"Assessing and Treating Psychotic vs. Dissociative Disorder Patients: What are the Differences?" Bethany Brand, PhD

The New England Society for the Treatment of Trauma and Dissociation presents

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Assessing and Treating Psychotic vs. Dissociative Disorder Patients: What are the Differences?

Bethany Brand, PhD 

The differential diagnosis of dissociative disorders can be challenging for many reasons including the overlap and seeming overlap of symptoms and personality traits of individuals with dissociative disorders, and psychotic, borderline and bipolar disorders.  Dr. Brand will review empirical research, as well as clinical signs and symptoms that can assist in clarifying the diagnosis of patients with a possible dissociative disorder.  She will contrast the types of profiles seen on the Rorschach as well as trauma-related tests and interviews among severely dissociative versus borderline and psychotic patients to help clinicians understand the differences and similarities among these patient groups.  Dr. Brand will present case material to illustrate different assessment findings and their impact for treatment planning.

Dr. Brand will also present an afternoon Intensive for clinicians wanting more training in making the differential diagnosis between dissociative and psychotic disorders. Dr. Brand will lead an in-depth discussion of attendees’ cases selected prior to the meeting. Dr. Brand and attendees will review these cases, discuss differential diagnostic issues, and explore the treatment implications stemming from the assessment data.   

Download the flyer.

About Dr. Brand:

Bethany Brand, PhD, has specialized in the assessment and treatment of trauma and related disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and dissociative disorders for over 20 years. Widely regarded as an excellent speaker, Dr. Brand has won several teaching awards including the Maryland Psychology Teacher of the Year award, as well as a research award.  Dr. Brand has presented over 100 talks at national and international talks.  As a Professor of Psychology at Towson University, she is sought after for media interviews including by National Public Radio’s show, Science Friday.  Dr. Brand has a wealth of clinical experience stemming from training at Johns Hopkins Hospital and George Washington University Hospital, followed by six years of trauma focused-work at Sheppard Pratt Health System’s Trauma Disorders program, and over a decade of managing a private practice in Towson, Maryland.  She has served as an expert witness in criminal state and federal trauma related forensic cases.  Dr. Brand is on three national task forces developing guidelines for the assessment and treatment of trauma-related disorders.  Dr. Brand conducts research on the assessment and treatment of trauma related disorders, including the assessment of feigned dissociative disorders. She has written numerous articles and book chapters on topics related to trauma, attachment, and adjustment.  Dr. Brand is the primary investigator on the largest longitudinal treatment outcome study to date of dissociative disorders.