Description
If Only We Had Known: A Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder.
This series was funded by a grant from the National Institute of Mental Health. A randomized controlled trial conducted with family members, under the direction of NEA-BPD, showed that people who viewed the five videos increased their knowledge about BPD, felt more empowered, and felt less emotional burden.
“An original, absorbing, highly instructive, and clinically rich series of DVDs about Borderline Personality Disorder. By vividly capturing the pain of having this disorder and the pain it compels in those who love them, this series creates a sympathetic portrait of a condition that too often generates hostility. It will prove extraordinarily useful for training…”
John Gunderson, MD
Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
Experts In This Series.
Marsha Linehan, PhD – developer of Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
John Gunderson, MD – founder of the McLean Hospital Borderline Personality Disorder Center.
Peter Fonagy, PhD – co-developer of Mentalization-Based Treatment.
Jon G. Allen, PhD – co-author of Mentalizing in Clinical Practice.
Antonia New, MD – researcher focusing on the neurobiology of borderline personality disorder.
Frank Yeomans, MD – co-developer of Transference-Focused Psychotherapy.
Mary Zanarini, EdD – professor, Harvard Medical School and McLean Hospital.
Perry Hoffman, PhD and Alan Fruzzetti, PhD – co-developers of the NEA-BPD Family Connections.
Alec Miller, PsyD – director of the Adolescent Depression and Suicide Program, at Montefiore Medical Center.
Valerie Porr – BPD advocate.
Run times
Understanding BPD – 39 minutes
Causes of BPD – 30 minutes
Diagnosing BPD – 38 minutes
Treating BPD – 41 minutes
Coping with BPD – 42 minutes
Marsha Linehan, PhD – Developer of Dialectical Behavior Therapy –
Absolutely wonderful. The people in these videos explain what it’s like to have Borderline Personality Disorder better than I ever could.
MaryJane P, MSW –
You need to include community resources (local).
Brian A. Palmer, MD – Mayo Clinic –
This series documents the challenging road traveled by families impacted by Borderline Personality Disorder. The programs help families find the hope that comes with skill and knowledge by integrating expert comments and the “real life” wisdom of families who have learned to balance limits and validation.
John Gunderson, MD- Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital –
An original, absorbing, highly instructive, and clinically rich series of DVDs about Borderline Personality Disorder. By vividly capturing the pain of having this disorder and the pain it compels in those who love them, this series creates a sympathetic portrait of a condition that too often generates hostility. It will prove extraordinarily useful for training, for borderline patients themselves, and most particularly for their families.
Barbara S, PsyD –
A wonderful educational tool that offers information in a comfortable, private format. My clients have been very responsive to the information they received by watching the series.
Thomas, Family Connections –
I am a family member who teaches a 12-week talking course. This video series is a wonderful complement, particularly for people with different learning styles.
Carl Dunn – BPD Peer Support Expert – #BPDchat –
There was a terrific response; everyone was riveted to the videos. I believe every class member felt changed for the better after watching the whole series. I think it helped accelerate the transformation in understanding and coping
John F, MSW –
Videos perhaps should distinguish between BPD and Bipolar. Many people are diagnosed with Bipolar in error, instead of borderline personality disorder.
Maria A., LMHC –
This is a great resource. I recommend viewing these programs to people who have been diagnosed with BPD and, more importantly, to their families.
Steve Tuber, PhD – City University of New York –
The video is beautifully done and very powerful. The overall effect of the expert’s commentary interwoven with the patient’s was even more powerful. You’re producing an enormously valuable ‘document’, one that I think will be of real and invaluable help to many, many people.
Perry Hoffman, PhD – President, NEABPD –
If you are a family member who has a loved one diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder, this is an important source of information for you. Open and honest discussions of BPD by individuals and families who have struggled with the disorder and survived offer unique perspectives on the disorder. Leading BPD researchers and clinicians share their expertise to complement the personal journeys
William, LPC –
Much needed hope and inspiration for families.
Jim Payne, BPD Family Advocate –
These films are probably the best way to get someone started who has no previous information about BPD. They can give people some context to navigate the confusion and miscommunication that comes with this disorder. Help them move on a path forward.
