Personality Disorders: A Psychodynamic and Attachment Theory Perspective

This workshop overviews personality development, identifying the key developmental tasks (e.g. emotional regulation, identity, boundaries, etc). This provides clinicians with a map for healthy personality development, as well as shedding light on how personality issues develop. The workshop will look at how personality development shapes perception, emotional responses and how we cope with interpersonal relationships and our internal world (thoughts and feelings).

The workshop will present a detailed overview of a number personality structures, including: Borderline Personality Disorder, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder and Depressive Personality dynamics. Each personality structure will be considered in terms of: its developmental origins, associated schema and ways of seeing and interacting with the world, and treatment considerations. Participants should leave the workshop with a conceptual framework for how these personality structures work, how to identify them in their clients and how to work with these patients. Additionally, clinicians will be given a number of therapeutic strategies that have utility for particular personality dynamics.

At the completion of the training program you will have:

• A better understanding of how clients see and cope with the world around them
• An understanding of caregiving experiences that are needed to promote healthy personality development
• An understanding of some of the factors that can interfere with this process and how this will shape personality in adulthood
• An understanding of basic attachment theory: secure, avoidant, ambivalent and disorganised attachment styles
• An understanding of the dynamics of the following: borderline, narcissistic, obsessive-compulsive, anti-social and depressive. This theory will help clinicians make sense of an otherwise confusing and overwhelming client issues
• An understanding of how to approach treatment for these personality disorders
• Learnt new techniques to use in therapy

Who should attend?

Experienced psychologists, social workers, counsellors and other clinicians working in a therapeutic role

Changes to enrolment processes for 2024 Calendar Courses

Please note CCWT have now moved to a payment on enrolment process. CCWT can no longer invoice to pay later, which means you can no longer enrol in a course without paying for it at the time of enrolment

If you cannot attend the class you have paid for, you need to give CCWT 2 weeks notice to obtain a credit for another class. Please see our updated terms and conditions https://www.acwa.asn.au/ccwt/terms-and-conditions/