Thoughts on Record: Podcast of the Ottawa Institute of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

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While many individuals are able to quickly lose weight through a variety of means, maintaining weight loss over time has proven to be elusive. Dr. Lesley Lutes, R. Psych joins host Dr. Pete Kelly, C. Psych to discuss Small Changes - an innovative evidence-based CBT approach to weight loss and lifestyle change that Dr. Lutes has developed and studied extensively. In the course of this discussion Drs. Lutes and Kelly discuss why behavioural change is so hard, consider the factors that contribute to obesity from a biopsychosocial perspective, outline the Small Changes treatment approach including its underlying theory, core interventions, integration of values and evolutionary underpinnings, discuss the impact of trauma and other forms of psychological distress on eating, elucidate the link between mental health and obesity as well as consider how parents might discuss concerns around health and weight with young children and adolescents.
Dr. Lesley Lutes is a Professor and Director of Clinical Training at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan. Dr. Lutes is a registered psychologist whose area of research is in developing innovative behavioral treatment interventions focused on lifestyle change. Much of her research has been in developing an evidence-based new treatment approach called Small Changes, which has resulted in international recognition, national awards, and policy changes. She has secured more than $5 million dollars of research funding to date, helping her publish over 50 peer-reviewed journal articles and deliver over 100 community and conference presentations. Dr. Lutes is the supervisor of the healthy weight specialty service in the Interprofessional clinic at UBC Okanagan, working with graduate student clinicians to help individuals achieve positive behavior changes related to weight loss and long-term weight loss maintenance, binge eating treatment, and other factors impacting health and well-being through group or individual therapy. Dr. Lutes values student training, mentorship, caring for patients, developing evidence-based treatments to help improve individual’s health and well-being, and developing policy and systematic change for people to access mental health and health behavior change services. https://www.thecorelabubc.com/drlesleylutes

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Dr. Bruce Hubbard PhD is a clinical psychologist based in New York City who developed tinnitus, hyperacusis and high-frequency hearing loss in 2005. After many months of struggle, he was encouraged to learn that cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), the treatment for stress and trauma he’d practiced his entire career, was the most researched, clinically-proven approach to tinnitus. Armed with his own expertise in CBT and having read everything he could about tinnitus, he guided himself through a successful course of CBT. Since then he’s guided hundreds of clients, many with severe tinnitus, in applying CBT to achieve high levels of habituation and resume full, valued lives with tinnitus. He founded CBT for Tinnitus, LLC, to help people apply principles and strategies of cognitive behavior therapy to address tinnitus and related hearing issues. Dr. Hubbard is a Visiting Scholar at Columbia University - Teachers College, Past-President of the New York City Cognitive Behavior Therapy Association (NYC-CBT) and Board Certified in Cognitive and Behavioral Psychology, American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP). https://www.cbtfortinnitus.com/

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While frequently unpleasant in the short-term, adversity often contains our best opportunities for personal growth. Newfoundland adventurer, videographer, teacher and author Justin Barbour shares the perspectives he has gained from a number of month to nearly three-month solo expeditions by canoe, kayak, and/or on foot in the rugged wilderness of Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada. We discuss the balance between documenting his expeditions vs. remaining present in the moment, navigating uncertainty under high stakes situations, coming back from "unforced errors", the confidence that can be derived from navigating adversity, the impact of lack of sleep and fatigue on both psychological and physical resources, the gifts and drawbacks of isolation, potential lessons for overall wellness derived from his expeditions, his motivation for sharing his adventures, and the psychological impact of having his dog, Saku, along for the adventure. Host note: Justin's spirit and resilience in the face of adversity makes me proud to be a Newfoundlander!
Justin Barbour, author of Man and Dog: Through The Newfoundland Wilderness (Flanker Press, 2019), was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and grew up in the rural community of Bauline until his early teens. His family then moved to St. John’s, where he went to school and played hockey competitively until moving away to Miramichi, New Brunswick, to suit up in the Maritime Junior A League for four years. Upon returning to Newfoundland, Justin completed a Bachelor of Physical Education and Bachelor of Education at Memorial University. During that time he played in the Newfoundland Senior Hockey League for seven years before moving away to Cartwright, Labrador, to teach K-12 physical education and science for a year. He is a provincial champion in high school hockey, AAA Midget Hockey, Men’s A Ball Hockey, and he has won a Herder Memorial championship with the Grand Falls–Windsor Cataracts in 2015. Justin is an adventurer, teacher, writer, public speaker, and he runs a successful YouTube Channel that documents his expeditions. He credits growing up in the woods of Bauline for making him the independent and passionate outdoorsman he is today. Since 2017, Justin has travelled over 2,000 kilometres in the wilderness of Newfoundland and Labrador, accompanied by his Cape Shore water dog, Saku. In 2018 he was sponsored by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society for an expedition in Labrador, and he wrote about it for Canadian Geographic upon his return. He has been asked to speak in places as far away as Ontario. Justin Barbour lives in Grand Falls–Windsor with his fiancée, Heather, their malamute husky, Bear, and the famous Cape Shore water dog, Saku.
https://newfoundlandexplorer.com/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5B2uAeVKGu0-68fsFPG5VQ
https://www.instagram.com/nlexplorer88
https://twitter.com/NLExplorer88

