Internal Family Systems Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) involves intense emotional ups and downs, unstable relationships, impulsivity, and a poor sense of self. These challenges often lead to addiction, self-harm, and frequent use of healthcare services. While certain treatments already in practice - such as dialectical behavior therapy - can help, they don't work for everyone or address all aspects of the disorder. This study plans to explore internal family systems (IFS) therapy, a method that views the mind as made up of different "parts" - each with its own thoughts and feelings. IFS helps people build understanding and compassion toward these parts and connect with a calmer, more centered "Self." This may be especially useful for those with BPD, who often feel fragmented and extremely critical of themselves and others. This will be the first study to examine internal family systems therapy for BPD. The participants (15 in total) will receive up to 50 individual sessions over 15 months. Changes in symptoms and overall mental health will be measured at four points during the study. People with lived experience of BPD will help shape the research to ensure it is relevant, respectful, and useful for others facing similar challenges.