Dr. Amanda Uliaszek

Dr. Amanda Uliaszek is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto and Director of the STEPP Lab (Study and Treatment of Emotion Dysregulation and Personality Pathology Laboratory), where she leads internationally recognized research on borderline personality disorder and dialectical behavior therapy outcomes.

As a registered clinical psychologist in Ontario with specialized training in cognitive-behavioral and dialectical behavior treatments, Dr. Uliaszek bridges research innovation and frontline clinical practice. Her work focuses on the biosocial model of BPD, emotion dysregulation mechanisms, and evidence-based interventions that reduce suicide risk while improving therapeutic outcomes.

Dr. Uliaszek's clinical expertise addresses the real-world challenges clinicians face when treating BPD, including managing safety crises within session, repairing alliance ruptures in real time, and maintaining therapeutic effectiveness during high-intensity moments. She has developed practical crisis intervention protocols that can be integrated across treatment modalities and clinical settings without requiring full DBT program implementation.

Her current research portfolio includes developing BPD-BOOST, an anti-stigma intervention for individuals with BPD, and evaluating Family Connections, a DBT-based peer-led program for family members affected by suicide and BPD. Since establishing the STEPP Lab in 2011, she has maintained an active research program examining how stigma, invalidation, and therapeutic alliance dynamics impact treatment effectiveness for personality pathology.

Dr. Uliaszek emphasizes adaptable, evidence-based DBT strategies that clinicians can apply immediately in private practice, hospital, and community mental health contexts, helping practitioners maintain clinical confidence and reduce reactivity when sessions become unpredictable or emotionally demanding.

Centres d'intérêts

Étude des troubles de la personnalité, notamment le trouble de la personnalité limite et la dysrégulation émotionnelle.

Recherche sur les processus de changement en psychothérapie et les mécanismes transdiagnostiques des troubles mentaux.

Application de la thérapie comportementale dialectique (DBT) et des approches fondées sur les émotions dans divers contextes cliniques.

Santé mentale des étudiants et des jeunes adultes, ainsi que la réduction de la stigmatisation associée aux troubles de la personnalité.

Analyse des modèles dimensionnels de la psychopathologie et des liens entre émotions, comportements et fonctionnement interpersonnel.

Présence sur internet

Profil universitaire à l'Université de Toronto, Campus Scarborough.

Directrice du laboratoire de recherche STEPP Lab (Study & Treatment of Emotion Dysregulation & Personality Pathology).

Présente sur Google Scholar et ResearchGate, où ses travaux de recherche et collaborations sont répertoriés.

Quelques publications

• Uliaszek, A. A., Hauner, K. K. Y., Zinbarg, R. E., Craske, M. G., Mineka, S., Griffith, J. W., & Rose, R. D. (2009). An examination of content overlap and disorder-specific predictions in the associations of neuroticism with anxiety and depression. Journal of Research in Personality, 43(5), 785–794. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrp.2009.05.009.
• Uliaszek, A. A., Prensky, E., & Baslet, G. (2012). Emotion regulation profiles in psychogenic non-epileptic seizures. Epilepsy & Behavior, 23(3), 364–369. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2012.01.009.
• Muhomba, M., Chugani, C. D., Uliaszek, A. A., & Kannan, D. (2017). Distress Tolerance Skills for College Students: A Pilot Investigation of a Brief DBT Group Skills Training Program. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy, 31(3), 247–256. https://doi-org.proxy3.library.mcgill.ca/10.1080/87568225.2017.1294469
• Uliaszek, A. A., Rashid, T., Williams, G. E., & Gulamani, T. (2016). Group therapy for university students: A randomized control trial of dialectical behavior therapy and positive psychotherapy. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 77, 78–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2015.12.003.

Affiliations

• Professeure agrégée au Département de psychologie de l'Université de Toronto, Campus Scarborough.
• Coordonnatrice du programme d'études supérieures en sciences psychologiques cliniques.
• Directrice du STEPP Lab, spécialisé dans la recherche sur la dysrégulation émotionnelle et la pathologie de la personnalité.
• Membre de la Société canadienne de psychologie et collaboratrice dans divers projets interuniversitaires en psychologie clinique.