Monthly Updates

1. Noteworthy items

• The Manitoba Moose Hockey Club have put together a special package for psychologists for the Friday March 10^th game at MTS Centre, with a ticket, hot dog, and drink for $25. See here for purchasing information.

• The Ethics Resource Service (ERS) is a proactive education and consultation service which is available to MPS members for use at their discretion. The ERS is intended to help members respond appropriately to current and anticipated ethical dilemmas in their professional practice. The sole mandate of the ERS is to promote a high standard of ethical decision-making and professional practice among members. Please access more information about the ERS at this link: http://members.mps.ca/ers

2. MPS Updates from February 2017

• The MPS 50^th Anniversary Gala, held on February 24, 2017 at Mercedes Benz Winnipeg, was a great success. MPS presented awards to two of our esteemed colleagues, Dr. Robert McIlwraith (Distinguished Life Member) and Dr. Bill Davis (President’s Award). More information about each award recipient is available below. 

Award winners honoured at the Gala, Dr. Robert McIlwraith (Distinguished Life Member) and Dr. Bill Davis (President’s Award).  

• Dr. Davis was born in Morden, Manitoba and has been married to Judith since 1965, has two married daughters and five grandchildren. He attended the University of Manitoba for his undergraduate training. He received his Ph. D. from and completed his internship at the University of Missouri in 1970. Dr. Davis’s employment history is impressive. He taught at the University of British Columbia (1970-1977); developed and implemented The City of Winnipeg Employee Assistance Program and held position of Staff Psychologist (1977-1983); he was Manager of the Employee Occupational Safety and Health Division with the City of Winnipeg (1983-1991); and he developed psychological programs for the Winnipeg Police Service and held the position of Manager of the Behavioral Health Services / Police Psychologist (1991-2004). Following his retirement in 2004, he maintained a small private practice. Dr. Davis has represented the field of psychology well by serving as a non-physician member on the council of The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba (1985-1994), worked with the Canadian Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and served on several committees of the Psychological Association of Manitoba. He was also the team leader for the Winnipeg Police Service Critical Incident Stress Management Team that went to New York to conduct trauma debriefing sessions with members of the City of New York Police Department who were first responders to the World Trade Center’s after Sept. 11^th, 2001. He continues to be a learned colleague and respected advocate for increasing access to specialized psychological services for Winnipeg Police Service, the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service, and the RCMP. 

• Dr. McIlwraith grew up in Marathon, Ontario and is married to Dr. Wendy Josephson.  Together they have one son and daughter-in-law with their first grandchild on the way.  Dr. McIlwraith attended the University of Winnipeg for his undergraduate training and Acadia University for his Master’s Degree. He completed his internship at the Kitchener-Waterloo General Hospital in 1980 and received his Ph. D. from the University of Manitoba in 1981. Dr. McIlwraith spent his career providing service and leadership within the academic and public health domains.  He became an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Manitoba and Clinical Psychologist with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority in 1981.  In 1987 he was promoted to Associate Professor and became Director of Education and Training for the Internship in Psychology program in 1989.  After much persistence and hard work, Dr. McIlwraith established the Rural and Northern Psychology Program in 1996.  His dedication and hard work was rewarded in 1999 with a promotion to full Professor.  In 2005, Dr. McIlwraith became Acting Head and then Head of the Department of Clinical Health Psychology from 2006 until his retirement in 2015.  During his career he has served tirelessly as member and chair of various committees at the university and national level.  In particular, he was one of the founding members and past chair of the CPA Section of Psychologists in Hospitals.  He has also published and presented extensively in the areas of psychology training and accreditation, rural psychology, advocacy and the effects of television media.  Dr. McIlwraith has previously been acknowledged for his dedication to the profession of psychology.  In 2004, Dr. McIlwraith was awarded the Clifford J. Robson Award for distinguished contribution to psychology in Manitoba by the Manitoba Psychological Society and in 2014 he was awarded Fellow of the Canadian Psychological Association.

3. Upcoming Events

• The MPS Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on March 20, 2017 at Inn at the Forks. We are honoured to have Dr. Niigaan Sinclair as our speaker at this event. Dr. Sinclair is Associate Professor/Acting Department Head, Native Studies, University of Manitoba, award winning author and editor, and regular commentator on indigenous issues for CTV, CBC, and APTN.
  Click here for additional information and registration. 
• The MPS Annual Spring Workshop, The Pain Paradox: Mindfulness/Compassion-Based Approaches for Complex Trauma, with Dr. John Briere will be held on April 21, 2017.
  Click here for additional information and registration. 

