An affirming group therapy space for exploring emotional intensity, identity, and relationships.

Living with emotional intensity can be profoundly human and profoundly challenging. For many, a diagnosis like Borderline Personality “Disorder” (BPD) comes with layers of stigma, misunderstanding, and a sense of being reduced to a label. Yet, behind the diagnosis are real people, complex stories, and the full spectrum of human emotions — grief, tenderness, anger, longing, love.

This group exists to create space for those stories.

Why this group? Too often, people who live with emotional intensity are misunderstood. They may be told they are “too much,” “too sensitive,” or that their feelings are disproportionate. These judgments flatten lived experiences into something small and clinical, overlooking the depth, vulnerability, and creativity at the heart of these struggles.

As Marsha Linehan, the developer of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), once said:

“People with high emotional sensitivity are like people with third-degree burns over 90% of their bodies. Lacking emotional skin, they feel agony at the slightest touch or movement.”

This metaphor captures not pathology, but the raw reality of living with heightened emotional sensitivity. It speaks to how deeply people can feel, how profoundly relationships matter, and how painful even small moments of invalidation can be.

This group invites participants to step outside of stereotypes and into a more spacious, compassionate way of understanding themselves. It is not about erasing or denying the struggles. Instead, it is about honoring the full range of experience — from the pain of feeling misunderstood to the courage it takes to show up vulnerably with others.

What we will do together

This is a space for meaning-making, expression, and shared humanity. Rather than focusing on “fixing” or reducing people to a checklist of symptoms, the group emphasizes:

Exploring stories of emotional intensity, identity, and relationships. Everyone comes with a unique history and way of navigating the world. Sharing these stories allows us to move beyond isolation and toward recognition.

Making space for the grief, rage, and tenderness that labels and diagnoses often fail to capture. These emotions are not flaws — they are signals of what matters most to us.

Building connection with others who understand the “in-between” places of belonging and becoming. So much of the healing comes not from answers, but from being witnessed in community.

Each session will be structured yet spacious, allowing room for reflection, conversation, and gentle exploration of both individual and collective themes.

Who is this group for?

This space is designed for cis women and non-binary folks who connect with the socialized experience of being a woman.

While the focus is on BPD-related experiences, it is not exclusive. It is open to:

People who have received a BPD diagnosis, whether or not they resonate with it.

People questioning whether BPD describes their experience.

People navigating ADHD, complex trauma, or other overlapping conditions that bring similar challenges around emotions, identity, and relationships.

Importantly, no formal diagnosis is required to join. If you resonate with the themes of emotional intensity, relational struggles, or questions of identity, you belong here. What matters is not whether a label applies, but whether the space feels meaningful to you.

What you can expect

Affirmation of your lived experience. We will not reduce you to a diagnosis or a stereotype. Your story matters.

A relational focus. Much of the work will happen in the space between us — how we connect, how we listen, how we respond to each other.

Gentle structure. The group will be facilitated in a way that balances safety and openness, ensuring there is enough grounding for everyone to feel held.

Shared growth. Group therapy is not about one person having the answers; it is about co-creating understanding and support.

Why “deconstructing”? The word “deconstructing” signals that we are not taking the label of BPD at face value. Instead, we are looking at it with curiosity. Where did it come from? How has it shaped the way we see ourselves? What parts of it feel true, and what parts do not fit? Deconstruction is not destruction — it is a process of carefully unpacking and examining, so we can decide what to carry forward and what to leave behind.

Why “stories beyond the label”? Because people are more than diagnoses. Behind every label is a life, a context, and a set of relationships. This group acknowledges that while a label like BPD can sometimes provide language and access to care, it does not define the whole person. We are here to listen to the stories that spill out beyond the boundaries of the label.

What makes this group different?

This group is not about clinical detachment. It is not about pathologizing or positioning participants as problems to be solved. Instead, it is about cultivating community. Together, we will honor the humanity of each member, recognizing that the very traits often stigmatized under the BPD label — sensitivity, intensity, relational depth — can also be sources of strength and creativity.

We will slow down enough to notice patterns, reflect on what feels hard, and experiment with new ways of relating — all in the presence of others who understand.

How healing happens here

Healing does not always come from “fixing.” Often, it comes from being seen, heard, and met where we are. In this group, healing might look like:

Realizing you are not alone in your struggles.

Naming an experience you have carried silently.

Allowing yourself to be witnessed without judgment.

Discovering language that better fits your truth.

Experiencing connection that feels safe and sustaining.

These moments may seem small, but they add up to powerful shifts in how we relate to ourselves and others.

Practicalities: This is a weekly online group therapy space.

Sessions are facilitated with a balance of structure and openness.

Participants are encouraged to bring their whole selves — including uncertainty, messiness, and vulnerability.

Deconstructing BPD: Stories Beyond the Label is an offering for anyone who longs to move beyond being seen as a diagnosis and into being witnessed as a full person. It is a place to share stories, to hold complexity, and to practice connection in community.

Whether you carry the BPD label, are questioning it, or are navigating overlapping experiences such as ADHD or complex trauma, you are welcome here — as long as you connect with the socialized experience of being a woman.

This is a space for meaning-making, expression, and shared humanity. A space where we move beyond labels, beyond stereotypes, and into the richness of who we are — together.

Facilitated by: Meghna Motwani

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