Toronto. He provides assessments and psychotherapy to children and adults, in addition to consulting with schools, teachers, and psychologists. The heart of his message is that children mature healthily through the experience of difficult but non-disastorous failure. Parents need to see failing—whether it’s a test, a course, or a tryout for a team—as a normal part of growing up, and not a sign of parental incompetence or a signal to push more pressure onto their child. In Drop the Worry Ball: How to Parent in the Age of Entitlement (co-authored by journalist Tim Falconer) and on stage, he offers a fresh perspective on raising children that is reassuring, balanced, and strikingly sensible.

As an education speaker, Dr. Russell has addressed many parent and counselor groups over the years. He is intimately familiar with the culture of the school system and the relationships that parents, teachers, and counselors share with the children we are raising. He has been an active parent in his community and an avid hockey player and coach.

Testimonials

“Great opening keynote. Relevant, interesting, engaging ... This is such an increasingly important concept. It was refreshing to hear an expert’s take on it. A very informative session with an important re-examination on the role of anxiety in children’s lives.”

“Great opening keynote. Relevant, interesting, engaging ... This is such an increasingly important concept. It was refreshing to hear an expert’s take on it. A very informative session with an important re-examination on the role of anxiety in children’s lives.”
Testimonials

“Dr. Russell is an amazing speaker and also one of the nicest men I have met. He was such an amazing asset to our convention. Dr. Russell stayed afterward for quite awhile to answer any questions after the question portion [of our parent night] as some people had some personal questions to ask him. He was very professional and also very down to earth. I would love to work with your firm again.”

Central Alberta Teachers’ Convention
Testimonials

“Thank you for being part of such a successful Professional Development Day for the teachers of the OCDSB. Your flexibility and laid back style were appreciated. Thanks for staying later to continue to sell your book—you sold out! We continue to receive positive feedback on you, and your talk. You touched people and made them think, me included.”

OCDSB
Testimonials

“Thank you so very much for sharing such compelling concepts with our community at Crofton House School. There is much talk this morning about ‘minding, snowplow parenting, appropriate anxiety, and believing in the capacity of our children.’ You are making a difference to the lives of children, parents, and teachers!”

Crofton House School
Testimonials

“I wanted to take a moment to thank you for speaking to our Central Team in such an authentic and meaningful manner! Your messaging spoke to the individuals in the room and set a very positive context for our role in student’s lives this year. As you spoke I frequently scanned the room and noticed that people were totally engaged and connected to what you were saying. In dialoguing with my colleagues afterward, there were as many positive comments from a professional perspective as there were from a personal one. Congratulations on tapping into those critical connections.”

Toronto Catholic District School Board
Testimonials

“Thank you for your insights, intelligence, and your almost poetic description of the moments of which we should be mindful, that we often miss as we tell our kids what to do. I got all teary when you showed the baby looking at his mum with such joy and pride—that celebratory moment of triumph is everything to them, and ultimately to us. Thanks so much.”

St John’s

Speech Topics

The Post-Pandemic World
Keeping Them Safe While Helping Them GrowSupporting Children’s Emotional Growth in Challenging Times

Knowing when and how to support our children at school is never easy. The dangers presented by a pandemic only add to the challenge of balancing the need to protect our children, on the one hand, while continuing to support their emotional growth on the other. This workshop offers clear and helpful guidelines to help parents navigate these challenges while maintaining close, supportive relation...

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Grit at School
Raising Resilient Children

Is it really a good thing to give children everything they need, all the time? In this keynote, Dr. Alex Russell addresses common challenges children and youth face, including dealing with troublesome behaviours, supporting children at school, and controlling or monitoring children’s access to computers, cell phones and other forms of digital technology. A perspective is offered that helps pare...

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Grit at School
Released into the WildGraduating High School and the Problem of Growing Up

Today’s North American children grow up in a decidedly adult-controlled world. We have developed tremendous expertise when it comes to child development, and have learned to protect children from many physical and emotional dangers. However, while undeniably healthy, youth have fallen behind in their capacity to take on the world for themselves. At the same time, conditioned to continuous suppo...

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Mental Health and Fitness
That Big Bad WorldHelping Kids Thrive in Anxious Times

Anxiety disorders among children are on the rise: More medications are being prescribed, new disorders such as “school refusal” are appearing and, even among children not diagnosed with a disorder, children are appearing increasingly daunted by the task of taking on the world around them. Changes in the way children in the West play and learn are a part of this as children have less opportunity...

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Other News