General Psychiatric Management for BPD

General Psychiatric Management for BPD

This 8-hour self-paced course offers training in an empirically validated treatment approach to borderline personality disorder (BPD) known as Good or General Psychiatric Management (GPM). This generalist approach to managing this prevalent, disabling and sometimes fatal but treatable diagnosis is good enough for most clinicians and most patients, and provides mental health professionals with guidelines they need to become skilled providers who can derive satisfaction from treating patients with BPD.

Management strategies using practicality, good sense, and flexibility are emphasized. Listening, validation, judicious self-disclosures, and advisement to build a life rather than focus on being a patient create a positive relationship in which both the concerns and limitations of a mental health professional are explicit. Techniques and interventions that facilitate the patient’s trust and willingness to become a proactive collaborator will be described. Guidelines for managing the common and usually most burdensome issues of managing suicidality and self-harm (e.g. intersession crises, threats as a call-for-help, excessive use of ER’s or hospitals) will be reviewed. Principles for the management of co-morbidities and medications from a evidence-based point of view are presented pragmatically. How and when psychiatrists can usefully integrate group, family, or other psychotherapies will be described.

The course utilizes group discussion, video clips and clinical vignettes to promote interactive learning and a comprehensive understanding of the treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions — CME Online

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, participants will be able to:

Explain the diagnosis to patients and families and establish reasonable expectations for change (psychoeducation). Discuss the problem of recurrent suicidality and self-harm while limiting personal burden and liability. Describe alliance-building via use of medications and homework. Identify when to prioritize BPD's treatment and when to defer until a comorbid disorder is resolved.

Target Audience

This course is targeted to Primary Care and Specialty Physicians, Nurses, Nurse Practitioners, Pharmacists, Physician Assistants, Psychologists, and Social Workers. This course is also of interest to physicians who practice in Psychiatry and Psychology and Mental Health.

Course Directors

Lois Choi-Kain, MEd, MD
Director, Gunderson Personality Disorder Institute, McLean Hospital
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School

John G Gunderson, MD
(deceased) Former Director, Adult Borderline Center and Training Institute at McLean Hospital
Renamed the Gunderson Personality Disorders Institute in his honor