Family Engagement

Abstract

Families struggle with how to effectively support their BPD loved one. They may grow more critical or controlling – or, less frequently, inappropriately accommodating. Learning concrete skills like validation can help markedly with communication and make for a much more effective approach. Family therapy, per se, is rarely helpful until all the family members have the needed skills to react with curiosity and rueful recognition when hearing complaints from other members of the family. Instead, helping parents focus on being effective, understanding their loved one’s experience, and remaining stable, predictable, and reliable in the face of crises can go a long way toward helping the patient and family to stabilize.