New: Amanda Wang's recent presentation at Columbia University—Boxing, BPD, and My Living Story

FBPDA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization formed in 2007 that is dedicated to educating all Floridians about this severe—yet highly treatable—mental illness.

BPD Support Group

On Wednesday, March 31 at 6:00 pm, FBPDA will hold a peer-led support group designed for anyone who engages in self-injury or is diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. The theme for March's group will be Creating and Sustaining Strong Support Networks.

This event will be held at the Mirror Lake Library in downtown St. Petersburg and individuals at all stages of recovery from BPD are welcome to share their experiences. While this event is free, you will need to RSVP by e-mailing amanda.smith@fbpda.org.

Less is More: The Psychopharmacotherapy of BPD

FBPDA is excited that Tampa-based psychiatrist Emily Lazarou will join us at the Children's Board of Hillsborough County on Wednesday, April 7 at 6:00 pm for an important discussion about the use of medications in the treatment for borderline personality disorder.

This presentation is open to individuals diagnosed with BPD, their families, and mental health professionals. Seating for this event is limited and there is a cost of $10 per person.

Please RSVP by e-mailing us at amanda.smith@fbpda.org. We look forward to seeing you!

Borderline Personality Disorder: Supporting Recovery Today and Tomorrow

Please join us at St. Petersburg College's EpiCenter in Clearwater on Friday, April 23 at 8:00 am for our latest conference.

While borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a complex and serious mental illness, it's important for healthcare professionals to understand that BPD is also highly treatable. This one-day conference will provide an overview of evidence-based treatment and care practices that actively promote and encourage recovery. At the conclusion of the program attendees will be able to describe the longitudinal course of BPD including etiology, prognosis, and remittance of DSM-IV-TR criteria over the course of the illness; describe the role of neuroplasticity in effective treatment; outline a theoretical model of recovery; and identify the obstacles to recovery from a patient's perspective.

Individuals diagnosed with BPD and their families are strongly encouraged to attend.

Conference Sponsors

FBPDA is honored to have the following fine organizations and mental health professionals participate as conference sponsors:

Emily Lazarou, MD

3East and the Gunderson Residence at McLean Hospital

Topics and Speakers

• The Good Prognosis Diagnosis: Exploring the Myths Surrounding BPD. Stacy Louk, PhD
• Emotional Regulation Strategies for Clients with Borderline Personality Disorder. Aaron Norton, LMHC, CAP
• Neuroplasticity: Significance in Treatment and Prognosis in Psychiatric Illness with Specific Implications for BPD. Emily Lazarou, MD 
• I'll Have What She's Having: The Realities of Recovery. Gisele Requena, MA
• In the Here and Now: Strategies for Mindfulness. Joan Dyer, LCSW and Janet Waye, LCSW
• Helping Patients with BPD Overcome Emptiness: Plugging the Hole and Filling the Cup. Mardie Chapman, MA
• The Role of Family in Treatment for BPD. Nancy Gordon, LCSW 

If you are traveling to join us, the nearest hotel is the Holiday Inn Express located at 13625 Icot Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33760. Their telephone number is (727) 536-7275.‎

A continental breakfast and lunch is provided. Contact Hours: 7 hours to Nursing, LMHC, LMFT, LCSW, Psychology

Click here to register at St. Petersburg College's web site today.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Treating Substance Use Disorders

Linda Dimeff, PhD will be in Miami on May 3 and 4, 2010 to conduct for a professional training in DBT for patients with borderline personality disorder and substance use issues (DBT-SUD). For more information, please contact Behavioral Tech.

You can also download Dr. Dimeff's article on DBT for substance abuse here.

Family Guidelines

The New England Personality Disorder Association has a wonderful publication written by John Gunderson, MD and Cynthia Berkowitz, MD titled Family Guidelines that is a must read for all families who are interested in communicating more effectively with a loved one who has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder.

Cultivating the Dialectical Stance

FBPDA held our second conference on October 23, 2009 in Clearwater and we were deeply honored to have our friend and supporter Kiera Van Gelder present on her own experience with borderline personality disorder and how dialectical behavior therapy was instumental in her recovery.

Kiera's presentation, Cultivating the Dialectical Stance, has been posted here as a PDF. We hope that you find the information interesting as well as inspirational.

Kim Gratz Interview Posted

Dr. Gratz is the co-author of the new book, Freedom from Self-Harm: Overcoming Self-Injury with Skills from DBT and Other Treatments by New Harbinger Publications.

Although the book is specifically geared toward persons who engage in any kind of self-harm, the book is also an excellent resource for mental health professionals, friends, and family members who are interested in learning more.

You can listen to this call here.

Listen to an interview with FBPDA founder—Amanda Smith here.