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Finding Meaning and Purpose
Can a painful life also be one that's potentially meaningful?
The diagnosis of borderline personality disorder is often characterized by a lot of loneliness and emptiness.
Many people wonder what to do with their lives or are curious about what a life worth living even means for them. Finding purpose and meaning, however, can make a significant difference in the amount of hopefulness and satisfaction we experience in everyday life.
Beginning May 1, I'll be teaching an interactive online course that is designed to help you to find or create meaning in your own life. Throughout the month, you'll be asked to complete 12 different activities that I hope will inspire you. What happens next is up to you!
This course is open to persons diagnosed or in recovery from BPD, family members, and mental health professionals. If you are interested in creating a deeper, richer, and more meaningful life then this course is great place to start.
The books we'll be using for this course are:
• Man's Search for Meaning
• The Happiness of Pursuit: Finding the Quest that Will Bring Purpose to Your Life
I'll also be using information and ideas from:
• The Obstacle is the Way
• The Feeling of Meaninglessness: A Challenge to Psychotherapy and Philosophy
• Wounds Not Healed by Time: The Power of Repentance and Forgiveness
Please note that you do not need to purchase these books in order to participate in the course.
Questions? I'm happy to answer to them. Please feel free to email me at amanda@hopeforbpd.com.
The cost is just $29. Click here to register today.
Ethical Considerations in the Treatment of BPD
I am so very honored to be addressing the topic of ethics in the treatment of individuals with borderline personality disorder on Wednesday, January 27 at McLennan Community College in room 139 of the Michaelis Academic Center.
The cost is $10 for one CEU and $10 for lunch. Reservations can be made by emailing namievent@gmail.com.
This special event is open to the public and is sponsored by NAMI Waco.
Healthy (or Obsessive) Love in Borderline Personality Disorder
Just in time for Valentine's Day, peer educator and author Debbie Corso and Amanda Smith, LMSW are back again to talk about love and relationships in a special webinar on February 13, 2016 at 11:00 am Pacific/2:00 pm Eastern.
Join us for an honest discussion about:
• How to know when it's really love
• Understanding conflicting feelings of rejection, abandonment, dependency, and desperation
• Coping with loneliness in relationships
• Balancing our wants and needs with the wants and needs of others
• What makes for a trustworthy partner?
We'll be drawing on ideas from:
• Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and How It Can Help You Find and Keep Love
• Insecure in Love: How Anxious Attachment Can Make You Feel Jealous, Needy, and Worried and What You Can Do About It
• How to Avoid Falling in Love with a Jerk: The Foolproof Way to Follow Your Heart Without Losing Your Mind
This special event is open to anyone who would like to learn more about this important topic. If you love or care about someone with borderline personality disorder then this webinar is for you.
The cost is $39 for the 60-minute webinar. This event will also be recorded for future listening for registered participants. Please note that you will need to dial in to a US-based telephone number in order to participate in the live event—this step will not be necessary if you'd like to listen to the recording once the event has been completed.
Questions? You can find me at amanda@hopeforbpd.com.
My Healthier Life: 12 Weeks to Finding a Happier and Healthier You
For those with borderline personality disorder, knowledge can be empowering and healing. What if you could take simple, concrete steps to get and use that knowledge? What if you could start today?
In 2008, Drs. Mary Zanarini and Frances Frankenburg published a research study which showed that a 12-week psychoeducation group alone significantly helped "alleviate the severity of two of the core elements...general impulsivity and unstable relationships" in women with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.
Can an educational program about BPD make that much of a difference? It can!
Starting August 4, I'm exceptionally proud to offer a similar life-changing opportunity that you can take part in from the comfort of your own home.
What You'll Learn
Week 1
Understanding the Diagnosis of BPD (Part 1)
• Defining emotional health
• DSM-5 criteria
• Suicide and self-injury prevention
Week 2
Understanding the Diagnosis of BPD (Part 2)
• The strengths of persons diagnosed with BPD
• Excellent news about recovery from BPD
Week 3
What causes BPD?
• The bio-social theory
• The importance of genetic research
• The role of trauma, loss, and attachment
Week 4
Combating Myths and Stereotypes about BPD
• Understanding common myths and misunderstandings about BPD
• Advocating for ourselves
Week 5
Who Treats BPD and Why Does it Matter?
