You and Me and BPD

In this episode, I talk about why I choose to identify as a disabled person and how my disabilities affect my everyday life. July is Disability Pride Month, a time for disabled individuals to speak only about how they are thriving (or surviving) in a world where they have historically been treated as less than. In my personal experience, living with both BPD and Autism, as well as my chronic pain condition, is disabling. My life is made up of accommodations I have put in place that help me to not feel as overwhelmed as I am and I am not afraid to embrace the identity of being disabled because that's the reality I live in. Some people might not agree that autism or BPD can be disabling but I hope that this episode serves as a reminder that many disabilities are hidden; many times, we have been forced to push ourselves so hard to fit into the world that we can't even begin to understand what accommodations we need or how we are struggling. It doesn't have to be this way. Thank you so much for listening to my words and giving me the space to process my thoughts. Sending you all my love 💕 if you want to talk further, feel free to message me on my Instagram @journeh.bound

In this episode, I sat down with Sara from the Bold Beautiful Borderline podcast to talk about her work as a therapy provider while living with BPD (and other co-morbid diagnosis'). Sara joined me virtually and we chatted about why she chose the field of Social Work, how her lived experiences influence the work she does, and how we can handle the balance of taking care of our mental health while also working in a helping profession. Towards the end of our conversation, Sara mentioned a group that she facilitates called Super Feelers that might interest some of you who need support in a group setting (more information can be found on the website for her podcast boldbeautifulborderline.com) 💗 If you want to reach out to Sara, she can be found on instagram @saraswellnessway or on the page for her podcast @boldbeautifulborderline 🖤

In this episode, I explain some of the things I've learned about living with panic attacks and how to manage their aftermath. The first part of this episode details some core DBT Skills that I've begun to incorporate into my daily routines to help with my understanding of where anxiety exists in my body, and how to manage my anxiety levels. I am a sensory seeking individual so many of these tips have to do with touching parts of your body or using cold water to facilitate a deeper sense of calm within my being. My therapist has suggested the use of TIPP skills to ease my anxious thoughts so I tried to share a couple that I've found to be beneficial. After a quick discussion about how I experience anxiety attacks, I speak on what things I need after I have experienced these intense emotional outbursts. Every person who lives with anxiety will experience it differently so please take this episode as a conversation starter for you to begin to understand how you can better support yourself or others. As always, my Instagram DMs are open for discussions or simply to say hi so please do not hesitate to reach out @journey.bound 💗 Anxiety is a very common symptom of mental illness but not everyone feels comfortable talking so openly about how it manifests for them. You do not need to struggle alone my friends.

In this episode, Jay and I sat down to talk openly about what sex and intimacy mean in our marriage. While this episode doesn't directly cover topics pertaining to BPD, I hope that this type of honest conversation about my panic attacks and how we navigate engaging in sex can open the door for you to talk more openly to your partner(s) about how you view your own sexual needs. Consent should always be the foundation of any healthy relationship and communication about what you enjoy or how things have changed for you is an integral part of building an intimate partnership. I know it can be hard to talk openly about sex so if you are struggling to know what to say or how to ask for what you want, please know you are not alone in that. It's taken many years for me to even begin to be comfortable speaking about my sex life and I hope this episode serves as a reminder that there is no one-way-fits-all when it comes to engaging in sex with your partner(s). As always, if you have any recommendations for episode suggestions please reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound and we can talk.

Hello and welcome back to the podcast! I can't believe this has been going on since 2020 and people still want to hear what I have to say but I am so thankful for every person who has given me the space to express myself through this medium. This season will definitely be more real and raw, more authentic to where I am in life and how I am navigating the world. I hope you join me on this next season and maybe learn a thing or two about how to manage your own mental health. If you want to reach out to talk or be a guest on the podcast, please contact me through Instagram @journey.bound ✨ I say this every time but I truly love you and think you have so much to offer to this world just by being who you are. See you in the next episode.

Thank you for every bit of support and love that you have shown me and this podcast. I hope that my experiences and sharing has helped you to feel less alone and find more self compassion on this healing path. This episode is an end to Season Four and encapsulates some of the lessons I've been learning throughout this year. I truly never expected this podcast to be something that I would continue to create past the first season so to get to the end of season four is truly remarkable to me. As I enter my time of rest for the winter, I am sending you all positive thoughts and loving kindness to carry you into the new year. If you have any suggestions for new episodes for next season, or just want to reach out to chat, feel free to connect with me over on my Instagram @journeh.bound 💞 May you accept change in every way it manifests in your life. See you in 2024.

Today, October 10th, is World Mental Health Day. I decided to record this episode to share some things I've learned about living with BPD, mainly targeted towards those who are just beginning to explore their own mental health, i.e teens/early 20s folks, and might need some encouragement. I asked people on my Instagram stories @journey.bound for things they'd want to tell their younger self and formed this episode out of those replies. If you walk away with anything from this talk, I hope it is to remember to be kind to yourself and know that you are not alone. Sometimes when we are struggling, we think that no one else can possibly understand what is going on with us but that isn't true; so many people are feeling overwhelmed with life and the more we open up about our struggles, the more we can lean on each other for support. You are TRULY not alone. I love you for all that you are and all you will be 💕

