In this episode of the Colleague Down the Hall Podcast, Jeanene Wolfe leads a fictionalized case discussion with colleagues about navigating complex client care. The case involves Sherry, a 28-year-old marketing professional experiencing anxiety and depression, who may also have traits of borderline personality disorder. Therapist Emma, feeling unequipped to address this diagnosis, must decide whether to refer Sherry to a specialist or expand her own training while maintaining ethical care. The group explores treatment strategies, addressing therapist scope, client transition concerns, and the importance of compassion in clinical practice. Listen in for practical insights and thoughtful perspectives!

“I think building a strong clinical alliance is very helpful, teaching them grounding skills, supporting them, helping them to understand their experience, what's going on, where it's coming from. All of those things are just as important as processing through the trauma. And so I think also, if we change the narrative that you have to go through five different trainings or a two year long training to be able to help these individuals, that really hinders what we can do. And in fact  there's so many different, I don't want to say sub types, but borderline personality shows up in so many different ways, so we're already dealing with it. It's just one of the lesser common known subtypes that we see. So I just would like some change of the narrative in terms of that aspect of it as well”- Patrice Griffin

Key takeaways:

***Balancing Scope of Practice and Client Needs: Therapists must navigate their competence boundaries while ensuring clients receive appropriate care.

***Addressing Diagnostic Uncertainty: When facing a potential diagnosis like borderline personality disorder, seeking consultation or further training can be helpful for therapists who are new to working with these clients.

***Referral Considerations: Transitioning a client to a specialist requires careful communication to maintain trust and therapeutic continuity.

***The Role of Compassion: Therapists should approach complex cases with empathy and understanding, balancing professional challenges with client-centered care.

***The Value of Peer Consultation: Collaborative discussions with colleagues can provide fresh perspectives and support ethical decision-making.

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