Viewing BPD symptoms through the lens of narrative therapy can help you change your story once and for all

The issue with many current BPD treatments is that they are focused squarely on the individual – these therapies (like DBT or CBT) primarily focus on coping skills – which are helpful, no doubt – but these same therapeutic modalities fail to get “under the hood.” 

Skills alone can’t help us get to the *true* heart of the matter: the systemic components of what we view as a society as “disordered behavior.” 

Many individuals who identify with the symptoms of BPD or have a formal diagnosis find themselves still feeling empty and without a sense of identity, even after completing full DBT programs. 

In today’s episode, we’ll explore a form of therapy that targets the root cause of many of the most painful symptoms of BPD: narrative therapy. After listening, you’ll learn how to begin to incorporate some of the core concepts of narrative therapy into your life today so that you can start to transform the way you view yourself and the way you move through the world.  

💡 Questions answered in this episode:

■ What is a sense of “agency” and why does it matter? 

■ What is narrative therapy? 

■ How is narrative therapy being used to help treat symptoms of borderline personality disorder? (BPD / EUPD) 

■ Externalization: how this technique from narrative therapy can help you take control of your life

■ What’s really behind your negative thinking? (Cognitive distortions and how to recognize them) 

■ The damaging narratives perpetuated in popular BPD discourse, research, and literature and the impact these narratives have on the recovery of individuals who identify with the symptoms 

📝Recommended resources: 

■ “Recognizing BPD Superpowers” by Tiffany Sostar

■ Narrative Therapy Techniques and Worksheets (+PDFs) by Courtney E. Ackerman, MA.

Disclaimer: information contained in this podcast episode is for educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment or consultation with a licensed mental health professional. 

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