David Ingamells Memorial Lecture – Vic Faculty of Psychotherapy

A/Professor Jo Beatson is Senior Clinical Advisor, Spectrum Service for Personality Disorder and Complex Trauma. She has contributed greatly to the fields of psychiatry and psychotherapy since becoming a psychiatrist in 1983. Arguably her most significant contribution has been through teaching about psychodynamic theory and practice, particularly as it relates to understanding the psychopathology and treatment of severe personality disorder. She has lectured on the Masters program for psychiatric trainees at Melbourne University since 2003, for the Melbourne University on-line program, and widely elsewhere.

Her work at Spectrum Personality Disorder Service since 2003 has been pivotal to improving the treatment for BPD in both public and private psychiatry. Providing training programs, publication of a textbook on BPD written for clinicians in Australasia, writing papers, supervision of individuals and teams treating severe borderline personality disorder (BPD), and research, have all contributed to this improvement.

But as always, she has learned most from treating patients in both public and private practice. As others have said, our patients deserve our thanks for paying to teach us.