Get Me Out of Here: My Recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder

I am the "Dr. Padgett" ( a pseudonym ) depicted in the book. My former patient has written an accurate account of her experiences in psychotherapy and did so completely on her own, without in-put from me. I have recommended the book to selected patients and they have found it very helpful during their therapies with me.

Get Me Out of Here is a brilliantly written book about Rachel Reiland's struggles with Borderline Personality Disorder. Reiland does a great job of verbally expressing the pain and anger that this disorder caused her, as well as helping to explain why she developed the disorder (her childhood experiences). Some may be shocked by the intensity of her anger and outbursts, but one must keep in mind that these outbursts are just a sign of her problems with BPD. She was lucky that she had an understanding husband and a very patient psychiatrist. A lot of patients with this disorder aren't as lucky as she and end up being dumped by either their family or their therapist or both.

Rachel Reiland's deep, unflinching account of her psychotherapeutic journey from borderline personality disorder and anorexia to the wholeness that lay ahead is an absolute must-read for those with BPD and their loved ones. While Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and other Cognitive Behavioral Therapy programs (generally touted as the most effective means of treating BPD) approach BPD symptomatically, Reiland's first person observations of healing BPD from the inside out give amazing insight into the fundamental developmental rift that creates "borderline behavior" -- an unmistakable inner rift that those with BPD will resonate strongly with as they read Rachel's book.As well written as it is honest, this book stands alone in the body of BPD literature in its earnest and encouraging presentation of recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder and the recovery process. While most may not be able to afford the therapy that Rachel was privileged enough to undergo (three sessions per week with her psychiatrist for the first two years or so), the insights gained into the illness and the healing process will undoubtedly benefit those with BPD who are ready to recover.**If you are under the care of a therapist, I would recommend asking or apprising your therapist before you begin reading, as some of the content may trigger emotional reactions.**If you have a loved one suffering from BPD, this book will give you a glimpse of how deep BPD truly is, and how much hope there is if your loved one truly wants to be healed.Visit www.bpdresourcecenter.org or www.bpdcentral.com for more information on Borderline Personality Disorder. Also recommended (and available here) are Linehan's Skills Training Manual for Treating Borderline Personality Disorder and Mason & Kreger's Stop Walking On Eggshells. For those with BPD and addiction issues, read The Angry Heart: Overcoming Borderline and Addictive Disorders by Santoro and Cohen. For Christians, Behind the Masks: Personality Disorders in the Church by Pate & Pate.

Reading this book is like stepping into the family of a person with Borderline Personality Disorder. It is not always a pleasant place to visit, it can be very painful. I would assume that most people who would choose this book do so because of some personal connection to BPD. To watch Rachel and her family struggle through her illness and recovery can touch 'almost' too close to home. But, you find yourself hoping for them all.Rachel is a storyteller, and this book is written in a beautiful and very readable style. The clinical information that is presented as part of the story is palatable because it is so well ingrained into the actual storyl.Someday soon I am going to take the time to write a long letter to Rachel Reiland, and to Randi Kreger ("Stop Walking on Eggshells."} These two women have put a tremendous amount of time and energy into giving us all a better understanding of Borderline Personality Disorder. If you've taken the time to read this review, then I strongly suggest you read Ms Reiland's book. I hope that you find it to impact your own life in the strong, positive way that it impacted mine.