I typically put “BPD” in quotation marks to indicate that I question the meaning of diagnosis. I want to highlight my own skepticism which is rooted in a general questioning of psychiatry and mainstream mental health. Personally, I believe our experiences should not be labelled as a personality disorder. I understand what’s known as BPD to be more aligned with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD), or relational trauma. Although this is still disorder language that I don’t hold too tightly to, it helps reframe our experiences — our personalities are not “disordered,” but are often designed around our protective trauma responses that have become rigid.

Somatic Experiencing™ is one of many body-based therapeutic modalities that have come into the mainstream in recent years. The particulars of SE are based on Peter Levine’s teachings.

Sessions with me typically involve a balance between talking and tuning into your body’s sensations and information (I’ve also been told there’s a lot of playfulness involved as well). Of course, this depends on your comfort level with noticing & being in your body, as well as your level of interest in doing body-based work to go along with traditional talk-based support. For those who tend to intellectualize and “stay in their head” about painful things, somatic work can be both challenging and hugely important work.