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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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 new 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 2 accreditation allowing GPs to access Medicare item numbers for the delivery of focused psychological strategies. 2 x 6-hour workshops, and 8-hours of self directed learning between Day 1 and Day 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. 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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Advanced Training in Suicide Prevention Coaching Session

A one hour coaching session for groups of health professionals who have attended the Advanced Training in Suicide Prevention (ATSP) or Talking About Suicide in General Practice (TASGP) workshop. The session is aimed at improving the recognition of warning signs for suicidality and the development of collaborative safety plans that incorporate the involvement of support people in the person’s life as well as creating a network of health professionals and relevant services to assist the person in remaining safe.  
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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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Expert Insights: Prevention of Mental Illness in Adolescents - Challenges & Innovations

This session showcases a world first research project (Future Proofing) at the Black Dog Institute, taking on the challenges of implementing a universal prevention intervention program for adolescent school students. Can a focus on prevention strategies during adolescence be the key to reducing the prevalence of mental health disorders later in life?  What are the early warning signs that can critically inform efforts to inoculate against the damaging effects of mental health issues? What are some of the challenges and opportunities in working with schools to prevent ill health? Future Proofing has the ambitious target of recruiting over 10,000 adolescent participants across and following them up each year over a 5-year period that will provide major innovations in what we know about trajectory of mental health in adolescents. For more information and interested schools: futureproofing.org.au    Join our expert panel for this session as we explore this project and what it could mean for adolescent mental health and wellbeing.  
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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
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Managing Bipolar Disorder

The diagnosis and management of bipolar disorder presents many challenges to primary care clinicians. Our six hour highly interactive program explores the key issues and difficulties in the detection and treatment of bipolar disorder, equipping the clinician with the knowledge and skills required to deliver an integrated pharmacological and psychological approach best suited to the needs of people living with bipolar disorder.
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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

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 activity 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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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.
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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. IMPORTANT RE FINISH TIMES: Lectures are held in the mornings, after which participants will be divided into two groups for practical workshops during the two days of the course. The first 16 registrations are  allocated to an afternoon workshop (approximately 1:30-4:30pm) with additional registrants being allocated to an evening workshop (approximately 4:30-7:00pm). Registrants allocated to the evening workshops will therefore have free time during the afternoon.
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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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