Please note that all registrations have to be paid in full before the event takes place - otherwise you will miss out on receiving the Zoom link (this is usually sent two days before the event takes place). This event will be recorded for all those who are registered on the day. Recording is available for three weeks – the link will be sent after the event.

This interactive professional development workshop introduces clinicians to the ten personality disorders defined in the DSM-5-TR, organized by clusters A, B, and C. Participants will strengthen their understanding of key diagnostic features, differential considerations, and common comorbidities while exploring effective brief interventions that can be applied immediately in practice.

Grounded in international best-practice principles and informed by culturally responsive care, the session emphasizes clinical reflection, integrity in relationships, and respect for individual and collective wellbeing. Through case-based learning and guided discussion, attendees will refine their ability to identify and respond to personality dynamics in ways that promote safety, dignity, and positive therapeutic outcomes.

This training supports the Society’s mission to raise the profile of psychology and advance ethical, inclusive, and evidence-based practice across diverse communities, serving as both a stand-alone workshop and a foundation for further professional learning in personality disorder treatment.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

1. Differentiate personality structure from symptom expression and explain how enduring traits influence affect regulation, behavior, and relationships.
2. Identify the key features and functional patterns of the ten DSM-5-TR personality disorders across Clusters A, B, and C through an integrative, dimensional framework.
3. Recognize and conceptualize comorbidities, diagnostic overlaps, and core–surface personality dynamics that inform effective case formulation.
4. Apply brief, evidence-based interventions, such as psychoeducation, boundary setting, validation, and alliance repair, to support stabilization and engagement in treatment.
5. Demonstrate reflective and culturally responsive practice, maintaining ethical integrity, managing countertransference, and translating learning into sustainable clinical application. 

Course outline

Course Overview and Disclosures

• Scope and limitations of training
• Commercial support disclosure
• Intended audience and professional scope

Why This Matters

• Clinical prevalence and dropout statistics in PD treatment
• Therapist challenges: burnout, emotional labor, and countertransference
• Importance of evidence-based engagement and feedback-informed therapy

The Structure of Personality

• Personality as an adaptive and enduring system
• Distinction between personality traits and personality disorder
• External locus of control and the role of ego-syntonic patterns
• What is and is not a personality disorder
• Diagnostic complexity and dimensional understanding

Cluster A – Odd and Eccentric Disorders

Disorders Covered: Paranoid, Schizoid, Schizotypal Personality Disorders

• Key traits and distinguishing features
• Mood and psychotic overlap
• Common comorbidities (e.g., MDD, social anxiety disorder)
• Vignette: Beth, interpersonal mistrust and social withdrawal
• Discussion prompts: diagnostic differentiation and therapeutic engagement

Cluster B – Dramatic, Emotional, and Erratic Disorders

Disorders Covered: Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, Narcissistic Personality Disorders

• Core emotional and behavioral patterns
• Mood disorder and trauma overlap
• Common comorbidities (e.g., bipolar disorder, substance use, PTSD, eating disorders)
• Vignette: Charlie, narcissistic sensitivity, entitlement, and therapy rupture
• Discussion prompts: distinguishing pathology from personality style; managing alliance and feedback

Cluster C – Anxious and Fearful Disorders

Disorders Covered: Avoidant, Dependent, Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorders

• Core characteristics and fears
• Differentiating from anxiety disorders and OCD
• Common comorbidities (e.g., MDD, GAD, social anxiety disorder)
• Vignette: Stacy, reassurance-seeking and avoidance in therapy
• Discussion prompts: balancing validation with autonomy; fostering tolerance for uncertainty 

Integrated Case and Treatment Framework

Case: “Linda”, complex presentation combining BPD, OCPD, MDD, and PTSD

• Mapping interlocking symptoms and defensive patterns
• Five Categories of Therapeutic Responses:

1. Establishing safety and validation
2. Clarifying responsibility and self-awareness
3. Processing trauma and affective experiences
4. Practicing new behavioral and relational skills
5. Consolidating flexibility, self-compassion, and integration

• Application of surface–core formulation (behavioral vs. motivational patterns) 

Synthesis and Application

• Common comorbidities and overlapping defense structures
• Therapist self-reflection and countertransference management
• Principles of culturally responsive personality work
• Integration into supervision and practice settings

Q&A / Discussion

• Open reflection on challenges and insights
• Clinical integration and case consultation themes

Presenter: Dr Daniel Fox

Daniel J. Fox, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist, award-winning author, and international speaker based in Texas. With over 20 years of experience, he specializes in personality disorders, ethics, and emotional intelligence. Dr. Fox has worked in state and federal prisons, universities, and private practice, and is currently an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Houston. He is the author of several bestselling books and tools, including The Borderline Personality Disorder Workbook, The BPD Card Deck, and Antisocial, Borderline, Narcissistic, and Histrionic Workbook. His work is widely used by clinicians and clients around the world and has been translated into multiple languages. Dr. Fox also hosts a popular YouTube channel dedicated to mental health and personality disorders.