Topic Tuesday // BPD Awareness featuring SPECTRUM VIC // Tues 1 Oct, 7pm AEST

[Judi9877]

I totally agree @BlueBay  That’s why I’d like more funding for this type of therapy in public hospitals and even in community health settings as I do believe it works. 

[BlueBay]

@AndrewSpectrum  Nit doing dbt at present. Did it snout 4 years ago. Can’t remember what I learned. It was overwhelming. 

[cutiepiekitty]

@roses1 I believe based on myself that you have to get to a really bad place before you are able to accept help. And then you cannot always find the right place to get it. Your son is lucky to have you to help. I know I was just about at the end when I got onto help only a very short time ago (2 months) and found it hard to find where to go. My thinking was very skewed, and I thought that the places that could help were not able to help with my probs. I went to another place first and D said she thought that there had to be somewhere closer that would be of help. It only took her a day or two to get me onto B who is brilliant. So he may just accept help eventually. A friend tells me she has been suggesting I go to someone for quite a while, but I cannot remember her ever saying or doing anything like that. So he may be the same, so scared of getting help and afraid of what may happen that it just is not getting in. But getting onto help has been the best thing I ever did, even thought I am stressing out at the moment over a longer time between appts and not being contacted about when the next one is.

[JulianSpectrum]

@Former-Member 

If what you’re reading about mentalizing here sounds familiar, it’s probably because it is. Lots of therapies tap into the concept/promote mentalizing. The difference within an MBT program, like the one we run at Spectrum, is that mentalizing becomes the primary focus of the work.

Stepping back, however, we know there are increasing numbers of evidence-based treatments that are available for people with BPD, and Andrew has named some of these. What we don’t have a lot of research about is which of these treatments is most suitable for each person with BPD. With this in mind, I would recommend that people explore what options are available to them locally. Within these options I think it is important to try and find a ‘fit’ between how the therapy and therapist understands and approaches your particular situation and how you makes sense of things. Further, research continues to tell us that one of the most important things is to treatment outcome is having a therapist that you feel connected to and understood by. Another thing to hold in mind is that whilst there are some particular differences between some of the BPD treatments available, there are also many things that they appear to have in common. Researchers and clinicians are beginning to wonder whether it is these ‘common factors’ across the treatments that might be what leads to the treatments being helpful.

In terms of useful resources on mentalization-based treatment, a good starting point would be to visit the Anna Freud Centre website. Here there is a good video interview with one of the creators of MBT, Peter Fonagy, that describes some of the concepts behind the therapy.
(https://www.annafreud.org/training/mentalization-based-treatment-training/about-mbt/)

Details of the treatments offered at Spectrum, including our MBT program in Victoria can be found on our website (https://www.spectrumbpd.com.au/treatment-services/spectrum-treatments/mentalization-clinic) as can information about how to access Spectrum’s services or other services in Victoria.

Information about accessing MBT for adolescents within Victoria can also be found on the MBT Australia Association website (https://www.mbtaustraliaassociation.com.au/MBT-projects).

Thinking nationally, the usual ‘find a psychologist’ search engines that people may be familiar with do not have an option to search for an MBT therapist as such. However, there are certainly private clinicians who may list MBT as a modality that they use on their own websites, or if you contact them directly.

There is also a register of practioners who have completed an accredited MBT training pathway, which includes practitioners from Australia who may be able to provide this treatment – (https://www.bpc.org.uk/mbt-roster).

[cutiepiekitty]

@Former-Member I know what that is like because the people that SHOULD have been there for me right from birth never were

[Former-Member]

I love this, and yes most definitely everyone will have differing activities to engage them @Determined  I do hear a lot of positive feedback around gardening. We actually have a huge thread on it here. 

[BlueBay]

That would be fantastic @Judi9877  to have more funding. BPD sufferers need long term therapy even counselling. Not enough done 

@AndrewSpectrum can you see any changes in future in regards to more funding 

[Determined]

@Former-Member  that is one of my fav threads

despite my favourite gardening approach including roundup chainsaws and fire 😀

[Former-Member]

@AndrewSpectrum @JulianSpectrum 
" It’s a skill that fluctuates though, and at times it can be hard to know what we think about something, or how we’re really feeling, or why we do what we do. We’ve all had the experience of misunderstanding others as well – think of a time that you’ve been certain someone was angry with you, only to find out later they were focused on something totally different."

Yes! This has happened many times to myself - super relatable. MBT sounds incredibly interesting, will need to check out the resource and continue to let the community know about the differing modalities available to them 🙂 

[roses1]

@cutiepiekitty thank you I’ll keep listening to him and support him as I can