• The unique role of therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, case managers, and peer support workers
• Finding the right mental health professional or treatment program
Week 6
Brain Health and Medications
• The BPD brain, prefrontal cortex, amygdala, and other anatomical differences
• Classes of medications
• Limitations of medications
• Self-monitoring for success
Important note: Amanda L. Smith, LMSW is not a medical doctor and will not be making recommendations nor giving advice about medications during this presentation.
Week 7
Evidence-Based Treatment and Promising Practices (Part 1)
• Dialectical Behavior Therapy
• Mentalization-Based Treatment
• Schema-Focused Therapy
• Good Psychiatric Management
• STEPPS
Week 8
Evidence-Based Treatment and Promising Practices (Part 2)
• Transference-Focused Therapy
• Dynamic Deconstructive Psychotherapy
• Mindfulness
• WRAP
• ICCD Clubhouses
• Expressive therapies
Week 9
Gathering Support
• Getting support from family members and friends
• Finding community and online support
• Sharing ourselves and our story with others
Week 10
The Importance of Physical, Emotional, Relational, and Spiritual Self-Care
• Self-assessment: Where are my gaps in self-care?
• How does sleep, balanced eating, and daily exercise help me?
• Mood boosters you can use now
Week 11
The Role of Self-Compassion and Forgiveness in Healing
• Defining self-compassion and understanding its role in emotional health
• Forgiving others and ourselves
• Finding meaning and purpose in emotional pain and suffering
Week 12
Progress Not Perfection
• What to expect (and not expect) in recovery
• Creating our personalized treatment and recovery goals
Who is conducting this class?
Amanda L. Smith, LMSW is a licensed social worker. She is also someone who is in recovery from BPD as well as the author of The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Wellness Planner: 365 Days of Healthy Living for Your Body, Mind, and Spirit.
Who should take this class?
While the class is designed for individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, it's open to anyone wanting to learn more about BPD—that includes family members and friends.
Are the classes live? When will they take place?
All classes are conducted live and participants will have an opportunity to ask questions during our time together each week. My Healthier Life starts on Tuesday, August 4, 2015 at 6:00 pm Central (7:00 pm Eastern, 5:00 pm Mountain, and 4:00 pm Pacific). Classes are 60 minutes.
Outside of the US? You can convert your time zone here.
What do I need for class?
All you need for class is a computer and a phone. You may also want to take notes during our time together each week.
What happens if I cannot make a class?
Classes will be recorded for future listening and each attendee will be given an MP3 to review missed classes. Many attendees may also benefit from listening to each class two or three times.
How much is My Healthier Life?
There are two options for making an investment in My Healthier Life. You can make a one-time payment of $249.00 by clicking the Buy Now button below or agree to making three monthly installments of $99.00 each.
I still have questions. How can I reach you?
You can email me at amanda@hopeforbpd.com or telephone me at (941) 704-4328. I'm happy to help.
Registration is now closed for My Healthier Life.
To be placed on waiting list for our next class, please send an email to amanda@hopeforbpd.com.
Finding Meaning and Purpose with BPD
Can a painful life also be one that's potentially meaningful?
The diagnosis of borderline personality disorder is often characterized by a lot of loneliness and emptiness.
Many people wonder what to do with their lives or are curious about what a life worth living even means for them. Finding purpose and meaning, however, can make a significant difference in the amount of hopefulness and satisfaction we experience in everyday life.
Beginning October 1, I'll be teaching an interactive online course that is designed to help you to find or create meaning in your own life. Throughout the month, you'll be asked to complete 12 different activities that I hope will inspire you. What happens next is up to you!
This course is open to persons diagnosed or in recovery from BPD, family members, and mental health professionals. If you are interested in creating a deeper, richer, and more meaningful life then this course is great place to start.
The books we'll be using for this course are:
• Man's Search for Meaning
• The Happiness of Pursuit: Finding the Quest that Will Bring Purpose to Your Life
I'll also be using information and ideas from:
• The Feeling of Meaninglessness: A Challenge to Psychotherapy and Philosophy
• Something Other Than God: How I Passionately Sought Happiness and Accidentally Found It
• Wounds Not Healed by Time: The Power of Repentance and Forgiveness
Please note that you do not need to purchase these books in order to participate in the course.
