18th International Conference on the Treatment of Personality Disorders

Attending the conference this year can be in-person, virtual, or a blend of both. Registration is essential and presentations and attendees from across the world are welcome.

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The Project Air Strategy for Personality Disorders, Wollongong University Professional and Clinical Psychology programs and NSW Ministry of Health invite you to the 18th International Conference on the Treatment of Personality Disorders. The theme “Working with complexity, trauma and dissociation” provides a unique opportunity to be updated with the latest research and therapies in Australia and internationally.

Program at a glance

Thursday, 31 October 9.30am - 4pm Pre-conference Lived Experience Day

Friday, 1 November 9am - 4pm Scientific Conference Day

Saturday, 2 November 9am - 4pm Clinical Workshop Day

The conference presents an opportunity for professional development and to have a stimulating and thought-provoking exposure to new ideas and recent work in treatment of personality disorders by experts, service users, family members, carers, service directors, managers and clinical and professional leaders

Keynote presentations for the Friday conference include Dr Anne Krause-Utz (Leiden University, Netherlands) on “Working with trauma and dissociation in the psychotherapy of complex mental health conditions”. There will be a number of other speakers throughout the conference talking about research, service developments and innovative approaches to treatment and early intervention.

The SATURDAY WORKSHOP is presented by Dr Anne Krause-Utz (Netherlands) for clinicians and health professionals and is an opportunity to learn from a distinguished researcher and clinical psychologist, who works at the intersections of clinical psychology, neuropsychology, and cognitive-affective neuroscience, in a workshop that will highlight cognitive abilities influencing treatment, titled "Improving Psychotherapy Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder: Brain Research Insights On Causes, Pathways and Cognitive Deficits Influencing Treatment”.

We invite presentations to update on scientific research, new innovations and treatment extensions within personality disorder services (e.g., model, structure, implementation, and evaluation), or presentations on another issue relevant to personality disorders.
Presentations are approximately 20 minutes but may vary depending on the schedule. There is also a 2-minute lightening talk and poster session.

You will be informed prior to the conference about your presentation and the duration. Depending on time constraints, not all applications to present may be allocated in the program, and some may be requested to prepare posters only. Poster size should be set up to be approximately 80 cm across x 100cm high.

Presentation Type: /Brief Oral Presentation/ Poster / Both Brief Oral Presentation & Poster; Presenter names and presenters affiliation and email address. Title of presentation. Abstract (max 150 words) as a short description of the presentation. Submit your presentation proposal by the 20 June 2024 via email to info-projectair@uow.edu.au. Late breaking talks are welcome.

Meet our keynote speaker - Dr Annegret Krause-Utz currently professor of Clinical Psychology at Leiden University, The Netherlands, where she is involved in clinical training and research, following earlier work in the Medical Faculty of Heidelberg University, Germany. Since 2011, she has been providing personalised trauma-focused psychotherapy and DBT in inpatient and outpatient treatment settings with a focus on BPD, trauma and dissociative disorders and has helped establish the current health care treatment guidelines for dissociation in the Netherlands. Her research combines clinical, experimental and neuroimaging methods. She is section editor for the journal BPDED, ESSPD and ISTSS member, and part of the WHO Expert Group Global Clinical Practice Network (GCPN) on the implementation of the ICD-11 Trait Domain Specifiers for Personality Disorders.

Lived Experience Day – Thursday, 31 October  (9.30am – 4pm)

Theme: Living beyond recovery

We invite people with lived experience of personality disorder (including individuals, family, friends, loved ones, and carers) to share what recovery looks like for them, either via a formal presentation or participation in ‘fireside sessions’ – short panel-style conversations moderated by Air Academy facilitators.

As we are hosting a blended online/in-person conference this year, participants are welcome to present in person or virtually.

We are also accepting art works or brief written works centred around our theme of living beyond recovery to share on our ‘Road to Recovery’ wall.

Please send all expressions of interest to info-projectair@uow.edu.au with subject title: Lived Experience Day. Depending on time constraints, not all applications to present may be allocated in the program.

The event is set among the spectacular coastal and forested environment surrounding the University of Wollongong - about 90 minutes by car south of Sydney.

Venue - The event will be held in the centre of the beautiful University of Wollongong campus. For maps of the University and directions, see http://www.uow.edu.au/transport/maps/index.html

Sydney Airport provides excellent connections to Wollongong from the airport train or by booking a shuttle/limousine.

Sydney Trains - Take the 90 min scenic train to North Wollongong station (http://www.sydneytrains.info) followed by a short bus connection or 15 min walk. A free shuttle bus service, ‘The Gong Shuttle’ regularly runs to and from the University, train station and hotels, or the trip is a short taxi ride.

Driving by car - From Sydney drive south past Sutherland on the Princes Highway then M1 Motorway and take the second exit at the bottom of Mt Ousley (signposted 'University'). The Western Car Park is closest to the conference venue; enter via the Western Entrance along Northfields Avenue. Parking fees apply.