OVERALL DESCRIPTION

The overall theme of this volume is the treatment of difficult patients and patients in very difficult situations.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Hear new concepts in treatment of severe disorders of the self, work with elderly and grief, depression, medication, assessment of suicide potential.

CURRICULUM SUMMARY

1.  Theodore Millon, Ph.D.     "DSM 4 and Personality Disorders"

Dr. Millon, who was one of the developers of DSM IV, discusses how it differs from DSM III. He elaborates on the eleven personality disorders described in DSM IV, and presents the often subtle differential diagnostic issues between them.

2.  Karla Clark, Ph.D.     "Disorders of the Self"

Dr. Clark presents her model of conceptualization and treatment of the borderline personality disorder, and individuals with attachment disorders. 

3.  Sandy Hotchkiss, MSW     "Brief Treatment with Borderlines"

Sandy Hotchkiss, using Gunderson's criteria for the brief treatment of patients with the borderline personality disorder, presents three different levels of borderline personalities and how to work with each one, within a time-limited framework.

4.  James Garborino, Ph.D.    "Children who Kill"

Dr. Garbarino, author of Lost Boys, discusses the reasons for the emergence of aggressive behavior in children. He discusses why our society is toxic, and gives suggestions for making an adolescent intervention program effective. 

5.  Bob G. Knight, Ph.D.      "Treatment of the Elderly"

Dr. Knight discusses methods of assessing older adults, how to complete a therapeutic life review, and how treatment of the older adult differs from that of younger adults.

6.  Robert Yufit, Ph.D.     "Manipulative Suicide Threats"

Distinguishing truly serious and dangerous suicidal intentions is a source of great concern for the therapist. Dr. Yufit suggests methods of detecting latent suicidal behavior, detecting suicidal ideation in patients not sharing their intentions with the therapist, and describes the technique of "funneling."

7.  Robert Neimeyer, Ph.D.     "Parent Loss in Adolescence"

Dr. Neimeyer presents his conceptualization of grief and loss from a narrative-contructivist point of view. He suggests that the problem with using "stage" theories of grief is that they simplistically distort the human experience of grieving.

8.  Stephen Shuchter, M.D.,      "Biologically Informed Treatment of Depression"

Dr. Shuchter presents his model for the treatment of depression, and the latest group of medications for depression.