2011 'BPD Awareness Day' Conference

Ist ANNUAL NATIONAL BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER CONFERENCE in Melbourne

A/Prof. Andrew. Chanen - "Early intervention and prevention"

Dr Andrew Chanen discusses the role of early intervention. He holds clinical appointments as a consultant psychiatrist and associate medical director at Orygen Youth Health, and as a consultant psychiatrist at the Adolescent Forensic Health Service in Melbourne. At Orygen Youth Health he founded and directs the HYPE Clinic, an early intervention program for borderline personality disorder.

Dr.J.Beatson -"Advances in the Treatment of BPD"

Dr. Beatson talks about Advances in Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder.
Dr. Josephine Beatson is a Senior Clinical Advisor to Spectrum Personality Disorder Service Victoria and a Consultant Psychiatrist and Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist with over 20 years experience in public and private settings. She has a particular interest in the understanding and treatment of severe personality disorders and promotion of reflective practice with these clients.

Merinda Epstein - "Borderline, the diagnosis of shame"

Merinda Epstein has been fighting oppression against people diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder for twenty years. For much of this time she has been a lone consumer voice, as it is only in very recent times that people have started to feel safe enough to publicly own this diagnosis. In 2004 she co-won the Australian Government's Human Rights Award in the community category. She is a member of the National Ministerial Expert Advisory Committee on Borderline Personality Disorder.

Panel - "Where to from here?"

After the lunch break workshops were held focusing on "Where are we at and What are we moving towards?" culminating in a 9-point plan being presented to a panel addressing "Where to from here".

The panel comprised:

• Isabell Collins (VMIAC)
• Indigo Daya (Voices Vic)
• Merinda Epstein (Our Consumer Place)
• Robyn Humphries (NW AMHS)
• Julien Leith (VMHCN)
• Eileen McDonald (carer)
• Sue McLean (Albert Road Clinic)
• Janne McMahon (Private Mental Health Consumer & Carer Network Aust)
• Senator Claire Moore
• Dr Sathya Rao (Spectrum)
• Ruth Vine (Chief Psychiatrist)

The following 9 point plan was presented to the panel from the workshops:
Training and Skill Development (attitude change):

• More such Conferences
• National Alliance -- Consumer at the centre
• Community Awareness Campaigns
• Change of Name
• Access to formalised national BPD services such as Spectrum, but with better access
• Humanistic approach - current MH system is dehumanizing and retraumatising
• Retain the 18 sessions available under better access program
• Emphasis or focus of treatment based on emotions and feelings, not behaviours

Closing Segment:

Yung Philly entertains delegates at the closing segment of the Inaugural National BPD Awareness Day in 2011.