Our Services Page

Our two multidisciplinary teams offer interventions to service users in the Personality Disorder Service - the Community Team (CT) and the Therapies Team (TT).

The Community Team offers individual therapeutic work within a framework based on the Structured Clinical Management (SCM) model. The CT offers service-users the opportunity to build a psychological understanding of their mental health difficulties; work towards reducing self-harm and other impulsive behaviours; undertake crisis planning; and work towards personalised goals in areas such as relationships, meaningful activities, and employment. The CT also liaises with other health and social care services, including accommodation providers.

The Therapies Team offers three time-limited, change-oriented, structured therapies: Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) and Transference Focussed Psychotherapy (TFP). These are evidence-based therapeutic approaches for the treatment of difficulties associated with the diagnosis of personality disorder. 

• DBT focuses on teaching skills and changing behaviour so that an individual is better able to manage their emotions and relationships
• MBT focuses on improving the capacity to understand one’s mind and the minds of others in the service of improving relationships
• TFP focuses on identifying problematic patterns in the way in which individuals relate, specifically looking at romantic relationships, work and hobbies

In essence, both teams aim to support service-users to build a picture of a life they want to live, a plan of how they can move towards this, and an awareness of the barriers that may get in the way. If necessary, this may include arrangements for obtaining further support as the work with us comes to an end.

Alongside our psychological treatments, the service provides psychiatric medication where appropriate. The service takes a relational, psychologically-informed approach to medication and prescribing, which is in line with the evidence base on prescribing in personality disorder. We aim to rationalise prescribing and we have a dedicated deprescribing pathway for service-users who may need additional support to reduce and discontinue medication they may no longer need. This includes a psychoeducational medication reduction information booklet.

The Personality Disorder Service provides liaison and consultation offers to other local mental health services. It has well established links with primary care in Camden and Islington. It delivers specialist teaching locally, regionally, and nationally.