OVERVIEW

The mind is much of medicine

 

Mental health issues consume nearly a third of primary care. Furthermore, psychological expertise is crucial in nearly all patient encounters to optimize adherence and outcomes.

 

PsychUpdates deliver the concise, cutting-edge reviews you need to keep your psychology skills sharp. Each session delivers practice-changing tools from the latest research from across the key areas in mental health.

 

Unlike CBT Canada's core modules, which provide tools customized for over a dozen distinct clinical areas, PsychUpdates offer you a broad and brisk experience. Each review draws at least one paper with practical implications from each of the following clinical domains:

addiction medicine family psychology pain medicine
adolescent psychiatry forensic psychiatry personality disorders
anxiety disorders functional disorders positive psychology
behavioral medicine geriatric psychiatry psychedelic therapy
chronic care grief management PTSD
couples counseling health psychology sleep medicine
depressive disorders mindfulness interventions social anxiety
digital mental health non-compliance suicide prevention
evolutionary psychiatry occupational medicine vaccine refusal

Three criteria guide the selection of the thirty papers underpinning each PsychUpdate: 1) useful (professionally and/or personally); 2) high-quality; and 3) recent. PsychUpdates move at a brisk pace to keep things very engaging. Each collection explores novel areas to broaden your professional and personal expertise.

 

CBT Canada offers four distinct PsychUpdate collections—Ancho, Cayenne, Habanero, and Jalapeño—each featuring a unique selection of thirty papers. No two collections overlap. Take as many as you'd like, in any order:

A sample of the Ancho Collection's 30 topics:

 

Q1  What is the relationship between “virtuous victimhood signaling” and Dark Tetrad personality traits?

Q2  Which physicians are at highest suicide risk—and how big is the gap with the general public?

Q3  How strong is the evidence that screens contribute to ADHD?

Q4  According to a review of nearly 100 longitudinal studies, what usually comes first—stress or mental illness?

Q5  According to over 30 years of research, who is happier—liberals or conservatives?

Q6  How strong is the evidence that most cases of OCD are predominantly syndromes of memory distrust?

Q7  Did a study of 4,000 hypochondriacs show that they get what they think is coming to them?

Q8  According to a Mass General study, how effective is “hot yoga” for moderate to severe depression?

Q9  Is psilocybin worth a try for treatment-resistant depression?

Q10  What does a JAMA Psychiatry study of 30,000 nurses reveal about gratitude and longevity?

 

A sample of the Cayenne Collection's 30 topics:

 

Q1  What small tweak in language increases compliance rates by 15%?

Q4  What’s something simple you & your spouse can do just once that may lead to a lifelong boost in happiness?

Q7  What are the key pointers from the dozen RCTs (and counting) on CBT for perimenopausal symptoms?

Q8  According to a recent Mass General study (n = 20,000), how effective is vitamin D3 as an antidepressant?

Q10  According to a recent Oxford study, how concerned should you be that moods are "contagious" (e.g., between teens)?

Q15  What impact does childhood divorce have on subjects’ oxytocin ("love hormone") levels as adults?

Q19  According to a recent JAMA study (n= 1,000), how common and how significant is mental stress-induced ischemia?

Q22  According to a recent Canadian Psychology journal review, are psychological associations promoting therapy that's evidence-based?

Q25  What are the Royal College of Psychiatrists' official words of wisdom about weed?

Q30  What practical tips can be gleaned from a recent JAMA Psychiatry review of 43 studies on CBT for psychosis?

 

A sample of the Habanero Collection's 30 topics:

 

Q1  What practical steps can be taken to reduce the fear of cancer recurrence?

Q3  What are the top ten real-world recommendations in the Canadian Pediatric Society’s position paper on the management of childhood anxiety?

Q7  What is the #1 changeable MDD risk factor, according to a Mayo Clinic study following 40,000 adults for 7 years?

Q10  What is the “reproductive priming effect”, and how does it impact “mate poaching”?

Q14  What are the key practice-ready pointers from the updated NICE guidelines on managing self-harm?

Q16  What simple CBT technique significantly improves HbA1c’s?

Q19  According to a major JAMA Psychiatry paper, how strongly should we be recommending yoga for GAD?

Q25  What is “memory counter-conditioning” for substance abuse, and how can you use the proven-effective technique in your practice?

Q28  According to an Oxford study, what are the most effective ways of overcoming social anxiety?

Q30  According to a study with 3 million couples, do sons or daughters strain marriages more?

 

A sample of the Jalapeño Collection's 30 topics:

 

Q1  What common supplement decreases the suicide risk by 57%, according to a JAMA Psychiatry study with nearly one million patients?

Q3  Does meditation usually make people nicer—or more narcissistic?

Q9  What are the most useful pearls that came out of the Harvard study on EMRs and burnout?

Q11  What are the details of the recently-validated super-simple self-help exercise for PTSD?

Q15  Nine Stanford researchers randomized depressed patients to ketamine vs. no ketamine masked by surgical anesthesia—how did it work out?