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Despite widespread acknowledgment that self-care is an essential component of sustainable practice for mental health professionals, it is an area where many clinicians struggle to implement consistent healthy habits or necessary behavioural change. In 2019, Drs. Karen G. Dyck, C.Psych and Melissa Tiessen, C.Psych became the co-founders of the website Intentional Therapist and since then, have been actively engaged in efforts to help female mental health professionals find convenient, intentional, creative, and playful ways to incorporate self-care into their lives. On the podcast we explore:

• their motivation to create the Intentional Therapist initiative and how they define self-care
• why they place an emphasis on female mental health professionals specifically & relevant gender differences when it comes to self-care
• key components/messages shared through their newsletter
• aspects of their messaging that have been especially relevant to them personally
• the upcoming Intentional Therapist retreat
• shifts in their own thinking about self-care since starting the Intentional Therapist
• a broader discussion of self-care beyond the Intentional Therapist

Dr. Karen G. Dyck completed her Master’s Degree in Developmental Psychology at the University of Manitoba and her Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology at the University of South Dakota. She was an Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Health Psychology at the University of Manitoba for 17 years, 4 of which she served as the Director of the Rural and Northern Psychology Programme. Within this position Karen had the opportunity to work collaboratively with a range of healthcare providers and administrators and to regularly consult with other mental health professionals. It is within that context that Karen became interested in the topics of healthy workplaces, employee wellness, and self-care. Karen left her university position in 2014 to pursue private practice and explore other, less traditional, opportunities where she could draw from her training and experience. Karen has two wonderful bonus children and lives in Anola, MB, with her supportive husband and 18 year old cat, Kittie Pie.

OICBT Psychologist Dr. Melissa Tiessen completed her Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology at McGill University. She completed a post-doctoral residency in the Department of Clinical Health Psychology at the University of Manitoba within the Rural and Northern Program, where she had the fortunate opportunity to work under Dr. Karen Dyck. Melissa went on to work as an Assistant Professor in the Department for 2 years, and then moved to Ottawa where she worked for 1 year within the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program of The Ottawa Hospital/University of Ottawa Heart Institute. This led to a unique opportunity as the Director of the Education Directorate of the Canadian Psychological Association, where Melissa served for 4 years, overseeing the association’s national accreditation and continuing education programs. Working in the field of accreditation highlighted for Melissa the incredible importance of quality training experiences for psychology students and the necessity of good work-life balance and self-care. Melissa also had the opportunity to spend some time living abroad, where she was involved with multiple non-profit organizations dedicated to supporting the health and well-being of women and children. Since 2018 Melissa has worked in private practice. Melissa lives in Ottawa, ON, with her supportive husband and young son.

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While OCD is a generally a very recognizable form of mental disorder, there are many nuances and complexities with respect to both its treatment and diagnosis. Psychologist, professor & author, Dr. Christine Purdon, joins us for a deep dive on OCD in which we cover:

• what OCD is and how it affects the individual and family members
• how is OCD usually conceptualized from a cognitive behavioural perspective
• the developmental experiences that might predispose someone towards OCD
• genetic and temperament based risks associated with OCD
• the trajectory of OCD symptoms over the lifespan
• features of OCD to be aware of that don’t necessarily fall within the diagnostic framework but that would nonetheless be useful for clinicians to keep in mind
• the common types of OCD
• uncertainty as being a key challenge within the context of OCD
• differential diagnoses in the context of OCD
• OCD as a response to trauma
• the current gold standard psychotherapeutic treatment for OCD
• the role medication can and should play in treatment
• shortcomings of the CBT ERP model
• why individuals with OCD are unable/willing to trust their own judgment
• assessing and addressing attachment issues that are internalized in the OCD “voice”

Dr. Purdon is a Registered Psychologist with the College of Psychologists of Ontario and has expertise in the assessment and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders in adults. She has practiced and taught cognitive-behaviour therapy (CBT) for over 20 years, has over 80 publications on OCD, anxiety & intrusive thoughts and, is certified by the Canadian Association of Cognitive and Behavioural Therapies (CABCT). She provides psychological services through the University of Waterloo Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment Unsubsidized Psychological Services stream. She is also Director of Clinical Training for the Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Waterloo. Dr. Purdon’s research interests include the persistence of anxiety and its cognitive manifestations, such as obsessions, worry, rumination, doubt, and behavioural manifestations, such as compulsions and escape/avoidance behaviours. She is also interested in how anxiety influences attentional and memory and is co-atuhor of the self-help book Overcoming Obsessive Thoughts: How to Gain Control of Your OCD.
https://uwaterloo.ca/psychology/people-profiles/christine-purdon