Personality Disorder and Community Mental Health Teams

Practitioners in Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) frequently find that traditional forms of support are ineffective when offered to patients with personality disorder. This book considers the various difficulties encountered, with reference to current thinking about the origins, maintenance and treatment of personality disorder. Written by practitioners for practitioners, it provides a framework for developing effective care plans with minimal use of technical terms and jargon. Rather than promote an approach based on a single theoretical model, consideration is given to ways in which different approaches can be effectively combined within a multi-disciplinary team. The book is divided into two sections. The first outlines recent government initiatives relating to personality disorder and introduces key theories underlying psychological and biological treatments. The second focuses specifically on the role of the CMHT in relation to patients with these difficulties, including: the assessment of personality functioning developing coherent plans for treatment and support optimising the therapeutic relationship managing self-harming behaviour particular challenges faced by CMHTs, and how to overcome them the views of service users involving family, friends and carers. Personality Disorder and Community Mental Health Teams deals with the reality of services today. It is essential reading for all mental health practitioners in CMHTs working with people with personality disorder.

Practitioners in Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) frequentlyfind that traditional forms of support are ineffective when offeredto patients with personality disorder.This book considers the various difficulties encountered, withreference to current thinking about the origins, maintenance andtreatment of personality disorder. Written by practitioners forpractitioners, it provides a framework for developing effectivecare plans with minimal use of technical terms and jargon. Ratherthan promote an approach based on a single theoretical modelconsideration is given to ways in which different approaches can beeffectively combined within a multi-disciplinary team. The book isdivided into two sections. The first outlines recent governmentinitiatives relating to personality disorder and introduces keytheories underlying psychological and biological treatments. Thesecond focuses specifically on the role of the CMHT in relation topatients with these difficulties, including:* the assessment of personality functioning* developing coherent plans for treatment and support* optimising the therapeutic relationship* managing self-harming behaviour* particular challenges faced by CMHTs, and how to overcomethem* the views of service users* involving family, friends and carers.Personality Disorder and Community Mental Health Teamsdeals with the reality of services today. It is essential readingfor all mental health practitioners in CMHTs working with peoplewith personality disorder.

About the Editors.List of Contributors.Preface.SECTION ONE: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND.1. Personality Disorder: New Initiatives in Staff Training(Eddie Kane).2. What is Personality Disorder? (Ronald Blackburn).3. The Causes of Personality Disorder (Nic Alwin).4. Psychological Theories Regarding the Development ofPersonality Disorder (Jim Moorey, Kate Davidson, Mark Evans andJanet Feigenbaum).5. Psychological Therapies for Personality Disorder (Jim MooreyKate Davidson, Mark Evans and Janet Feigenbaum).6. Therapeutic Communities and Day Services for People withPersonality Disorders (Kate Hellin).7. Pharmacotherapy and Personality Disorders (GilesNewton-Howes).SECTION TWO: TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT IN COMMUNITY MENTALHEALTH TEAMS.8. People's Experiences of Having a Diagnosis ofPersonality Disorder (Rex Haigh).9. An Introduction to Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs): HowDo They Relate to Patients with Personality Disorders? (TomBurns).10. When Can Contact with the Community Mental Health Team(CMHT) be Considered 'Treatment'? (Remy McCubbin).11. The Challenges Community Mental Health Teams Face in TheirWork with Patients with Personality Disorders (Mark J.Sampson).12. The Treatment Frame and the Treatment Alliance (JimMoorey).13. The Management of Potentially Lethal Self-Harming Behaviour(Mark J. Sampson and Gary L. Sidley).14. Community Mental Health Teams and the Assessment ofPersonality Functioning (Lara Bennett).15. Involving Family, Friends and Carers (Remy McCubbin).16. Personality Disorder in Other Healthcare Settings (DawnBennett and Ian B. Kerr).17. Clinical Supervision (Mary Shinner and Dawn Bennett).Index.