*TRIGGER WARNING : Talk of Religious Ideology & Childhood Religious Teachings* In today's episode, I sat down with Becca to discuss the way that religious ideologies - specifically from a Christian perspective - can impact our mental health journeys. This topic was requested from a listener of the podcast and although it is not specifically related to BPD, the religious trauma that many of us live with can impact the way we heal and understand the role of mental health in our lives. Religious Trauma is a very nuanced topic so I approached Becca with the hope that her lived experiences, combined with her psychotherapy background, would provide a solid ground on how to speak about ways people can learn to rewrite the narratives they were told for most of their lives. Although we do critique the Christian religion, this episode is not meant to sway your opinion or make you feel like you have to step away from your faith; if anything, I hope this episode will show you that healing comes in many forms and sometimes the religious teachings we heard when we were younger might impede our healing process. If you have any more ideas for episodes or simply want to share your own experiences, please reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound 🌸 Thank you again to Becca for being a part of this discussion, you can reach her directly at beccasawyertherapy@gmail.com if you want any more resources or to check in with what she offers. One Final Note : You & Me & BPD just reached 70k listens and I hope you know I truly appreciate all the love and support that you have brought my way. This community is resilient and strong and so worthwhile so Thank you deeply 🖤🖤🖤

This episode is heavily inspired by the discography of Mitski, specifically the songs Love Me More, Nobody, and Should've Been Me. I decided to record this episode because romantic love is something that many of us crave or struggle to find, and I often get messages from listeners who are looking for advice on how to navigate their own relationships. In my personal life, the feeling of wanting to be loved pops up every once in a while and sometimes I feel ashamed or embarrassed that I crave so much love; sometimes it makes me feel weak or unworthy. When these craving feelings appear, I try to remind myself that self love is an important aspect to feeling fulfilled by relationships; we can't expect other people to fill us up when we don't know how to love ourselves and our flaws. This episode is very rambly but if you want to talk about Mitski or have any comments, feel free to message me on instagram @journey.bound ❤️ Sending you so much love friend.

*Trigger Warning : Discussion of Childhood Emotional Neglect* In this episode, we discuss the correlation between childhood neglect/abuse and the development of BPD. It is estimated that 30-90% of people with BPD have trauma relating to their childhood experiences so it is super important to be able to speak about our early memories as we begin to unpack our mental health. I will be drawing information about childhood development from my own background in the world of Early Childhood Education but I will also reference some information that can be found in a Front Psychiatry paper published in 2021, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8495240/ This episode will focus specifically around the topic of understanding Childhood Emotional Neglect as defined and explained by Healthline.com and I will share some of the experiences from my own childhood memories. Due to the trauma that I experienced, I have lapses of my childhood that I can't remember so therapy has been a huge benefit for me to speak openly about what happened and how to understand it wasn't my fault. Childhood Emotional Neglect is a tough conversation to tackle but I hope this conversation leaves you feeling seen and supported. As always, you can reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound if you want to talk 🌸 Sending you so much love and kindness.

In this episode, I sat down with Carly Krespan to talk about JDM Psychology and how it relates to Executive Dysfunction. Carly is a JDM specialist living with BPD and other comorbidities working as a health coach and career development advisor. Our conversation focused around explaining heuristics and how they function in our everyday life, as well as some of the ways that BPD has affected Carly in her past and present. Carly reached out to me over instagram and I really appreciate her willingness to have this conversation about the similarities between DBT therapy and JDM Psychology, as well as how a combination of both can be beneficial to us who struggle with making decisions and being effective in our planning. If you want to reach out to Carly she is available on Instagram and Facebook under the name @daturadxm or you can go to her website daturadxm.com directly. Carly has also been recently published in the Medical Education journal and you can find her article by looking up the title "Borderline Doctor: A Medical Students Struggle with Mental Health and Stigmatization (2023)." Thank you again to Carly for reaching out and being a part of the podcast.

In this episode, I try to provide an overview of what Executive Dysfunction is and some of the ways that it impacts our ability to function in our daily lives. To be honest, I struggled to make this episode because I found myself wondering how I could explain something that I personally struggle to accept within myself but I hope that presenting my thoughts has enabled you to feel more seen and validated in your own struggles for acceptance. Executive Dysfunction is sometimes labeled as "laziness" to those who don't understand how hard it can be to actually do the things that we know we need to do, which can cause further stigmatization when we feel like we are a failure for not being as capable as others. In reality, a lot of us are trying really hard to stay motivated and hopefully this conversation can be a catalyst for you to research more about this topic and allow yourself to find compassion during the times when you are really struggling. If you want to reach out, my Instagram messages are always open @journey.bound 🌸 Sending you so much loving kindness on this path of understanding.

In this very rambly episode, the conversation is focused on two important aspects of what it means to look for therapy 1. An explanation of different types of therapies that have been proven to be effective for the treatment of BPD and 2. Tips from my own personal experiences with therapy of what to look for in a good therapist. In the middle of this episode I mention the website I have used to find my own therapists, psychologytoday.com , but of course there are many other places you can find therapists online or in person. I do want to acknowledge how inaccessible therapy can be in terms of the economic toll sessions carry so I hope you can find good support systems in your life if you are unable to find an affordable therapist at this time. Feel free to reach out to me if you want to talk about anything I mentioned @journey.bound on Instagram and I can try to help as best as I can 🖤

