The CORE is focused on developing evidence-based mental/behavioural interventions to improve health outcomes, and translating this knowledge to inform policy change.
The CORE is located on Syilx Okanagan Nation Territory at the University of British Columbia in Kelowna, BC and is under the direction of Dr. Lesley Lutes. The CORE was funded by the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, B.C. Knowledge Development Fund, and the Frank C. Diener Foundation.
2024 Researcher of the Year (Health)
ENHANCE Program
The ENHANCE Program (Enduring happiness and continued self-enhancement) is designed to teach social skills, ways of thinking, and understanding one’s own values and strengths as means of increasing life satisfaction, meaning, and enjoyment of life, and as well as reducing stress and depression.
To access the ENHANCE program podcasts and their corresponding downloadable activities click here:
Speaker Series, “Realizing Change in Mental and Behavioural Health Policy”
We are excited to invite you to our Speaker Series, “Realizing Change in Mental and behavioural Health Policy”. With a focus on increasing access to evidence-based mental and behavioural health services, the series will unite professions and bring diverse voices to drive mental health policy here in BC.
Our speaker series for this Academic Year has now come to an end. We are extremely grateful to all of our speakers & those who attended.
We are thrilled to announce that our Speaker Series will be continuing next year, beginning in September 2024.
[This fellowship is supported by a partnership between the Barber Endowment Fund; UBCO Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences & British Columbia Psychological Association (BCPA)]
Previous advocacy series speakers:
We are thrilled to introduce Marcus Gottlieb as the 2nd Mental Health Equity Fellow at UBCO!
Marcus, a dedicated 3rd-year PhD student in the Clinical Psychology program, brings a unique blend of expertise to the table. He combines a background in government service, having worked for the Ontario Provincial Government, with a deep passion for supporting individuals through delivering evidence-based psychological interventions and conducting research to inform these interventions.
On a broader scale, he is eager to leverage this expertise to advance mental health policy by collaborating with BC government officials, academics, and practitioners, with the goal of driving meaningful systemic change in British Columbia.
This fellowship has been made possible thanks to the generous support between the Barber Endowment Fund within the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences and the BC Psychological Association.
Our Research
The doctor is in.
Check out this recent interview about our vision for transforming healthcare in BC! Learn how we’re advocating for better access to psychological services to treat both mental and physical health conditions. For World Mental Health Day Dr. Lutes sat down and got specific about pioneering primary care-specific training to seamlessly integrate psychologists into the healthcare system. It’s time to prioritize mental health alongside physical health.
INTEGRATED PRIMARY CARE
We are interested in tailoring mental/behavioural health interventions for delivery in primary care to afford better access to evidence-based psychological care. We examine factors such as mental/physical health outcomes, patient/provider satisfaction, clinican training, and program evaluation.
SMALL CHANGES & WEIGHT MANAGEMENT
Small Changes is a behavioural weight management intervention that emphasizes making small, incremental changes to promote healthy, sustainable weight loss in individuals with overweight or obesity. Our current research focuses on tailoring the Small Changes intervention for specific chronic health conditions including Psoriatic Arthritis and Atrial Fibrilation.
SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING
We are interested in examining factors that affect subjective well-being and developing behavioural interventions that incorporate elements of positive psychology to improve subjective well-being (i.e., ENHANCE). Recently, we adapted the ENHANCE program for the circumstances and concerns of the COVID-19 pandemic.