Welcome Address

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of the European Society for the Study of Personality Disorder (ESSPD) we  would like to welcome you to the 2nd  International Congress on Borderline Personality Disorder.  Building on the success of the 1st conference on Borderline Personality disorder held in Berlin, the scientific committee has done an excellent job and developed an exciting programme for you with a mixture of plenary sessions, scientific sessions, and skills based workshops. The pleasures of our host city of Amsterdam add to the attraction of the conference and we hope that you will be able to combine serious study with enjoyment of this stimulating and beautiful city.

Research on borderline personality disorder (BPD) and allied disorders has increased dramatically in the last few years, increasing our knowledge of the development of the disorder, its treatment and long-term outcome. Yet there remains a mismatch between our understanding of the disorder, so often associated with other psychiatric disorders, treatment demand, and the provision of clinical services. This conference will address all these issues and more. Distinguished speakers will discuss the latest developments in our understanding of the genesis of the disorder, consider its association with impulse, post traumatic stress and emotional dysregulation disorders, deliberate on the complexity of treatment, and reflect about the economic costs and social consequences of the disorder. World experts will debate controversial aspects of treatment and argue about proposals for a new classification of personality disorders like DSM-5.

The conference will appeal to basic scientists, clinicians, patients, health service managers and others. So we look forward to welcoming everyone who is interested in borderline personality disorder and allied disorders, whatever their perspective. Join us in this wonderful city from September 27-29th 2012.

Yours sincerely

Anthony W Bateman      Thomas Rinne                             Theo Ingenhoven
President ESSPD            Chair Organizing                Chair of the Scientific Committee
                                            Committee