My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder through Dialectical Behavior Therapy

Great book, well written gives hope for anyone suffering from ANY mental illness. I found myself disturbed and in a funk while reading, but will certainly look further into DBT. I'm not borderline but can totally relate to Kiera's story since I've been to countless therapists and Psychs , numerous hospitalizations, and more meds than I can recall. The stigma surrounding mental illness HAS to be lessened and EQUALLED to any other disease, like cancer or heart disease!!!! I'm fascinated with Buddhism and it's teachings, however, being raised southern Baptist, even THAT has a stigma attached to accompany my bi polar 2, major depression and anxiety disorder. Currently waiting for a DBT group spot at my recovery center to offer even a little of what Kiera has obtained. Perhaps there IS a light on the horizon...

This book was a compelling read. It helped to peer inside the mind of a person suffering from borderline disorder and to understand the amount of time and therapy that went into changing how she thought about life. It gave me great hope that others suffering from affective disorders could learn through CBT and DBT.

Ms. Van Gelder is an amazing writer. I bought this book because like her I was diagnosed late in life with BPD. I found myself really relating to many of the emotions and experiences that she is able to convey so well in her book and this felt really reassuring to me... it also made me feel like I was not so alone with my labile mood swings. This book is fascinating and by the end, I was ready to move into a Buddhist monastery!! And I probably will. But, on a serious note, I told my therapist about this book because it is also a valuable resource for anyone living with BPD, their friends and family and their doctors. It really gives a truly insightful look into the mind of a person living and struggling with BPD on a daily level. This is a very valuable book.

I was recently diagnosed with Boderline Personality Disorder and came across this book. I have never read such an uplifting and interesting memoir that gives an accurate insight into the life of the Borderline and how to overcome it. I recommend this book highly.

This is an amazingly clear and detailed account of the inner workings of a person suffering with BPD. It can lend much to our understanding of this disorder. And her years long courageous efforts to find appropriate help and heal can give us all hope that, for those who work at it, healing is possible.

As a fellow Borderline and DBT student, I found it comforting to read a memoir that I could relate to. I also felt the author's story is a fair representation of life as a Borderline. I did not give it 5 stars because, even though she had numerous editors, there were still grammatical errors throughout the book. However, the errors weren't enough to hurl the book (or in this case my Kindle) at the wall. I would recommend this book to other Borderlines or those who are interested in reading an accurate account of life as a Borderline.

Decent book, nothing all too wrong with it... though I must admit I could not maintain my interest in the book. The author has a similar tone throughout the entire book; that of anxiousness and panic. This is a familiar conundrum for any individual with BPD, and it is a memoir. I could not stick around to be able to reach the sections about recovery. I can see how this book is decent for reviving hope for any individual struggling with BPD. There is even a decent section dedicated to resources for individuals to research more, or try to cope with the disorder!

This book started out really well but fell flat at the end. The author spent a lot of time talking about Dialectical Behavioral Therapy but, by the end of the book, I still didn't feel like I understood what that type of therapy entails. Also, I would have liked to see her delve deeper into the mindfulness practices she uses and how they have specifically helped her.

Ms. Van Gelderland writes eloquently and candidly about what it's like to have BPD. Since reading this book, as a therapist, I feel I have a much broader understanding of this disorder and how to effectively support those who have it.

This book shows the ugly and real side of someone with volatile and unpredictable emotions. I cried at times while reading this book because I could relate to how scary your emotion can be and saw a lot of myself in her. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is sensitive and feeling so low they can't see the light or family and friends who don't understand what you are going through. It can be difficult to read when you are in the pits of hell and I would caution you if hearing about dangerous behaviors might be a trigger. Overall, I highly recommend this book. I especially recommend it for therapists so they can have a better understanding of what it is really like to live with these thoughts and emotions.

Very Good insight into Borderline. Most of the book is not related to Buddhism but it makes a good title. The end of the book and her journey with Buddhism was confusing to me because I am Christian and couldn’t relate to it. but fist 4/5ths of the book is wonderful

I was very disappointed with this book, so much so that I didn't even finish reading it. As someone who struggles with BPD, I could not find the author relatable. To be completely honest, I found her to be completely self absorbed and reading her story just made her sound extremely ungrateful and whiny. In her life, she met amazing people willing to help and was given so many opportunities for work and self advancement, and she did not appreciate any of it. I just wanted to scream when reading the book, wishing that I was in her position with these amazing things. As stated in other reviews, the title is misleading as online dating is barely touched upon and her journey to recovery is not detailed. Someone not suffering from mental illness might enjoy this book as a small look into BPD, but as a person suffering from it, I did not relate to this and found no value.

The Buddha and the Borderline helped me personalize the life of someone with Borderline Personality Disorder. It is a topic rarely discussed by the people most affected by it. I found it to be hopeful for those facing loved ones with BPD. The book addresses the dialectical therapy model in action. Knowing how the therapy fits into real life and knowing the struggles and mind set of the BPD person is encouraging. The book is not about the religion of Buddha. The book is also not limited to helping people with BPD. The model applies to Bipolar Disorder and many other mood disorders. I would recommend this book to anyone trying to understand BPD, Bipolar and to anyone trying to understand the stages of dialectical therapy in action.

Well-written and very interesting to read BPD described by someone living with it. As a therapist, I found it helpful to see the world from a client's perspective. As a woman, I am filled with admiration for the author's courage and persistence.

If you're a borderline looking for a happy ending, then I don't think this book will deliver that. It is incredibly real and is more of a story than anything else. Quite harsh, but usually the reality of Borderline Personality Disorder is.

It Was a wonderfull journey, to understand my love one and specially to understand myself we all are emotional as we are human beings, bit to be able to see we are dual and to see that if we love ourself we can love purely is an enlighten moment. Thankyou Kiera for a passionate experience.