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Development of a multi-agency experiential training course on personality disorder

North Cumbria Mental Health and Learning Disabilities NHS Trust, Carleton Clinic, Cumwhinton Drive, Carlisle CA13SX

Joan Longford, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Psychotherapy

North Cumbria Psychotherapy Service

Declaration of interest

The course was funded by the Workforce Development Confederation.

Abstract

AIMS AND METHOD

The need for training in the management of personality disorder is now firmly established following publication of policy implementation guidance for the development of services for people with such disorders. We report on the development of a training course for people from a range of disciplines, which is group-based, psychoanalytically informed and experiential in nature.

RESULTS

Those attending the course rated it highly. They showed marked changes in attitude towards, and greater confidence to work with, the client group, and were more willing to communicate their own difficulties openly both within and between agencies, to pass on their skills and to develop further the networks they had formed.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Given a containing structure and reflective space, professionals from a number of agencies rapidly become able to use difficult theory to develop a ‘feeling language’ to communicate about clients with personality disorder. User presentations can be important to these changes. Repeating such a course over a number of years might lead to a more therapeutic culture within mental health services and associated agencies. The course format is likely to be transferable.

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