In this episode, I speak about some tips to keep in mind as we begin to have conversations around our mental health struggles. So many of the messages I get about this podcast are from people who don't know how to explain their mental health to others so I figured it might be worthwhile to share some tips on things to keep in mind when you are wanting to begin talking about your own mental health. Here's a quick summary of some of the key points - 1. Find connections with other people who speak about experiences similar to your own i.e watch YouTube videos, listen to podcasts, look up hashtags on social media etc. 2. Think about the intention behind what you want to say; what are the reasons you want this conversation to happen and who do you want it to happen with? 3. Figure out what form of communication is best for you i.e writing a letter, texting, talking over the phone or email, or in person. Everyone has different ideas of what is comfortable so take the time to think about the different ways you might explain things to different people in your life. 4. Set a clear goal of what you want this conversation to lead to; do you simply want this other person to understand you better? Are you hoping they can be a supportive person during your struggles? 5. Remember to keep in mind the religious/cultural traditions of others and think about how much detail you want to give this other person. It's important to note that not everyone will have the same capacity for understanding so keeping yourself safe is key. I hope something in this episode is helpful for you and I hope this can encourage you to begin to open up to the people in your life. No one deserves to struggle alone and I am rooting for you to find happiness in this life 🖤

In this episode, I talk about the recovery process for BPD and how remission is possible over a long period of time. Do I think that BPD can be "Cured"? No. But I hope that this episode allows you to see how we can better understand the process of healing from this disorder and know that we are not alone in our struggles. Here are the links to the research papers I reference: 2015 Paper about Life Experiences with BPD https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/epdf/10.1177/070674371506000702 2019 Paper about Recovery from BPD https://bpded.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40479-019-0107-2#:~:text=Longitudinal%20studies%20have%20demonstrated%20that,and%2099%25%20%5B1%5D If you are interested in contacting me, you can reach out on my instagram @journey.bound 💕 I love getting messages and knowing what types of topics you might be interested in hearing. Sending you all so much love as we walk through life together.

In today's episode, I sat down with Sorcha - @sorchaminc on instagram - to speak about her diagnosis journey and how she understands BPD in her every day life. We touched on a variety of different topics ranging from her experiences with talk therapy to how we can better have compassion for ourselves when we experience tough emotions like anger or anxiety. I hope that you can listen to our conversation and find some pockets of wisdom in what we both share. As always, I appreciate you for being on this journey to healing with me and I hope that hearing Sorcha's experiences can help you to feel less alone if you are just beginning to explore how you can understand your own mental health. Feel free to reach out to me on instagram @journey.bound if you want to talk or have any episode suggestions. Sending you all so many virtual hugs 💕

Hello! Welcome Back to Season Four 😁 today's episode is a short introduction to some of the things I have planned for the next season of the podcast. I am super excited to record episodes again and also to announce that the Collective Stories Gallery is now live! It is best formatted to view on a laptop/computer as some of the pictures get cropped on mobile - collectivestoriesgallery.carrd.co - I want to extend a huge THANK YOU to those who submitted their pieces for this gallery and am so excited to see what this project becomes. As always, feel free to reach out on my instagram if you want to chat or have any episode suggestions @journey.bound 🖤 Thank you for much for being on this wild ride with me ☺️

Hello! This is the end of Season Three!!! Thank you so much for supporting this journey and being with me as we unpack mental health issues and learn to find some more compassion for ourselves. I am so grateful for the growth that this year has brought the podcast and for each of you who took the time to listen to these episodes. As I mention in this episode, there is still time to contribute to the Online Gallery I will be creating in the new year (the jotform can be found on my instagram Linktree) and the book I recommend is called Mindfulness for Borderline Personality Disorder by Blaise Aguirre and Gillian Galen. If you want to reach out to me, I can be found on my instagram @journey.bound and although I will be taking a break from posting and make episodes, I will still be free to message and connect with you - even just to tell you how much I value you being on this earth with me. Thank you so much again for all your support; this podcast is only alive because someone like you believed enough to listen and engage with it. I do not take any of this for granted and I hope you have a wonderful Winter season. Sending you so much love and calming energy 🖤💗💜

I am leading a Yin Yoga + Deep Relaxation class for my Buddhist group so I decided to record a Deep Relaxation Meditation for the podcast aswell. This meditation is focused on relaxing the body and creating more awareness of our internal feelings and sensations; it is typically done in a lying down position and can be a great practice to utilize when we are experiencing stress or anxiety. The actual meditation begins at the 4minute mark. Thank you for letting me share this beautiful practice with you 🖤💮

In today's episode, I sat down with Elyse Brouhard (@elyse_brouhard on Instagram) to talk about her zine, Handle with Care: Living and Coping with Borderline Personality Disorder. I reached out to Elyse over DM and I am so happy we got to have this conversation about her creative process and daily life living with BPD. If you want to check out the zine, it can be found on the Microcosm Publishing website https://microcosmpublishing.com/catalog/zines/14497 where you can purchase a physical copy. Submissions are still open for the online gallery that I mentioned in the last mini episode so if you want more information or to submit some art / writing pieces, head over to my Instagram @journey.bound and you can find all the information there. I hope our conversation helps you to feel less alone and you know that I am supporting you on your mental health journey 🖤💗

SUBMISSIONS ARE CLOSED!!! Hiya! This bonus episode is to let you know about the online gallery I am hoping to create called You and Me and BPD: Collective Stories. If you have any digital art, poems, short stories, or mixed media pieces associated with your experiences with BPD, I would be honoured if you submitted them using this form https://form.jotform.com/222973735144258 or go to the Linktree in my Bio on Instagram (@journey.bound ). There is a pinned post on my instagram profile for more information, but also feel free to reach out and DM me if you want clarification or need some assistance. The form will be open until December 31st, 2022 and can be done anonymously if you are worried about speaking openly about your experiences. Thanks for listening and talk to you soon 💗

