How to Support Someone with BPD

Tattoo artist with text — Cover for *7 Days Inside: Borderline* "How to Support Someone with BPD"

Episode Summary

Loving and supporting someone with BPD can be challenging, especially when you feel torn between helping and maintaining your own well-being. In this episode, Kyle Lincoln breaks down what effective support looks like—without falling into overfunctioning or burnout. Learn why you can’t “fix” someone else’s BPD, how to set boundaries without guilt, and practical ways to be there for a loved one while still protecting your own mental health. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed in a supportive role, this episode offers clear strategies to help you stay compassionate, balanced, and sustainable in your support.

Listen to this Episode

Episode transcript

Transcript, Introduction (Part 1)

Transcript, The Limits of “Fixing” Someone Else (Part 2)

Transcript, Practical and Sustainable Support (Part 3)

Transcript, Self-Care (Part 4)

Transcript, Wrap-up (Part 5)

Resources for How to Support Someone with BPD

Learn More about Relationships

NEABPD offers Family Connections, a free, evidence-based program for family members and loved ones of individuals with BPD. It teaches skills for effective support, managing emotional stress, and maintaining healthy relationships. This is a 24-hour course that meets weekly for either 8 or 12 weeks and requires 1-2 hours of weekly homework and practice.

The Essential Family Guide to Borderline Personality Disorder by Randi Kreger