Real Talk: Behind the Label - A Closer Look into Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) - Wednesday, January 14, 2026

This workshop will be conducted live through an online platform called Zoom. The evening before the event you will receive an email with a link to the Zoom meeting, and other important information. Any updates or changes will be shared via email.

Workshop Description:

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is one of the most challenging and often misunderstood mental health diagnoses, characterized by emotional dysregulation, unstable relationships, identity disturbance, and chronic feelings of emptiness. This 3-hour workshop is designed to deepen participants’ understanding of BPD and enhance clinical confidence in working with individuals affected by this condition.

The session will begin with a comprehensive overview of the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, human rights and social justice impacts, and core features of BPD, including the biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to its development. Attendees will explore how BPD often presents in various clinical settings, in clients and professionals with lived experience, and the common misconceptions that can impact diagnosis and care.

We will delve the meaning of truly understanding the diagnosis and how it can impact daily lives and relationships of those, clinically and personally, experiencing borderline personality disorder. Through the use of case studies, brainteasers, and group discussion, participants will gain practical tools for establishing boundaries, managing crises, and fostering therapeutic rapport. This workshop is ideal for psychologists, counselors, social workers, and other mental health professionals seeking to build a more compassionate, skilled, and effective practice when working with BPD clients. Continuing education credits may be available.

Learning Objectives:

Participants will be able to identify and describe the diagnostic criteria, common symptoms, and clinical presentation of borderline personality disorder.
Participants will be able to critically evaluate how diagnostic bias and misconceptions about BPD contribute to misdiagnosis, gender disparities, and negative therapeutic experiences.
Participant will demonstrate how human rights frameworks apply to the treatment and support of individuals with BPD, with an emphasis on autonomy, dignity, informed consent, and freedom from discrimination.

CEUs: 1 Ethic and 2 Clinical
Date: Wednesday, January 14, 2026
Time: 9:00am – 12:00pm
Location: Zoom
Requirements: Webcam (participants must be on camera)
Presenter: Ivelisses Cooke, LCSW, SIFI, C-DBT

Presenter Information:

Ivelisses (Eevee) Cooke, LCSW, SIFI, C-DBT (she/her) is a clinical social worker and mental health advocate specializing in trauma-informed care and personality disorders. She currently works as a clinical psychotherapist, where they provide individualized and ethical clinical treatment and compassionate care to her clients.

Ivelisses brings both professional expertise and lived experience with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) to their work, which fuels her commitment to reshaping how BPD is understood and treated in mental health systems.

She is dedicated to promoting human rights-based approaches in care and creating safer, more inclusive spaces for both clients and professionals navigating mental health challenges.