This episode is all about love, specifically focusing on some of the issues that people with BPD face when they are trying to find romantic relationships. This topic is often spoken about from a very bias opinion, painting a picture of toxic relationships that are a direct result of BPD but I think it's important to note that many times, people with mental illnesses can be the victims of abusers and those who try to take advantage of our negative mental states. Obviously it's impossible to cover all aspects of why finding love is so hard for people with BPD but I try to give some reasoning behind why we might act the way we do, especially when it comes to being paranoid about people leaving us. The fear of abandonment is something that comes from deep within us, usually as a result of tumultuous childhood's and low self esteem. If we give our worth to someone else - putting them up on a pedestal where their love is all that matters - we might find ourselves feeling broken when we recognize that they can't fix us... They are human. Humans are not perfect, even if we desperately want them to be. The ability to change and grow is something that has to be supported. If you want to talk about this episode or just want to reach out, you can find me on instagram @journey.bound 🌸 I hope you find love that doesn't hurt you but helps you to heal and grow 🖤

In this episode, Jay joins me to discuss what Self Harm is and why people engage with this type of activity. This episode might be triggering to those who are not ready for this type of honest discussion so please be safe and feel free to skip this episode if you find at any point you are feeling overwhelmed 💗 We will be discussing some statistics that can be found in the Self Harm Toolkit https://www.suicideinfo.ca/local_resource/self-harm-and-suicide/ and talk about our own experiences with self harming in the form of cutting. According to researchers, 65-80% of people with BPD have used self harming as a form of emotional regulation, although it is important to remember that self harm can also be a symptom for other mental health illnesses such as depression or PTSD. As I hope we have explained, there are many reasons why people self harm and it is my goal that we continue to have these types of honest conversations to allow people to feel less stigmatized if they need professional help. Feelings are hard to manage alone so please don't hesitate to reach out on my instagram @journey.bound if you want to talk or need some more resources. I hope you know you are not alone in any of your struggles and I hope you find ways to experience this beautiful life in a way that is loving towards yourself and your body 🖤

*Please forgive my bad editing skills at the beginning* In this episode, I speak about my struggle to find meaningful work and how working can be hard for those with mental health disabilities. I haven't worked since mid-2020 and not working causes me a lot of anxiety, but trying to find a job that works for my physical and mental limitations is incredibly hard for me to find. A lot of people have a lot of opinions about why people choose not to work, but I honestly think working just doesn't seem fulfilling to some people and we could benefit a lot more from community based activities rather than trying to find a job to fill our days. Towards the end of this episode I speak a little more openly about my own thoughts and struggles so I hope this helps you to know that you are not alone if you are in the same boat. Life is hard my friends, so feel free to reach out on my instagram @journey.bound if you feel like you need someone to talk to. I'm not an expert about this topic but I try to speak openly and honestly so hopefully something in this is meaningful to you.

Here are some helplines if you feel triggered by this episode •TALK SUICIDE CANADA #1-833-456-4566 (45645 for text) •SUICIDE & CRISIS LIFELINE in America #988 to connect with a local Suicide prevention helpline •UK SUICIDE PREVENTION PHONE LINE #0800-689-5652. In this episode, we talk about the differences between Passive suicidal ideation and Active suicidal thoughts. We discuss some of the reasons people might choose to commit suicide, as well as how prevalent suicidal thoughts can be for people living with BPD. Many of us living with trauma will experience suicidal ideation - especially during times of heightened emotional distress - but we need to find people we can trust to speak only about what we are experiencing and even set a safety plan in place if we feel like we cannot handle our own inner thoughts. There should never be shame associated with speaking openly so I hope this conversation can help you to feel motivated to seek professional help if that is what you need. I want you to be here with me so feel free to reach out at any point over on my instagram @journey.bound and I can send you some resources or helplines. We are in this life together and I hope you know how important you are 🖤

In this episode, I try to contextualize the idea of Spiraling and how it can lead to what some people call a 'BPD Episode.' Spiraling, to me, is kind of like falling down the rabbit hole; it usually begins when I experience some negative self talk and can lead to feelings of existential dread or overwhelming sadness. For many people, Spiraling leads to 'Episodes;' times where we might lash out against others or experience rage because we have been triggered and don't know how to engage in safe emotional regulation. Episodes can last from a few minutes to sometimes hours or days, causing increased stress and physical exhaustion. In my experiences, it's important that I meet my spiraling with a lot of self compassion; remembering that I have experienced many of the same emotions before and providing myself the time to really sit with how I am feeling in a safe and mindful way. Therapy and having a safety plan if we become overwhelmed can be extremely helpful if you are just beginning to pay attention to your triggers and what an episode is like. BPD is a very individualized disorder; what works for one of us might not work for others so open communication is extremely important if you want to know how to help someone when they begin to spiral. Always remember that asking for help is a very brave thing to do; you are never alone in your struggles to get better. I am right there with you. If you want to reach out about this episode or just to talk, message me on instagram @journey.bound ❤️

In this episode, I sit down with Alicen - @alicenricard on instagram - who is one of the co-hosts of the Not Enough Spoons podcast. Alicen wrote an article called "To Those Who Don't Understand My Favourite Person Relationship (2020)" which I found when I was researching my Favourite Person episode from a while ago. I reached out to Alicen in May and asked her to be a part of the podcast so we could further discuss what a Favourite Person is and how to navigate this often intense relationship. I am so thankful to Alicen for sharing her time and experiences with me during this conversation. If you want to reach out to her, you can get in contact through the Not Enough Spoons Podcast page on instagram or message her directly. As always, I am sending you so much loving energy and hope that you gain some insight through this episode. If you want to be a guest or have any questions/comments, feel free to message me @journey.bound on instagram.

