Event Details

On Friday 26th April 2024 The Psychologists Protection Society invited Martin Smith to speak on the topic “Understanding issues when working with Borderline Personalities”. This session was part of The Psychologists Protection Society’s 2024 Annual General Meeting, held in London, England.

Session Outline

Borderline Personality Disorder is both complex, challenging and on the increase for a range of reasons. Therapists are often not only dealing with a person directly diagnosed with BPD but also family members and partners struggling to cope with the individual suffering the disorder. Due to the disorders complex nature and the very unstable mood and characteristic behaviours of the BPD client there is often scope for issues to occur and actions taken which can result in a more likely possibility of complaints against the practitioner. A greater understanding of BPD and steps practitioners can take to minimise complaints and maximise effective treatment can only be of benefit for all involved.

Martin Smith has been studying and teaching aspects of personality disorders for over the past 15 years and has helped numerous practitioners to better understand the complex and challenging world of the personality disordered client. This presentation aims to help practitioners better understand and work as effectively and ethically as they can with this group.

Key Subject Areas

• Defining Borderline Personality Disorder and other names and terms linked to BPD.
• Understanding the main characteristics, traits, and diagnostic criteria of borderline personality disorders.
• Understanding functional and dysfunctional personality (the difference between a personality type and disorder).
• Understanding some key issues around treatment of BPD and the challenges it presents to clinicians.
  
  

Speaker Information

Martin J Smith PhD is a specialist training consultant and psychotherapist with a well established private practice and training group based in Nottingham, as well as a Senior Lecturer for Nottingham Trent University. As a therapist he specialises in the treatment of personality disorders, anxiety, psychological trauma and post traumatic stress disorders (PTSD), as well as depression, stress, phobias and relationship issues. As a trainer he delivers programmes around all aspects of personality and personality disorders as well as a range of other subjects as accredited CPD events for the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society.

One of his key strengths lies in his ability to draw on a wide range of skills and techniques to assist his clients to take back control of their lives and begin to move on in a positive and rewarding way. He is a senior accredited member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS). He holds a diploma in psychotherapy working from Solution focused and Brief therapy approach. He has a Bachelors degree in psychotherapy with specific focus on clinical hypnosis and a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology.

His research, study and training has enabled him to have a very deep knowledge base from which he can draw to assist client’s with a range of issues. As a trainer Martin presents on subjects such as enhancing psychological and emotional resilience, dealing with difficult personality types and personality disorders and issues relating to compassion fatigue for all in the health and social care field and beyond.

As a therapist he works from the third wave CBT model of ACT – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy