Introduction
The Vancouver Division of Family Practice offers comprehensive Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) resources and innovative training programs to elevate patient care, support healthcare providers, and improve practice environments.
With funding from Shared Care, we provided capacity-building opportunities through individual and cohort-based learning programs. These programs equipped 1588 primary care providers with evidence-based tools to effectively manage Affective Instability, ensuring better outcomes in primary care settings.
If you missed any of these opportunities, please log in to view recordings on DBT in primary care. Topics covered include the following;
- Introduction to Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- Validating Emotionally Dysregulated Patients
- Crisis Survival Strategies for Self-Harming Patients
- Emotion Regulation Strategies in DBT
- Managing Borderline Personality Disorder in Primary Care
- Mental Health Certification
- Bridging Research Practice Divide: The Evolving Landscape of Personality Disorder Treatment and Its impact on Patient Care
- Core Mindfulness Skills in DBT
- Observing Limits with patients
- Understanding and Addressing Self Harm
- Ask an Expert
~ Training Material Development and Feasibility Testing of Emotion Regulation Group in Primary Care ~
We’re in the process of developing training materials to support primary care providers in facilitating group medical visits. At the same time, we’re exploring the feasibility of offering a DBT-informed Group Medical Visit model for this patient population within primary care settings.
Emotion Regulation Skills Group Pilot in Primary Care Ongoing
The First Pilot Group is over, and it was a success; participants recorded a 70% increase in confidence post group and would recommend the program. Based on the success of our ongoing 8-week group and participants feedback, we have increased the group duration from 8-weeks to 12 -weeks. Our two new DBT informed 12-week Emotion Regulation Groups start in April 2026 and May 13, 2026. See poster here
Still Accepting Referrals for Emotion Regulation Skills Group
We’re still accepting referrals for our Emotion Regulation (DBT-Informed) Skills Pilot Group. Help your patients build coping and calming skills. A completed referral form and BSL-23 questionnaire are required for submission. Please note: referrals with a BSL score above 46 will not be accepted.
Referral Support: We've put together a referral guide to support you in referring your patients. See the Referral Guide here and the Program Handout
For more information, please reach out to Abisola Olapeju at aolapeju@vancouverdivision.com
DBT resources and supports for clinicians and patients
- If you have a patient facing mental health or suicidal thoughts, see poster for a helpful resource: Help is Here for Your Patients - Poster
- Looking for a brief one-page summary of recommendations for managing distress in your patients. See here: Crisis Survival Skills - Handout
- Stay Skillful with the DBT Cheat Sheet pulling together all the DBT skills into a one pager. See here
- If you are looking for DBT supports in Vancouver, see here for a list of curated supports in the city.
- CBT/DBT Decision Tree
This initiative is in support of the Division's Mental Health strategy to support the mental health management in primary care.