In this episode, I speak about the topic of Identity Disturbance; a clinical term used to describe the chronic symptom of unstable identity. Many people with BPD struggle with feelings of Identity Disturbance; they might feel like they don't understand who or why they are the way they are, and thus might start to self identify with things or people around them as they morph into a different version of their 'self'. I've struggled with this for most of my life; constantly trying to find something to ground my identity with so that I can feel more secure in who I am and how I exist in this world. I recently realized that this kind of fragmented self is who I am; I can't keep hoping or wishing I will become a less 'broken' individual. Self compassion is honestly one of the hardest lessons to learn because the world we live in is not built for those of us who live with trauma. This episode is very honest so if it resonates with you, feel free to reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound ; I hope you know that you are never alone and I love you with all your fragmented parts 🖤

In this episode, I touch on the topic of Comorbid Diagnosis before telling you a bit about my own journey to getting diagnosed as Autistic. Research estimates that 50-96% of people with BPD are living with a comorbid mental health condition, whether that is depression or anxiety, other mood disorders, or even substance abuse issues (to name a few). Understanding how to treat these comorbid diagnosis can be integral to our understanding of what BPD means for us, as we can get the treatment we need to be able to handle the emotional rollercoaster that BPD is. In regards to my Autism Journey, I talk about what my testing process was like, how long it took, and also the cost, because where I live, most adult services for Autism testing is paid out of pocket which makes it highly inaccessible for many people. I am thankful to those who have spent their time sharing their own autism stories as that is what prompted me to want to get tested, and am thankful for you to give me the space to talk about what it's like now living with both BPD and Autism. Life can feel incredibly lonely sometimes so I thank you for giving me the space to unpack my own mental health. As always, feel free to reach out if you liked this episode or relate to what I've spoken about @journey.bound in instagram and be kind to yourself 🖤 sending you so much love.

In this episode, I offer 5 tips on how we can support someone on their mental health journey. The majority of messages I get from people who listen to this podcast ask how they can support their partner, loved-one, or friend who has BPD. Offering support is such a beautiful thing to do but it can also leave people feeling confused or afraid of saying the wrong thing. The 5 tips I gave are : 1. Do your Research 2. Develop Open Communication 3. Practice Empathy 4. See the individual in the diagnosis and 5. Take care of your own personal mental health. Offering support to people needs to come from a loving perspective, not from a place of judgement or thinking that you can 'cure' someone else. These tips can also be applied to other mental health situations but I tried to keep it pretty specific with how BPD operates in individuals. If you have any comments or suggestions for future episodes, please reach out on instagram @journey.bound 🖤

Today's episode is a bit of a ramble; I'm not feeling the greatest and I decided to just talk about the reality of how mental illness can affect my daily life. I've been feeling this sense of impending sadness over the past few days - not being able to concentrate, feeling more pain than usual, feeling restless and distracted - and when I woke up, I knew it was going to be a hard day. Some days are like this; it can last for a few minutes to a few hours to the whole day, but as I've learned how to live with myself, the days become easier to manage. If any of this resonates with you, I hope you can reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound and I can give you my support and encouragement because it is not easy. Check in on your friends. Tell people you love them. And take care of yourself because I love you and want to see you be your best self 🖤

In this episode, I try to breakdown the 'Favourite Person' phenomenon that seems to have become synonymous with BPD due to the rise of social media forums which speak about this topic. A 'Favourite Person' is more than a best friend or intense romantic partner; they seem to represent some type of innate need that someone is looking for i.e they provide stability or affection or help someone to feel more secure in themselves. Sometimes, this dynamic can result in possessiveness and jealousy, other times it creates an imbalance in the relationship and can quickly become toxic. Therapeutically, there isn't a lot of research around this phenomenon but since 2020, the idea of a 'Favourite Person' has grown in popularity when you look at articles related to BPD and Google searches. I can't speak for everyone's experiences, but I try to provide some context about what I've been through and what I've learned by listening to others who have been through similar situations. If this episode spoke to you or you just want to reach out, please contact me on instagram @journey.bound . I hope you know you are strong and loved and resilient; I believe in you and I am rooting for your success ❤️

In this bonus episode, I decided to record a Guided Meditation to encourage you to find some sense of stillness and mindfulness in your every day life. The actual meditation starts around the 2min mark, with a short introduction before we begin. I meditate to work on my emotional resiliency during times of stress and to allow myself the space to work through my emotions. This was recorded in my backyard so I hope hearing the bird sounds won't be too distracting; I actually find that they help me to focus a little more on my breath. If you enjoyed this, please reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound and let me know! I know this is slightly different than the typical episodes but I hope you enjoy it. ❤️

