Free Paper ISSPD Congress 2023

A joint presentation between a health services consumer (AML), and her husband/ carer (ASL). AML has had life-long lived and living experiences of complex trauma, psychological distress, and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) diagnosis. She has engaged with a variety of mental health services and professionals across a period of over 20 years. ASL has provided support for AML for over 20 years.

AML reflects on the effects of receiving her BPD diagnosis in adulthood. She explores her therapeutic experiences over the subsequent 13 years, most of which resulted in suboptimal outcomes, mainly due to her defensiveness over power dynamics, lack of trust, and lack of empathy. AML also outlines how a change in clinical approach produced the breakthrough needed for her to re-engage with mental health professionals – namely, consumer-centred care, unconditional positive regard, and validation of her distress.

AML is passionate about mental health systemic advocacy and education, having experienced social isolation, ostracism, and stigma due to her diagnosis.

ASL offers the perspective of a loved one supporting AML’s journey. ASL began his journey believing he’s ‘just doing what a loved one does’, which he subsequently learned is a common refrain among mental health carers. ASL shares his learning that, as the caring role becomes enmeshed into the carer’s life, the carer becomes less equipped to gain education into better caring. Another ramification is the decline in peer connection and self-care, both vital ingredients in long-term sustainable care.

Finally ASL joins AML in looking back at ‘the breakthrough’, and echoes the efficacy that enhanced consumer-centred care has had on AML’s recovery. He also describes how this approach assists clinicians in engaging with the carer in producing the best plan for the consumer’s treatment.