According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex mental health condition that impacts how individuals relate to themselves and others. Symptoms may include rapid mood shifts, chronic feelings of emptiness, struggles with shifting identity, impulsive actions, intense anger, relationship challenges, and suicidal behavior.

Controversy and Stigma

Borderline Personality Disorder is often misunderstood and highly stigmatized, leading to inaccurate and harmful stereotypes that individuals labeled with BPD are “difficult,” “manipulative,” or attention-seeking. These generalizations are not only inaccurate but also hinder meaningful support.

BPD is a topic of ongoing debate in the mental health field. While some find the diagnosis helpful for understanding their experiences, others question whether the label is truly beneficial. The overlap between symptoms of BPD and complex trauma is particularly significant in individuals with histories of chronic or repeated early childhood trauma, leading some experts to suggest that what has historically been understood as BPD may, in fact, reflect trauma responses rather than an intrinsic personality disorder.

At Resilience, we view BPD through a trauma-informed lens. We understand that symptoms often associated with this condition may be better understood as responses to trauma, especially in individuals who have endured prolonged adversity, neglect, or relational trauma.

It is important to note that diagnosis is a deeply individual experience. For some, it brings clarity, while for others, labels feel limiting. Most importantly, a diagnosis is just a tool; one piece of a larger puzzle. It is just one part of understanding someone’s story. It does not define anyone’s worth or potential for healing or growth.

HOW WE CAN HELP

Listening to and uplifting the voices of those with lived experience is key to reducing stigma. Dr. Marsha Linehan, the creator of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)—a highly effective treatment for symptoms of BPD—has spoken about her own experiences with the condition, highlighting the possibilities for growth, healing, and transformation.

Our therapists who specialize in DBT offer practical tools and strategies tailored to the unique challenges of those diagnosed with BPD. Our approach prioritizes building trust and understanding each individual’s story. Therapy often includes skills-based work on emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, mindfulness, and distress tolerance. These skills can be transformative in helping clients manage intense emotions and foster healthier relationships.

We offer a trauma-informed approach centered on creating a safe, trusting relationship. Through a holistic, DBT-integrated framework, our therapists support clients in processing past trauma, exploring their identities, and building lives filled with meaningful connections. We reject the stigma around BPD and honor each person’s story, helping them to find a sense of self, resilience, and belonging.
 

Common signs 

People experiencing symptoms commonly labeled as BPD may encounter the following challenges, many of which can be understood as responses to complex trauma:

• Intense emotions that feel overwhelming or hard to manage: Feelings that surge suddenly and intensely can make it difficult to feel grounded or calm.

• Chronic feelings of emptiness: A pervasive sense of emotional numbness or feeling like something is “missing.”

• A lack of identity or a sense of “missing” identity: A struggle to feel connected to one’s sense of self, leading to uncertainty about who they are.

• Instability in relationships: Relationships may feel turbulent or unstable, marked by intense closeness or distance.

• Fear of abandonment or rejection: A powerful worry of being left or rejected, which can create anxiety in close relationships.

• Impulsive or risky behaviors: Engaging in spending sprees, substance use, binge eating, or other activities as a means of coping.

• Periods of dissociation or feeling disconnected from oneself: At times, feeling detached from one’s own body, thoughts, or feelings.

• Suicidal thoughts or self-injuring behaviors during times of distress: Intense emotional pain may lead to thoughts of self-harm or suicide as ways to cope.

• Difficulty trusting or feeling connected to others: Challenges with feeling safe and secure in relationships, often due to previous experiences of betrayal or neglect.

Rather than interpreting these symptoms as signs of an inherent personality disorder, our therapists view the internal and external experiences typically labeled as BPD as expressions of complex trauma. This allows us to move beyond stigmatizing labels, focusing instead on understanding and supporting each person’s unique story and healing journey.

At Resilience, we believe that each individual is a whole person, not defined by any diagnosis. With compassion, understanding, and a supportive environment, we work alongside clients to foster resilience, explore values, and strengthen self-compassion.