This episode was inspired by a poll on my Instagram where I asked people if they would be interested in learning more about psychosis and hallucinations, especially within a BPD context. I start by providing some definitions and examples of what psychosis is, then I talk about my own experiences and how I've come to terms with understanding my own hallucinations. 3 in every 100 people will experience a psychotic episode in their life so it is extremely important for us to destigmatize this information and continue the conversation about how it can impact our daily lives. One thing I forgot to mention is the high comorbid rates within the BPD community so it is very possible that you could have BPD and schizophrenia or some other type of psychoeffective disorder; especially if you are experiencing psychosis on a regular basis. As always, reach out to me on my Instagram @journey.bound if you want to talk, have a question, or want access to any of the research I used. I know there is still a lot of unpacking to do around this topic so I hope that you continue your own research and learn that mental health is truly an individual journey, although it can be helpful to realize that none of us are every truly alone. Sending you so much love and healing 🖤🌸

In this episode, I decided to go back to the basics of what BPD is. I talk about the history of this mental illness, the 9 symptoms that are associated with getting a diagnosis, and some of the critiques or controversies around this often misunderstood disorder. I wanted to revisit the format of my first episode, The Basics, as I felt like my understanding of this mental illness has changed and shifted with the more research I have done and what I've learned from other therapists and people who live with BPD. As always, feel free to reach out to me on instagram @journey.bound and let me know what you think or just to say hello. I'm really happy about being back to making episodes and I am sending you so much love on your mental health journey 🖤🌼

Hello! Welcome back to Season Three of You and Me and BPD. I am so excited to be making new episodes again and to continue to get to connect with people who live with BPD and/or autism. As I mentioned in this episode, I was re-diagnosed with BPD at the end of August, along with the new diagnosis of being on the autism spectrum so this season will be slightly different from previous seasons because I have a different understanding of my mental health and overall well-being. This is just the beginning and I am so thankful for each of you who take the time to listen and connect with what I have to share. If you want to message me or have any questions, feel free to reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound and if you want to support me further, maybe check out https://www.buymeacoffee.com/youandmeandbpd 🖤🌼 Thank you for being you.

This is a little rambly episode where I sign off for the winter season. Winter, to me, is a time of deep introspection and rest so like last season, this podcast will be on hiatus until the spring (or summer, depends on how I feel). Thank you so much for listening and messaging and being a part of this little corner of the internet; I never expected anyone to listen to this podcast and I am continuously surprised that you enjoy what I have to say. This was my first time talking about being diagnosed with autism, which is still something I am figuring out. Thank you Thank you Thank you for being here and sharing this life with me. Sending you so much love and I hope we can meet one day when our paths cross again. 🖤🖤🖤 (If you want to reach out, you can message me on instagram @journey.bound . I will be taking a break from that page aswell for the winter so I might not see messages straight away).

In today's episode, Cordelia and I spoke about her journey to diagnosis, what BPD is like in her daily life, and some of the ways that she makes sure that she is taking care of herself. Cordelia reached out to me on my Instagram to be a part of this podcast and I am so happy I got to interview her today and see some of the similarities and differences between how we both experience this often misunderstood disorder. My hope for this podcast was to be able to find a community of people who are willing to be honest and open about their mental health and I am so thankful to each of you who listen to my ramblings and want to share your own experiences and life stories. Thank you again to Cordelia, you were wonderful and I hope this episode helps you to feel more confident in sharing your story. As always, feel free to reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound if you have comments, questions, or want to share your own experiences.

This episode is all about depression; what the symptoms are, some of the ways I've experienced depressive states, and how important it is to allow ourselves to feel our emotions in a safe way. There is some talk about suicide and self harm, so if you are not in the best mindset to hear about these topics please keep yourself safe and skip this episode. I tried to give some tangible tips of how we can learn to process our depression by 1. Naming what we feel (even if it's many feelings at once) 2. Allowing ourself space to feel these emotions and get them out of our body (ripping paper or journaling are some of my fave ways to do this) and 3. looking for triggers so we can better understand what might put us into these depressive episodes. Depression is a complicated topic and can be hard to understand if you have never experienced this type of intense sadness, although it is my belief that everyone will experience some form of depression at least once in their life. If you are struggling, there is no shame in getting help so please look up local helplines wherever you are so you can have a "safety plan" if you really need immediate aid. As always, I love you and I hope you know you are never alone in your struggles. Reach out if you want some added encouragement or have any suggestions for this podcast on my Instagram @journey.bound. 🖤🖤

In this episode, I sat down with my Mother and had a conversation about my childhood, trauma, setting boundaries, and how we have managed to navigate our relationship while living with mental health issues. We talk about how important it is to have open forms of communication, as well as how generational teachings factor in to parent-child relationships when it comes to talking about and understanding mental health. Our relationship had not always been as open as it is now, but we have learned how to respect each other as individuals as well as learn from each other about what we need to function. As always, feel free to reach out if you have any comments or feedback about this episode on my Instagram @journey.bound. I just wanted to let you know that you are loved and I am so proud of you for being here 💜

In this episode, I talk about how I experience loneliness. The feeling of loneliness is one of the most human feelings we can experience, but I know that it can be hard to explain and hard to vocalize why we feel the way we do. I touch on the topic of 'spiraling' - when one emotion or thought leads to another and it feels like you are falling into a bottomless pit - as well as some of the ways that loneliness can contribute to an overwhelming sense of emptiness if we are not honest about how we feel. I made this episode because I feel lonely nearly all the time, and many of the messages I receive have to do with people telling me that this podcast has helped them to feel less lonely in their mental health journeys. As always, feel free to reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound; I will always answer your messages and send you loving thoughts. I hope you know that you are never truly alone in this world; the earth is your home and you are a beautiful part of it. I love you 🖤 stay safe 🌻

