As therapists, we also realise that parental personality dysfunctions can have attachment implications. Frightened or frightening parenting behaviours lead to disorganised attachment in children, which in turn is symptomatic of a range of abnormal childhood behaviours. Our challenge in working with such parents and families however, is that abusive parents with personality disorders are often hard to engage. They may feel defensive and reluctant to building a trusting relationship over time with therapists.

At this practical and therapeutically oriented seminar which would be especially relevant for psychotherapists, psychologists, counsellors and psychiatrists, Dr Adshead draws on her extensive clinical experience, recent neurobiological findings and relational thought to help us comprehend:

• How personality disorders (across the three DSM-5 clusters) affect the interpersonal function and can be viewed as relational disorders
• Core parenting skills that create attuned sensitivity (and hence, secure attachment patterns) and how these can be negatively impacted through personality dysfunctions
• The links between personality disorders and high-risk states of mind
• The evidence that shows the risk to child development, both in terms of genetic vulnerability and environmental stress factors
• Clinical interventions for parents with personality disorders

Maintaining the view that therapeutic interventions for parents with personality disorders are both effective and preventive, Dr Adshead explains how therapists can apply these learnings in clinical settings and allow for provision of relational security at multiple levels.

Seminar Schedule

Session 1: Disorders of Relational Capacity?

In the first session, we look at how parenting requires an individual to balance appropriate limits and boundaries with maximal affection and attuned nurturing. Parents need to be both empathic and sympathetic towards ongoing vulnerability and dependence: the sort of dependence that, in children, inevitably leads to repeated requests for attention. We consider both direct and indirect impacts on such functions where personality disorganisation or dysfunction exists.

Session 2: Impact on parenting skills and outcomes

Our discussion in the second session examines how different personality disorders impact parenting outcomes. Specifically, we consider the impacts of:

• Anti-social and narcissistic personality disorders
• Somatising disorders
• Borderline personality disorders
• Eating disorders

Session 3: Therapeutic Interventions

We look at therapeutic implications of our discussions and consider:

• Screening tools and the reliance we can place on these
• Psychological therapies that focus on repairing relational skills
• Interventions that promote parental mentalizing and self-reflective functions
• Generalized interventions that address metacognitive function

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