Certificate in dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) for eating disorders: Adults

Full program dates: October 4, 11, 18, November 1, 8 and 15, 2022

Time: 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST

This training is suitable for:
Medical Professionals: Nurses, psychiatrists, pediatricians, family doctors.
Mental Health Professionals: Psychotherapists, counsellors, psychologists, social workers.
Direct Service Workers: Drop in workers, shelter and hostel workers, child and youth workers, youth justice workers.

Level of training: Introductory/intermediate

Trigger warning: This content may be triggering for those with lived experience of an eating disorder.

Facilitator: Anita Federici, PhD, C.Psych.,FAED, with special guests Anne Williams, RD and Dr. Jennifer Couturier

Prerequisite: Foundational DBT knowledge and experience

Part one: Eating disorder foundations skills

Guest presenters: Anne Williams, RD, and Dr. Jennifer Couturier

Part one dates: October 4, 11 and 18, 2022

Description: The demand for eating disorder (ED) treatment has never been greater. Over the course of the pandemic, the number of people suffering from an ED and seeking professional help has increased substantially. Waiting lists for hospital programming and for private eating disorder centres are exceptionally long. As EDs are chronic in nature, highly debilitating, and associated with extremely high mortality rates, those affected by them can’t afford to wait. A recent statistic from the Academy for Eating Disorders reported that someone dies as a direct result of their ED every 52 minutes. Given the severity and the sheer demand for services, it is reasonable to expect that most health-care practitioners will have a number of patients with EDs on their caseloads. Stigma, misconceptions, and a lack of clinical resources continue to impede early detection, proper assessment, and necessary treatment. Signs and symptoms are often missed. Thus, it is imperative that all clinicians have foundational knowledge to aid in prevention, early detection, and foundational treatment interventions.

This practical, hands-on workshop provides health-care providers with foundational training in eating disorders. Participants can expect a focus on the latest clinical research on causal and maintaining factors, assessment guidelines, and foundational psychoeducation to improve early detection, treatment, and referral when needed. 

Learning objectives

• Describe biological and social factors that cause and maintain eating disorders
• Identify when the eating disorder becomes life-threatening
• Explain set point theory
• Administer three ED-specific assessment measures
• Identify ways to create weight-neutral and body inclusive spaces

Please see the Agenda tab at the top of this page for further information on the daily learning breakdown.

Part two: DBT for the treatment of eating disorders: Adults

Part two dates: November 1, 8 and 15, 2022

Description: Eating disorders (EDs) are complex biological and psychiatric illnesses associated with significant morbidity and mortality. While CBT approaches are considered a first-line treatment, more than 50 per cent of patients do not respond adequately and relapse rates remain high. Research has highlighted that differential treatment approaches are needed for individuals presenting with co-occurring suicide, self-injury, trauma, and specific bio-temperamental characteristics. The need to target emotion regulation difficulties, sensory issues, and underlying personality traits is well documented in the literature. Standard ED treatments were never designed to treat multiple high-risk behaviours, do not have protocols for managing chronic suicide or self-injury, and do not comprehensively target personality disorders and emotion regulation problems.

Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) provides a comprehensive and multi-modal framework for managing emotion regulation difficulties and multiple high-risk behaviours in the context of an eating disorder. This practical, hands-on workshop will focus on utilizing DBT for clients who do not respond to standard ED interventions. Participants can expect a focus on skills that can effectively move clients through the pre-treatment phase and into active therapy. This workshop will include large and small group discussion, role-play, and ready-to-use client handouts. 

This training is designed for clinicians who have foundational DBT knowledge and experience. 

Learning objectives:

• Describe the adapted biosocial theory to clients
• Identify where eating disorder symptoms go on the DBT target hierarchy
• Demonstrate how to use dialectical strategies when talking to clients about food and body weight
• Use the DBT-ED diary card to structure sessions
• Describe ways to adapt DBT skills for individuals with eating disorders

Note: If you have already taken an introductory course on eating disorders with the facilitator, or have extensive experience in treating eating disorders, and wish to only participate in Part 2, please contact Mary Anne Van Rooyen at mvanrooyen@sickkidscmhlearning.ca.

Please see the Agenda tab at the top of this page for further information on the daily learning breakdown.