In this episode, I provide a quick rundown of what BPD is and some things that I think are important to talk about when friends and family are trying to understand what this diagnosis means. Of the most important aspects to this conversation, I think the main takeaways are to have more compassion and patience for those with BPD as it is a hard condition to live with and our triggers can exist in manifest in many different ways. There are a lot of negative stereotypes and ideas on the internet so I wanted to give a more clear understanding of what families, friends, and partners can do to support their loved ones who might be living with BPD. As always, feel free to reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound if you found this episode helpful, or if you have any other ideas/suggestions for future episodes. Thank you for being here in this world; you are truly loved. 🖤

2/3rds of people with BPD will struggle with Substance Abuse & Addiction issues. With the warmer weather and people starting to get excited for lockdowns to end, many of us will be put in situations where we can't hide our addictions any longer. This episode is to encourage you, spread awareness about the connection between BPD and addiction, and hopefully let you know that you are not alone in your struggles. From being addicted to food, self harm, or alcohol/drugs, addiction touches so many people in so many different ways and creates real harm for our bodies, our minds, and our relationships to the people we love. If you need help, here are a few resources...... WELLNESS TOGETHER CANADA #1-866-585-0445..... KIDS HELP PHONE #1-800-668-6868..... ADDICTIONS HOTLINE AMERICA #866-315-9123..... Please take care of yourself and find people to support you as you figure out what works for your life and what doesn't 🖤 As always, if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for episodes, reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound

This is a short meditation practice using the breath. The actual practice starts around 12mins. These are the 4 statements we will be repeating to ourselves :::: A) Breathing in, I am aware of the in breath + Breathing out, I am aware of the out breath B) Breathing in, I am aware of the breath in my body + Breathing out, I am aware of the breath leaving my body C) Breathing in, I am calm + Breathing out, I am relaxed D) Breathing in, I am alive + Breathing out, I am here. 🖤 feel free to use any of these statements whenever you need a moment of mindfulness or to formulate your own longer practice.

Hello! Thank you a thousand times over for a year of this podcast. I am so thankful to every one of you who have given me a space to talk and connect and feel supported by this amazing online community we have created. Today's episode is about stress management, specifically how to make sure we are taking care of ourselves before things become so overwhelming we can't handle our emotions anymore. Personally, I struggle a lot with anger issues and trying to make sure I'm not taking out my negativity on the people around me so I figured maybe talking about how I handle and cope with stress/anxiety/physical pain can be a good introduction to incorporating mindfulness and meditation techniques into your life. Mindfulness, to me, is the act of being aware of your emotions and your reactions. It is a tool that can help us feel fully alive in this world, to be connected and take life one moment at a time. Meditation is a practice, something that takes dedication and effort to see results. Meditation is not 'clearing your mind of all thoughts' but rather coming home to your body, your mind, and your spirit in order to feel more at ease in this world. I truly believe that every person can benefit from having a meditation practice and I hope you check out the practice I have recorded for you to begin to learn how to meditate and use mindfulness in your every day life. As always, feel free to reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound if you have any comments or questions or just want to talk 🖤

In today's episode, I decided to talk about some of the self doubt I struggle with on a near constant basis. I talk a bit about Imposter Syndrome and how it relates to BPD, as well as many of my daily experiences when it comes to formulating my idea of 'self' and how I try to handle self doubt when it comes into my life. One suggestion I have for those of you who are struggling with self doubt is to take the time to really figure out who you are, not who you want to be, but what things make you YOU. I have a list of 1-4 statements/ideas which seem to be core to my sense of self that remind me of me when I start to feel myself losing touch with who I am. The last 5-10 mins of this episode is just me talking and forgetting I was recording so please just accept these honest, unedited stream of consciousness. This episode is weird 🖤 as always, reach out on Instagram @journey.bound if you want to talk or have an idea for an episode or whatever. Love you always 💗

In this episode, I talk about the aspect of 'reframing a situation' as it pertains to how we look at and understand what it means to live with Borderline Personality Disorder. A lot of my podcast is about spreading awareness and advocacy for the struggles we face, but honestly, it can be hard to talk from this kind of 'suffering' perspective when in reality, there are some pretty awesome things we get from living with this condition. Deep empathy, self awareness, and our intuitive way of being are a couple of the silver linings I see when I explore what BPD means to me. If you have any other silver linings or opinions about what your experience is, let me know on my Instagram @journey.bound. {{side note: I want to start monthly meditations as part of this podcast. Mindfulness and meditation have been the greatest teachers of my life and I really want to share some of my techniques with all of you. Let me know if you are interested}}

In this episode, I sit down with my partner and talk about how we handle the emotional rollercoaster of BPD in our relationship. Many of the messages I get from people who listen to the podcast are from people who are dating or married to someone with BPD so I thought a convo with my husband might provide some insight from a different perspective about what BPD means to us. We talk about apologizing and the benefits of being open with your partner, as well as how we important dialogue is when talking about issues or problems. As always, reach out if you have any comments or suggestions for future episodes on my Instagram @journey.bound.

