Of the 10 Personality Disorders (PDs) that are identified and defined in the DSM-5, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is the most well-researched, affecting approximately 1.6% of the general population and up to 20% of individuals in psychiatric inpatient populations. BPD is characterized by hypersensitivity to rejection, leading to a pervasive pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships, self-image, affect, and behavior, with marked impulsivity, and frequently co-occurs with traits of other Cluster B PDs. Individuals with BPD may experience high levels of functional impairment, exhibit behaviors such as chronic self-harm or suicide attempts, and often have difficulty with social and occupational success, making it imperative that individuals with BPD receive a proper diagnosis and are referred to evidence-based treatment.

This presentation will outline key concepts related to BPD, including: etiology, a description of symptoms and characteristics of individuals with BPD, cultural and diversity considerations, and treatment options. A brief case study will be presented to illustrate the difficulties faced by individuals who have BPD, and their families. 

About the Presenter:

Dr. Krista Kircanski earned her Psy.D. from Pepperdine University in 2015, and completed her postdoctoral training at The Center for Emotional Health (CEH) of Greater Philadelphia, before joining the team as a Staff Psychologist. Having formative clinical training in the areas of Anxiety, OCD, and related disorders, as well as trauma-informed treatment and PCIT, Dr. Kircanski works with children and adults who present with a variety of complex clinical issues. In 2021, Dr. Kircanski became increasingly interested in learning more about Personality Disorders (PDs), after a personal experience that affected her life significantly. Becoming more aware of the patterns exhibited by individuals with PDs, Dr. Kircanski is now more able to easily recognize these patterns in others. This includes her own patients, and patients who are in familial, romantic, or social relationships with people who exhibit these same patterns. Dr. Kircanski aims to share this knowledge more widely within the field of psychology, as it was not well-represented in her own clinical training program.

Thank you to the Friends of CHPL and the Jewish Community Foundation for their generous support of this series.