Questions? I'm happy to answer to them. Please feel free to email me at amanda@hopeforbpd.com.
The cost is just $39. Click here to register today.
30 Days (+1) of Mentalizing
I'm proud to announce the second cycle of a pilot program I'm calling 30 Days of Mentalizing, will begin on August 1.
This peer-led psychoeducation opportunity will allow participants to learn about Mentalization Based Treatment (MBT)—an evidenced-based therapy. Through a daily e-mail, subscribers will be encouraged to engage in a variety of activities that help promote mentalizing—the ability to better understand our own thoughts and emotions and those of others.
MBT was originally created to treat borderline personality disorder but has now been adapted to help family members of those diagnosed with BPD. Valerie Porr—author of Overcoming Borderline Personality Disorder: A Family Guide to Healing and Change—has even called MBT the "missing piece" of dialectical behavior therapy.
Increasing our capacity to mentalize may help us to:
• develop our social cognition skills
• begin to eliminate misunderstandings with those we care about
• be more aware of how our behaviors can affect others
• connect in more meaningful ways
• better understand our world
The pilot is open to individuals with a diagnosis of a mental illness, family members, and mental health professionals. Please note, however, that 30 Days of Mentalizing is not a therapy program nor is it intended to be a substitute for treatment, care or consultation with a licensed healthcare professional. If you are wondering if this psychoeducation program may be appropriate for you, please ask your healthcare provider.
This psychoeducation program is limited to 30 participants and costs just $15. Subscribers will be asked to fill out an anonymous survey at the end of pilot and will be entered into a drawing to receive a $50 gift certificate from either Amazon.com or iTunes.
Registration is now closed for 30 Days (+1) of Mentalizing. If you'd like to be placed on the waiting list for the next cycle, please let me know by e-mailing amanda@hopeforbpd.com.
Getting Help and Support for BPD
Some people may think that the first step in recovery from borderline personality disorder (BPD) is picking up the phone or sending an e-mail and asking for help but it really begins long before that.
The first step is usually months (and sometimes years) in the making. It's the "getting ready" phase.
Getting ready might involve receiving the diagnosis, joining an online support group, picking up a book to learn more, or taking a wait-and-see approach to make certain that they can't do this on their own. In a sense, part of the work has already begun.
But then there comes the time to make a decision.
People don't call me when they are feeling good about their lives. I get calls and e-mails from family members and those diagnosed with BPD or who engage in self-harm when they are in crisis and are wondering where they should even begin to seek treatment. The calls I get are from people who have given up on life and are tired of feeling suicidal, desperate, and hopeless.
While getting help and support for recovery is probably the most difficult thing you'll ever do, it isn't impossible. People can and do recover from BPD.
Borderline Personality Disorder and Mindfulness
Mindfulness can play a big role in transforming our experience with pain and other difficulties; it allows us to recognize the authenticity of the distress and yet not be overwhelmed by it. —Sharon Salzberg
The brain of someone with BPD races. Constantly.
Your mind may jump from one thing to the next—past, present, and future—within moments. It's no wonder that people with this diagnosis sometimes make impulsive and self-sabotaging decisions they might later regret.
Mindfulness—as a DBT skill—helps us to slow down and appreciate the present moment—without judgment towards ourselves or others.
Now mindfulness isn't magic or esoteric. It's a skill that's based in science and research. The very good news? It can help change your life.
BPD: "manipulative, destructive and threatening behavior"
Several years ago I came across an article from the UK titled Exploring Registered Psychiatric Nurses' Responses towards Service Users with a Diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder.
Sadly, you probably won't be too surprised to know that individuals diagnosed with BPD are often treated very differently from patients with other diagnoses in a hospital setting.
The study not only revealed that patients were often thought to be "manipulative," "destructive," and "difficult" but that nursing staff also displayed lower levels of empathy towards them.
As soon as I read the article, I thought about John Gottman's wisdom about how there really is a "deep personal longing" behind each and every complaint, argument, and tantrum.
When people with BPD feel genuinely validated, understood, and cared for, challenging behaviors become manageable and trust and openness begin to build.
Isn't your relationship worth it?
You can read the entire article by clicking here.
If you are a family member who needs practical tools to help the person you love the most, check out my course here.