Personality Disorders- Understanding the Impact of Trauma on Personal Development
What does this course involve?
Looking beyond the diagnosis to understand how trauma and life experiences can influence personality, relationships and behaviour.
Personality disorders are often surrounded by misunderstanding, stigma and assumptions. Yet behind a diagnosis is an individual whose experiences, relationships and development may have played an important part in shaping how they understand themselves and interact with others.
This course explores personality disorders through a trauma-informed perspective, considering how early experiences, relationships and adversity can influence emotional and personal development.
Bill encourages participants to move beyond labels and challenging behaviour to develop a deeper understanding of the person and the experiences that may sit behind the way they think, feel and respond.
.
Understanding the person behind the diagnosis
Our personalities don’t develop in isolation. Relationships, childhood experiences, attachment, trauma and the environments in which we grow can all influence the way we understand ourselves, other people and the world around us.
For some people, behaviours that appear difficult, unpredictable or challenging may have developed as ways of coping with experiences or protecting themselves from further emotional harm.
Understanding this doesn’t mean ignoring harmful behaviour. It means developing a clearer understanding of where behaviour may come from and how we can respond more effectively.
nd the demands of the environment can all influence how someone responds.
Developing a greater understanding of these factors can change not only how we interpret behaviour, but how we respond to it.
- Understanding personality and personality development
- An introduction to personality disorders
- Challenging stigma and common misconceptions
- Understanding trauma and adverse experiences
- Childhood experiences and personal development
- Attachment and relationships
- The impact of disrupted or difficult relationships
- Trauma and emotional development
- Understanding coping and survival responses
- Emotional regulation
- Understanding triggers
- Trust and relationships
- Understanding patterns of behaviour
- Looking beyond challenging behaviour
- Communication and professional relationships
- Maintaining appropriate boundaries
No PowerPoint. No Death by Slides.
Bill believes the best training happens through conversation, discussion and genuine engagement — not by reading information from a screen.
Every Just Say Training course is written and delivered personally by Bill, drawing upon more than 35 years of experience working in mental health and related services.
There are no PowerPoint presentations. Instead, participants are encouraged to ask questions, discuss real situations and explore the subject in an open and engaging environment.
The result is training that feels relevant, memorable and connected to the real world.
What can you expect from the course?
Working with someone who experiences difficulties with emotions, relationships or behaviour can sometimes feel challenging — particularly when we don’t understand what may be driving those responses.
Bill helps participants look beyond the immediate behaviour and consider how someone’s previous experiences may have influenced the way they respond to situations today.
The emphasis is on understanding the individual without judgement while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
- Understand Personality – Explore how personality develops and the different factors that can influence it.
- Understand Trauma – Consider how traumatic and adverse experiences can affect emotional and personal development.
- Look Beyond Behaviour – Explore what difficult or challenging behaviour may be communicating.
- Understand Relationships – Consider how attachment, trust and previous experiences can influence relationships with others.
- Challenge Stigma – Move beyond labels and misconceptions to develop a more individualised understanding.
- Develop Trauma-Informed Practice – Consider how greater understanding can influence communication, relationships and professional responses.
Year of Experience
Years Delivering Training
%
Courses Written & Delivered by Bill
Why choose Personality Disorders & Trauma training?
A diagnosis can describe certain patterns of difficulty, but it doesn’t tell us the whole story of the person experiencing them.
When we understand more about trauma, attachment, relationships and personal development, behaviours that once appeared confusing can begin to make more sense.
This course can be particularly valuable for people working within mental health, healthcare, social care, counselling, criminal justice, housing, homelessness services, substance misuse services, charities and other roles supporting people with complex needs.
The aim is to move away from asking simply “What’s wrong with this person?” and towards developing a deeper understanding of “What may have happened in this person’s life, and how might those experiences continue to affect them today?”
Greater understanding can help professionals challenge stigma, strengthen relationships and respond to complex behaviour in a more informed, consistent and trauma-aware way.