Aurora Podcast - Season 2 Episode 5
Beyond the Label: Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder
Join us on Aurora Podcast, where we delve into the latest in mental health and rehabilitation. Our podcast offers insightful CPD (Continuing Professional Development) content tailored for clinicians. We cover a range of topics to enhance your practice and knowledge. Elevate your expertise and stay ahead in the field of mental health and rehabilitation.
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Content warning: This episode discusses borderline personality disorder, childhood trauma and sexual abuse, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and emotional distress. Please take care while listening and pause or stop if you need to.
If listening to this episode brings up distressing feelings or you feel you need support, please reach out. In Australia, Lifeline can be contacted on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636, or call 000 (triple zero) if there is immediate risk or danger.
Beyond the Label: Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder
Part 1: About this episode
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is often understood through the behaviours others can see, yet those behaviours may sit alongside profound emotional distress. In part one of this two-part conversation, the Aurora Healthcare Podcast looks beyond the label to explore what BPD is, how it can develop and what the experience may feel like from the inside.
Host Sara, Day Programs Manager at Kellyville Private Hospital, is joined by psychiatrist Dr Absalan and Marina, Allied Health Manager and Counsellor. Together, they unpack emotional dysregulation, fear of abandonment, identity, trauma and the impact BPD can have on relationships. They also discuss why responses that may seem confusing or difficult from the outside can reflect intense distress and why seeing the person behind the behaviour is so important.
This episode offers a compassionate and practical starting point for anyone wanting to better understand BPD, including family members, carers, health professionals and people with an interest in mental health. Part two will continue the conversation by focusing on support, healthy boundaries and treatment pathways.
Part 1: Learning outcomes
Describe BPD as a condition that can affect emotional regulation, identity, relationships, and impulse control.
Recognise common features of BPD, including intense emotions, fear of abandonment, and an unstable sense of self.
Understand behaviours in the context of emotional distress, rather than judging them solely by outward appearance.
Explain factors that may contribute to BPD, including biological, developmental, and environmental influences such as trauma.
Presented by
Host Sara, Day Programs Manager at Kellyville Private Hospital
Dr Farideh Absalan, Psychiatrist, RANZCP
Marina, Allied Health Manager and Counsellor
About Kellyville Private Hospital
Kellyville Private Hospital is a specialist mental health hospital in Sydney's north-west, providing comprehensive inpatient and day program services for adults experiencing a range of mental health conditions.
The hospital offers evidence-based treatment for depression, anxiety, trauma, mood disorders, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), personality disorders and other complex mental health concerns. Care is delivered by an experienced multidisciplinary team of psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health nurses and allied health professionals who work collaboratively to support each patient's recovery journey.
With a strong focus on compassionate, patient-centred care, Kellyville Private Hospital is committed to helping individuals develop practical skills, improve emotional wellbeing and achieve meaningful recovery. As part of Aurora Healthcare, the hospital is dedicated to delivering high-quality mental health care, clinical excellence and innovative treatment approaches that support long-term mental health outcomes.
Disclaimer
This podcast is intended for healthcare professionals, including mental health clinicians and general practitioners, and is provided for CPD and educational purposes only.
The content is general in nature and is not intended to replace individual clinical judgement, diagnosis, or treatment planning. Clinicians should consider each patient’s specific circumstances, relevant clinical guidelines, and current regulatory requirements when applying information discussed.
While we aim to provide accurate and up-to-date information, healthcare is complex and constantly evolving. What we discuss may not apply to your individual circumstances, and Aurora Healthcare does not endorse any specific treatments, clinicians, or products mentioned.
By listening to this podcast, you acknowledge that Aurora Healthcare is not responsible for any decisions made based on the information provided.