Hopeful –
Seeing this illness can be treated and that the person can feel better means there is hope.
Fran –
My watching the videos helped my daughter to understand that I care about her disease and want to help her get better. It opened up more communication about the stigma of mental health and also an opportunity to share with others about borderline personality disorder. She sees evidence that I am interested in helping her to get better. I was interested and tried to help her previously however I think that the videos were a key part of her understanding my desire to help her get better.
Sophia C – PhD –
This series has an excellent approach i.e. – understanding the disorder, then learning coping skills, and finally showing a person that they are not alone in their experiences and that there can be emotional support. It is a perfect way for me to introduce my patient’s families to the way this disorder can impact a family and how they can help their loved during the therapy process.
Jim and Diane Hall – BPD Family Advocates –
Your video series is so valuable for so many venues – our families here in Houston think they’re the best explanation of the disorder they have been exposed to. They said – real people, beautifully filmed and explained, and professionally supported’. The best teaching tools are used – sight, sound, and people they can relate to and actually feel like they know as the series concludes. The human element and key points reinforce the fact that this is real disorder and much can be done to help those afflicted and their families!
Sammy C –
This actually gave me a better understanding of my disorder.
Mercedes Q, PhD –
I know from my work with families that learning/hearing and getting support from families that live with this disorder is helpful. These videos can be a viable resource for them.
Ilana Karpin, Clinical Psychologist, Australia –
I have found the videos helpful for teams treating teens, particularly when there is hesitancy to diagnose.
Fatima M, PhD –
These flims are a critical visual teaching tool for people with BPD, families, friends, and the community at large– but to be truly useful to all members of society it needs to be translated into Spanish, French Creole, French, Urdu, Arabic, etc.
Spouse –
Because I learned more about others in this situation (both those with BPD and family members), I learned that I wasn’t alone, as well as a better understanding of what I might expect to experience. That helped me to be more understanding, I changed my reactions and interactions because of what I learned, which reduced my BPD spouse’s stress and anxieties. It’s not the relationship that I had envisioned when we got married, but it is better today than it was. I have fewer “expectations” and have become much more flexible in our relationship and in life. I am at peace with her and accept her for who she is.
Mom of son –
This was excellent! Thank you for making it!
Daniel W, PsyD –
Helping families to understand biological and social roots of Borderline Personality Disorder may decrease guilt and desperation.
Jean from NC –
In the (NAMI) Family to Family Course, there’s a class on Empathy. I use Empathy with my daughter and it works very well –the validation example in the video about treatment was very good. It reminded me of Empathy and I know that works.
Megan, RN-PMH –
Someone should make a special series for psych-mental health nurses – how to work with people coping with BPD. How to work with the families of people with BPD.
Child of borderline parent –
The validation I felt watching the videos was important. As a child of a borderline parent I needed validation and outside explanations to understand the events happening were not my fault or caused by me. Then I could better understand, and relate to my parent. Understanding more about her disorder allowed me to better cope with my Mother’s triggered outbursts compassionately.
Alex, family member –
Film does not touch my family experience.
Nancy McCray – Librarian –
I saw the video series and thought it was great! It certainly showed nice families of different religions and races with children or spouses with problems that weren’t too scary at first. The mood stayed calm. That puts viewers at ease. Each vignette at the beginning singled out one criteria to explain. Dr. Linehan’s theories really brought a good focus. Having parent and child describe situations was very helpful. The whole thought of self-mutilation or harm sends me into worrisome mode but when it was explained that the patient feels better it makes some sense. It is obvious that those individuals have had lots of help coping with their issues. Dr. Fruzzetti at the end summed the main criteria up in an easy to remember order. I was impressed with the fine technical quality of filming, sound, captions, etc.
Roger Lewin – Author –
I watched the final program in your series. It is quite beautifully done. Very informative, very sensitive, very intimate. You really brought your viewer into those people’s lives. Thank you
Sebastián, LCSW –
We are a visual society and I see how valuable viewing these DVDs has been to my clients. I would very much like to expand the number of people I could offer this resource to – how about Spanish?
Jane G –
Good to know this stuff.