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Unmasking Complexity: Assessing, Treating, and Conceptualizing Personality Disorders (Recorded)

Previously Recorded
Elan Javanfard
$39.99

Personality disorders present some of the most challenging and complex clinical presentations in mental health treatment. This new training equips clinicians with a practical, structured approach to understanding, assessing, and treating personality disorders using current best practices from evidence-based modalities. Participants will learn to differentiate among the ten DSM-5-TR personality disorders, conduct efficient yet comprehensive assessments, rule out commonly confused conditions such as bipolar disorder or PTSD, and communicate diagnoses with clarity and compassion.

 

The course emphasizes real-world clinical application through case examples, differential diagnosis strategies, and intervention planning using DBT, RO-DBT, CBT, IPT, and schema-informed techniques. Attention is given to relational dynamics, countertransference, resistance, and the emotional intensity often associated with personality disorders. 

About the Presenter

Elan Javanfard is a Psychotherapist (LMFT # 87054) who specializes in reintegrating the whole self, by utilizing present focused methods of discovery and coping. He works for Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services in Los Angeles overseeing all Crisis, Residential, and Substance Treatment. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University’s Graduate School of Education & Psychology.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Identify and differentiate the diagnostic features of the ten personality disorders using DSM-5-TR criteria, including key differential points from commonly confused disorders.
  2. Conduct a focused and effective assessment, including intake questions, diagnostic rule-outs, and strategies for delivering personality disorder diagnoses therapeutically.
  3. Apply evidence-based interventions (DBT, RO-DBT, CBT, IPT, schema strategies) tailored to specific personality disorders and incorporate relational management strategies such as boundary setting and countertransference awareness.

Agenda:

Agenda (2 Hours Total)

0:00–0:10 (10 min) – Welcome, Overview, and Learning Goals
• Brief introduction to PDs in clinical practice
• Warm-up: Quick pair-share—“What PD presentations challenge you most?”

0:10–0:30 (20 min) – Understanding the Landscape of Personality Disorders
• DSM-5-TR structure, clusters, defining features
• Overview chart of the 10 PDs
• Brief case vignette: Identify traits in a sample presentation

0:30–0:55 (25 min) – Assessment and Differential Diagnosis
• How to conduct a focused PD assessment at intake
• Key tools (e.g., SCID-5-PD) and collateral strategies
• Major differential pitfalls
• Special focus: differentiating Borderline PD from Bipolar I/II
• Mini-exercise: In small groups, determine rule-outs for a complex vignette

0:55–1:20 (25 min) – Communicating the Diagnosis & Working with Comorbidities
• Strategies for delivering PD diagnoses with clarity and compassion
• Addressing shame, hopelessness, and resistance
• Common comorbidities (PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance use)
• How comorbidities complicate diagnosis and treatment planning

1:20–1:50 (30 min) – Evidence-Based Interventions for Personality Disorders
• Overview of core modalities:
– DBT (emotion regulation, suicidal/self-harm risk)
– RO-DBT (overcontrol patterns)
– CBT & Schema-informed interventions
– IPT for relational instability
• Matching interventions to PD profiles
• Therapist stance, boundaries, and managing countertransference

1:50–2:00 (10 min) – Role Play Demonstration, Q&A, and Closing
• Role-play: Delivering a PD diagnosis or setting a limit
• Final takeaways
• Q&A

This workshop offers 2 Continuing Education Credits
This webinar is recorded and will not grant live credits.

This presentation is open to:
  • Social Workers
  • Professional Counselors
  • Therapists
  • Psychologists
  • Licensed Mental Health Practitioners
  • Medical Doctors and Other Health Professionals
  • Other professionals interacting with populations engaged in mental health based services
Course Level: intermediate
Level of Clinician: intermediate
  • New practitioners who wish to gain enhanced insight surrounding the topic
  • Experienced practitioners who seek to increase and expand fundamental knowledge surrounding the subject matter
  • Advanced practitioners seeking to review concepts and reinforce practice skills and/or access additional consultation
  • Managers seeking to broaden micro and/or macro perspectives

Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.

Disability Access - If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification. Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling. The grievance policy for trainings provided by NEFESH INTERNATIONAL is available here Satisfactory Completion Participants must have paid the tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire workshop, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate (If this is a pre-recorded program, a post-test with a passing grade of 80% to receive a certificate.) Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion by clicking here.
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
  • CE You! is an approved sponsor of the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners for continuing education credits for licensed social workers in Maryland.
    CE You! maintains responsibility for this program.
Refund Policy:
Full Refund until 48 hours before scheduled date.
48 hours before: full refund less $5.00 processing fee. After event no refund will be given.
*exclusions apply for reasonable need and cause.