Cost: $90.00 USD

Borderline Personality Disorder & Developmental Disabilities



No dates are currently scheduled

Borderline Personality Disorder is characterized by fear of abandonment, emotional instability, unstable relationships, self-damaging impulsivity, intense anger, and suicidal threats and gestures.

Working with people in residential settings who have borderline personality disorder and developmental disabilities can be a challenging experience. Learning the dynamics and characteristics of borderline personality disorder will aid in your understanding of these complex individuals.

You will learn effective therapeutic interventions for people with the dual diagnosis of borderline personality disorder and developmental disabilities. Techniques to help avoid crisis and prevent staff burnout will also be explored. Communication techniques designed to deal with intense anger and emotional abuse will be demonstrated.

Gaining awareness of how this personality disorder can affect the emotional tone of the home or work settings helps you to make needed changes and reestablish boundaries. In addition, time will be allotted for addressing staff concerns.

Therapists Joanne Williamsen and Susan Voss share their innovative framework in a workshop that will be helpful to nurses, social workers, chemical dependency counselors, job coaches, program directors and direct care staff.

Course Information:
  • All HCS workshops run from 9am until 2:45 pm
  • Course materials, refreshments and a box lunch are included in the course fee
  • Pre-registration is required
  • Register early! Class size is limited
  • Payment must accompany registration form
  • Video/audio taping of courses is prohibited
 Cancellation Policy:
  • Cancellations must be made no later than 5 business days prior to the course
  • The full course fee will be charged if cancellation is made in less than 5 business days
  • Registration is transferable to another person
About the instructors

Susan Voss, MA, LPC
Joanne Williamsen, MA, LP

Susan and Joanne are owners of Advanced Behavioral Health Inc.and have been providing psychological services since 2003.

Joanne has a Masters of Divinity form United Theological Seminary and Master of Arts in Counseling and Psychological Services.

Susan has a Bachelor of Science in Vocational Rehabilitation, and
two masters degrees; one in Developmental Disabilities and one in
Counseling and Psychological Services

Joanne and Susan presented their Pilot Therapy Program at the 24th Annual National Conference for the National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD), an association for persons with developmental disabilities and mental health needs in Atlanta in 2007.
Continuing Education

This course is designed to provide 6.5 contact hours to nurses and 5.4 continuing education hours to social workers.

Please contact HCS if you would like to have this course presented at your own facility.