Dignity in Care Online Training 2026 (AEST Time Zone)

*THIS IS A VIRTUAL EVENT ONLY**

Workshop dates are:

September 9th, 16th and 23rd 0900 – 1300 AEST

September 8th, 15th and 22nd 1800 – 2200 CDT

Designed to enhance the human side of healthcare, this 3-day workshop focuses on the role and application of dignity in all aspects of clinical practice. The research, assessment tools, and clinical applications of dignity conserving care will be examined during Day 1, while Day 2 and Day 3 provide a detailed look at the clinical application of Dignity Therapy. If you are looking to expand your ability to care for patients as people, to reconnect with why you chose to work in healthcare in the first place, or to broaden your community of like-minded clinicians, this is the workshop for you.

Overall Learning Objectives Addressed:

At the end of this workshop, participants should be able to:

• Define, describe, and discuss the essential elements of personhood (medical expert, FM expert)
• Recognize and utilize assessment tools pertaining to the provision and maintenance of dignity in clinical practice (collaborator, communicator, professional)
• Identify, practice, and analyze the key elements of Dignity Therapy in practice (advocate, leader)
• Conceptualize ways to incorporate greater dignity conserving care in one’s own professional practice (scholar)

Day 1  – September  8 (CDT) September 9 (AEST), 2026

This workshop is for providers at any level who want to focus on the human side of healthcare and build a dignity conserving repertoire of practice. The fundamental nature of patienthood will be discussed and the key elements of dignity conserving care will be described. Tangible communication and assessment tools will be provided with the opportunity to practice new skills and connect with like-minded clinicians from around the globe.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this workshop, participants should be able to:  

• Define and describe the ABCDs of Dignity Conserving Care
• Discuss the key elements of patienthood
• Analyze the model of optimal therapeutic communication
• Examine the use of the Patient Dignity Question for assessment in clinical practice
• Assess one’s own role in the promotion of dignity conserving care

Day 2 -September 15 (CDT) September 16 (AEST), 2026

This workshop is for providers interested in learning the clinical practice of Dignity Therapy. First, the important role of dignity as described by patients will be discussed and the related empirical model of dignity will be presented. Using this evidence base, the key elements of Dignity Therapy will be described and demonstrated via case examples. Finally, attendees will have the opportunity to practice the fundamental aspects of Dignity Therapy during the session and gain further support through applied homework.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this workshop, participants should be able to:

• Evaluate the empirical model of dignity among the terminally ill
• Define and describe the key elements of Dignity Therapy in practice
• Discuss case examples of Dignity Therapy
• Engage in the experiential practice of Dignity Therapy techniques

Day 3 – September 22 (CDT) September 23 (AEST), 2026

This workshop provides the advanced application of Dignity Therapy in clinical practice. Utilizing the applied homework from the previous session, the common strengths and challenges of providing Dignity Therapy will be analyzed and key questions regarding how to launch Dignity Therapy in various settings will be addressed. A synopsis of all three workshop sessions will be provided to solidify each element of the dignity conserving repertoire, and a future-facing community of care will be created.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this workshop, participants should be able to:

• Assess the personal strengths and challenges of providing Dignity Therapy
• Conceptualize ways to launch Dignity Therapy in one’s own clinical practice
• Summarize all dignity conserving practices discussed during the workshop
• Build a community of care for on-going support

Presenters

Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov OC, MD, PhD, FRCPC, FRSC is a Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Manitoba and a Senior Scientist at CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute. He has led the research team that pioneered Dignity in Care and Dignity Therapy. He has more that 300 career publications, broaching diverse topics such as dignity, depression, quality-of-life, suicide, vulnerability, spirituality, and existential distress towards end-of-life. His book, Dignity Therapy: Final Words for Final Days was the 2011 winner of the Prose Award.

He is the co-founder of the Canadian Virtual Hospice and editor of The Handbook of Psychiatry in Palliative Medicine (Oxford University). He has received top research awards from the Canadian Psychiatric Association, the Canadian Cancer Society, the American Association of Hospice and Palliative Care and the International Psycho-oncology Society; a lifetime achievement award from the Canadian Association of Psychosocial Oncology and the Canadian Medical Association’s FNG Starr Award. He is an Officer in the Order of Canada, and in 2020 was inducted into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.

Dr. Lori Montross is a licensed psychologist in the state of California who holds over 15 years of experience in counseling, with specific expertise in palliative care. She is also a researcher, having received grant funding from the American Cancer Society, the Clinical and Translational Research Institute, as well as the International Alzheimer’s Association.  She has published over 40 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters with an emphasis on dignity-conserving care. As an educator, she has been named Faculty Member of the Year twice and regarded for her ability to creatively blend active learning with inspired action. Lori now brings her unique blend of clinical, research, and teaching experience to this program with the passionate goal to improve aspects of dignity for patients and families across multiple healthcare settings.

In preparation for the workshop please read Dignity Therapy: Final Words for Final Days.

Published by Oxford University Press, this text provides a blueprint for the psychological intervention Dignity Therapy developed by Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov and his internationally lauded research team. Dignity Therapy has been designed to address many of the psychological, existential and spiritual challenges that patients and families face as they grapple with the reality of life drawing to a close.

Agenda

TBD

Registration

$200 CAD for each day or $500 CAD for all three days.

For participants coming from LMIC (Low- and Middle-Income Countries), you can register for a reduced fee for all three sessions at $200. Please email Vicky: cpd.programs@umanitoba.ca for this request.

For anyone from outside of Canada and USA that is interested in attending, please email cpd.programs@umanitoba.ca for registration.

Workshop dates are September 9th, 16th and 23rd . 0900 – 1300 AEST

These workshops will be on Zoom. The links will be sent the day before each session.

Prior to the workshop, participants are highly encouraged to read Dignity in Care: Final Words for Final Days (Oxford University Press), which can be found on Amazon.

Please visit https://dignityincare.ca/en/   for resources and tools.

Cancellation Policy

In accordance with CPD Medicine policy:

• More than 21 days’ notice: A refund will be issued, minus a 20% administrative fee (up to a maximum of $200 CAD).
• Less than 21 days’ notice: No refund will be provided.

Special refund requests may be submitted to the event coordinator for consideration by the Scientific Planning Committee Chair, CPD Director or the Managing Director.