OPA Psychotherapy Day 2026
Managing Complex Trauma: Embracing Unknowns and Confronting Challenges
Saturday, June 6th, 2026
10:30am - 7:30pm
Vantage Venues, Toronto, ON
Program Overview
Populations with complex trauma are often under-represented in the evidence base for treatment options due to inherent limitations of researching variable types of adversity and polysymptomatic presentations.
This program pushes boundaries by exploring novel and investigative psychotherapeutic approaches for PTSD and complex PTSD, while also noting contributions of approaches to trauma that are difficult to capture in randomized controlled trials.
The program will feature 4 speakers followed by a panel discussion, exploring several strategies for working with trauma, such as long-term psychodynamic and psychosomatic therapy, brief suicide & trauma therapy, artificial intelligence, working with expanded states of consciousness, and psychedelic-assisted therapy.
Program attendees will learn of new treatment options for individuals with a history of trauma, and develop additional skills to enhance the care of these individuals. For clinicians working with these individuals, emerging methods to manage debilitating trauma symptoms offer immediate hope for improving the treatment landscape.
Psychiatrists, Family Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Psychologists, Registered Psychotherapists, Social Workers, and other health professionals working in mental health will enhance their knowledge and critical thinking skills by attending this symposium.
Learning Objectives
After active engagement in this program, participants will be able to:
- Acknowledge limitations of current evidence-based psychotherapeutic approaches to managing complex PTSD and consider alternative therapeutic approaches,
- Differentiate between psychotherapeutic approaches to managing patients with complex PTSD: long-term psychodynamic and psychosomatic therapy, brief suicide & trauma therapy, artificial intelligence, working with expanded states of consciousness, and psychedelic-assisted therapy, and
- Identify opportunities and challenges in using such approaches with adult populations.
The OPA recognises with gratitude the work of the OPA Scientific Planning Committee and the work of our Guest Speakers presenting for Psychotherapy Day 2026.
OPA Scientific Planning Committee
Dr Shabbir Amanullah – FRCPC – Geriatric Psychiatry - OPA Scientific Planning Committee Co-Chair
Dr Angela Ho – FRCPC – Adult Psychiatry, Psychotherapy - OPA Scientific Planning Committee Co-Chair
Dr Kim Baker – CFPC – Family Medicine
Dr Valerie Primeau - FRCPC – Adult Psychiatry - Addictions
Dr Karen Shin – FRCPC – Adult Psychiatry, Psychotherapy
Dr Renata Villela – FRCPC – Adult Psychiatry, Psychotherapy
The OPA acknowledges the support of the Coalition of Ontario Psychiatrists.
For any questions, please contact opa@eopa.ca.
