Tag Archive for: Dialectical Behavior Therapy

No Longer The Victim | Protecting My Inner Child (Sexual Harassment at Work)

Today at work my boss made some really inappropriate comments to me in front of other staff members. It’s been ongoing lately, and it is really upsetting.  I like my part-time job. It’s my source of income, and I enjoy the work. I don’t need this kind of stress.Years ago, in a situation like this, […]

DBT | Practicing the “Non-Judgmentally” Emotion Regulation Skill

I had the opportunity to practice the DBT Emotion Regulation skill of Non-Judgment today in a tangible way that actually made sense. I’ve been under a lot of stress lately, and for days, I’ve been fantasizing about just spending a weekday lazing around, hanging out in bed, and not even leaving the house.The thoughts that […]

DBT Diary Cards | Why I Fill Them Out

Yesterday in DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) class, I felt a bit like the teacher’s pet. When the doctor asked who had filled out their Diary Cards, I was the only one to raise my hand (which made made me feel a little embarrassed, but to be honest, I liked the look of approval from our therapist.) […]

The Psychic Borderline | Reading Others & Identity Issues

Ok. So I’m not *technically* psychic, but I, like many other people with Borderline Personality Disorder, BPD traits, or emotional sensitivity, have an interesting ability to “read” people. My therapist has clarified that the ability to do this is actually a learned survival skill. For those who can relate to what I’ll describe in this article, […]

How DBT Has Been Helping Me | Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)

As I’ve previously shared, I was diagnosed with BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) during an IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program) at my local hospital.  I had been doing pretty well, prior to my “breakdown” that led to the hospitalization.  I was working, my relationship with my significant other was stable. It took a trigger to catapult me […]

Pap Smear Fear | How to Cope if You Have Had Trauma (or not)

Whether you have trauma in your history or not, a pap smear can be a frightening medical exam. For the past few months I’ve dreaded, on some level, having my exam, which occurs every 3 years.  The last time I had it done, I had a full-blown anxiety attack and went into what I can only […]

BPD & Difficulty with Relationships | I’m Sorry Jenny

On my way to the grocery store just now, as I approached the stop sign,  I saw an old friend and colleague get into her car. It was so good to see her face. I gently waved.Things ended on bad terms between us, but the bitterness that remains with her surprised and hurt me. She […]

Some Thoughts on Judging | Borderline Personality Disorder

Last week in DBT class, we talked about judging. According to Dr. Marsha Linehan, the pioneer of DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) for BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder / Emotion Regulation Disorder): “Judging is when you observe a fact and then add an evaluation of good or bad.” Her recommendation is to “non-judgmentally observe a fact and […]

Don’t Rob Yourself Now (Childhood Abuse & Borderline Personality Disorder)

In my Distress Tolerance DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) class today, one of my classmates said that her distress this week was triggered by something she read in a self-help book. According to her, she had been doing very well, feeling stable and upbeat, and her reaction to what she read really took her aback. The […]

Vigil for a Nameless Cat – Using my DBT Skills in The Real World

Please note: This post contains some potentially triggering imagery. Listen to your heart, mind, and spirit as to whether you can handle reading it. I’ll warn you when I am about to get to that part… I’ve been hearing the word “Mastery” a lot from the doctor who runs the DBT groups that I attend […]