Table of Contents

Foreword, Marsha M. Linehan Introduction I. Understanding Your Loved One and Your Relationship 1. “Why Do I Feel So Lost in This Relationship?” 2. What Makes Someone So Emotional? 3. The Hidden Power of Validation 4. Five Steps to Balanced Responses and Better Outcomes II. The Many Faces of Borderline Personality Disorder 5. I Can't Stand Feeling Like This! 6. It Was All My Fault 7. You Have to Fix This for Me! 8. Things Are Awful . . . but Don't Worry; I'm Handling It 9. Why Do Terrible Things Keep Happening to Me? 10. Nothing's Wrong—I'm Fine III. Dealing with Crisis and Getting Help 11. Handling Your Own Difficult Emotions 12. Understanding Self-Harm/Suicide and Making Decisions about Hospitalization 13. Getting Treatment and Support Resources

About the Author

Shari Y. Manning, PhD, is a clinician in private practice and the former President/CEO of Behavioral Tech and Behavioral Tech Research, the organizations founded by Marsha M. Linehan to provide training in DBT. Dr. Manning has focused on the treatment of people with BPD since 1993. She lives in Columbia, South Carolina, USA.

Reviews

"Dr. Manning's compassion, understanding, and nonjudgmental approach resonate on every page of this readable, helpful book. She eloquently describes the challenges of caring for someone with BPD and provides numerous step-by-step strategies for dealing with common problems. Highly recommended." - Michaela Swales, Bangor University, UK "The title says it all! Dr. Manning explains what she has learned about the true nature of borderline personality disorder (BPD) from the experts themselves -- those who have the disorder. She shows family and friends how our instinctive responses to the crises associated with BPD are frequently ineffective or even harmful, and illuminates what we can do differently, providing practical, incisive, step-by-step guidance. The book helps readers understand their complicated relationship with a person with severe emotion dysregulation. It provides valuable tools for dealing with self-harm, suicidality, and hospitalization decisions. Of crucial importance, Dr. Manning clearly affirms that BPD -- and the pain experienced by those who suffer -- is real. We highly recommend this book." - Jim and Diane Hall, Family Educators for the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder, USA