Kyla Johnston is a Registered Psychiatric Nurse and Linehan Board Certified Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Clinician with over 16 years of experience in the field of mental health. She co-founded DBT Winnipeg Inc. in 2017 to offer DBT Skills Training groups in Winnipeg. Since then, the program has evolved into a comprehensive outpatient DBT program, supported by a growing multidisciplinary team. Kyla currently serves as Clinical Director and Clinician Supervisor, overseeing clinical training and development within the program.

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Kyla’s foundation in DBT was developed in an intensive inpatient setting, where she worked as both a primary therapist and group facilitator. She also provided DBT education seminars focused on DBT principles, skills coaching, and behavioural intervention to frontline mental health staff, community mental health teams, and rural/northern mental health and correctional staff. This experience laid the groundwork for her strong clinical skills and deep understanding of the complexities involved in treating individuals with severe and co-occurring mental health conditions.

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Her clinical expertise includes working with individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD), substance use disorders, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and mood and anxiety disorders. Kyla brings a warm, collaborative, and nonjudgmental approach to her work, prioritizing the creation of a safe and trusting therapeutic relationship.

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Kyla completed comprehensive core clinical DBT training through the Treatment Implementation Collaborative (TIC) in 2012 and achieved board certification in 2022 as a Linehan Board Certified DBT Clinician. She is intensively trained in the DBT Prolonged Exposure (DBT PE) protocol for trauma and provides Stage 2 DBT PE when clinically appropriate.

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Dedicated to ongoing professional development, Kyla continues to refine her skills through advanced training and supervision. She is committed to providing evidence-based, respectful, and effective care to support clients in achieving meaningful and lasting change.

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Qualifications

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Master of Psychiatric Nursing (MPN), Brandon University, 2016                                                                                           

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Bachelor of Science in Psychiatric Nursing (BScPN), Brandon University, 2011

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DBT Linehan Board Certified Clinician #1695

 

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Attendance in Workshops, Conferences, Courses

 

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy- Overview (2-day) Treatment Implementation Coll. (TIC)   2012

 

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy- Skills Training (3-day)- TIC   2012

 

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy- Behaviour Planning/Shaping (2-day)- TIC  2012

 

Dialectical Behaviour Therapy- Core Clinician Training (7-day) - TIC 2012/2013

 

Doing DBT: Case Formulation- Dr. K. Koerner Practice Ground Learning 2015- 2016  

 

Innovations in Clinical Assessment & Treatment of Suicidal Risk- Dr. D. Jobes 2016

 

The Pain Paradox: Treating Complex Trauma Workshop (2-day)- Dr. John Briere 2016

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Conceptualization and Assessment of Somatoform Disorders- Dr. Kyle Boone 2018

 

Empty Cloud Sangha 5-day Mindfulness Retreat- Dr. Marsha Linehan 2018

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Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference, Orlando Florida (5-day), 2022

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Dialectical Behaviour Therapy Prolonged Exposure (4 day) – Dr. Melanie S. Harned 2023

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Is it DBT Conference, Seattle (1-day), 2023 

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CADDRA ADHD Primer, Winnipeg (1-day), 2024