borderline

Some patients come to me with a history of emotional distress or what is sometimes called dysregulation. What this means is that their feelings as well as some of their important interpersonal relationships can seem out of control at times. Often, this kind of distress is associated with an early, or possibly a more recent traumatic event, or series of events. There are three psychotherapy approaches that are evidence-based and are best known to help people who struggle with these kinds of problems. These approaches are called Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Transference Focused Therapy and Mentalization Based Treatment. I have been trained or done work or research using all three approaches. Another way of working with trauma is an approach known as EMDR.  It is known for giving faster access to difficult emotions than the normal progress of talk therapies, but is usually done within the context of a broader psychotherapeutic relationship. I can discuss with you whether this method can be helpful for you. 

At its core, BPD affects how a person thinks and feels about themselves and others enough to negatively impact their daily life and important relationships. Feelings are often intensely felt, even overwhelming at times. Other experiences may include:

• Panicked efforts to avoid abandonment (whether real or imaginary)
• A pattern of unsteady and intense relationships that vacillate between fondness and love (idealization) to dislike or anger (devaluation)
• A poor or unstable sense of self
• Impulsive and dangerous behaviors in at least two potentially harmful areas, like spending a lot of money or having unsafe sexual encounters
• Self-harm or suicidal behavior/threats
• Extreme mood shifts that typically last a few hours
• Feeling empty
• Anger control issues
• Feeling cut off from oneself or reality