Family and friends group
“If I had accessed this group earlier, I would have saved myself and my family an enormous amount of suffering.”
P. husband of wife with BPD, Feb 2022
Below is a record of the monthly meetings of the group with supplementary materials used in the training component of the meeting. We hope you find these of use.
The Family & Friends Group has been operating continuously since 2015. It exists to support family members, to encourage learning about BPD and all it encompasses, and focuses on developing the techniques that work to improve relationships, especially with our loved one with BPD. In our Family and Friends Group people learn how to support their loved ones, not enable them.
If you wish to join the group, please contact barb@bpdcommunity.com.au or feel free to call Barb on 0409 952 754.
We meet via Zoom, at the same time on every third Tuesday at 6.30pm. Bookings are through Eventbrite every month. See the link in the appropriate month below.
6.30pm, 16 August 2022 - self-compassion, self acceptance
If we understand ourselves and the way we think, how we feel and how we behave, then we can begin to practice self acceptance and self compassion. The core element of self acceptance is being non-judgemental; the core elements of self compassion are gratitude for what we have and giving loving kindness to ourselves.
Check out your self compassion score here with this simple test: can doing this test help you understand yourself better? Learn more about self acceptance and self compassion in our next session:
Our Family & Friends Group meets at 6.30pm, every third Tues of the month, on Zoom.
Click here to book: BOOKINGS
For enquiries, contact Barb: barb@bpdcommunity.com.au or call on 0409 952 754
6.30pm, 19 July 2022 - radical acceptance
Pain as we all know, is unavoidable, so Radical Acceptance is a skill that's designed to not eliminate that pain, but to keep that pain from turning into suffering. Radical acceptance involves being non judgemental.
We can change our unhelpful thinking into acceptance with no ifs or buts, no mental turmoil. Learn more about this in our next session.
Our Family & Friends Group meets at 6.30pm, every third Tues of the month, on Zoom.
Click here to book: BOOKINGS
For enquiries, contact Barb: barb@bpdcommunity.com.au or call on 0409 952 754
6.30pm, 21 June 2022 - Mindfulness
Dicotomous thinking is when you think in black and white, it is all or nothing thinking, and this is so common in the world of BPD. It is one of a few unhelpful thinking styles we will consider this coming F&F Group. And we will learn the benefit of benign interpretation as a way to build a more positive relationship with others. We focus on how mindfulness supports us to make the changes in our thinking that we want to make. Click on the picture opposite to download and pdf explaining unhelpful thinking. Join us to learn more.
Our Family & Friends Group meets at 6.30pm, every third Tues of the month, on Zoom.
Book your free ticket here: BOOKINGS
For enquiries, contact Barb: barb@bpdcommunity.com.au or call on 0409 952 754
6.30pm, 17 May, 2022 - on being grateful
To develop a grateful attitude to life requires conscious practice. Those of us who have developed a negative predisposition often as a protective mechanism, to avoid disappointment, might find the thought of developing an attitude of gratitude a bit twee or over the top. But really, it is not. Developing a grateful approach often means changing our default thinking patterns. This requires repeated practice and changing our mind is not that easy. Join us as we learn more about how our mind works and gratitude helps.
Our Family & Friends Group meets at 6.30pm, every third Tues of the month, on Zoom.
Book your free ticket here: BOOKINGS
For enquiries, contact Barb: barb@bpdcommunity.com.au or call on 0409 952 754
"You are teaching me to actively empower my BPD person and enable better mental health for them."
(J. mother of a daughter with BPD, April 2022)
6.30pm, april 19, 2022 - emotions and mindfulness
Mindfulness involves non judgmental attention to present-moment experience. Research indicates that practising mindfulness can support neural pathways that can address emotional dysregulation by 1) reducing automatic negative self-evaluation, 2) increasing tolerance for negative affect and pain, and 3) helps to engender self-compassion and empathy. Learn more at our next F&F Group!
Our Family & Friends Group meets at 6.30pm, every third Tues of the month, on Zoom.
Book your free ticket here: BOOKINGS
For enquiries, contact Barb: barb@bpdcommunity.com.au or call on 0409 952 754
6.30pm, march 15, 2022 - Boundaries and emotions - on zoom!
Just as there are basic physical needs for our survival, there are some essential emotional needs. In this months session we learn about the relationship between boundaries and meeting our emotional needs. The video link opposite talks about 8 fundamental emotional needs that we all have, the very basic, primary emotional needs. In this session we will explore how these translate into everyday life and what we can do to meet our own emotional needs.
Our Family & Friends Group meets at 6.30pm, every third Tues of the month, on Zoom.
Book your free ticket here: BOOKINGS
For enquiries, contact Barb: barb@bpdcommunity.com.au or call on 0409 952 754
"I have learnt so much about my own behaviours through tonight's training on the 10 Laws of Boundaries. This has been so useful. Thankyou"
(J. mother of a son with BPD, Feb 2022)
february 15, 2022 - The ten laws of boundaries
Laws exist to spell out the behaviours we expect everyone to live by and they usually have consequences when they are broken. We expect laws to be fair. The 10 Laws of Boundaries are universal in that they spell out to us what happens if we follow these laws, or not. They explain what happens when our boundaries are clear or not. With the 10 Laws of boundaries, we learn how to improve our relationships with others when our boundaries are fair, reasonable and consistent.
To access and download the 10 Laws of Boundaries, click on the image opposite.
This month you can book your place at our next F&F Group through the link here: Bookings
For enquiries, contact Barb: barb@bpdcommunity.com.au or call on 0409 952 754
"Joining this group has felt like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
It is a wonderful support network of those who understand exactly what I am going through." (M, mother, Jan 2022)
january 17, 2022 - boundaries
It can be the last thing we want to think about, but boundaries can define our relationships with others. It is so important to work at getting it right. Here are some thoughts:
1. Boundaries facilitate relationships. They exist to let people in, not keep them out.
2. Boundaries are about your behaviour. We cannot control the behaviour of others, only our own.
3. Boundaries are protective not punitive. Boundaries are not for punishment.
4. Boundaries are about both protection and containment. Boundaries help us feel safe and they define how we behave with others.
Nothing is sustainable without boundaries.