4. Articles of Interest

• The article for this month is titled “How Hermann Rorschach’s ‘Inkblots’ took on a life of their own” Please access the article here.
• Here’s why the American Psychological Association weighed in on Trump’s Standing Rock decision
• Efficacy of Psychotherapies for Borderline Personality Disorder

1. Noteworthy items

• February is Psychology Month! To view the list of speakers and events please see https://mps.ca/february-is-psychology-month-2017/

• The Ontario Psychological Association is running a video contest for Psychology Month. Access here.
  

• Regarding taxation of health and dental benefits – during Question Period, the Prime Minister said the Liberals will not tax health and dental benefits. CPA and other national professional association partners advocated on this issue. See here. 

• Province Initiates Process to Develop Mental Health Strategy

The province has issued a request for proposal (RFP) to recruit a consultant to assist in the development of a mental health strategy comprising mental health and addictions programs and services, with an emphasis on better co-ordination and access. Applicants have until Feb. 15 to submit a proposal, see here for details. 

• On Tuesday Feb 14^th at 6:50am, Dr. George Kaoukis will be interviewed on Global News Morning regarding heart health, following a press release that was sent out by the Manitoba Psychological Society. View here. 

• News Release – Province Accepts Report on Clinical, Preventative Health-Care Services. See this link to read the report: http://www.gov.mb.ca/health/documents/pcpsp.pdf

• Graduate students in the Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Manitoba have expressed interest in accessing psychological services in the community at sliding scale or pro-bono rates. MPS is still looking for additional members in private practice who would be willing to see clinical psychology graduate students on a sliding scale or pro-bono rates. This information will be sent to the Clinical Student Representatives, who will keep a list of the psychologists’ names and contact information. Upon each new academic year, the Clinical Student Representatives will email this list to the clinical psychology student body, who would then be individually responsible for arranging appointments. If you are interested in assisting in this endeavor, please email your name and preferred contact information to Maia Kredentser, MPS Student Representative, at umkreden@myumanitoba.ca.

• The Manitoba Moose Hockey Club have put together a special package for psychologists for the March 10^th game at MTS Centre, with a ticket, hot dog, and drink for $25. See here for purchasing information.

2. Upcoming Events

• The MPS 50^th Anniversary Gala will be held the evening of February 24, 2017 at Mercedes Benz Winnipeg.  Dr. Robert (Bob) McIlwraith will be presented with the Distinguished Life Member Award and Dr. William (Bill) Davis will be presented with the 2017 President’s Award for exceptional service to MPS. There will a silent auction, with great prizes to be won! A portion of the profits will go to a non-profit organization whose initiatives fall under the mandate of MPS.
  To purchase tickets: http://members.mps.ca/event-2426151.

• The MPS Annual General Meeting will be held on March 20, 2017. We are honoured to have Dr. Niigaan Sinclair as our speaker at this event. Dr. Sinclair is Associate Professor/Acting Department Head, Native Studies, University of Manitoba, award winning author and editor, and regular commentator on indigenous issues for CTV, CBC, and APTN. 

• The MPS Annual Spring Workshop, The Pain Paradox: Mindfulness/Compassion-Based Approaches for Complex Trauma, with Dr. John Briere will be held on April 21, 2017. Registration information will be emailed to members and posted on the MPS website in the coming weeks.

3. MPS Updates from January 2017

• Psychologists and Social Action – In May of 2016, MPS established a Social Action Committee. The aim of the committee is to respond to some of the most pressing social issues of the day in a manner that is (1) consistent with the MPS mission, (2) respectful of individual beliefs, and (3) directly related to the body of knowledge and skills that defines psychology. The Board supports the notion that our responsibility as a profession should include providing knowledge from our science, as well as values from our ethics, to contribute to public discourse on important social issues. 

There are many social issues that Manitoba psychologists are already addressing. MPS would like to know what its members are currently involved in, and what they would like to see the Board’s Social Action Committee focus on in the coming months. Please take a moment to fill out the following brief survey. Let us know about your passions, your concerns, and your willingness to help. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ZCQKM89

4. Article of Interest

• Effect of Disorder-Specific vs Nonspecific Psychotherapy for Chronic Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial

5. Get to know a Manitoba Psychologist, featuring Dr. Chantal MacDonald

In your opinion, what are the most rewarding and challenging parts of being a clinical psychologist?

