Expert guidance on the assessment and treatment of borderline personality disorder

Learn about the diagnostic work-up
Succinct and comprehensive information on dialectical behavior therapy
Explores the role of pharmacotherapy
Illustrated with case vignettes
Printable tools for clinical use



More about the book


Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a complex, serious, and often chronic disorder that can push the clients themselves and around them to their emotional limits. People with borderline disorders can be helped with the use of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), originally developed by Marsha Linehan, and there is a solid evidence base for this. In this book, DBT expert Martin Bohus summarizes the diagnosis, assessment, and treatment of the borderline person in inpatient and outpatient settings for the busy practitioner.

The volume outlines the ins and outs of the diagnostic work-up as well as models for the development of BPD. The author skillfully guides the reader through DBT process for BPD: outlining the basic principles of DBT, the therapeutic modules, and how to manage the different stages of therapy. This includes addressing the rules of relationship building, how to carry out skills training, as well as exploring different therapeutic strategies and methods, such as behavioral analyses, validation, contingency management, and dealing with suicidal thoughts and dissociation. To round this off, information is also provided on pharmacotherapy, the efficacy of DBT, and other evidence-based approaches. Case vignettes throughout the book and a detailed DBT diary card in the appendix make this an invaluable resource for practitioners working with people with borderline personality disorder.