Ruolo e potenzialità dell’Educatore Professionale nella Terapia Dialettico Comportamentale: sinergie e prospettive per l'équipe multidisciplinare

The present project aims to reflect on the possible and specific role of the Professional educator within the multidisciplinary team of the care model proposed by Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). BPD is a potentially severe psychiatric condition characterized by emotional instability, difficulties in interpersonal relationships, impulsivity, and an intense fear of abandonment. The DBT, developed by Marsha Linehan, is one of the most effective treatments for this disorder and is structured around a multidisciplinary team typically composed of: psychotherapists, responsible for individual therapy and supervision of the psychotherapeutic process; psychiatrists, who assess and manage pharmacological treatment when necessary; and nurses and social health workers, who provide support and assist in managing daily life and emergencies. For this project, two professionals from a DBT multidisciplinary team were interviewed: a psychologist and a head nurse from a psychiatric rehabilitation unit specializing in the treatment of patients with BPD through DBT. Both interviewees consider the role of the professional educator highly valuable within the team, particularly for psychoeducational support and for promoting and teaching skills related to emotional regulation and socialization. Specifically, through the educational relationship, the professional educator can build a trust-based rapport with the patient and provide support in managing impulsivity and emotional regulation, an essential aspect in achieving rehabilitation goals and improving the individual’s quality of life.