About the CBT for VMS Program

FAQs for patients and referring clinicians

What is the format of this program?

The Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Vasomotor Symptoms (VMS) of Menopause program is an 8-week, fully online/virtual group psychotherapy program. Each session lasts 1 hour and 45 minutes.

I'm a Canadian patient based in BC. Is this program free for me?

Yes, the CBT for VMS program is free for eligible patients based in British Columbia, Canada. This group psychotherapy is designed and delivered by a specialist physician (psychiatrist). There is no cost associated for patients who have MSP coverage and are referred to the program by their their family physician, NP, or another specialist physician.

I'm a Canadian based in another province/territory. Can I still participate in this program?

Unfortunately, at this time, patients outside of British Columbia are not currently eligible to participate in this program.

I've been referred to the CBT for VMS program by my family doctor or NP. What happens next?

• Your referral form will be processed and your referring physician will receive a fax acknowledging receipt and acceptance or decline of referral.
• Once your referral has been accepted, you'll receive an email to the address on your referral form, inviting you to create a profile on our secure patient portal. Please ensure that you share a current, active email address for your referring physician to include on your referral form, as all program bookings and information are provided via email.
• When you complete your online patient profile form, you'll be asked to share your preferred time slots for upcoming intakes. We will make every effort to offer you registration in your preferred group, depending on registration numbers.
• If none of the current offered time slots work for your schedule, you can opt-in to be notified about future offerings of the program.
• If you're not able to register for a group intake within 6 months of being referred by your physician/NP, a new referral will be required.

Who created this program?

This program was developed and is delivered by a University of British Columbia-trained psychiatrist with a particular clinical interest in consult-liaison psychiatry (a branch of psychiatry that deals with the intersection of mental and physical health).

What is the CBT protocol used in the CBT for VMS program?

The protocol developed for the CBT for VMS program draws on best clinical practices from existing evidence-based CBT for menopause such as the MENOS protocol. Additionally, the CBT for VMS program integrates approaches from other third-wave CBT protocols including mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), and mindful self-compassion (MSC), all of which have ongoing emerging evidence for management of menopausal symptoms.

Which patients would benefit most from this program?

Patients who may benefit from the CBT for VMS program include:

• Patients who are not able to take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) due to contraindications to HRT, including a current diagnosis or past history of breast cancer, a current diagnosis of estrogen-dependent cancer (i.e. ovarian or endometrial), active liver disease, or unexplained vaginal bleeding.
• Patients who prefer not to take HRT.
• Patients who are currently taking HRT, but are experiencing ongoing vasomotor symptoms.

This program is suitable for patients who have experienced premature menopause, natural menopause, or artificial/induced menopause.

What are the eligibility requirements for this program?

To participate in this virtual group psychotherapy program, patients must (inclusion criteria):

• Be experiencing troublesome vasomotor symptoms associated with menopause.
• Be motivated to attend in a group training format
• Consent to receive registration info via email, including online booking
• Have access to reliable technology and a private space for virtual group sessions
• Be able to complete weekly homework practice
• Be between the ages of 19 and 65 inclusive

This program would not be a good fit for patients with (exclusion criteria):

• Active substance use which may impact ability to participate
• Personality disorder/traits which may impact ability to participate
• Severe depression/anxiety which may impact ability to participate
• Cognitive impairment which may impact ability to participate
• Active or recent suicidality
• History of psychosis or mania

What are the limits of the group psychotherapy model, and how does this impact MRP status?

This group psychotherapy treatment is not designed for patients with severe/unstable mental health conditions, or for those patients requiring immediate crisis intervention for psychiatric or medical concerns. The patient's primary care provider (family physician or nurse practitioner) agrees to remain responsible for any individualized or crisis care needs.

The referral form allows for a different physician from the referring physician to be listed as MRP, such as when a specialist physician makes the referral. In this case, please ensure that the patient's primary care provider is aware of this referral and amenable to remaining MRP.

How do I make a referral to the CBT for VMS program?

If you're a family physician, NP, or specialist who would like to refer a patient to the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Vasomotor Symptoms (VMS) of Menopause virtual group psychotherapy, please download the PDF referral form and fax the completed form to 250-412-6457.