Our Programs

COVID-19 Alert

We are continuously monitoring the COVID-19 situation as per government recommendations and plan to deliver workshops where it is deemed appropriate to do so. The health and wellbeing of you, your community and our staff are our priority.

The workshops listed in the training calendar are currently planned to go ahead.

If you have any concerns please contact our education team at education@blackdog.org.au.

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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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ABC of CBT: Skills for GPs

Psychological presentations are increasingly common in general practice. For many people, psychological care delivered by their regular general practitioner is both an acceptable and accessible starting point to seeking help for their emotional health. Our ABC of CBT provides GPs with a broad range of psychological skills readily applied in a general practice setting. Successful completion of the program also fulfills the criteria for FPS Skills Training accreditation allowing GPs to access Medicare item numbers for the delivery of focused psychological strategies. This program is delivered via the following modalities: • 2 x 6 hour workshops (2 weeks apart) • 8-hours of self directed learning between workshop days 1 and 2 • 1 x 2 hour coaching session (online) two weeks after day 2
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Advanced Training in Suicide Prevention

This 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. It also 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).  

Please note this program is only applicable to GPs
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Dealing with Depression in Rural Australia

Depression is a common condition frequently managed in primary care. Identifying and managing depression in a rural context presents a unique set of challenges for health professionals providing mental health care in their communities. Dealing with Depression in Rural Australia is a highly interactive, multidisciplinary program developed specifically to address the needs of clinicians delivering health care for people presenting with depression in a rural setting. Using a case-based problem solving format, the program outlines a practical framework for assessment and management planning readily applicable to primary care.
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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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Diagnosis and Treatment of PTSD in Emergency Service Workers

GPs often play a central role in the provision of healthcare to communities in the immediate, acute phase of emergency situations, and on an ongoing basis for the long-term recovery of individuals and their broader community. 

 

Emergency Service Workers are one of the high-risk groups for trauma exposure and are more vulnerable to developing mental health problems. These mental health conditions have significant impact on their employment, family/relationships, and wellbeing.

 

This workshop has been designed with a focus on GPs, to diagnose patients with acute stress disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and other comorbidities. Evidence based guidelines will be used as the foundation to appropriately diagnose and identify treatment pathways including recommended referrals, trauma focused psychological therapy and psychological first aid to help support their management of emergency service workers. The training may also be relevant to other health professionals.

 

This training aims to increase participants’ skills and confidence to:

1.   Understand the relationship between traumatic events and the development of mental health conditions

2.   Identify evidence-based treatment and referral pathways for a patient impacted by trauma

3.   Recommend evidence-based resources, including e-Mental Health, for family/kinship groups impacted by trauma 

FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM

The Grant Program for Emergency Services Workers trauma Care, including PTSD support services, is funded by the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs. 

https://minister.homeaffairs.gov.au/davidlittleproud/Pages/mental-health-grants-support-emergency-services-workers.aspx
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GP Peer Support and Case Discussion Group

For GPs living/practicing in non-metro areas.

GP Peer Support and Case Discussion Groups are a closed group of GPs operating over 8 x 1-hour sessions. The aim of these groups is to allow participants the opportunity to connect with one another, to discuss issues arising from their own cases, explore challenges faced in practice and provide peer support to others who may be experiencing similar issues.

The content of these sessions will be determined by the group and will be facilitated by an experienced GP facilitator from Black Dog Institute’s Professional Education team.

A CPD points application will be made to ACRRM/RACGP for all group members who participate in all 8 sessions.

Program outline

• Course Delivery Method: Online via Zoom

• Meeting Frequency: Monday nights, every 2 weeks for 8 sessions (16 weeks total)

• Start Date: 1 February 2021

• Finish Date: 10 May 2021

• Time: 7.30 – 8.30pm AEDT/AEST

IMPORTANT NOTE:

This training is for GPs living in rural/regional Australia only due to generous philanthropic grant aimed at improving mental health in rural and regional areas across Australia

Technical Requirements:

Reliable internet connection, and microphone and a webcam. Sessions will not be recorded to ensure client confidentiality is maintained.
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Ketamine Seminar

Designed for clinicians, mental health professionals and academic researchers, the Ketamine Seminar will be facilitated by leading experts in ketamine research and novel treatments of mood disorders, Prof. Colleen Loo and the Sydney Neurostimulation Centre (SyNC) team.

This seminar focuses on:

  • scientific aspects of ketamine
  • clinical treatment in depression
  • regulations and safety considerations
  • ketamine and psychotherapy

This program is delivered via the following modalities:

2 x 4-hour online sessions: 24th and 26th March 2021, 1.00-5.00 PM
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Managing Youth Mental Health

Managing youth mental health presents a myriad of challenges for GPs working in primary care but also a unique opportunity to assist young people in the context of their families and communities.

Managing Youth Mental Health is a highly interactive, clinically focused 6 hr program that aims to provide GPs with a practical and structured approach to youth mental healthcare readily implemented within the busy general practice setting.
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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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Problem Gambling and Mental Health Online Program for GPs

Gambling is a popular pastime for many Australians, however for others gambling can become a problem. This in turn can lead to many adverse health outcomes. The aim of this online interactive workshop is to provide GPs with the knowledge and skills required to screen for problem gambling, treat associated mental health issues and refer clients when necessary.
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Suicide Prevention Training for Pharmacists

Suicide has a devastating impact on families, friends and whole communities. Pharmacists, due to their role and their accessibility in the community, have the potential to play a key role in recognising the signs and symptoms of suicide, restricting means and keeping the person safe until support is available. This Suicide Prevention Training for Pharmacists is an interactive, cased based workshop enabling peer discussion alongside the development of practical skills to implement.

This training aims to increase pharmacists’ skills and confidence in: 

• Recognising signs warranting further exploration for suicidality

• Talking with someone who may display suicidal signs and symptoms

• Understanding of the various referral options.
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Talking About Suicide in General Practice - Webinar

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 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.

This program is delivered via the following modalities:

2 x 3.5 hour online sessions - (17th and 19th March 2021, 1.30-5.00PM)
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Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation

An online course in TMS theory.

This course is suitable for clinicians and researchers who want to better understand TMS.

This course is delivered in the following modalities: 3 x 4-hour online sessions: 10-12 March 2021, 1.00-5.00 PM

Note re TMS Course practical workshops

Where ordinarily the practical workshops that are part of the TMS Course were conducted at the Black Dog Institute, due to current uncertainty regarding travel and physical distancing restrictions because of COVID-19, the practical workshops will be organised on a case by case basis. Attendees will be given the option of coming to the Black Dog Institute in Sydney (travel permitting) for a 1-day introductory practical workshop covering resting motor threshold and treatment procedures (date to be determined) or having one of our staff members attend your site to conduct the practical workshops using your own TMS machine/equipment (price upon request).

Upcoming Courses