Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for BPD: An Initial Overview
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is a gold standard psychological intervention for borderline personality disorder (BPD). While it began as an intervention targeting suicidal behavior, it has now been validated for a range of disorders. Further, DBT is considered to offer instruction in a range of coping behaviors that can serve any age group and provide resilience factors for family members and significant others of those experiencing mental distress, as well as be helpful to anyone who may be dealing with stress or change. Despite promising clinical and research results, many are unaware of the benefits of DBT, how it may help them or their loved ones, and ways to understand the components when a standard DBT program is not available. This webinar seeks to explain the basic components of DBT, provide experiential examples of DBT-related techniques, and share resources related to obtaining DBT treatment. Material covered is geared toward those in the community that may be living with or living with someone experiencing high levels of distress, negative emotions, or damaging behaviors. By the end of this webinar, the audience should understand the basic components of DBT and have some knowledge of what one might expect when receiving this treatment.
Presenters:
Amanda A. Uliaszek is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological Clinical Science at the University of Toronto where she has been the director of the Personality, Psychopathology, and Psychotherapy Lab since 2011. She received her Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Northwestern University and completed her predoctoral residency at the University of Illinois Chicago Medical Center. Dr. Uliaszek’s research is concentrated on a multi-leveled approach to the study of borderline personality disorder (BPD) symptomatology, as well as the efficacy and effectiveness of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), an evidence-based psychological treatment for BPD. Dr. Uliaszek has published over 30 peer-reviewed articles examining BPD and DBT, has presented her work at dozens of international conferences, and conducted clinical workshops in multiple hospitals and treatment facilities. Dr. Uliaszek is a registered psychologist in Ontario, with an expertise in the delivery of DBT and cognitive-behavioral therapy for a range of personality disorders, depressive and anxiety disorders, and eating disorders.
Borderline Personality Disorder: What is it and how do we treat it?
In a 45 minute webinar, Dr. Fitzpatrick will provide an easy-to-understand overview of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), how researchers currently understand it, and briefly describe what the science says about how to treat it. Following this webinar, Dr. Fitzpatrick will do a brief Q&A.
Presenters:
Dr. Skye Fitzpatrick is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at York University and director of the Treating and Understanding Life-threatening behaviour and Posttraumatic Stress lab. Her research expertise is focused on identifying ways to improve, expand, and quicken treatments for borderline personality disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, with a specific focus on Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). She completed her PhD at Ryerson University under the supervision of Dr. Janice Kuo. Dr. Fitzpatrick’s training at Ryerson supported her in achieving numerous awards, including the Governor General’s Academic Gold Medal Award, and the American Psychological Association Dissertation Research Award. Following graduate school, Dr. Fitzpatrick completed her predoctoral internship in Seattle at the University of Washington where she received research and clinical training in the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which often co-occurs with BPD. Dr. Fitzpatrick continued to pursue training in both BPD and PTSD treatment research during her postdoctoral fellowship in the Center of Alcohol Studies at Rutgers University under the mentorship of Dr. Denise Hien and Dr. Shireen Rizvi. She is currently focused on harnessing the power of relationships to optimize BPD and PTSD treatment, and identifying ways to expand access to DBT and related treatments.
Workshop Series: Morning Mindfulness: "Mind full or Mindful?"
Drs. Diana Singh and Jessica Rizk will discuss the topic of stressors and stress responses, including research that supports why it’s important to build healthier strategies.
Online Workshop Tool: The Planner | “From surviving to thriving”
Great West Life | Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace
(A resource developed in partnership with McMaster University)
Presenters:
Dr. Diana Singh is a postdoctoral research fellow at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON. She is a mental health researcher who specializes in emotional labour and work stress. She is currently working on various projects that centre around emotional resiliency and psychological distress amongst service workers.
Dr. Jessica Rizk is a researcher at the Higher Education Quality Council of Canada, and an Ontario-Certified teacher. She specializes in the area of education, digital technology, and social inequality. Her research has examined the integration of educational technology in classrooms among Ontario students (K-12), and its impact on student engagement and student well-being. She also has research interest in the area of mental health and education and has recently joined the ABMF team.
Workshop 1: Recognizing your Personal and Automatic Response to Stressors
Individuals select from a list:
- Physical Responses
- Behaviour Responses
- Emotional Responses
The list is based on current personal and automatic Responses.
Workshop 2: Choosing Healthier Strategies
Individuals select as many healthy responses that speak to them personally, from a broad list.
For example, options include: Mindfulness and meditation; spirituality, ask for help and support, exercise, talk therapy, gratitude, cost/benefit analyses, etc.
Workshop 3: Recognizing and Exploring your Current Stressors
Individuals check any items that they are coping with right now or know they will in the very near future.
For example, individuals choose from triggers that fall under the category:
Social
Physical/Mental Health
Financial
Work
Emotional
Workshop 4: Balancing your Support Network
Resilience involves acknowledging our need to connect with each other. This section asks us to reflect on this.
Individuals will think about family, friends, associates, neighbours, or services they could reach out to for help.
Workshop 5: Examining Options and Making Good Decisions
Individuals will reflect on choices and their personal sense of power in this section. We all have choices when it comes to dealing with stress and adversity. These choices can usually be classified as one of the four A’s: Accept, Avoid, Alter, or Adapt.
The strategies in this section are adapted from https://wellness.uchicago.edu/page/changing-situation-oryour-reaction.
Workshop 6: Committing to Thriving
Individuals are asked to self-reflect and personally commit to themselves and others to the path to thriving and make a three-week plan to do so.