In this episode, we look into how living with BPD or mental illnesses can affect how we are in the world and how we relate to others. Chronic mental illness changes everything about your being... how you see the world, and how you see yourself, so I think it is super important to talk about ways we can continue to hold ourselves accountable to others and responsible for our actions. In my opinion, self reflection is one of the most important parts of being able to learn from our past, how it relates to in our present, and how we can be better in the future. If we hold ourselves accountable for our actions after they have happened, we learn how to trust that we will not cause ourselves or others pain. When we learn how to be responsible before things happen, then we can gain greater agency in our lives and our emotions. As always, reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound if you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for later episodes. Thank you for being you.

Hey! It's been a while. This is a mini episode as an intro to season two of You, Me, and BPD. I am so thankful to all of you who have sent me messages about this podcast and how it has helped. Sometimes, talking into the abyss of the internet is scary, but I feel so seen and honoured to support you all on your journeys of understanding BPD and how it affects you. As always, don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions about this podcast on my Instagram page @journey.bound. Sending you all so much love.

Hello friends. First of all, thank you for being here. For existing as you do. For being who you are. This podcast has been something so fundamentally life changing and empowering and I am so thankful you have come along for the ride. Winter, for me, is always a time to rest and dive deep into who I am and where I am going, so I will be taking a break until the new year to really recuperate and learn from the lessons of what this year has taught me. Living with a mental illness is not a easy, but it can become something that gives you so much insight into yourself and why you are the way you are. I hope you find time to rest, to step away from the eyes of others and to hold space for yourself to grow. To plant seeds of growth and healing. Season Two will be more of this style of podcast; raw, emotional, just talking. That's the way I live and I hope that I can share my insights and downfalls with you over this crazy internet space. Thank you Thank you Thank you for being here. For being in this world with all of the gifts and talents you bring. I pray you find ways to create meaning in this world and that you know I am rooting for you. If you want to talk or say hi or have any comments/questions, get in touch over on Instagram @journey.bound. I'll see you in the new year. Sending you love. Stef 🖤

In this episode, I explain my concept of the self through the Fragmented Reality I experience on a near daily basis. I often can't recognize who I am, what I want, or how I exist in this world so I figured that it would be good to talk this out in case any of you have felt this way before. If you experience this type of fragmentation of self, I hope you know that you are not alone and that you deserve to be here in whatever way you can be. If you have any suggestions for episodes or comments about this topic, reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound and we can talk. Thanks for listening and thanks for being here along with me.

In this episode, I tackle the topic of receiving a diagnosis of BPD and some of the next steps you can take once you have been diagnosed. In my opinion, a diagnosis is a way to gain clarity of why you are the way you are so that you can decide what you want to work on to better yourself and your life. This suggestion was given to me by someone who listens to the podcast so I really appreciate being able to talk about my experience and give you some guidance of how you can begin to explore this world of mental illness. As always, reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound if you have any suggestions, comments, or just want to talk.

In this episode, I talk about my experiences with Tik Tok and Instagram; as well as how social media can impact a person's perception of themselves and having BPD. To be completely honest, I don't like social media very much because I've struggled a lot with finding my voice and dealing with the constant regret I have after posting something to my platforms, but we are social animals and sometimes it's nice to find community online. As always, reach out on Instagram @journey.bound if you have any comments, questions, or recommendations for future episodes. Hope this helps you in some way.

In this episode, I address the phenomenon of Black and White thinking (also known as splitting in therapeutic settings). I tried to address how it affects our way of looking at the world, some tips for how to identify this kind of viewpoint of life, and where this type of thinking might originate from. Black and White thinking can be extremely hard to navigate and understand so please take the time to do more research if this sounds like something you are struggling with. As always, reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound if you want to talk or have any episode ideas.

In this episode I try to break down the main causes of Stigma for those living with Mental Illnesses and how stigma within the healthcare system can often lead to a misdiagnosis of BPD. I touch on how mainstream media views those living with BPD as well as some of the gendered stigma associated with receiving this diagnosis. As always, if you want to get in touch, reach out to me on Instagram @journey.bound if you have an episode idea or just want to talk. Breaking the stigma around Mental Health disorders means many different things to many different people but since this is a podcast specifically about BPD, I tried to centre on the research and experience of this specific mental illness.

In this episode I wanted to address the common feelings of inferiority, lack of motivation, and low self esteem that many of us live with. Sometimes it can feel like we are in a battle against the world or our ideas of self, but I hope with this episode you know that you are not alone in those struggles; I hope you can see that we are all just trying to find a way to accept ourselves and each other more, despite the flaws we may have. This podcast is a way for me to unpack my own feelings while also starting conversations with those who might not be able to speak up so loudly about their own experiences. Please reach out on my Instagram @journey.bound if you want to talk or have any ideas/opinions about what future episodes I can make. I hope that we can find community in our shared experiences.

In this episode, I sat down with my husband and reflected on our first year of dating and how BPD affected our initial relationship. We met in summer 2015 and I got diagnosed in January of 2016, so my husband saw all the ups and downs that lead to me finally receiving a diagnosis. It was a hectic, intense, and emotional time but here we are, being able to reflect back and share what we learned. Hopefully, this can help offer some insight into what dating is like while living with BPD and how it might affect your partnership.

In this episode, I wanted to touch on the ways that traumatic experiences can trigger dissociation for those who live with BPD. I explained a bit about the theoretical ways that dissociation is understood, as well as the ways I’ve experienced trauma and believe that the dissociation I experience is a result of that trauma.

This is episode 1 of You and Me and BPD. I tried to provide a background of the symptoms of this disorder, some of the complications in getting a diagnosis, and a little bit of context of my own experiences living with this disorder.