January 22, 2025

A conversation about Borderline Personality Disorder (with Kayla Spicer)

1 hour 36 minutes

Read the full transcript here.

What is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)? Why is it so stigmatized relative to other mental health issues? What does it mean to be the "favorite person" of someone with BPD? Can people with BPD have multiple favorite persons, or no favorite person at all? What is "splitting"? Why are people with BPD more prone to engage in risky, reckless, or impulsive behaviors? How might BPD overlap with the "dark triad" personality traits (i.e., machiavellianism, narcissism, and psychopathy)? Is BPD more common among women? How should we treat people who may not meet the threshold for a particular mental illness diagnosis but who nevertheless exhibit some of the symptoms of that illness? How can partners form good relationships with people suffering from BPD? How can you help a person suffering from BPD in a moment of crisis? Why is Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) the best treatment option for BPD? What does DBT teach? What are some DBT techniques that work especially well for people with BPD? What is "quiet" BPD? What is "emotional reasoning"? What should you do if you think you might have BPD?

Kayla Spicer is a Registered Psychotherapist in Ontario and an online educator specializing in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). With a Master's in Counseling Psychology, she combines clinical expertise and lived experience to create accessible learning resources for individuals, particularly women, who struggle with high sensitivity, perfectionism, and emotion regulation challenges. Through her YouTube channel and other online platforms, Kayla offers evidence-based strategies, practical tools, and empowering advice to guide people toward self-compassion and long-term well-being. To learn more, visit the YouTube channel called On the Line.

Staff