Personality Disorders

Manage them before they manage you

Next session:  Wed, March 4, 2026 (12:00PM–3:30PM Eastern)

Earlybird deadline:  Fri, February 27 , 2026 at 5:00PM Eastern

3.0 hours  |  100% over Zoom

The "superpower" of reading and managing personalities 

How common are the personality disorders? According to DSM-5-TR, about 15% of your patients likely have one. The rates are higher among those in your practice with “illness anxiety disorder”: 75% of hypochondriacs have one personality disorder, and nearly 50% have three or more.

Unfortunately, and as you know all too well, personality disorders aren’t found only among our patients. The personalities of our colleagues, family members, and friends can also contribute to some rather profound suffering.

This practical workshop begins with a review of the science of personality assessment. We examine the most popular inventories, doing a fair bit of debunking along the way. Fortunately, some inventories are indisputably evidence-based. You'll have an opportunity to analyze yourself (and your loved ones, if you're so inclined) using one of the very best.

The core of the workshop is the systematic review of DSM-5’s ten personality disorders: the insensitively-named "MAD" (paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal), "BAD" (antisocial, borderline, histrionic, narcissistic), and "SAD" (avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive) "clusters". 

As we review each of the ten personality disorders, our emphases are on 1) rapid diagnosis (when possible); 2) modular treatments (when desired), and 3) clinician coping (always). The complex issue of the diagnosis of children and adolescents will be debated.

Borderline personality disorder necessitates extra time. Today nearly 20% of female university students have significant BPD symptoms, and cutting is rising among tweens (ages 8 to 12). In this expanded section we focus on managing non-suicidal self-injuries, with practical tips harvested from CBT and its relevant derivatives (i.e., DBT and ACT).

Although nobody woke would advocate labeling, there is clearly much value in knowing what kind of person one is dealing with. Many case challenges (e.g., in preventive medicine & chronic disease management)—and a high percentage of interpersonal disputes—gain clarity through the lens of personality.

Personalities and their disorders are by definition enduring and predictable. When you improve your skills in reading others, you give yourself a little "superpower".

That superpower will make both your clinical practice and your life in general a fair bit easier. 

Head instructor Greg Dubord, MD is the CME Director of CBT Canada, and the prime developer of medical CBT. He has presented over 500 workshops, including over 50 for the College of Family Physicians of Canada, and is a University of Toronto CME Teacher of the Year.

Register promptly and save $200

Sponsors of CBT Canada's workshops have included the CFPC, 
Dalhousie, McGill, McMaster, Memorial, Queen's, UAlberta, 
UBC, UCalgary, UdeM, USask, UToronto, and Western (UWO).

Select your preferred date

Times below are Eastern

If you ever need to cancel your registration for any reason whatsoever, you may transfer 100% of your tuition to another workshop without any penalty, or receive a full refund minus a 25% processing fee (policy). 

1. Down to earth, credible, and I can apply it immediately. Could not be made better or more useful in the time allotted and the time was perfect.  —Anne Woods, MD, CCFP(PC), FCFP (Hamilton, ON)
2. Done in a very entertaining and engaging manner…. If I’d taken this workshop earlier, it would have given me a greater sense of control, with more options when dealing with difficult clinical encounters.  —Rebecca Guzar, MD, FCFP (Waterloo, ON)
3. A very warm and relaxed mood… I wish this workshop was part of the official medical training.  —Josée Turcot, MD, CCFP (Montréal, QC)
4. Practical points… excellent.  —Julia Wilhelm, MD, FCFP (Kitchener, ON)
5. If I’d done this earlier, I would not have had premature aging.  —Julie Lamb, MD, FCFP (St. Paul, MB)
6. I hadn’t taken one workshop on personality disorders in my many years of CME, yet PD's are a large part of a family practice. So very relevant for me… 9/10 overall… I wish I’d taken it much earlier. —Mary Gawlinski, MD, FCFP (Calgary, AB)
7. I can’t even begin to estimate how my clinical life might have been easier if I’d had medical CBT training earlier.  Should have been a priority for family practice residents.  —Marcy Flomen, MD, FCFP (Toronto, ON)
8. So practical… I always come away from these workshops with good useful tools… great course as usual.  —Linda Thyer, MD, CCFP(SEM) (Burnaby, BC)
9. Practical & concise… difficult patients would not have been as difficult if I’d taken this earlier.  —Daniela Miu, MD (Edmonton, AB)
10. Expertise & experience of presenter. Realistic approach. Recognizing humanity of patients but that they can be (are) difficult. —Donna Cherniak, MD, FCFP (Sherbrooke, QC)
11. This would have improved my life a great deal if I’d had it earlier! CBT should be taught in every family med residency.  —Mai-Anh Le Van, MD, CCFP(EM) (Montréal, QC)
12. Thanks very much for your commitment to training compassion for personality disorders! As a former borderline PD patient, now family MD working with substance use disorder, the stigma is often the most painful part.  —Sara Davidson, MD, CCFP (Fredericton, NB)
13. Really enjoyed the seminar, helpful and informative. Looking forward to registering for more down the road.  —Todd Leaman, MD, CCFP (Calgary, AB)
14. As always, an enjoyable and entertaining workshop and so helpful to primary care! —Nancy Mah, MD, CCFP (Edmonton, AB)
15. Very helpful in family medicine setting, and a great session.  —Sheila Perera, MD, CCFP (Maple, ON)

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