Leading Edge Seminars Inc. was founded in 1993 by Michael Kerman, MSW, to provide training and continuing education seminars to mental health and Human Services professionals. Our topics, speakers, and presentation styles are on the “leading edge,” thereby giving you an edge in your clinical work.
What you can expect
Whether you are a counsellor, therapist, manager, social worker, health care professional or educator, you’ll find that there is something valuable here for you at Leading Edge Seminars.
After attending one of our mental health seminars, workshops or events, you will have learned some new skills, gained a fresh perspective, and spent an enjoyable time with expert leaders who know their stuff and know how to present.
We guarantee that our workshops and seminars will deliver as promised.
Our track record
Since 1993, Leading Edge Seminars has offered over 1,000 workshops presented by prominent leaders in the fields of mental health and management. Feedback from our workshop evaluation sheets indicates an overwhelming number of satisfied participants.
- All of our workshops and seminars are highly relevant and on the “leading edge” of professional mental health practice.
- Our speakers are experts in their field and have established reputations as stimulating and engaging presenters.
- Our training is always practical and skill-focused.
- Most of our workshops and seminars are one or two days in duration and provide you with skills that you can readily apply when you return to work.
Leading Edge Seminars has also taken a prominent role in helping to organize “Conversation Cafés” in Ontario.
We welcome your feedback
Tell us how we’re doing! Share your comments via our Online Contact Form.
Our team
Michael Kerman
President & Founder
Michael Kerman is the Founder and President of Leading Edge Seminars, a Toronto-based continuing education organization he established in 1993. He has always been curious about the latest developments in the world of helping people change and has spent his career supporting meaningful learning for mental health professionals.
After receiving his MSW from the University of Toronto in 1976, Michael began working as a counsellor with teenagers and families in an adolescent mental health program. He stayed there for 18 years and eventually became the program’s Executive Director.
During that time, Michael saw how limited high-quality professional training opportunities were for mental health clinicians and recognized the need for accessible, thoughtful, and leading-edge continuing education. That vision became Leading Edge Seminars, which has grown into a trusted resource for clinicians across Canada and the United States.
For over 30 years, Michael has helped bring leading voices in psychotherapy, trauma treatment, mindfulness, grief, neuroscience, and clinical practice — including Bessel van der Kolk, Gabor Maté, Esther Perel, Sue Johnson, and Richard Schwartz — to therapists, counsellors, psychologists, social workers, and other mental health professionals.
Outside of Leading Edge Seminars, Michael loves living in Toronto, has a passion for Contra dancing and Irish Set Dancing, and is a huge fan of ice cream.
Emily Porter
Director of Programming and Events
Emily Porter is the Programming and Operations Lead at Leading Edge Seminars, where she supports the planning, development, and coordination of webinars, in-person workshops, certification trainings, and destination retreats for mental health professionals.
With a background in education and a strong understanding of the mental health field, Emily helps connect Leading Edge with knowledgeable, engaging presenters and supports the many details that bring each training to life. She is passionate about creating practical, meaningful learning opportunities that support clinicians in their work with clients, and she values warm communication, thoughtful planning, and the behind-the-scenes work that helps both presenters and participants feel supported.
Outside of Leading Edge, Emily is a busy mom of four who enjoys good coffee, meaningful conversations, walking, swimming, and cheering from the sidelines at baseball games.
Rachel Hollander
Director of Marketing
Rachel Hollander is the Director of Marketing at Leading Edge Seminars, where she helps connect mental health professionals with practical, meaningful continuing education opportunities.
With over a decade of experience in marketing, communications, and community engagement, Rachel brings creativity, clarity, and care to the way Leading Edge shares its programs with clinicians across Canada and the United States. Her work includes promotional planning, email marketing, social media, website updates, and helping ensure that upcoming webinars, in-person workshops, certification trainings, and destination retreats are presented in a clear, engaging, and accessible way.
Drawing on years of building marketing programs that turn complex ideas into clear, engaging messaging, Rachel values thoughtful communication, strong design, and meaningful professional learning. She is passionate about helping mental health professionals discover training opportunities that support their growth and their work with clients.
Outside of Leading Edge, Rachel enjoys scuba diving, spending time with her dog, and cooking.