Q18  What manner of referring to a vaccine increases compliance by an astounding 40%?

Q20  Which strategies are most effective in persuading a partner to forgive infidelity?

Q24  How strong is the evidence that weed increases creativity?

Q25  What are the ten most proven interventions for device addictions?

Q30  How many couples get “sleep divorces” (sleep in different rooms)?

 

 

PsychUpdate cruises

Dates Destination Collection
Feb 15–26, 2027 Southern Caribbean Cayenne + Habanero + Jalapeño
Jul 24–31, 2027 Greece, Malta & Turkey Habanero
Jul 31–Aug 7, 2027 Spain, Morocco & Eclipse Jalapeño
Aug 7–14, 2027 Italian & French Rivieras Ancho

 

Super earlybird tuition: $1,495 (save $400)
See each program page for deadline

21 PsychUpdate testimonials 

  1. Full of pearls. Very relevant to family medicine.  —Aisha James, MD, CCFP (North York, ON)  

  2. Fascinating topics with great take-home messages... I am definitely going to sign up for more soon!  —Jennifer Vassel, MD, CCFP (Langley, BC)  

  3. Practical, straightforward, and relevant info. Looking forward to the next one!  —Kristine Roberts, MD, CCFP (Lindsay, ON)  

  4. Multiple topics covered quickly; lots of pearls; interesting and humorous… Very excellent presentation.  —Lizette Elumir, MD, CCFP, FCFP (Calgary, AB)

  5. It was my first CBT workshop and it was awesome... Succinct, useful, and relevant. I will definitely sign up for more sessions in the future!  —Zoe Chan, MD, CCFP (Calgary, AB)

  6. Short & sweet pearls (or peppers, lol). —Brigit Swenson, MD, CCFP, FCFP (Toronto, ON)

  7. Good speaker. Variety of topics in concise form.  —Zenona Hrabar, MD (Surrey, BC)

  8. Up-to-date and casual.  —Cathy Lu, MD, FRCPC (Edmonton, AB)

  9. Very engaging speaker. Very interesting topics. Excellent course, thank you!  —Reena Hansen, MD, CCFP (Peace River, AB)

  10. Great pace and amazing content—with joy & levity. —Jacqui van Hees, MD, CCFP(EM), FCFP (Ottawa, ON)

  11. Practical pearls of wisdom that can be applied personally and professionally. Always a joy and pleasure to attend these workshops.  —Bill Chimich, MD, FRCPC Psychiatry (Edmonton, AB)

  12. I really enjoy these workshops. Fast paced, interesting, covered a lot of different areas. They're part of my "self care" plan in continuing to make practicing medicine fun.  —Lorna Gillen, MD (Thunder Bay, ON)

  13. Interesting & short snappers.  —Ana-Maria Oelschig, MD, CCFP, FCFP (Okotoks, AB)

  14. Quick pearls on current issues, to the point. I always look forward to these sessions. —Don Butt, MD, CCFP, FCFP (Gabriola, BC)

  15. I love the informality & fun. Thank you—I will see you again soon!  —Martelle Preller, MD, CCFP (Calgary, AB)  

  16. Up-to-date, interesting, and applicable info presented in a fun learning environment. So many tools to use. Planning to attend more of these!  —Colleen Maytham, MD, CCFP (Kelowna, BC)  

  17. Thank you for sharing a wealth of knowledge so enthusiastically!  —Noelene le Roux, MD, CCFP (Prince Albert, SK)  

  18. Relevant, and the speaking is excellent. Evidence-based, enjoyable, and very worthwhile CPD.  —Wendy Hamilton, MD, CCFP, FCFP (Ottawa, ON)  

  19. A fast-paced session, packed with interesting and clinically helpful information. A fun way to learn!  —Loraine Manzig, MD, CCFP, FCFP (Toronto, ON)  

  20. A straight, to-the-point review of 30 papers in 3 hours.  —Mary Gawlinksi, MD, CCFP, FCFP (Calgary, AB)  

  21. Practical tidbits. Thanks for an always-enjoyable experience!  —Karen Seigel, MD, CCFP, FCFP (Calgary, AB)  

About CBT Canada

 

CBT Canada has given over 100 workshops in collaboration with medical schools, including Dal, McGill, McMaster, Memorial, Queen's, UofA, UBC, UofC, Université de Montréal, UofS, the University of Toronto, and Western.

 

CBT Canada won the National CME Program Award from the CFPC for providing "exceptional learning experiences". CBT Canada was also the first organization to be authorized by the CFPC to provide three-credits-per-hour CME. One accreditation reviewer wrote, "Two words: superlative & exemplary".

 

Many physician leaders have been trained by CBT Canada over the past 30 years. Alumni include CFPC presidents (both national & provincial), department chairs, residency training program directors—and even a few doctors who are comfortable using drills & saws. For a compilation of testimonials, click here.

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.  Greg strives to make psychiatric CME practical and enjoyable. 

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