Family Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder

Family Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder BPD Living With BPD Print How Family Therapy Can Help Manage BPD By Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and associate professor of psychology at Eastern Connecticut State University. Learn about our editorial policy Kristalyn Salters-Pedneault, PhD Updated on August 01, 2019 Steve Debenport / Getty Images More in BPD Living With BPD Diagnosis Treatment Related Conditions If you have a loved one with borderline personality disorder (BPD), family therapy may be a helpful addition to traditional  treatment plans. Its common for family members of those with mental health issues to feel overwhelmed by their loved ones’ symptoms and often need help understanding where how they can cope. By involving the whole household in therapy, BPD can be better managed by empowering the family to work together in a more effective way. The Basics of Family Therapy Family therapy is different than the traditional kind of psychotherapy that most people are familiar with. Rather than just one person and their therapist, family therapy involves the whole household working together with one or two therapists. This form of treatment typically involves the parents or siblings but can also include extended groups when appropriate. Family therapy may be an option for you if the person with BPD is negatively impacting your familys daily life or if you think the actions of your household may be worsening BPD symptoms. Sometimes these two problems interactâ€"the BPD symptoms impair family functioning and poor family functioning makes the BPD symptoms worse, creating a painful cycle that makes things more difficult for everyone involved. Does It Work? Research about how family therapy can benefit those with BPD is sparse but it is an increasing area of study with a great deal of potential. Group therapy including household members has been proven to be beneficial for other mental health disorders like bipolar disorder or depression, so the impact on BPD is promising.  A  small number of studies suggest that this type of therapy can lead to better communication, less conflict, and fewer feelings of burden and guilt in BPD families. If you have a teenager or a dependent family member, some clinicians believe that this approach may be particularly helpful for them.   Other Types of Treatment In addition to therapy, there are other resources available to you and your family. Family Connections is a reputable program that works with the family, without the person with BPD, so that they can openly discuss their situation. A 12-week program, your family will learn about BPD, coping mechanisms for working with the BPD relative and skills for the group as a whole to work more functionally. Having a relative with BPD is difficult and can make you feel helpless; joining programs like Family Connections can provide you with strong support and resources to help you manage. You can learn more about the Family Connections program from the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder. In addition to Family Connections, a variety of similar programs are available. For example, the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) offers the Family-to-Family program, which is similar to Family Connections but offers support to families coping with other kinds of major mental illnesses as well. You may even find a program or support group at a local hospitalâ€"you can try searching their website or call to find out if they offer services for families. Finding Family Therapy It is definitely not easy to find a family therapist with a specialty in this area for BPD, but its becoming more common. Start with your loved ones current therapist and ask for a referral to someone who does family therapy. You may also check with your health insurance company to see whether they have referrals and whether the cost of this type of treatment will be covered. You may also want to try the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy’s therapist referral site.