Courtney Is Living and Thriving With Borderline Personality Disorder

Available with English captions and subtitles in Spanish.

Courtney shares a lived-experience perspective on borderline personality disorder (BPD), offering insight into how stigma, misunderstanding, and support shape daily life and recovery.

Why This Training Matters

Conversations about BPD often focus on symptoms and diagnoses, leaving lived experience out of the picture. Without this perspective, stigma can persist, reinforcing fear, misunderstanding, and harmful assumptions.

This session reframes BPD through personal insight, helping viewers better understand the emotional realities of the condition and the impact of compassionate, informed responses. By listening to lived experience, participants gain tools to reduce stigma and foster more supportive environments for people affected by BPD.

What You’ll Learn

  • The lived experience of borderline personality disorder
  • How stigma influences treatment and relationships
  • Emotional challenges commonly faced by individuals with BPD
  • What validation and understanding look like in practice
  • Ways supporters and professionals can respond more effectively

Key Takeaways

  • Participants leave this session with greater empathy and clarity.
  • Lived experience offers critical insight into understanding BPD.
  • Stigma can worsen distress and limit access to care.
  • Compassionate responses improve engagement and recovery.
  • Understanding BPD requires listening as much as diagnosing.

Learning Objectives

After viewing this session, participants will be able to:

  • Describe how lived experience shapes understanding of borderline personality disorder
  • Identify common misconceptions and sources of stigma related to BPD
  • Apply empathetic, supportive approaches when engaging with individuals affected by BPD

Who Should Watch

  • Mental health professionals (psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, counselors, and therapists)
  • Health care professionals
  • Community & public health leaders
  • Education & school professionals
  • Faith & community leaders
  • Individuals & families
  • Parents & caregivers
  • Workplace & organizational leaders

Event Details

  • Date Recorded: April 24, 2025
  • Length: 30 minutes
  • Presenter: Courtney Cook

Watch this free on-demand session to gain insight from lived experience and deepen your understanding of borderline personality disorder.

Courtney’s Story

As she shares her experiences, Courtney answers questions about her life:

  • What are your earliest memories of any mental health challenges that you faced as a child?
  • Were you able to talk as a kid with your friends about what was going on?
  • At what point did all of this lead you and your parents to seek treatment? And what did that look like?
  • When you first went into a psychiatric hospital, were you given a diagnosis at that point?
  • As I understand your story, you actually had a conversation with somebody about BPD that prompted you to look into that as a possible diagnosis. Is that the case?
  • How did you feel receiving the diagnosis of BPD? How did you process that?
  • How would you describe your relationship with BPD today?
  • What do you want to share with parents who might be watching this right now in terms of lessons you learned from your interactions with your own parents and what helped the most along the way?
  • What do you most want people to take away from your journey as you’ve detailed it in your book?

Read more about Courtney’s story

The information discussed is intended to be educational and should not be used as a substitute for guidance provided by your health care provider. Please consult with your treatment team before making any changes to your care plan.

Helpful Links

You may also find this information useful:

About Courtney Cook

Courtney Cook is a successful author, illustrator, and teacher who has written and spoken extensively about her journey with borderline personality disorder. Her illustrated memoir, “The Way She Feels: My Life on the Borderline in Pictures and Pieces,” was published in 2021 and offers an especially candid look at life with BPD.

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