Our Journey

In 2024, Spectrum celebrates a 25 year milestone, launching in 1999 to help people with borderline personality disorder and complex trauma.

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Spectrum was launched by the Victorian State Government in 1999 to provide specialist interventions for people with complex needs. This was to help clients whose care could not be otherwise managed within the public mental health system, or people marginalised by the mental health community due to the severity of their personality symptoms.

Spectrum’s original programs were outreach driven, consultancy based and centred on a residential program for people requiring specialist inpatient care. Residents received 24-hour nursing care and staff were involved in a semi-structured routine entailing participation in psychosocial skills training.

Given its small size, Spectrum could only provide services to a small number of people in its original design. The service therefore continued to grow, evolve and adapt to increase reach by building capacity in individuals, the mental health system and the community at large.

In the years since, Spectrum has continued to change to be at the forefront of psychotherapy leadership and innovation. Over the past quarter-century, trauma has been the key risk factor in 90% of people treated by Spectrum.

Hundreds of Victorians now benefit from the specialised psychotherapeutic support provided by Spectrum’s highly skilled clinicians every year. 

Spectrum continues to offer a comprehensive suite of clinical services including diagnostic case formulations, direct treatment, shared clinical care with public mental health services, training, professional development, clinical training and supervision, expert second opinion and direct 1:1 support and workshops for carers.