Transference Focused Psychotherapy (TFP)

Another treatment specifically targeted for BPD is Transference Focused Psychotherapy (TFP) which was developed by psychiatrists Otto Kernberg, John Clarkin and Frank Yeomans. Transference, a key concept in psychodynamic psychotherapy is the process in which emotions are transferred from the patient to the therapist. For example, the patient’s feelings about important people in his life (such as parents or caregivers) are transferred onto the therapist, so that the patient comes to feel about and react to the therapist as he would to these important figures. It is believed that through transference, the therapist can see how the individual interacts with people, and the therapist can use this information to help the individual build healthier relationships.