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Treatment of Personality Disorders Conference

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19th International Conference on the Treatment of Personality Disorders

 

The Project Air Strategy for Personality Disorders, Wollongong University Professional and Clinical Psychology programs and NSW Ministry of Health invite you to the 19th International Conference on the Treatment of Personality Disorders.

The conference presents an opportunity for professional development and to have a stimulating and thought-provoking exposure to new ideas and recent work in treatment of personality disorders by experts, service users, family members, carers, service directors, managers and clinical and professional leaders.

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Conference Theme: "Compassionate Listening"

Compassionate listening - the theme of this conference - is one of the most vital and transformative processes in mental health care. At its core, it involves being present with another person in a way that is open, non-judgmental, and deeply attuned. It’s not just about hearing words, but about truly receiving someone’s emotional experience with empathy and respect.

In the therapeutic space, compassionate listening has the power to build trust, foster safety, and open the door to healing and recovery. It is especially important when working with individuals facing personality disorder challenges. Many have experienced stigma, criticism, or dismissal - sometimes simply for expressing distress. This kind of invalidation can leave people feeling alienated and reluctant to seek help, or can lead people to escalate self-harm to a crisis point in the search for being taken seriously. By bringing our full, compassionate attention to those we work with, we counteract the impact of invalidation. We communicate that their experiences matter, that their pain is real, and that they are worthy of care.

Lived Experience Art Wall

Have your art and creative works displayed at the Project Air Strategy 19th International Conference on the Treatment of Personality Disorders. This is a way to recognise the creativeness of people with lived and living experiences of emotional distress, trauma, being labelled. Creativity isn't just healing - it speaks, takes up space, redefines what a life worth living means beyond systems that often don't see us as who we really are

Find out more here.

Attending the conference this year can be in-person, virtual, or a blend of both. Registration is essential and presentations and attendees from across the world are welcome.

Conference Event Date
Clinical Workshop Sunday, 2 November, 2025
Scientific Conference Monday, 3 November, 2025
Lived Experience Day Tuesday, 4 November, 2025

Choose how you attend the conference

Enjoy valuable networking opportunities during catered breaks by attending in-person, the time-sensitive convenience of virtual attendance, or a blend of both. For in-person attendees, tea and coffee on arrival, morning tea and a light lunch is provided. 

Ticket prices are consistent across all attendance choices with Early bird and student registration prices available. Registration is online only with credit card (Visa or MasterCard). Register early as places are limited.

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Conference program

Download a copy of our conference program for a detailed schedule of events, information about our guest speakers and their presentations, and an overview of the key workshop objectives.

Download conference program

Scientific Conference Day, 3 November 2025

  • Jessica Giles - Keynote Speaker (South Australia)
    'Bridging two worlds: Embedding Lived Experience within a state-wide personality disorder service'

  • Professor David Kealy - Keynote Speaker (Canada)
    'The patient-therapist relationship in personality disorders: New scientific and clinical discoveries helping to improve outcomes'

  • Professor Annegret Krause-Utz (Netherlands)
    'The impact of dissociation on affective-cognitive processing and psychotherapy in personality disorders'

  • Dillon Tepper (South Australia)
    'A daily life worth living: A qualitative description of daily living functioning of people diagnosed with borderline personality disorder'

  • Sin-Ying Tang (Victoria)
    'Brief admission: Is it effective?'

  • Louise Fisher (New South Wales)
    'Compassionate Listening through a Buddhist Lens: Supporting DBT treatment of personality disorders'

Lived Experience Day, 4 November 2025

  • Jessica Giles, Keynote Presenter (South Australia)
    '    Our voice, our power: Building a stronger lived experience presence together'

  • Kirsten Campbell (New South Wales)
    '    When words fail, art speaks: Witnessing through art therapy'. Followed by a creative Session (Art Activity).

  • Laura Ludowyke (Victoria)
    'The Role of Meaningful Occupations, Environments and Relationships in the Lives of People with a Lived Experience of Borderline Personality Disorder’

  • Scarlet Jones (Queensland)
    'The power of being heard'

  • Jessica Giles (South Australia) and Dr Kristy Koehne (South Australia)
    ‘Evaluation of a Co-Produced Peer Group for People with Lived Experience of Borderline Personality Disorder’

  • Professor Brin Grenyer (New South Wales)
     'What science tells us about effective treatment'

Idyllic surrounds, world-class facilities and world wide knowledge

The event will be held in the centre of the beautiful University of Wollongong campus in Building 67. The campus is set among a spectacular coastal and forested environment surrounding the city of Wollongong - about 90 minutes by car south of Sydney. 

