The overall aim of the National BPD Training and Professional Development Strategy (National Training Strategy) is to improve the capacity of clinicians to recognise, respond to and treat people with BPD and be inclusive of families.
Between 2019 and 2021, Spectrum collaborated with the Australian BPD Foundation to deliver Stage 3 and Stage 4 of the National Training Strategy which included the development and delivery of core competencies workshops, a Train the Trainer Program and the provision of a range of post-training clinical support and mentoring.
BPD Core Competency Workshop
As generalist treatments emerged to provide less specialised treatments for borderline personality disorder (BPD), researchers have identified the commonalities shared by both specialist and generalist treatments. These are referred to as the ‘common factors’ in psychological treatment[1].
The 2-day BPD Core Competency Workshop has been developed with consideration to these common factors. Spectrum in collaboration with the Australian BPD Foundation conceptualised ten core competencies based on the common factors approach that clinicians require to enable them to effectively work with people with BPD as follows:
- Understanding BPD (including symptoms, prevalence, causes and evidence-based treatments)
- Co-existing disorders in BPD
- Treatment principles
- Treatment structure
- The therapeutic relationship
- Skills development focus
- Partnering with families, partners and carers
- Working with suicidal and non-suicidal self-injury behaviours
- Clinician self – awareness
- Focus on recovery.
The BPD Core Competency Workshop includes the knowledge, skills and attitudes to detect, diagnose and provide therapeutic interventions during every clinical interaction, even in the absence of formal long-term psychotherapeutic treatments. We believe all mental health clinicians have the capacity to learn the core competencies for the treatment of BPD. An understanding of the core competencies may assist clinicians to contribute to the recovery journey of people with BPD.
Would like to attend a BPD Core Competency Workshop?
- Attend a BPD Core Competency Workshop as part of our Professional Development Training Calendar. Please subscribe to our mailing list or follow our social media pages to be notified of upcoming BPD Core Competency Workshops.
- Make a training request for your service. We may be able to offer the workshop to your service upon request, using the usual training request form. We also offer post-training support if required (Please allow 4 to 6 months lead time to be able to accommodate the request. Requests from non-Area Mental Health Services will be provided with a quote).
Train the Trainer Program
The Train the Trainer program enables health professionals, clinicians and trainers to deliver the 2-day BPD Core Competency Workshop. It involves:
- Previous attendance of a 2-day BPD Core Competency Workshop (mandatory)
- Satisfactory completion of a 2-day Online Train the Trainer Workshop (mandatory)
- Endorsement as a National BPD Training Strategy Trainer by the Australian BPD Foundation to deliver the BPD Core Competency Workshops.
As part of the Train the Trainer Program, endorsed trainers will be able to receive electronic access to all training materials for the delivery of the BPD Core Competency Workshop including the participant handbook, slides, session plans, activities and role plays. They will also be able to access ongoing support from the Spectrum trainers. As a trainer there may be opportunities to be contracted by Spectrum to deliver workshops depending on available funding.
Would like to participate in the Train the Trainer Program?
We deliver a Train the Trainer Workshop at least once per year as part of Professional Development Training Calendar. There is a formal application process to register for the program. The program is open to health professionals and clinicians from any discipline who were able to demonstrate the following:
- At least 5 years clinical experience in mental health, in particular in the treatment of people with BPD
- At least 3 years experience in delivering training
- Capacity to attend the 2-day Train the Trainer workshop
- A commitment and the capacity (either through their workplace or independently) to deliver BPD Core Competency Workshops in their state.
The application process involves the completion of an online application form which includes the submission of a curriculum vitae.
For more information: (03) 8413 8750 or spectrumtraining@easternhealth.org.au
Please subscribe to our mailing list or follow our social media pages to be notified of when application open for an upcoming BPD Core Competency and Train the Trainer workshops.
[1] Bateman, A., Campbell, C., Luyten, P., & Fonagy, P. (2018). A mentalization-based approach to common factors in the treatment of borderline personality disorder. Current Opinion in Psychology, 21, 44-49.
Beatson, J., & Rao, S. (2014). Psychotherapy for borderline personality disorder. Australasian Psychiatry, 22(6), 529-532.
Gunderson, J. G. (2016). The emergence of a generalist model to meet public health needs for patients with borderline personality disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 173(5), 452-458.
Weinberg, I., Ronningstam, E., Goldblatt, M., Schechter, M., & Maltsberger, J. (2011). Common factors in empirically supported treatments of borderline personality disorder. Current Psychiatry Reports, 13(1), 60-68.