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 Adolescent Depression

The program aims to help general practitioners develop confidence in relating to teenagers, understanding their issues and distinguishing those who are experiencing normal adolescent difficulties from those with a clinical mood disorder. GPs will be provided with a comprehensive grounding in recognising, assessing and managing depression in adolescents. The program uses case based learning to demonstrate a practical clinically applicable approach to identifying and managing adolescent depression. The program details risk assessment in adolescence, comprehensive management planning and considerations involved in managing confidentiality, carer involvement and prescribing medication for this specific population.
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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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Dealing with Depression

Dealing with Depression is a highly interactive program that aims to provide general practitioners with a practical framework for diagnosing and managing depression. The program uses case based learning to explore key challenges GPs experience when caring for patients with depression. Cases will be examined and effective strategies will be devised to address these challenges.
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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: Chronic Pain - a meeting of body and mind

The circular relationship between chronic pain and mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression is now well established. Increasingly, the management of chronic pain has moved towards an integration of physical and emotional health, with psychological strategies playing a key role in restoring function and well-being. Join our expert panel as we explore current perspectives and practical ways in which clinicians can better assist people living with chronic pain in their practices.
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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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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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