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First Friday Forum Webinar: PTSD, Complex PTSD, and Borderline Personality Disorder: Understanding and Treating These Related but Distinct Constructs
Friday, May 07, 2021, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT
Category: First Friday Forum (CE)

PTSD, Complex PTSD, and Borderline Personality Disorder: Understanding and Treating These Related but Distinct Constructs

This program will be held virtually because of safety concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The webinar program will not be recorded.

Details with instruction on how to view the webinar have been sent to all registrants.

Friday, May 7, 2021

Program: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CT

Friday Forums are cosponsored with the Metropolitan State University Psychology Department.

About the Program

Many individuals seeking psychological services have traumatic events in childhood and/or adulthood. They may experience significant emotional distress and sequalae from these experiences. Others may present with significant distress and enduring personality changes from difficult life experiences that do not qualify as “Criterion A” events for PTSD as defined by the DSM-5. Given their complex presentations, it can be difficult for many clinicians to distinguish and classify these individuals as experiencing either PTSD, Complex PTSD, or Borderline Personality Disorder, and make appropriate treatment recommendations. This presentation will help attendees to better understand the overlapping, yet distinct, clinical constructs of PTSD, Complex PTSD, and Borderline Personality Disorder. The focus of this presentation will be to a) define these three constructs b) describe their clinical presentations and c) provide an overview of empirically-based research for differential assessment and treatment of PTSD, Complex PTSD, and Borderline Personality Disorder.

This session is at the introductory level and is designed for psychologists and other mental health professionals.

This session qualifies for 3.0 continuing education credits. You must attend the full 3-hour program to get continuing education credit for the event.

Participants will be able to:

  1. Define and differentiate PTSD, Complex PTSD, and Borderline Personality Disorder.
  2. Select assessment measures to examine these constructs.
  3. Identify evidence-based treatment approaches for these constructs.

About the Presenters:

Helen Valenstein-Mah, Ph.D., LP, is a Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Valenstein-Mah co-leads the M Health Fairview Dialectic Behavior Therapy (DBT) Intensive Outpatient Program, a full-model DBT program for adolescents and adults with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and/or suicidality, impulsive behaviors, and chronic emotion dysregulation. Dr. Valenstein-Mah received her Doctorate of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology at University of Washington.

Merav Silverman, Ph.D., LP, received her Doctorate of Philosophy in Clinical Psychology from the University of Minnesota. Dr. Silverman is a Clinical Psychologist and Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Dr. Silverman has conducted research on PTSD and BPD populations and provide clinical care and training in DBT and evidence-based treatments for PTSD (e.g., Prolonged Exposure and Cognitive Processing Therapy).

The speakers have indicated they do not have any conflicts of interest.

The Minnesota Psychological Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. The Minnesota Psychological Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

ACCESSIBILITY ACCOMMODATIONS:  If you need disability related accommodations to make this event accessible, please contact the Metropolitan State University Center for Accessibility Resources, 651-793-1549, or [email protected]


To Register:

Registration Pricing:

Type MPA Member Non-Member Student
Pricing $60 $95

$15

MPA wants all members to have access to quality CE opportunities. If you are an MPA member and due to COVID-19 you are unable to work full time and can’t pay the full registration fee, please contact [email protected] to make other arrangements with staff.

Registration is now closed.

Click here to view and download a PDF program flyer and registration form.

Refund/Cancellation Policy: A 100% refund will be made if the event is cancelled. Refunds, less a $5 handling fee, will be given if a written cancellation is received at least two working days before the scheduled program begins. No refund or transfer is given the day of the program.