Beyond the Borderline

My new podcast has arrived!  Check out the trailer to find out more. 

In case you didn't get the hint from the episode title, I struggle with this season.  In this episode I cover the DBT distress tolerance skull called IMPROVE and how you can use it to make the holidays a bit less... hellish.  If you love this time of year you will still find useful strategies to use when life is hard.  PODCAST UPDATE: I will be continuing to put out new episodes PLUS adding anothe...

I had a burst of energy today, so while the podcast is still officially Beyond the Borderline I wanted to share something I've learned through DBT therapy that has been a revelation to me: the difference between flopping and resting.  I never understood why I have regular urges to literally curl up into a fetal position from sheer emotional and mental exhaustion, and zone out into numbness. And wh...

Well, it's been a while..  again. I decided to move the podcast in a new direction for 2025, to reflect my own evolution into a certified fitness coach and personal trainer. The focus will be fitness and mental health, from different angles.  Stay posted for a podcast name change, with the same focus on mental health advocacy AND professional fitness and nutrition advice. 

While I am NOT a certified mental health professional I am a certified personal trainer and nutrition advisor. In this episode - topic suggested on the podcast's Instagram account - I share 5 ways that lifting weights can support your mental health. I also offer tips on how to get started. The first half of the episode covers some of my history with eating disorders, alcohol and drug abuse. While...

Christmas can be a stressful time whether you're surrounded by people or alone. I decided to put out an impromptu episode with 5 tips for coping with the day with the minimum of suffering and self-sabotage. I mentioned the Samaritans in this episode. It's a UK based service. in the US you can access a suicide prevention hotline by dialling 998. Leave a review and follow the podcast on Instagram @b...

Where is the podcast headed? My experience of being in a relationship and being ghosted, and what's helping me navigate this. This content is not a substitute for professional mental health support.

After a sizeable break the podcast is back! in the time I have been away I qualified as a personal trainer and bodybuilding coach, and I am currently training to be a nutritional coach. My aim is to keep the focus on recovery from BPD and other mental health challenges while adding a fitness and nutrition element!

Part 1 of my interview with Dr. Parvinder Shergil, a Psychiatrist working within the NHS who is also a film maker and podcaster working tirelessly to combat stigma towards mental illness and create new narratives about mental health struggles, and recovery. Her podcast, The Mental Health Book Club, has won an award from The Royal College of Psychiatrists and is available here: https://www.mentalhe...

I’m delighted to announce that Beyond the Borderline has a new sponsor: COPE NOTES! Founded by peer advocate, suicide survivor, speaker and musician Johnny Crowder, COPE NOTES is a research based mental health support tool that brings you daily texts including peer support plus tips, tools and exercises created by mental health professionals, all for under $10 per month. And it’s available interna...

In this episode I interview stand up comedian, 4 time TedX speaker and suicide prevention advocate Frank King about his history of depression and suicidal ideation, and how he uses humour as a weapon in his suicide prevention advocacy work. TRIGGER WARNING: This episode includes frank discussions of suicide and suicidal ideation. If you are currently suicidal or at risk of self harm in the UK you...

Warning! This episode is me rambling a lot. That said I do my best to take on a topic suggested by listeners - Jealousy and BPD. As always I share tips, tools, strategies and real life examples of my own ( as a person with BPD who gets jealous) ... of feeling jealousy and figuring out how deal with it. Books referred to in the episode: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Skills-Training-Handouts-Worksheets-S...

This month I bring you an interview with multifaceted mental health advocate Johnny Crowder. Johnny Crowder is a 27-year-old suicide/abuse survivor, touring musician, mental health advocate, and the Founder & CEO of Cope Notes, a text-based mental health resource. Whether speaking at events or on the road with his band, Prison, Johnny's firsthand experience with multiple mental health diagnoses (r...

Gabby is the blogger and author behind Normal is Too Mainstream, a blog devoted to sharing her journey and favourite ways of coping with BPD, anxiety and depression. In this episode I interviewed Gabby about how advocacy and creativity via blogging help her deal with BPD. We also touch on DBT skills, how to help a loved one with BPD, useful books on BPD and more! You don’t want to miss this episod...

In this episode of Beyond the Borderline I walk you through how to make your very own Coping Tool Box. Making a Coping Tool Box is a fun, creative way to put together a set of personalised tools you can access at any time of day or night to manage difficult thoughts, emotions and situations. Articles about making a Coping Toolbox: https://lighthouseemotionalwellness.com/Creating-a-Coping-Skills-To...

The whole world is in lockdown right now due to the unprecedented Covid-19 health crisis. Everyone’s mental and emotional health is being tested, and, for those of us with BPD and other long term mental and emotional health challenges, the stress of the current situation may be adding to our vulnerabilities. In this episode I share some of the coping strategies that are helping to keep me (relativ...

It’s a fact: despite the UK’s National Health Service many of us with BPD (and other mental health conditions) do not get the kind of professional mental health support we need. This episode is not intended as a substitute for professional care. Rather, it’s a review of 10 tools I find helpful as part of my self-care and support system as I do my best to navigate living with BPD.

A listener suggestion prompted this episode on memory problems and BPD. In this episode I explore some of my experiences with memory problems as part of BPD and Depression, and I share 5 tips to help with memory problems associated with mental health. Body scan meditation: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OS_iqfGjL78&t=619s.

In this minisode I discuss the DBT skill called Teflon Mind, and share an example of how I adapted it to suit my needs over the holiday period. Article about Teflon Mind: https://www.anythingtostopthepain.com/dbt-skill-of-the-day-teflon-mind-from-mindfulness-module/

Splitting, a common BPD symptom, causes many of us to act impulsively and self destructively. In this minisode I discuss strategies for managing splitting episodes without ruining relationships, hurting ourselves and compromising our values.

The topic of boundaries is a massive one. I may do several episodes on the topic! In this one I draw on an article by Dr. Arielle Schwartz )”Boundaries and the Self”) to bring you five simple yet not easy practices you can use to cultivate more loving and effective boundaries in your life. Article referenced in the episode: https://drarielleschwartz.com/boundaries-and-the-self-dr-arielle-schwartz/...

BPD folk often become extremely romantically obsessed with unavailable people. In this episode I describe my current struggle with obsession and what I’m doing to overcome it.

What is hypomania, how is it different to mania and how do you cope with it? This episode of Beyond the Borderline offers answers to these questions.

I discuss why many of us with BPD (and other mental and emotional health problems) struggle with happiness and joy, and examine some coping strategies and tools to help us tolerate these essential emotions.