May
2
10:30 AM10:30

Inviting Change: Supporting Loved Ones with Substance Use Challenges

Invited keynote at annual Canadian Association for Cognitive and Behavioral Therapies conference.

Descripton:

When a loved one faces substance use challenges, many believe that concerned others are powerless or that coercion is the only solution. Research on Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) shows a different path. This evidence-based approach equips significant others to engage constructively without confrontation, nagging, or ultimatums. This session will explore CRAFT’s rationale, development, and empirical support, along with key techniques and similar approaches such as Invitation to Change. Participants will leave with the knowledge and confidence to explain CRAFT, when it’s indicated, and resources for clients and further professional development.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the critical role of family involvement in enhancing substance use disorder outcomes,

including treatment engagement and recovery.

2. Examine CRAFT and related evidence-based approaches, focusing on key strategies that enable

family members to constructively support their loved one

3. Identify and access resources for ongoing professional development and client support.

For more information about the conference and to register, go here: https://www.cacbt.ca/upcoming-conference

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Feb
12
to Mar 12

Invitation to Change: Group Leader Training

A 12 hour online group leader training offered through Centre for Motivation and Change: Foundation for Change.

Description

Gain a deeper proficiency in explaining ITC concepts to others and join our ITC Learning Community in this 12-hour, 4-day training.

In this training, you will learn how to lead ITC-based support and skills groups (complete group curriculum provided). Full completion of the training will certify you as an ITC Group Leader, and will give you access to our ITC Learning Community.

Our Learning Community is made up of professionals and family members who are changing the conversation around addiction. They are leading groups, bringing the ITC into their recovery work, and advocating locally for more compassionate approaches to substance use (among many other things!).

Find out more details and to register for this or other trainings: https://cmcffc.arlo.co/w/

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Jan
24
to Feb 1

Invitation to Change: Intensive

A 17 hour, 3 day intensive online training on January 24, 25, and February 1, 2025 through Centre for Motivation and Change: Foundation for Change

Description:

A virtual training for professionals who would like to learn to support families in the midst of dealing with the challenges of substance misuse.

As we are all well aware, we as mental health providers have been given little to no academic or clinical training in substance use issues, and perhaps even less in working with families caught in the middle of this struggle. CMC:FFC has spent the last 10 years working with families and developing a model, the Invitation to Change Approach, that pulls together a variety of evidence-based approaches (CRAFT, MI, and ACT).

The Invitation to Change offers families a set of down to earth, compassionate tools for navigating through these very difficult moments in their lives, as individuals and families. We have spent enormous time working with families to make this approach as sensible, accessible, and straightforward as possible, and have found families to be deeply appreciative and moved by these ideas and practices.

We are now delighted to invite a wider circle of professionals to learn to work simply and effectively with families and feel confident in providing them with evidence-based behavioral, motivational, and compassion-focused strategies. 

“I have talked to multiple participants that said it blew their socks off.  ‘Life changing,’ ‘Wish I would have had this years ago,’ ‘Everyone needs this information,’ ‘Why aren’t more treatment providers offering this for their families.’ As a family recovery coach, I am so excited to bring this to more and more parents who truly want to do things differently.”

– Pam L., Certified Family Recovery Coach at Thrive! Family Support

For more information: https://cmcffc.arlo.co/w/schedule/

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Nov
6
12:15 PM12:15

Supporting a loved one with substance use and concurrent mental health issues without nagging, threats or ultimatums

Private training and discussion session with psychologists.

Description: Dr Fulton will review the rationale for including family in mental health and substance use care as well as empirically supported options for supporting people affected by a loved one's substance use.  Applications and resources for common co-occuring conditions (e.g. psychosis) will also be discussed.

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Nov
2
1:00 PM13:00

Navigating Professional Storms

Presentation in collaboration with Natasha Edney at the British Columbia Adaptive Mentorship Network Annual Summit (offered through Pain BC).

Learning Objectives:

  1. Examine the value of self-awareness, vulnerability and other factors, with the aim to foster practitioner resilience

  2. Discuss and acknowledge the challenges as practitioners who work with chronic pain, mental health and substance use, with the intention of improving self-care and improved patient outcomes.

  3. Discuss and discover what can build and support practitioner resilience.

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Jun
22
8:30 AM08:30

The Concurrent Disorders Curriculum: Free, evidence-based tools to assist helping professionals

Presentation as part of a larger symposium at the Canadian Psychological Association’s Annual conference:

Abstract:

Many people across health, housing and other social systems work with people experiencing concurrent disorders (CDs). However, there are few evidence-based, low- or no-cost educational resources available to support their work. The British Columbia Mental Health and Substance Use Services Centre for Learning developed a novel online learning program to enhance professional helpers’ competency in working with people experiencing CDs. The curriculum was developed in partnership of people with lived and living experience with CDs, family members, and Indigenous partners. Content development partners also included diverse helping (nurses, social workers, psychologists, researchers, physicians, etc.) and online learning development professionals. The curriculum went fully live in November 2023 and is freely accessible at no cost to any helping professional, regardless of jurisdiction. It is focused on enhancing key foundational competencies for any helper to know in order to best support people with CDs, regardless of setting (urban, rural; primary, tertiary care; physical vs more mental health-focused services). Over 1200 people have registered for accounts across diverse helping roles: admin, therapy and treatment, and clinical leadership. Program evaluation data on completion rate, satisfaction and qualitative data will be presented.