Using my knowledge of psychology to help people bring about meaningful change in their lives is for me the best part of my job.  However, change can be very painful and being a witness to that pain can be challenging at times.

What do you think are the most exciting changes in the field of clinical psychology?

I am excited by the increasing use of neuroimaging in outcome studies. This technology will help us to refine our understanding of the process and outcome of psychotherapy.  

1. Noteworthy items

• CPA has issued a press release expressing disappointment that Canada’s health and financial ministers did not reach an agreement on federal health care spending on mental health and homecare.

  Please access the press release document at this link: http://www.cpa.ca/docs/File/Press%20Release/CPA_PressRelease_HealthAccord_Dec20.pdf  

• The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) has partnered with a number of health organizations to denounce the government’s proposed plan to tax the premiums of supplemental health benefits. The website http://donttaxmyhealthbenefits.ca/ has been developed to inform Canadians about this issue and to allow them to send letters to their MPs.

  Please access a letter sent to the Minister of Finance, Mr. William Morneau by CPA’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Karen Cohen regarding this issue here.   

• Dr. Rayleen DeLuca was appointed to the Order of Canada for her work with vulnerable Canadian children and families. Please access more information through this link: http://news.umanitoba.ca/faculty-and-alumni-appointed-to-order-of-canada/?utm_source=umtoday&utm_medium=email

• Graduate students in the Clinical Psychology Program at the University of Manitoba have expressed interest in accessing psychological services in the community. MPS is sending this notice to inquire about private practice psychologists who would be willing to see clinical psychology graduate students at sliding scale or pro-bono rates. This information will be sent to the Clinical Student Representatives, who will keep a list of the psychologists’ names and contact information. Upon each new academic year, the Clinical Student Representatives will email this list to the clinical psychology student body, who would then be individually responsible for arranging appointments. If you are interested in participating in this endeavor, please email your name and preferred contact information to Maia Kredentser, MPS Student Representative, at umkreden@myumanitoba.ca.

2. Upcoming Events

• The MPS 50^th Anniversary Gala will be held on the evening of February 24, 2017 at Mercedes Benz Winnipeg. Please save the date and join us for a night of fun, food, and live music. Details regarding the event and ticket purchasing will be emailed to membership shortly.

• The MPS Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on March 20, 2016 at Inn at the Forks. The AGM will be an after-work event, with dinner, a business meeting and a speaker. Meetings of Psychology associations and presentations about topics relevant to psychology can be used toward continuing education credits. More information to come.

3. Articles of Interest

• The article for this month is titled “Why Psychology? An Investigation of the Training in Psychological Literacy in Nursing, Medicine, Social Work, Counselling Psychology, and Clinical Psychology” by D. Murdoch, A. Gregory and J. Eggleton from Mount Royal University.  You can view it here. 

4. Get to know a Manitoba Psychology Researcher, featuring Dr. Ed Johnson, Associate Professor, University of Manitoba

What is the focus of your research program?

I have two: 

1. How people respond to ego threat
2. Clinical supervision

What are some of the clinical or theoretical applications of your work?

Re #1, My students and I are examining the clinical utility of two constructs that have roots in social psychology and offer different ways of mitigating threat, namely self-compassion and self-affirmation.

Self-compassion involves learning to respond to negative experiences in life that might ordinarily invoke self-criticism and shame with self-kindness, normalizing, and mindfulness. The research in my lab has shown that writing about painful events self-compassionately can reduce symptoms of depression and shame proneness (Johnson & O’Brien, 2013). Because self-criticism and shame are trans-diagnostic vulnerabilities I believe this work has broad relevance to many clients seen by clinical psychologists. Self-affirmation, in contrast, does not address threatening experiences directly, but rather invites people to consider their most important values and how they behave in ways that fulfill those values. Doing so seems to remind people that they are connected to others in important ways. Research suggests self-affirmation is especially helpful for protecting marginalized persons from becoming socially isolated through dropout and avoidance of engaging with others. Research in my lab is currently examining whether and how self-affirmation may benefit persons who are prone to social anxiety, narcissism, or are obsessively passionate about academic studies. Early findings suggest self-affirmation may help people with social anxiety act on recommendations to be more socially active and involved and may reduce feelings of envy in narcissistic persons. 

Re #2. This research examines how novice supervisors learn the craft of supervision and become fully competent. This research informs, and is informed by, my own practice of supervision as well as my teaching clinical supervision and a guide book I am writing on supervision.

It is important to say is that I am deeply grateful to my students and collaborators for their enormous contributions to this research.