 |
|
 |
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Dr. Howard Ditkoff, Systems Thinker.com
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Dr. Howard Ditkoff's personal experience with BPD has led him to call for greater attention to this national 'epidemic'. In his recent post, Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month: Discussing, Understanding & Publicizing an Under-Recognized Epidemic, he identifies and discusses BPD as the 'core disorder of our culture' and a 'public health epidemic', and points out a couple of hopeful occurrences that have taken place recently to place BPD in the public spotlight, including a character diagnosed with BPD who was featured in the ABC Prime Time hit Ugly Betty.
Howard's main BPD page can be found at: SystemsThinker.com: Borderline Personality Disorder.
Dr. Howard Ditkoff is a personal coach, group/organizational/business consultant and trainer through his company, Emergent Associates, LLC, which shares its unique knowledge, understanding and tools to support health in human systems of all types. Howard helps people discover and develop their deepest talents and potentials, bringing greater satisfaction to all areas of their lives, ranging from health to career to relationships, while helping groups, organizations and businesses of all kinds achieve greater success.
|
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TARA APD
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Treatment and Research Advancements Association for Personality Disorder, (TARA APD), is the nation's oldest and largest 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization of its kind, comprised of a Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Board of leading advocates, professional service providers, and researchers. TARA's mission is to foster education and research in the field of personality disorder, specifically but not exclusively Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD); to support research into the causes, psychobiology and treatment of personality disorders; to support and encourage educational programs and endeavors targeting mental health professionals, consumers of mental health services, families and the community at large in order to reduce stigma and increase awareness of personality disorder, to disseminate available information on etiology and treatment, and to lawfully advocate for accomplishments of these goals.
TARA was founded in November of 1994 in response to the realization that patients with personality disorders are stigmatized by the mental health community, and as a group are; underdiagnosed, have little or no information available on etiology and treatment, and have little or no effective treatment available to them. These problems are prevalent nationwide.
A voice was needed to call attention to BPD. TARA, created to be that voice, advocates with legislators, mental health administrators, providers and other advocacy organizations for parity for BPD with other major mental illnesses, for decreasing stigma against these patients, and for the establishment of appropriate treatment. The work of the dedicated professionals doing research into the etiology and treatment of BPD has not received the recognition it merits. Research programs focusing on BPD are often the first to be eliminated, and treatment protocols are often cut out of managed care programs. People suffering with BPD rarely receive optimum treatment, are the patients with the highest rate of recidivism and the longest and most frequent hospital stays. They are the most intensive and expensive users of mental heathh and substance abuse services and broader human services such as the criminal justice system. These 'Grand Repeaters" leave health care professionals feeling helpless and are labeled "treatment resistant". Improving treatment would be cost effective for society.
Families trying to cope with difficult behavior without necessary skills, understanding, insight, support or guidance are devastated and hopeless. Providing support through educational workshops, classes, speakers, mailing lists, resources, a helpline, and DBT coaching are primary services offered by TARA professionals. Valerie Porr, MA and founder of TARA has been extensively trained in DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, the only treatment proven effective for treating BPD,) by founder Marsha Linehan, PhD. In Family BPD Education and DBT Skills Workshops held in NYC and throughout the country, she focuses on the underlying biology of this mental disorder, promoting compassion, and teaching and reinforcing coping and relational skills between those affected by BPD and their families and loved ones. Telephone coaching is also available upon completion of the courses.
Supporting TARA's efforts to build a major constituency of people concerned with treatment and research for personality disorder can help more people in a great deal of pain gain access to effective treatments. To bring about change in BPD treatment and professional perceptions, service systems must change. To change service systems, large agencies and policy makers must be involved, pilot programs must be initiated, and public and private research funding must increase. Without advocacy change will not occur. TARA's goal is to help the people who call our hotline, be they consumers, providers or family members, by connecting them to the best possible treatment and training. More information on how you can support TARA's Mission by joining, making a donation, or volunteering your time or skills in the NYC Headquarters or in your local branch can be found by visiting www.tara4pbd.org, emailing TARA, or calling (212) 966-6514.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|