25 Oct Bipolar Spectrum: Bringing Evidence To Practice
Course Content
Join author, expert and international speaker Dr. Leslie Lundt, MD, and learn about the latest findings, treatment, side effects, co-morbidity and psychosocial therapies for bipolar spectrum. You will take away proven strategies, techniques and tools to keep your clients on the road to wellness. With the recent dramatic increase in the use of “bipolar disorder” as a diagnostic label, it is critical that mental health practitioners, counsellors and all clinicians understand how to identify clients with bipolar disorder and how to differentiate them from those with Uni-polar Depression, ADHD, anxiety disorders and borderline personality.
No longer are medications the sole ingredient of treatment for Bipolar Disorder. Learn about three bipolar-specific psychotherapies which have been shown to improve clients’ outcomes more than medications alone—and how to integrate them with your current psychotherapy approaches. You will learn how to apply key components of empirically-tested psychotherapies to reduce relapse and improve functioning of bipolar clients. A simple way of organizing at least 11 “soft signs” of bipolar disorder to make your assessments rigorous and convincing will also be discussed. The changes in classification of Bipolar Spectrum Disorders in DSM-5, and how these changes will impact on your practice, will be explored in detail.
This seminar will provide you with the understanding and tools to…
- Use up-to-date instruments like the Bipolarity Index developed at Harvard to organize and present your diagnostic findings
- Differentiate bipolarity from anxiety disorders, ADHD, personality disorders, and substance use—with an eye on treatment
- Keep up to date with medication options and help patients choose among them collaboratively with their prescriber
- Interact more directly with primary care and psychiatry colleagues based on your new understanding
- Assess 11 non-manic bipolar markers as well as DSM criteria for hypomania
- Utilize effective screening tools including the Mood Disorders Questionnaire, the Bipolar Spectrum Diagnostic Scale and the Hypomania Checklist-32
- Implement at least one of three research-tested bipolar-specific psychotherapies, targeting cognitions, social rhythms, significant others—and even light and dark exposure!
- Understand current medication strategies and how to integrate these with psychotherapy (e.g. avoiding antidepressants)
- Report diagnostic findings using the five dimensions of the Bipolarity Index developed at Harvard
- Teach clients, families and carers using efficient psycho education: websites, books and your own understanding
Dr. Lundt is a psychiatrist in private clinical practice in Boise, Idaho, where she treats children, adolescents and adults. She has practiced psychiatry and addiction medicine for the past 21 years and treats clients with bipolar disorders. In addition, she has conducted numerous clinical research trials as a primary investigator. Dr. Lundt serves as a consultant to the media, pharmaceutical companies and to the Idaho State Board of Medicine. She is an affiliate faculty member of Idaho State University and Santa Barbara Graduate Institute.
She received her undergraduate degree from Johns Hopkins University and her medical degree from Rush Medical College. She trained in psychiatry at the California Pacific Medical Centre in San Francisco where she was Chief Resident and had additional training in addiction medicine at the Haight Ashbury Clinic. Dr. Lundt is board certified in psychiatry, addiction medicine and addiction psychiatry.
This online workshop will give you instant access to 4 hours of video content, accessible via streaming on our website, as well as downloadable PowerPoint slides and additional worksheets/materials to use with your clients. You can view the course content in your own time, there is no time limit on access.
A certificate of completion will be generated upon finishing the course and completing a short evaluation quiz. Please consult your professional organisation/association to confirm whether you are able to claim any CPD points/hours for this online workshop.
