Clients with Bi-Polar Disorder

[hockeybeast88]

i don't know how i've missed this thread - i have a client with BPD...

As someone with experience in this area, I think it is worthwhile to clarify here that BPD and Bipolar Disorder are not the same thing. While both are personality disorders, they present quite differently. BPD stands for Borderline Personality Disorder.

The Wikipedia entries are accurate and easy to understand:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bipolar_disorder

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borderline_Personality_Disorder

 

[Muldah]

Thanks everyone for this thread. I found it enlightening!

 

[knocked up]

Another update:

I have found that this client responds very well to a massage therapist's confidence. If I am confident in my abilities & express to her that I believe the techniques I'm using will help her, then she receives my work very positively. Therapist insecurity seems to have the opposite effect. I referred this client recently to another massage therapist who is very skilled, but who expressed lack of confidence during the session. This client therefore received the work negatively & felt worse after the massage. This client's mind-body connection is extremely strong, which is why positive talk seems such an important part of each session.