Skills Based Approaches

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Our Skills-Based Approaches programs are designed to help you build practical tools for navigating emotions, managing urges, and supporting recovery.

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Many people with eating disorders use disordered behaviours to cope with overwhelming or confusing feelings.

Whether you tend to shut down, feel out of control, or struggle to identify your emotions, these programs offer a structured, supportive space to build emotional awareness and regulation.

Drawing from evidence-based practices like Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), you’ll learn coping skills that promote stability, reduce distress, and strengthen your recovery.

Through guided exercises and real-life applications, we focus on shifting from reactive patterns to intentional responses. These skills not only support day-to-day resilience, but also lay the groundwork for long-term emotional and behavioural change.

SKILLS BASED APPROACHES

SUMMER PROGRAMS

ALL PROGRAMS ARE FREE - NO DIAGNOSIS REQUIRED

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Learning Series


Facilitator: Keisha Kennedy MA, CCC

July 5: Mindfulness

  • Mindfulness practices to help you reconnect with the present moment and your own experience

  • Learn to observe thoughts and emotions without judgment

  • Learn to respond to discomfort with greater awareness and compassion

Date: Sunday, July 5 - 26
Time: 10:00am - 12:00pm
Location: Online 
Capacity: 20
Open to: Canada wide

Learn practical tools to help you understand and manage emotions without turning to harmful coping strategies. You'll learn how emotions work, how to recognize them early, and how to build resilience and increase positive experiences.

Register Now: July 5

July 12: Distress Tolerance

  • Introduction of DBT-based strategies for getting through painful emotional moments

  • Learn grounding techniques, distraction tools, and self-soothing practices

  • Learn how to stay steady when emotions feel overwhelming

Register Now: July 12

July 19: Emotional Regulation

  • Learn practical tools to help you understand and manage emotions without turning to harmful coping strategies

  • Learn how emotions work, how to recognize them early

  • Learn how to build resilience and increase positive experiences

Register Now: July 19

July 26: Interpersonal Effectiveness

  • A focus on building healthy communication and relationship skills to support your recovery

  • Learn how to ask for support, set boundaries, and maintain self-respect in challenging interactions

Register Now: July 26

Weekly Lunch Meeting

Facilitator: Sarah Higgins RD / Jessica Sauerwein RSW 

Date: Wednesday July 8 - August 26
Time: 12:30pm - 1:30pm
Location: Online
Capacity: Unlimited
Open to: AB

Our Weekly Lunch Meeting is designed to help you connect with others in recovery during mealtime. Because mealtimes can be especially challenging in recovery, this meeting offers a supportive space where you can share experiences with a sense of community, shared intention, and gentle conversation.

You can use the time to work toward personal goals such as following through with regular nourishment, trying a challenge food, increasing variety or volume, or practicing regulation with food present. The facilitator will eat alongside you and provide light conversation and brief check-ins throughout the hour. There is no expectation to show food and no plate checking. You set your own goals and engage in the way that feels most supportive.

This is a drop-in style offering; however, participants must register once in order to receive the invite to join the online meeting.

This opportunity offers:

  • A supportive space to share your experience

  • An opportunity to work toward personal goals

  • To be guided by a qualified professional in a zero-pressure environment

Register Now

OUR FACILITATORS

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Keisha Kennedy

Registered Clinical Counsellor

Jessica Sauerwein

Registered Social Worker

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Sarah Higgins

Registered Dietician

Need One-on-one Recovery Guidance?

EATING DISORDER RECOVERY SUPPORT

We know that navigating eating disorder (ED) recovery options can be overwhelming. Our Recovery Navigator has in-depth knowledge of the wide array of public and private recovery options in the province.

EXPLORE RECOVERY NAVIGATION