Positive Psychotherapy (PPT) Training:
An Overview

 
Positive Psychotherapy (PPT) training equips mental health and affiliated professionals — from introductory to intermediate levels — with the skills to deliver a strengths-based, evidence-informed approach to client care. Offered in-person, online, or in hybrid formats anywhere in the world, the program is accessible to practitioners in diverse cultural and clinical settings.

 

This training model is based on APA Continuing Education (CE) Positive Psychotherapy training, first delivered at the American Psychological Association (APA) Annual Convention, where it received the APA “Excellence” in CE Training Pin. Grounded in the Positive Psychotherapy: Clinician Manual and Client Workbook (Rashid & Seligman, 2018), the program trains participants to see clients as whole individuals — with both symptoms and strengths — and to help them access internal resources for resilience, meaning, and well-being.

 

The integrated training incorporates experiential exercises, case studies, and hands-on activities completed in pairs or small groups, creating a highly interactive learning environment. It is culturally responsive for diverse clientele and adapted for neurodivergent learners, ensuring broad accessibility and relevance. PPT can be delivered as a stand-alone intervention or integrated into established treatment protocols such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT).

 

Through theory, practice, and collaboration, participants gain practical, culturally adaptable tools to cultivate positive emotions, strengthen relationships, deepen meaning and purpose, and enhance therapeutic outcomes.

 

Training is offered in-person, online, or in hybrid formats, making it accessible globally. Delivered in a three-tier structure — Personal Development, Clinical Application, and Advanced Practice with Ethics — the program blends theory, experiential exercises, case vignettes, and peer consultation. Participants learn to cultivate positive emotions, build strong relationships, foster meaning and purpose, and apply PPT techniques alongside established treatments such as CBT and DBT.

 

Whether attended onsite or virtually, PPT training provides a practical, culturally adaptable framework for promoting psychological flourishing in diverse settings.

 

 

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Strengths-Based Resilience (SBR)
Training for Educators

Strengths-Based Resilience (SBR) training equips educators with practical, evidence-informed strategies to help students build resilience, strengthen well-being, and develop lifelong coping skills. Designed for application in diverse classrooms, SBR blends positive psychology, cognitive-behavioral principles, and mindfulness with a strong focus on cultural responsiveness and inclusivity.

 

Originally developed in one of the world’s most multicultural school systems–Toronto District School Board (TDSB), SBR integrates a “Cultural and Learning Fit” approach into every module, ensuring that activities and discussions resonate across varied cultural backgrounds and support neurodivergent learners.

 

The program’s 14 interactive modules combine theory with experiential exercises, and small-group work, enabling educators and a variety of mental health professionals to help students identify personal strengths, reframe challenges, enhance emotional regulation, and improve social connections. SBR can be delivered in-person, online, or hybrid and is adaptable for primary, secondary, and post-secondary settings.
Validated through international research — including implementations in Canada, Lebanon, and New Zealand — SBR has shown lasting positive effects on student resilience, mental health, and academic engagement. By equipping educators with structured, ready-to-use tools, the training empowers schools to create learning environments where students not only succeed academically but also thrive personally.

 

 

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Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Training
Program Overview

Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Training is a structured, skills-based program that prepares a wide range of community leaders — including educators, healthcare providers, faith leaders, coaches, first responders, workplace supervisors, social service professionals, and youth mentors — to identify, respond to, and support individuals at risk of suicide. The training addresses the full spectrum of suicide prevention, including early intervention, crisis response, and postvention support for individuals and communities affected by suicide.

 

Gatekeepers are often the first point of contact for those in distress. This training equips them with the knowledge, confidence, and tools to act effectively, safely, and compassionately, while staying within their role.
 

Core Learning Objectives
By the end of the training, participants will be able to:

1. Recognize Warning Signs

• Identify behavioral, emotional, verbal, and situational indicators of suicide risk.
• Distinguish between acute crisis signals and signs of ongoing distress.

2. Engage in Supportive Conversations

• Use active listening, empathy, and non-judgmental language to connect with individuals in crisis.
• Ask direct and safe questions about suicide without increasing risk.

3. Assess Immediate Safety

• Determine urgency and risk level while maintaining rapport.
• Take appropriate steps to ensure safety, including crisis intervention protocols.

4. Facilitate Access to Help

• Connect individuals to local, national, and online crisis lines, mental health professionals, and community resources.
• Navigate confidentiality, consent, and safeguarding responsibilities.

5. Reduce Stigma

• Address myths and misconceptions about suicide.
• Promote help-seeking and mental health literacy within the community.

6. Provide Postvention Support

• Respond effectively after a suicide to reduce risk of contagion.
• Support bereaved individuals and communities with sensitivity to grief and trauma.
• Facilitate healing and resilience-building in affected groups.

 
Training Content

The program is organized into interactive modules that can be delivered over one or multiple sessions:

1. Understanding Suicide and its Impact

• Suicide as a public health concern.
• Risk and protective factors across lifespan and cultural contexts.

2. The Role of a Gatekeeper

• Scope of responsibility and limits of the role.
• Building trust and being a safe point of contact.

3. Recognizing Warning Signs

• Observable behaviors, verbal cues, and situational triggers.
• Case examples from diverse community contexts.

4. Engaging in Conversations About Suicide

• Overcoming fear of asking about suicide.
• Using the “ASK-LISTEN-CONNECT” framework.
• Practicing with role plays and feedback.

5. Immediate Safety and Referral

• Safety planning basics.
• Knowing when and how to involve emergency services.
• Warm handoffs to professionals and resources.

6. Postvention Strategies

• Crisis management following a suicide.
• Communicating safely with peers, families, and the media.
• Organizing community support circles and memorials responsibly.

7. Cultural Responsiveness and Inclusion

• Adapting approaches for cultural norms, traditions, and language.
• Addressing the needs of marginalized and high-risk groups.
• Strategies for neurodivergent individuals and trauma-informed care.

8. Self-Care for Gatekeepers

• Managing emotional impact and secondary trauma.
• Peer support and supervision.

 
Training Methods

• Interactive Learning: Role plays, simulations, and guided discussions.
• Case Studies: Real-world scenarios drawn from varied community settings.
• Small Group Work: Pair and triad practice sessions for skill application.
• Resource Mapping: Participants identify and share local and online resources.

 

Format and Delivery

• Available in-person, online, or hybrid.
• Adaptable from a half-day intensive to a two-day immersive training.
• Designed for introductory or refresher-level learning, with options for follow-up booster sessions.

 

Outcomes and Benefits

Participants leave with:

• Increased confidence in talking about suicide.
• Practical skills to intervene early and safely.
• A network of peers committed to suicide prevention.
• Tools to support communities in both prevention and postvention contexts.

 

By building a trained network of gatekeepers, communities create a proactive safety net that identifies risk early, provides compassionate support, and ensures timely access to professional help — ultimately reducing suicide rates and fostering resilience after loss.