angiEmedia

One organization that has formed and grown in recent years to support the families of those afflicted with BPD is TARA, the Treatment and Research Advancements National Association for Personality Disorder. TARA engages in a variety of activities, but perhaps one of the most important are their local support groups and training workshops. Check the TARA chapter and affiliate list to see if they have meetings near you.

People who have attended TARA meetings have generally had a lot of good things to say about them. For starters, it’s a relief to meet other people who know what it is like dealing with a Borderline. Those of us who have had the experience know that many people who have not simply can’t understand the destructive behaviors of BPD as they have never seen anything like them personally. By contrast, the attendees at TARA events are likely to be very familiar with these problems. Some may have found ways to cope successfully and have insights to share with you. Others may be able to give and receive emotional support dealing with the troubles of BPD. Just knowing that you are not alone and that there are others with whom you can talk can be a be help.

Some TARA chapters may also include participation by those afflicted with BPD. For example, the founder of the San Diego branch of TARA has a child with BPD, so she’s particularly sensitive to trying to help those with BPD in addition to helping the people around them.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is one approach that has met with significant success at helping Borderlines willing to work at recovery to manage their behaviors and emotions. TARA often sponsors training workshops on DBT. These can be helpful for family members as they can learn how to better encourage and support their BPD loved ones towards long-term improvements. Generally these workshops do have some associated cost.

To find out more about local TARA groups, workshops, and get referrals to therapists specializing in DBT, you can call 1-888-4TARA APD from 11am to 4pm EST on weekdays. Or you can visit their referral page for more information.

If you like participating in web-based discussion groups, the BPD Family organization may be a good option for you. They host a variety of services including:

• Discussion message boards for many BPD-related topics

• Database of articles on BPD and its impact on others

• BPD book reviews

• BPD information and resource database search

• Family and crisis resources, including mental health and suicide prevention hotlines

Anything To Stop The Pain web site and email group

“Bon Dobbs” (pseudonym) started the Anything To Stop The Pain web site and an associated on-line discussion group for BPs and non-BPs.

Since then, he’s written a book When Hope is Not Enough to explain his thoughts and experiences on dealing with victims of BPD so as to minimize the emotional turmoil they experience. His book has been very well reviewed.

Also, he’s now offering a support email package to help individuals who feel they could benefit from his expertise and are willing to pay for his time. He charges $20 for him reading and reply to 10 emails.

BPD Central

BPD Central was started by Randi Kreger, one of the authors of Stop Walking on Eggshells. Kreger has also written and co-written several other books on BPD. The BPD Central web site features a wealth of information on BPD, including frequently asked questions, guidelines to know if somebody may have BPD, various BPD books and audio CDs for sale, and a referral list of therapists for those with BPD.

Randi Kreger started on-line support mailing lists for people dealing with BPD in 1996. BPD Central still offers the Welcome to Oz mailing lists. As participation grew, they were split into 15 different lists for various topics. Participants are encouraged to remain anonymous by using fake names and confidential email addresses to avoid the problems that may result from Borderlines finding out they and their problems are being discussed.

BPD Central’s attorney advice web page contains information on things you should consider when hiring an attorney to handle a divorce or child custody case involving a Borderline or other high-conflict personality.