Certificate in dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) for eating disorders

This certificate program is offered as an open 3-level series, allowing the flexibility to register for Level 1, Level 2 or the entire series, depending on your learning objectives. 

• Level 1 Eating disorders (EDs): What every clinician needs to know (on-demand training): This introductory program provides core foundational training in eating disorders and it is the prerequisite for those who do not have foundational and current eating disorders education. This training covers identification, assessment, and treatment of various eating disorders, focusing on the latest clinical research and practical interventions for early detection and management.
• Level 2 When standard eating disorders treatments are not enough: The MED-DBT protocol (live webinar series): This training introduces MED-DBT, an adaptation of DBT for complex eating disorders. It covers the protocol's framework for managing multiple high-risk behaviors, emotion regulation difficulties, and treatment-resistant symptoms in eating disorder patients.
• Level 3 Virtual group consultation (optional): Participants will be able to develop their clinical expertise under the guidance of Dr. Anita Federici, PhD, C.Psych, FAED. The consultation sessions aims to provide practical, hands-on learning to improve clinicians' ability to support individuals with eating disorders.

To receive the joint Certificate of Participation from SickKids CCMH Learning Institute and The Centre for Psychology and Emotion Regulation, you must complete Level 2 and Level 3 of the Certificate in dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) for eating disorders program.

Participants will receive a Certificate of Participation from SickKids CCMH Learning Institute for completing Levels 1 and/or 2 as stand-alone trainings.

  On-demand training (optional)

  *Prerequisite for Level 2

  Facilitators: 

   Anita Federici, PhD, C.Psych, FAED,

  Jennifer Couturier, MD, FRCPC, and 

  Anne Williams, RD.

  Duration: 9.25 hours | CE: 9.25 hours

 *Please note: If you do not have foundational and current eating disorders education, it is recommended to complete this  on-demand training as a prerequisite for Level 2 When  standard eating disorders treatments are not enough: The  MED-DBT protocol live webinar series. 

Upon registration, participants will receive a confirmation email that includes access information to our on-demand training platform, SickKids Academy Online. Participants will have access for 90 days from the date they begin the course on SickKids Academy Online. Following the training, participants are required to complete a quiz to receive the Certificate of Participation.

Learning objectives:

• Identify and distinguish core features across 7 types of eating disorders.
• Assess symptoms using standard measures.
• Describe unique neurobiological and environmental underpinnings that cause and maintain eating disorders.
• Learn about medication management.
• Develop awareness to monitor common physical and emotional consequences.
• Assist clients in developing a non-dieting, mechanical meal plan.
• Describe the rationale for, and concerns with, weighing clients.
• Identify weight bias and stigma, and how to provide trauma-informed ED care.
• Identify treatment options for clients with eating disorders.

  Live webinar series

  Dates: April 9, 16, 23, 30, 2025

  Time: 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. ET

  Facilitators: 

  Anita Federici, PhD, C.Psych, FAED, and 

  Lucene Wisniewski, PhD, CPsych, FAED. 

  Duration: 20 hours | CE: 20 hours

This training is designed for clinicians working with an outpatient team who can provide individual MED-DBT sessions, phone coaching, skills training, and consultation team meetings. While there will be recommendations for higher levels of care, this training does not cover the nuances and program planning components needed for day treatment and inpatient or residential settings. While clinicians who work on their own will derive benefit from the content, the MED-DBT protocol is a team-based model.

Eating disorders (EDs) are complex neurobiological and psychiatric illnesses associated with significant morbidity and mortality.  While CBT-E is considered a front-line treatment for EDs, more than 50% of patients do not respond adequately and relapse rates remain high. Research has highlighted that differential treatment approaches are needed for individuals presenting with co-occurring suicide, self-injury, trauma, and specific bio-temperamental characteristics. The need to target emotion regulation difficulties, sensory and perceptual issues, and interpersonal challenges is well documented in the literature. Standard ED treatments however are not designed to treat multiple high-risk behaviours outside of the ED, nor do they comprehensively target the diverse and varied way that EDs present. Clinicians often report feeling burnt out or ineffective in their work with this population. 

The MED-DBT protocol (an adaptation of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for multidiagnostic clinical presentations) provides a comprehensive and multi-modal framework for managing emotion regulation difficulties and multiple high-risk behaviours in the context of an eating disorder. Participants can expect a focus on the adapted Biosocial Theory, how to address multiple high-risk behaviours, managing ambivalence and anosognosia using commitment strategies, dialectical strategies and dilemmas unique to EDs, collaborative contingency management protocols, and the application of MED-DBT assumptions and team agreements. An overview of tips and strategies for adapting DBT skills, using MED-DBT diary cards, and working with chain and missing link analyses is also included. 

Learning objectives:

At the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Determine suitability for MED-DBT.
• Teach clients how biotemperament interacts with invalidating environments to cause and maintain complex ED symptoms.
• Conceptualize clients using MED-DBT dialectical dilemmas.
• Organize the first 4 sessions of MED-DBT.
• Identify where ED behaviours are placed on the target hierarchy.
• Increase commitment for ego-syntonic symptoms.
• Troubleshoot common challenges to MED-DBT diary cards.
• Adapt DBT skills for complex ED.

  Virtual group consultation sessions (optional)

  Dates: TBD

  Time: TBD

  Facilitator: 

  Anita Federici, PhD, C.Psych, FAED.

  Duration and CE: Depending on how many sessions attended

Please note: If you complete the Certificate in dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) for eating disorders: Level 2 AND Level 3 Group consultation (minimum of 13 sessions), you will receive a joint Certificate of Participation from SickKids CCMH Learning Institute and The Centre for Psychology and Emotion Regulation.

Level 1 (on-demand training) registration fee: $380 | Student $242

Level 2 (live 4-part webinar series) registration fee: $1,200 | Student $1,080

Level 3 (optional virtual group consultation sessions) registration fee: TBD 

Learn more at: https://cvent.me/55gvaN