Meet our keynote speaker: Professor David Kealy for the clinical workshop and scientific conference

Professor David Kealy is a Professor in the Psychotherapy Program at the Department of Psychiatry, University of British Columbia, in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Prof. Kealy will provide an all-day clinical workshop on the Sunday:

• Strengthening identity and agency - using personalised treatment plans in the psychotherapy of people with borderline, narcissistic and dependent personality
disorders.

Prof. Kealy will also present a keynote on the Monday Scientific Day:

• The patient-therapist relationship in personality disorders: New scientific and clinical discoveries helping to improve outcomes.

David conducts research on psychotherapy and on personality- and identity-related difficulties - such as pathological narcissism - as well as mental health concerns among young adults, men, and individuals with adverse childhood experiences.  A particular focus is the personalization of psychotherapy to address the specific goals, concerns, and needs of each individual. 

David has published widely in academic journals and is co-editor of the book Contemporary Psychodynamic Psychotherapy: Evolving Clinical Practice.  In addition to research David teaches, supervises, and maintains a private practice in psychotherapy.

 

 

 

Meet our keynote speaker: Jessica Giles for the scientific conference and lived experience day

Jessica Giles is a Lived Experience Project Officer at BPD Collaborative, South Australia Health.

Jessica will present a keynote on the Monday Scientific Day:

• Bridging two worlds: Embedding Lived Experience within a state-wide personality
disorder service.

Jessica will also present a keynote on the Tuesday Lived Experience Day:

• Our voice, our power: Building a stronger lived experience presence together.

Jessica has lived experience of mental health distress, as a young carer, and has 20 years of experience across public mental health services, community services, and the employment industry. She brings deep insight from her own journey and has worked in a wide range of roles including peer work, project coordination, and workforce development.

Jessica is passionate about embedding lived experience perspectives in systems, services, and workforce structures. She’s currently working across multiple initiatives that support peer workforce capability, co-design, and supervision models that honour diverse experiences.

 

 

 

Registrations for the conference are now open

Register early as places are limited!

Ticket prices

Conference Event Standard Price 
Clinical Workshop $200
Scientific Conference $180
Lived Experience Day $15

All prices are in Australian dollars inclusive of the Australian Goods and Services Tax (GST).

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Conference Event Student Price 
Clinical Workshop $100
Scientific Conference $90
Lived Experience Day $15

All prices are in Australian dollars inclusive of the Australian Goods and Services Tax (GST).

Students may be eligible to receive a discounted rate for the Sunday Clinical Workshop and Monday Scientific Day. Please email info-projectair@uow.edu.au with a copy of your current Student ID or Enrolment record to receive a unique discount code and apply this during checkout.

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Event location

The event will be held in the centre of the beautiful University of Wollongong campus in Building 67.

In the University of Wollongong’s 50-year history, it has built an international reputation for world-class research and exceptional teaching quality. We’re ranked in the top 250 universities in the world and we’re aiming higher every day. 

With 17 beautiful beaches, a spectacular escarpment, a bustling city centre and your choice of restaurant and entertainment zones, Wollongong is here waiting for you to explore. There really is something for everyone in Wollongong and the greater Illawarra region.

Getting to UOW

Arriving by train - Take the 90 min scenic train to North Wollongong station followed by a short bus connection or 15 min walk. A free shuttle bus service, ‘The Gong Shuttle’ regularly runs to and from the University, train station and hotels, or the trip is a short taxi ride.

Arriving by plane - Sydney Airport is 80km from Wollongong and provides excellent connections to UOW from the airport train using the South Coast Line or by booking a shuttle/limousine service.

Arriving by car -From Sydney drive south past Sutherland on the Princes Highway then M1 Motorway and take the second exit at the bottom of Mt Ousley (signposted 'University'). The Western Car Park is closest to the conference venue; enter via the Western Entrance along Northfields Avenue. Parking fees apply.

 

A full event program will be published soon.

Email for conference enquiries

info-projectair@uow.edu.au