| Pictured (l to r) are Psychologist, Anne Bailey; Director of Northfie... Pictured (l to r) are Psychologist, Anne Bailey; Director of Northfields Clinic at UOW, Mr Chris Allan; Psychologist, Dianne Mooney and conference co-host, Associate Professor Brin Grenyer |
UOW hosts conference exploring borderline personality disorder
3 Oct 2007 | Renee Criddle
Over 70 psychologists, psychiatrists, mental health nurses and social workers attended a conference at the University of Wollongong last week (Friday 28 September) that explored the treatment of borderline personality disorder (BPD).
As the National Institute of Mental Health website explains, BPD is a serious mental illness characterised by pervasive instability in moods, interpersonal relationships, self-image, and behaviour. This instability often disrupts family and work life, long-term planning, and the individual's sense of self-identity.
Originally thought to be at the "borderline" of psychosis, people with BPD suffer from a disorder of emotion regulation. While less well known than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder (manic-depressive illness), BPD is more common, affecting 2% of adults -- mostly young women.
Interest in the treatment of the disorder has expanded exponentially over the past few years, particularly with the provision of group treatment programs providing dialectic behaviour therapy (where the dual focus is on acceptance and change).
The conference theme was ‘Promoting Integration’ – integration between and within services, integration of models and methods and integration within the client.
The event offered a series of short presentations and information on the latest treatments of BPD as well as provided a prime opportunity for those working in the complex field to network and discuss their treatment services with others.
The conference was hosted by UOW’s Northfields Psychology Clinic and Illawarra Community Mental Health.
"Northfields Clinic in conjunction with the Specialist Psychologist Services of Illawarra Community Mental Health have been providing specialist joint treatment of borderline personality disorder for many years. This program combines group therapy with long-term psychotherapy,” said Director of Northfields Clinic, Mr Chris Allan.
Conference co-host, Associate Professor Brin Grenyer, added that the clinic “welcomed senior specialists from the major treatment centres across the State, many of whom originally graduated from the innovative training provided here at Northfields Clinic for Borderline Personality Disorder.
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