Advanced Borderline PD: Assessment, Diagnosis, and Strategies That Work

Description

Borderline Personality Disorder remains one of the most misunderstood—and high-risk—diagnoses in behavioral health, with at least 10% of individuals with BPD completing suicide and many more engaging in attempts, threats, or high-risk behaviors. Yet contrary to popular belief, the prognosis for most people with BPD is actually quite good when clinicians use structured, evidence-based, and integrative approaches.

If you want a clearer, more confident way to assess, explain, and treat BPD—without reinforcing stigma or getting lost in crisis management—this training offers a practical roadmap grounded in research and real-world clinical experience.

Jeff Riggenbach, Ph.D., is a three-time best-selling author and internationally recognized trainer who has devoted more than 20 years to developing advanced expertise in personality styles and cognitive behavioral approaches. Personally trained by Marsha Linehan and by Drs. Aaron and Judith Beck at The Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research, Dr. Riggenbach developed an integrated DBT/CBT/Schema Therapy program that has treated over 500 patients with BPD over a 15-year period. He has since trained clinicians in all 50 United States and nine countries on the structure and implementation of this model.

In this course, Dr. Riggenbach translates research into practical tools clinicians can immediately apply “in the trenches.” Through didactic teaching, case studies, structured examples, and a touch of humor, he walks you step-by-step through earlier recognition of BPD, differential diagnosis considerations, and how to explain the diagnosis to clients and families in ways that decrease defensiveness and foster collaboration. His approach integrates “top-down” and “bottom-up” strategies while demonstrating how individual and group interventions can work together within a cohesive program structure.

You will explore the 9 diagnostic criteria for BPD and key differential diagnosis concerns, including how to differentiate a Bipolar mood swing from a Borderline mood swing. The course examines 8 motivations for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and provides targeted intervention strategies for each. Dr. Riggenbach will guide you through analyzing 18 maladaptive schemas that drive destructive behaviors and show you how to design case conceptualization maps that directly inform treatment planning, agenda setting, documentation, and collaboration. He will also outline general principles for effective treatment, share example treatment agreements, describe session acuity protocols, and demonstrate how to apply an integrated CBT/DBT/Schema Therapy model in both individual and group formats.

Key Takeaways:

• Clearer Diagnostic Confidence: Describe the 9 diagnostic criteria for BPD, address differential diagnosis concerns, and explain the diagnosis to clients and families in a way that decreases defensiveness and strengthens therapeutic alliance.
• Targeted Intervention for High-Risk Behaviors: Identify the 8 motivations for non-suicidal self-injury and implement strategies that align interventions with each underlying function.
• Integrated Treatment Planning: Design collaborative case conceptualization maps and apply an integrated CBT/DBT/Schema Therapy model to guide individual and group treatment, session structure, and documentation.

Why This Course?

• Learn What Graduate School Didn’t Teach You: Move beyond theory to a structured, programmatic model developed and tested with over 500 patients with BPD.
• Train with a Recognized Authority: Benefit from instruction by a clinician personally trained by Marsha Linehan and the Beck Institute, who has trained clinicians worldwide on integrative personality disorder treatment.
• Practice-Ready Tools for Real Settings: Gain concrete frameworks, treatment agreements, acuity considerations, and integrative strategies you can immediately implement across clinical settings.

Learning Objectives

• Describe the 9 diagnostic criteria for BPD, addressing key differential diagnosis concerns, and discuss how to convey the criteria to clients and family members in a way that decreases defensiveness.
• Identify 8 motivations for non-suicidal self-injury and use strategies for appropriate intervention in response to each.
• Analyze 18 maladaptive schemas that drive destructive behaviors in BPD.
• Design case conceptualization maps that enhance collaboration and drive your treatment planning, agenda setting, and documentation.
• Apply an integrated CBT/DBT/Schema therapy model to treat clients with BPD, incorporating both individual and group therapy components.
• List 3 factors to consider when determining the session acuity protocol when treating BPD.

Borderline Personality Disorder does not have to remain a diagnosis associated primarily with crisis and frustration. With a structured, integrative framework and a renewed mindset toward this once heavily stigmatized population, you can approach BPD cases with greater clarity, steadiness, and confidence—making this training a meaningful next step in strengthening your clinical impact.

Format and Access

This is a non-interactive, self-study course that offers over 6 hours of recorded video instruction, a post-test and a course evaluation.

Course Details

Availability: 

From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.

Who Should Attend: 

This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching Methods: 

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

How to Attend: 

Course access and completion instructions.

Instructor and Disclosures

Instructor

About Jeff Riggenbach, Ph.D.

Jeff Riggenbach, PhD, is a best-selling and award-winning author/speaker/clinician who has trained audiences in all 50 United States, Canada, Mexico, The UK, Ireland, Malta, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. He has devoted the past 25 years to developing advanced expertise in cognition and personality. He personally trained at The Beck Institute of Cognitive Therapy and Research to develop his hospital's Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment Program, which has not treated over 500 patients with BPD across multiple levels of care. He has since developed and directed cognitive-behavioral based programs for Depression, Anxiety Disorders, and Addictive Behavior Disorders. Jeff's approach of taking evidence-based treatments and presenting them in ways that can be used by everyday clinicians "in the trenches" has earned him the nickname "The Practical Toolbox Guy," and his trainings often receive the highest marks from conference participants.

Disclosure Statement: 

The instructor(s) for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.

CE Hours

Credit Hours:

This course consists of 6 continuing education hours of credit.

Counselors:

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. #MHC-0048.

Marriage and Family Therapists: 

Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations.  You can check with your board to determine if your licensing board would accept this course.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0135, effective May 8, 2025.

Social Workers:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 6 clinical continuing education credits.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Social Workers #SW-0435.

Addiction Professionals:

This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits, effective 8/12/2026. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programming.

Psychologists:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0128.

Art Therapists: 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.

Other Professionals:

This course qualifies for 360 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations.  Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.

This is a non-interactive, self-study course.

Accommodations and Policies

Close Captioning is available for live webinars and recorded video presentations.

You can click on the following links to view our policies:

• Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
• Cancellation Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Support Options
• Disclosure Statement