Join Miranda Barker, LICSW, and Dr. Robyn Janssen, licensed psychologist and VP of Clinical Programs at Ellie, for a deep dive into the realities of working with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). In this episode, Dr. Janssen shares insights from her dissertation on therapist countertransference when supporting clients with BPD—and why structured approaches like Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) can make all the difference.
You’ll hear us talk about the trauma often underlying BPD, what makes relationship dynamics so complex, and how trust (on both sides!) plays a key role in the work. Whether you’re new to working with BPD or have years of experience, you’ll walk away with practical strategies and some validating reminders for therapists doing this challenging, meaningful work.
00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:29 Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder
00:47 Therapist Countertransference
05:50 The Role of Structure in Therapy
09:00 Link Between Trauma and BPD
12:31 Navigating Therapeutic Relationships
15:53 Understanding the Push-Pull Dynamic in Relationships
16:26 Inching Towards the Gray in Relationships
16:55 Foundational Skills for Healthy Relationships
18:59 Compassionate Approach to Borderline Personality Disorder
20:25 Can Borderline Personality Disorder Be Cured?
22:20 Differential Diagnosis: BPD vs. Other Disorders
27:13 Tips for Therapists Working with BPD Clients
29:00 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
The Therapist Thrival Guide is a podcast by Ellie Mental Health. We want to move therapists beyond surviving and into the realm of thriving by covering all the things that graduate school didn't teach you! This mental health podcast is hosted by Miranda Barker, LICSW and a rotating cast of seasoned therapists. Each episode features a therapist speaking to their areas of expertise to help us learn how to thrive as therapists.
Miranda Barker, MSW, LICSW, has been practicing as a therapist for over three years. She previously worked as a child protection investigator, adoption social worker, and case manager. She's new to the therapy game and loves soaking up all of the knowledge from the expert therapists in her life. She's currently the Director of Content and Production at Ellie Mental Health's in-house creative agency and believes that creativity is an important aspect of mental health care.
The Therapist Thrival Guide is one of many creative productions from Ellie Mental Health. Ellie is a national mental health brand organized around community-based outpatient mental health clinics. It all began with a single office in St. Paul, Minnesota back in 2015, and since then has expanded to over 24 clinics in Minnesota and an explosive number of locations nationwide after franchising our model in 2021. Ellie will be opening over 500 locations in communities nationwide with new clinics opening each week. #therapy
The Therapist Thrival Guide 
