Our Programs

Our Programs

Black Dog Institute Health Professional education is for GPs, psychologists, counsellors, social workers and mental health care workers looking to expand their knowledge and skills in the area of mental health. As a world leading translational research institute, our accredited programs draw on the most current research and clinical evidence. Our interactive, case-based workshops are led by expert clinician facilitators who inform theory with practical, real world examples.

Attend your workshops to:

  • update your clinical knowledge
  • practice skills that are directly transferable into practice
  • learn from expert facilitators and peers
  • network with fellow health professionals
  • gain CPD points

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Advanced Training in Suicide Prevention

Our new workshop aims to increase health professionals’ skill and confidence in taking a detailed suicide history and developing a collaborative management plan to increase the safety of people planning suicide. The workshop provides practical tools for health professionals managing the full spectrum of suicide risk presentations including the acute suicidal crisis, care after a suicide attempt and assisting families experiencing suicide bereavement.
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Bipolar Disorder: The essential psychological toolkit

This program provides a practical, skills based exploration of the psychological strategies most effective in supporting recovery and maintaining wellness in bipolar disorder. Using interactive learning via case studies and videos from clients and their carers, the workshop includes tools to aid in the accurate assessment, diagnosis and management of bipolar disorder I and II. Emphasis is placed on the importance of assessing the impact of bipolar disorder on the family unit and addressing the needs of carers and their crucial role in the management of bipolar disorder.
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Dealing with Anxiety Disorders

This highly interactive workshop aims to provide GPs with a comprehensive theoretical understanding of anxiety disorders together with an extensive range of skills and strategies to better manage anxiety in their practices. Clinical scenarios form the basis of learning as participants explore how anxiety disorders arise, how they are maintained and the role general practitioners can play in addressing these effectively.   The program will assist GPs to gain further confidence and competence in the effective use of Focused Psychological Strategies (FPS).
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Depression Dilemmas

Despite improved awareness and education, there are still some presentations of depression that are highly challenging for clinicians to manage in the primary care setting. Depression Dilemmas is a new interactive workshop that tackles areas of treating mood disorders that clinicians can find particularly demanding. Using case studies as the platform for learning, the program explores strategies to tackle depression in the context of alcohol use disorder, late life depression and depression that is failing to remit despite seemingly adequate treatment. Open to both general practitioners and psychologists, this advanced workshop also provides an opportunity for the two professions to interact, share each other’s perspective and problem solve together.
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Expert Insights: School and mental health

Young people’s experience of school plays a significant part in their overall wellbeing as they move through childhood and adolescence. For many young people, the first signs of mental illness will emerge while they are still completing their education. For clinicians working with young people, understanding how to engage with schools to best support the health and the aspirations of the young person can make an enormous difference to their recovery. Join us for this month’s expert insights as our expert panel explores how to support students’ mental health, working together with schools for better outcomes.
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Perinatal in Practice

This workshop aims to introduce health professionals to the current understanding of perinatal mood disorders and its management, using lecture, case studies and interactive exercises.
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Stepped Care and eMH in General Practice

In this 2 hour workshop participants will be introduced to the concept of stepped care in mental health, specifically in the context of the way mental health problems present and are managed in primary care. The history and thinking behind the development of the stepped care model will be discussed, as well as its advantages of the approach for the patient and the mental health system generally.   Current Black Dog Institute research around the implementation of the model will be discussed. Case examples will be used to demonstrate the development of a case formulation and its use in matching the intensity of treatment to severity of illness.   Simple psychological support strategies and cognitive behavioural therapy interventions which can be used in primary care will be discussed and several of those skills (mood charting, structured problem solving) will be demonstrated and practiced in role play.   An overview of the Australian evidence-based online resources available to support work with the mild to moderate end of the severity spectrum of mental illness will be given.  
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Talking about Diabetes and Wellbeing in General Practice

Diabetes is one of the most common conditions managed in general practice. People living with diabetes are more likely to experience psychological distress or symptoms of depression which can adversely impact their overall health outcomes. Assessing and addressing emotional wellbeing in people living with diabetes is now recognised as integral to effective diabetes management.   This workshop will provide GPs with the practical skills to identify diabetes distress and depression and to formulate responsive management plans best suited to the general practice setting.
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Talking About Suicide in General Practice

The Talking About Suicide in General Practice workshop aims to increase GPs skill and confidence in: • recognising presentations where suicide risk is high • undertaking a detailed risk assessment • management planning using a collaborative, team based approach  
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TMS Masterclass

This new masterclass will cover: • Updates on TMS treatment for psychiatric disorders • Updates on TMS and cognition • Discussion of complex cases This course is suitable for researchers, and clinicians who have previous experience with TMS and are interested in further training on TMS and emerging treatments.
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Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS)

Attendees will learn the principles of tDCS, its effects in psychiatric disorders, and practical techniques including hand-on workshops.
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Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

A 2-day course in TMS theory and practical techniques, including hands-on practice in administering TMS This course is suitable for clinicians and researchers who want to better understand TMS and gain practical skills in administering TMS
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Untangling Depression: Practical strategies for cases that challenge us

A clinically relevant program designed to help you manage chronic and relapsing cases of depression effectively in a climate of reduced funding and limited sessions. Based on our latest understanding of how depression develops and presents, the program provides a practical framework and evidence-based strategies to manage complex presentations of depression that require more than routine treatment. Knowing what to assess for, how to build a team approach and address treatment barriers will benefit both patients and clinicians by improving treatment response, and helping to ease strain, and ethical and practice dilemmas often faced by clinicians. In this highly interactive course, clinicians will have the opportunity to work on real case studies, reflect on their own experiences, and learn from peers. The program has been developed based on extensive consultation with Mental Health professionals to identify the issues and solutions for dealing with complex presentations of depression. It is run by highly experienced clinicians with advanced group facilitation skills.
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