Part 1: Workshop on prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD (English) — 2024

This workshop is endorsed by the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety (CTSA) at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. This four-day training is part of the certification process as a PE provider.

If you are selected to participate, you can expect to attend four days of training for eight hours each day.

Dates: February 26–29, 2024
Time: 9 a.m.–5 p.m., Mountain time
Delivery: Online via Zoom for Healthcare
Language: English

Participants must agree to the following terms and conditions prior to the workshop:

1. You will inform the training organizers immediately if you no longer plan to attend the workshop. Failure to do so may affect eligibility for future trainings offered through the Atlas Institute.
2. Your video camera will remain on during the entire workshop.
3. No more than two hours of the four-day workshop can be missed.
4. You are expected to maintain the professional environment for the workshop (e.g. ensure caregiving arrangements are in place for children).
5. You will be present for the breakout sessions at the times outlined in the agenda.
6. You will receive your certificate from the CTSA upon completion of the workshop evaluation.

In this workshop, you can expect to:

1. Describe the diagnosis and psychopathology of PTSD
2. Discuss emotional processing theory as it relates to PE for PTSD
3. Discuss empirically supported, psychotherapeutic treatments for chronic PTSD and the comparative efficacy of these treatment approaches
4. Explain how clients can be helped to emotionally engage in and process traumatic memories, with the aim of reducing trauma-related symptoms and difficulties
5. Implement psychoeducational treatment components of PE for PTSD
6. Construct an in-vivo exposure hierarchy that includes a range of situations that safely and effectively promote learning while expanding the client’s world
7. Implement in-vivo exposure to safe but avoided trauma reminders with clients
8. Help clients choose an appropriate index trauma on which to focus in PE for PTSD
9. Conduct imaginal exposure to memories of traumatic events
10. Choose hot spots with clients and implement hot spots procedures in imaginal exposure
11. Identify and address avoidance in PE sessions
12. Identify and address over- and under-engagement in imaginal exposure

This workshop will be delivered via Zoom for Healthcare. You will receive an invitation with instructions prior to the workshop.

Please ensure that you have a stable Internet connection (broadband wired or wireless — 3G or 4G/LTE), speakers and microphone (built-in or USB plug-in or wireless Bluetooth). To ensure connectivity, please ensure your Zoom App is up-to-date. If you have an older version of Zoom, it may not be compatible. You can download the latest version here.

Update: The maximum capacity for the workshop has increased to 40 participants (previously 30). This will not impact the format or delivery of the workshop.

The Centre for Posttraumatic Stress & Anxiety Treatment, Ltd. (David Paul, PhD) is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. The Centre for Posttraumatic Stress & Anxiety Treatment, Ltd. (David Paul, PhD) maintains responsibility for the program. For other licensed professionals, please check with your licensing board to determine acceptability of CPA Continuing Education (CE) credits for this learning activity.

Completion of the entire Four-Day Prolonged Exposure Therapy Workshop will earn participants 25 CE credits. Credit for partial completion is not available. CE certificates will be provided to eligible participants on their completion of a workshop evaluation.

For this workshop, you will receive a certificate from the CTSA. Your certificate will become available to you after you have completed the workshop evaluation.

This four-day intensive workshop in PE conducted by CTSA certified trainers is part of the certification process as a PE provider. For more information on becoming a certified PE provider, please visit the CTSA website.

Note: The CPA’s approval of an individual, group, or organization as a CE Sponsor or Provider is restricted to the activities described in the approved application or annual report form. The CPA’s approval does not extend to any other CE activity the Sponsor or Provider might offer. In granting its approval, the CPA assumes no legal or financial obligations to Sponsors, Providers, or to those individuals who might participate in a Sponsor or Provider’s CE activities or programs. Further, responsibility for the content, provision, and delivery of any CE activity approved by the CPA remains that of the CE Sponsor or Provider. The CPA disclaims all legal liability associated with the content, provision, and delivery of the approved CE activity.

All times are listed in Mountain time.

Day 1 — February 26, 2024

Day 2 — February 27, 2024

Day 3 — February 28, 2024

Day 4 — February 29, 2024

Dr. David Paul is a Registered Psychologist and Co-Director of the Centre for Posttraumatic Stress & Anxiety Treatment in Edmonton, Alta. He previously worked as Clinical Coordinator at the Veterans Affairs Canada Operational Stress Injury Clinic in Edmonton from 2009 to 2012, and as a Clinical Psychologist with the Department of National Defence between 2013 and 2018. Dr. Paul’s primary clinical focus is the treatment of PTSD using empirically validated cognitive behavioural therapies. He is certified as a PE Therapist, Consultant and Trainer by the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine.

We encourage applications from members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equity. The Atlas Institute is attentive to the diversity of our network and invites you to self-identify during registration if you wish. Responses from applicants who self-identify during the registration process will only be shared with training organizers at the Atlas Institute. Groups include:

• First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples, and all other Indigenous Peoples
• Persons with visible and/or invisible (physical and/or mental) disabilities
• Member of a group(s) that commonly experience discrimination due to race, ancestry, colour, religion and/or spiritual beliefs, or place of origin
• Persons who identify as women
• Persons of marginalized sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions

The Atlas Institute is committed to providing an accessible environment for participants attending trainings. Part of this commitment includes offering supports such as American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters or captionists during the training.