Being Well with Forrest Hanson and Dr. Rick Hanson BPD with Dr. Blaise Aguirre
Dec 8, 2025
Dr. Blaise Aguirre, a child and adolescent psychiatrist and medical director at McLean Hospital, dives deep into Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). He discusses extreme emotional sensitivity and its links to self-hatred and suicidality, shedding light on why patients with BPD often resonate with him as a clinician. Techniques like mindfulness and dialectical thinking are explored, along with ways to challenge self-critical narratives. Aguirre emphasizes stigma reduction and the potential for growth and healing in those with BPD.
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Modern Uncertainty Amplifies Emotional Pain
- Young people face amplified uncertainty today from job market shifts and AI, which worsens emotional distress.
- Blaise Aguirre warns this fuels mistrust in institutions and personal minds, increasing risk for BPD-like suffering.
Sensitivity Turns Normal Pain Into Trauma
- Emotional sensitivity in BPD is like a severe allergic reaction: normal losses become unbearable.
- Aguirre compares intense emotional pain to third-degree burns, explaining suicidality risk.
Build 'Brakes' By Learning DBT Skills
- Learn emotion-regulation skills rather than blaming personality or past alone.
- Aguirre: use DBT to build 'brakes' so your sensitive system can be driven safely.
