Crossing The Borderline Author: Polly Fielding Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (March 9, 2013) Paperback: 168 pages ISBN-10: 1482735075 ISBN-13: 978-1482735079

Book Description
There are several therapeutic communities in the UK and USA, their purpose being to enable people with long-term complex mental health problems to assist and support each other in coping with their problems, under the guidance of trained psychiatric professionals. However, they are not a “soft option” – just like in the outside world, things can often get worse before they get better. Polly Fielding spent almost a year in such a community, learning the skills of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy to help combat her emotional difficulties. Her experiences are told in the form of a personal diary and provide an insight into the benefits and pitfalls of being part of an enclosed society. It makes an engrossing story, which as well as being self-contained, follows on neatly from her book A Mind To Be Free. It will bring hope to those who feel that they are beyond help, alone with the daily torture of their mental suffering.

"A balanced account of the lived experience of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. This should be read by clinicians and service users alike. The first book to bring Dialectical Behaviour Therapy to life, this is a must-read for anybody who has an interest in this novel treatment.”~ Paul Barrett, Nurse Specialist (Community Personality Disorders Service), Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Trust

About the Author
Polly Fielding was educated at a convent school in London, England, trained as a Primary(Elementary) school teacher, and taught for many years both in England and abroad. She was also diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. She has been married to her husband for 42 years and together they have raised five children. Now author and artist, she lives with her husband in the UK. This book is her third book in mental health education.

My mental health books are the result of me wishing to express how I felt and at the same time showing others that they are not alone with their emotional pain and that there is help out there, even if it takes time to access it. I wanted to give others hope. ~Polly Fielding

I just finished reading Crossing The Borderline and I found this book powerful and moving. Mrs. Fielding gave me a better understanding of disassociation, triggers, self harm, mindfulness and a more in depth understanding about how DBT is utilized in a therapeutic, residential setting. How learning to let go of some of the baggage we all carry emotionally can better our quality of life. I felt this was a courageous, heartfelt and honest book about one person's journey through a successful recovery of BPD.

This is one of my favorite parts of this book, in the Epilogue:Since I wrote this book a few years ago, I have journeyed far in my life. With the help of further therapy I came to terms with my past and no longer blame or punish myself massively for how others behave. I have gained an enormous amount of insight into my difficulties and now manage my internal life more effectively. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy taught me to give myself time and space to think about the consequences of my actions. It also provided me with a toolkit of skills to deal with my negative emotions.   And, then once I had these positive methods of coping in place, I waited for and was eventually given access to Schema Therapy. ~ Polly Fielding

I think it would be a beneficial read to every member here, though more specifically spouses of a person with BPD, children of parents with BPD, parents of children with BPD and adoptive parents with children with BPD. ~Suzn