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May
23
1:00 PM13:00

CBT for Substance Use Disorder

Private training event for medical professionals.

Learning Objectives:

 By the end of this talk participants will be able to:

• Understand the CBT conceptualization in the maintenance of substance use disorders

• Explain key intervention strategies used during CBT for substance use disorders

• Access evidence based resources for further information on this approach

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Feb
14
8:30 AM08:30

Responding to challenging interpersonal situations

Part 2 of a private workshop for primary care professionals based on Motivational Interviewing skills and applications:

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this workshop participants will be able to

1) Describe the latest evidence and theory in understanding "resistance"

2) Identify common challenges in their work related to ambivalence, discord, or other barriers

3) Examine practical options for how to respond give their unique role, setting, time pressures, and other constraints

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Jan
17
8:30 AM08:30

Introduction to Motivational Interviewing

A private workshop for primary care professionals:

Learning objectives:

By the end of this workshop participants will be able to:

1) Understand the challenge of behavior change

2) Explain the utility of Motivational Interviewing in supporting behavior change

3) Identify real-life, concrete options to apply elements of Motivational Interviewing to daily practice

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Dec
1
11:00 AM11:00

Supervising CBT

Supervision is considered the foundation of establishing competence in therapy.  Despite an increasing focus and attention to this area, few psychologists have had any formal training in supervision.  Many of us rely on supervising how we ourselves were supervised.  What are the “best practice” recommendations for supervising CBT?  This workshop will review key literature and resources for providing CBT supervision.  There will be a focus on practical recommendations for how you can set learners up for success while ensuring high quality client care.  Essential safeguards against ethical and regulatory complaints will also be discussed.

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Nov
20
to Nov 22

Exploring an innovative tool to assess concurrent disorders competencies and initiate self-directed learning – for yourself and your teams!

Presentation at the Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction Issues of Substance conference.

Co-presenters include: Rumel Johal, Sam Robinson, Kim Masters and Justine Dodds.

There is a dearth of available education and training resources for practitioners working with individuals with concurrent disorders, yet these conditions are common and pervasive across all health service delivery settings. Further, there is a lack of standardized professional competencies for working with people experiencing concurrent disorders. The online BCMHSUS Concurrent Disorders Competency Framework & Toolkit (‘the Toolkit’) is a new resource that supports people who work with individuals with concurrent mental health and substance use disorders. The purpose of this first-of-its-kind toolkit is to guide learners through a self-assessment of their current knowledge and skills and support them to set learning goals for related professional development. This presentation will review the Toolkit and how it can be used by individuals and organizations to improve practice and care.

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Nov
20
to Nov 22

The Concurrent Disorders Curriculum: A free, evidence-based tool to enhance workforce competency

Presentation at Canadian Centre for Substance Use and Addiction Issues of Substance conference.

Co-presenters include: Rick Johal, Justine Dodds, Miranda Barnas, Karthik Moorthi, Samantha Robison, and the BCMHSUS Concurrent Disorders Curriculum Development Team.

This presentation reviews a novel online learning program with the aim to enhance professional helpers’ competency in working with people experiencing concurrent disorders. The curriculum was developed in partnership of people with lived and living experience with concurrent disorders, family members, as well as Indigenous partners. Content development partners also included diverse helping (nurses, social workers, psychologists, researchers, physicians, etc.) and online learning development professionals.

The curriculum is now live and freely accessible to any helping professional, regardless of jurisdiction.

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Oct
18
2:00 PM14:00

Demystifying Recovery

"Our paths to recovery are as unique as our fingerprints." – Chris Lamoureux

Recovery from mental health and substance use is an ongoing and non-linear journey. Each person's path towards recovery looks different and is defined by that individual. Join us on October 18th from 2:00-3:30PM PST to "Demystifying Recovery" as we unpack the complex topic of recovery with our three subject matter experts who each bring diverse backgrounds and experiences.

Our host, Victoria Maxwell, will be leading this upcoming webinar session, along with our three subject matter experts coming from diverse backgrounds and experiences:

  • Dr. Heather Fulton, Registered Psychologist

  • Rumel (Rick) Johal, Senior Lead of Provincial Education, BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services

  • Chris Lamoureux, Leader of Patient Experience and Community Engagement, BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services

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Jun
6
to Jun 8

Evaluation of a New Consulation-Liason Psychology Role in Fraser Health

Kevin Kristjanson, Fraser Health Psychology Resident (2022-2023), presents a poster at Quality Forum regarding program development and evaluation data on the new Consultation-Liaison Psychology Service at Fraser Health.

Co-authors include: Vivian Kwan, Gabriel Brooks, Amanda LaMarre, Anyssa Shakeri, Anna Park, and Dave Erickson.

Program evaluation research conducted by resident trainees under Dr. Fulton’s supervision in partnership with Drs. Lamarre and Erickson.

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May
30
2:30 PM14:30

Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) and Other Family Training Approaches for Concurrent Disorders

Invited presentation to BC Mental Health and Substance Use Services Allied Health Community of Practice team.

Learning objectives:

By the end of the session participants will be able to:

  • Describe the rationale and utility of family inclusion in substance use disorder treatment approaches

  • Outline the CRAFT approach, methods, and empirical support

  • Access ongoing resources for professional training in CRAFT

  • Share additional CRAFT resources with relevant clients

  • Contrast CRAFT with similar, family-based training approaches for severe mental illness: namely Psychosis REACH and LEAP

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