Roundtable discussion in partnership with Homelessness Services Association of BC.

Description:

We’ll be exploring some of the toughest situations frontline workers face, from supporting clients in crisis to responding to psychosis, and balancing staff and client safety. We’ll also talk about trauma, youth at risk, safe consumption sites, and the importance of staying grounded and reflective in your work. Our goal is to open up honest conversations that help us all think more critically, act more compassionately, and create safer spaces for the people we support.

Learn more and find other training events here.

Co-presentation with Dr. Cameron Ross (Family Physician) for Pain BC’s Adaptive Mentorship Program.

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

• Articulate an awareness of how patient and clinician expectations (implicit and explicit) can impact clinical encounters with patients with chronic pain, mental health, and/or substance use health concerns

• Identify personal strategies that may assist in identifying discordant patient and clinician expectations

• Access and start using some strategies and/or tools to mitigate discordant patient and clinician expectations

Dr. Fulton will be co-facilitating this workshop for Centre for Motivation and Change. This is Day 3 of the intensive.

Training 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. 

Learn more and find other training events at: https://cmcffc.arlo.co/w/events/

Event in partnership with Homelessness Services Association BC

Description: Through facilitated dialogue, shared stories and opportunities to ask questions, participants and special guests will engage with the workshop topics of the day and reflect on their practical applications and impacts in community.  Voices of people with lived and living experience will be highlighted.

Event information: https://hsa-bc.ca/cgi/page.cgi/_evtcal.html?evt=1028

Event offered in partnership with Homelessness Services BC

This 2.5-hour session offers people working in the homelessness sector a practical overview of supporting mental health and substance use health in ways that are trauma-informed and mindful of diverse contexts. We will look at how the language we use shapes understanding and care, how mental health diagnoses can help or harm, and how stress, trauma, and protective factors interact over time. Participants will explore evidence-informed approaches—rooted in relationships, connection, and supportive environments—and consider how to stay healthy themselves while supporting others, with special attention to managing grief, loss, and the emotional demands of this vital work.   

More information available here: https://hsa-bc.ca/cgi/page.cgi/_evtcal.html?evt=1028

A two day intensive training event for Psychiatry trainees. Topics covered include:

• Theoretical and empiral underpinnings of health behavior change and Motivational Interviewing

• Connection of Motivational Interviewing to quality, evidence-based psychotherapy and non-specific factors for treatment efficacy

• Core Skills and Tasks of Motivational Interviewing

• Case examples, “real plays”, demos and interactive exercises

• Practice and discussion of responding to challenging situations (e.g. threats, racist statements, non-engagement, etc)

A 2 hour discussion with a local Divisions of Family Practice group:

Learning objectives:

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

1) Understand the challenge of health behavior change

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

One hour lecture to second and third year Psychiatry Residents at University of British Columbia

Webinar offered in partnership with Homelessness Services Association of BC.

By the end of this session, learners will be able to:

• Understand the interplay of stressors and protective factors and the effect they can have on anyone’s mental health

• Identify practical strategies you can apply to your daily life to cope with stressors, including times where client needs and/or job tasks can feel overwhelming

• Practice and experiment with using some of these strategies directly during the session

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

A two hour webinar to local overdose prevention site staff and out reach workers on motivational interviewing. A special focus was on practical strategies to use in short interactions and trust barriers to care.

Ongoing mentorship meetings for primary care professionals as part of the Pain BC Adaptive Mentorship Network for Pain, Mental Health and Substance Use.

Find out more and apply to be a mentor or mentee here: https://painbc.ca/adaptive-mentorship

Ongoing mentorship meetings for primary care professionals as part of the Pain BC Adaptive Mentorship Network for Pain, Mental Health and Substance Use.

Find out more and apply to be a mentor or mentee here: https://painbc.ca/adaptive-mentorship

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.

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.

Ongoing mentorship meetings for primary care professionals as part of the Pain BC Adaptive Mentorship Network for Pain, Mental Health and Substance Use.

Find out more and apply to be a mentor or mentee here: https://painbc.ca/adaptive-mentorship

Ongoing mentorship meetings for primary care professionals as part of the Pain BC Adaptive Mentorship Network for Pain, Mental Health and Substance Use.

Find out more and apply to be a mentor or mentee here: https://painbc.ca/adaptive-mentorship

A private event for medical professionals on Motivational Interviewing (2.5days).

Ongoing mentorship meetings for primary care professionals as part of the Pain BC Adaptive Mentorship Network for Pain, Mental Health and Substance Use.

Find out more and apply to be a mentor or mentee here: https://painbc.ca/adaptive-mentorship

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.

Clinical Discussant in panel discussion for the Justice, Equity, Diversion, and Inclusion Executive. Presentation at the Canadian Psychological Association convention in Ottawa, ON. Other panel members include:

Etinosa Oliogu

Juliana Khoury

Emily Winters

Ashley Balsom

Dr. Amanda Uliaszek

Ongoing mentorship meetings for primary care professionals as part of the Pain BC Adaptive Mentorship Network for Pain, Mental Health and Substance Use.

Find out more and apply to be a mentor or mentee here: https://painbc.ca/adaptive-mentorship

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

Ongoing mentorship meetings for primary care professionals as part of the Pain BC Adaptive Mentorship Network for Pain, Mental Health and Substance Use.

Find out more and apply to be a mentor or mentee here: https://painbc.ca/adaptive-mentorship

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

Private motivational interviewing training for health professionals. 3- day event