PTSD

From post-traumatic stress to post-traumatic growth

Next session:  Wed, May 27, 2026 (12:00PM–3:30PM Eastern)

Earlybird deadline:  Fri, May 22, 2026 at 5:00PM Eastern

PTSD has a lifetime prevalence rate of over 10% in women and 5% in men, making it a tragically common condition. Fortunately, the DSM-5 "holy book" made it easier to diagnose PTSD, and recent research has provided us with much simpler and more effective treatments.

This very popular workshop begins with a review of psychological debriefing (i.e., interventions designed to prevent PTSD after a trauma), including insights from Dr. Dubord's work with the Canadian government's National Roundtable in Ottawa.

We then review a shortcut to the DSM-5-TR diagnosis of PTSD, followed by the details of (and controversies pertaining to) the fuller diagnostic criteria.

The core of the workshop—training in treatment—emphasizes those tools realistic for use in primary care. As always, the assumption is a ten-minute appointment (with three fully dilated patients in the waiting room).

Special topics include the curious case of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), dealing with “emotional baggage” (i.e., old traumata), the formidable forgiveness research, so-called "hindsight bias", the Oprah-esque "imaginal rescripting", the Faustian bargain of ACE (adverse childhood experience) survivors, complex PTSD (C-PTSD), intergenerational trauma, trauma-informed care, and what data we have on medical marijuana.

The workshop ends with an extensive and uplifting topic: the emerging and exceedingly hopeful literature on post-traumatic growth. As Sir Winston Churchill said, "If you're going through hell, keep going." 

Learning objectives 

1. Learn how to rapidly and confidently diagnose PTSD

2. Practice targeted interventions for each of PTSD's key diagnostic criteria

3. Gain familiarity with PTSD's most important scientific literature—in an area loaded to the gills with wackiness

Recommended companion courses

1. GriefWork  Growing from Life's Inevitable Losses

2. Personality Disorders  Manage Them Before They Manage You

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. Relaxed and to the point… If I'd taken this PTSD module earlier, I would have been less scared of my patients with mental health problems!  —Daniela Miu, MD (Edmonton, AB)
2. This has given me a framework for PTSD… I'll be much less frustrated going forward.  —Marguerite Chevalier, MD, CCFP, FCFP (Tecumseh, ON)
3. Excellent content, practical everyday language, and I loved the presentation style. I honestly can't think of anything to improve this workshop.  —Sandra Roman, MD, Programme d'aide aux médecins du Québec (Montréal, QC)
4. 10/10. It will be much easier now for me to talk to patients about their traumas. This was my first workshop with CBT Canada, and I'm looking forward to future sessions!  —Benjamin Jang, MD, CCFP (Toronto, ON)
5. I have no suggestions for improvement: it's already a perfect workshop. I wish I'd taken this course earlier.  —Hai Phuoc Le, MD, CCFP (Edmonton, AB)
6. Good, practical information... 10 out of 10... It should be required that all family physicians take this PTSD workshop.  —Julie Lamb, MD, CCFP, FCFP (Winnipeg, MB)  
7. Highly-relevant to patient concerns. I'll be more helpful to my patients!  —Anne Woods, MD, CCFP(PC), FCFP (Hamilton, ON)
8. Good, concise, and many useable tools.  —Barry MacMillan, MD, CCFP(SEM), FCFP (Winnipeg, ON)
9. Time- and soul-saving advice!  —Roxanne Cooper, MD, CCFP (St. John's, NL)            
10. A fascinating subject… Taking this earlier would have made my life easier in too many ways for a short answer.  —Stephen Slack, MD (Jasper, AB)         
11. Simple, easy steps to apply in daily practice. I can now deal with PTSD cases on the spot and don't have to wait for them to see a therapist.  —Assil Khelil, MD, CCFP (Winnipeg, MB) 
12. Very practical; genuinely invites questions; good humor. I'll be more effective with my "stuck" patients.  —Milena Campbell, MD, CCFP (Abbotsford, BC)
13. I learned a lot. I was not very familiar with PTSD before. Taking this earlier would have saved me a lot of time!  —Rebecca Leonard, MD, FCFP (Calgary, AB)
14. It was spectacular! A realistic workshop with strategies I can easily use with my patients.  —Brenda Martin, MD, CCFP (Mississauga, ON)
15. A very lively and well-illustrated workshop with many evidence-based strategies.  —Robert Simard, MD, CCFP (St-Lambert, QC)
16. Very pleasant. I now have many more tools to handle difficult situations. Always love the CBT series!  —Désirée Zaharescu, MD, CCFP (Montreal, QC)
17. The workshop was delivered with a healthy dose of humor. This will make my life a whole lot easier.  —Uchenna Aloke, MD, CCFP (Lloydminster, SK)
18. Insightful and useful information. And I always appreciate Greg's sense of humour. I love these workshops!  —Krista Bradley, MD, FCFP (Kamloops, BC)
19. Detailed information you can really use in family practice. Excellent!  —Khin Myat, MD, FCFP (Mississauga, ON)

20. Fun presentation style and very informative… I would have avoided a lot of sink holes if I'd take this workshop earlier.  —Andre Hugo, MD, FCFP (Kelowna, BC)

21. Very useful clinical pearls. It is practical enough that I can immediately implement what I have learned the next day. GET THESE FREAKING SESSIONS BAKED INTO OUR RESIDENCY PROGRAMS!!!!  —Selena Papetti, MD, FCFP (Seven Sister Falls, MB)

22. I have done a lot of reading around trauma as many of my patients suffer from abuse. I still learned many helpful points from this workshop! I like how Greg provides concrete examples and references for me to read further.  —Amanda Pendergast, MD, FCFP (St. John's, NL)

23. I always like CBT Canada's workshops. They are concise fun and knowlegeable.  —Sandhya Gokhale, MD, FCFP (Waterloo, ON)

24. Always fun and informative. —Nancy Mah, MD, FCFP (Edmonton, ON)

25. I loved the ability to learn so much with a great group from the comfort of my home. I did not have to take significant time away from work/family to attend.  —Melissa Fransky, MD, FCFP (Bancroft, ON)

26. If I'd taken this earlier, I wouldn’t have floundered so much with knowing how to help patients with various mental health conditions… a great workshop.  —Ruth Wilson, MD, FCFP (Lindsay, ON)

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