A dedication to psychiatry earns Josephine Beatson an OAM

CBD resident associate professor Josephine Beatson says she is “honoured and humbled” after being awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to psychiatry. 

Prof. Beatson is a clinical associate professor (honorary) in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, and a senior clinical advisor at Spectrum Personality Disorder Service for Victoria.

Speaking about her distinguished career, she said, “what I have loved most is helping people through the dark and difficult times in their lives and being involved in the teaching and training of psychiatric trainees and younger psychiatrists”.

She said a particular focus had been the understanding and treatment of people with borderline personality disorder (BPD), for which there was now effective psychological treatments.

“They can be offered on an individual basis or in groups. My fervent hope is that these psychological treatments will be embraced by clinicians and become more available now that we know so much more about what ‘works’ for BPD.” 

Anyone who would like to know more about BPD can contact the BPD Foundation •

at www.bpdfoundation.org.au or [email protected]