Note from our President

1 January 2018


Michèle Langlois
President of ON-BPD and
Facilitator of Family Connections courses

As the new year dawns, I reflect upon our accomplishments over the previous 12 months and am awe-struck by what a dedicated group of volunteers can achieve.

In 2017, more than 50 family members and loved ones participated in one of four 12-week Family Connections courses offered in the National Capital Region.

Through ON-BPD’s series of Continuing Connections sessions, more than 50 Family Connections course graduates participated in workshops to review course material, practice skills and share their stories with supportive peers.

Committed to building our capacity and further expanding the reach of our offerings for families in need, ON-BPD hosted its first Family Connections leader training in the fall, increasing our complement of Family Course Leaders by 11.  

In addition to serving as course leaders and event facilitators, our volunteers dedicated their time to up-date and develop content for our web-site, translate materials to French, refresh our brochures and other resources, connect with families in need and organize venues and logistics for hosting courses and events. Volunteers also served as representatives on committees such as the Family Advisory Committee of the Champlain Local Health Network to voice the interests and needs of caregivers and families of loved ones affected by BPD.

Finally, the Board has been hard at work drafting our first 3-year strategic plan and funding proposals to support our work, as well as building bridges with health services organizations such as The Royal Ottawa, Queensway-Carleton and Cornwall hospitals, Hopewell, and Sashbear in the greater Toronto area, to find innovative ways to increase our reach and accessibility to families in need.  Our efforts are making a difference, through a generous grant received from the Ottawa Community Foundation early this spring and through doors opened to pilot new ways to deliver Family Connections, for example, co-hosting sessions with mental health service providers and via distance learning. Stay tuned to learn more about our initiatives for 2018!

In closing, I extend a heartfelt THANK YOU to our many volunteers: course leaders, facilitators, board members, course and office administrators, web content contributors and our web master for the important contributions they make to the Ottawa Network for Borderline Personality Disorder, and the community we serve.  It is through their dedication, hard work, compassionate support, and influence that we are able to help improve the well-being and lives of caregivers and families affected by BPD. I am grateful to work with such an inspired group of people and look forward to our continued collaboration in 2018. 

In gratitude, with warm regards and wishes to all for a healthy and fulfilling New Year,

Michèle Langlois
President, ON-BPD
michele@on-bpd.ca


Did you know?

  • Recently published medical and evidence based studies not only support benefits of Family Connections for family members; but also establish a direct link to benefits for their loved ones with BPD:
    • People living with BPD fare better when surrounded and supported by caregivers, family members and others who remain emotionally involved in the relationship;
    • BPD often runs concurrently with other mental health conditions. Improved relationships help with problem-solving and, in turn, help to address concerns associated with concurrent mental health issues.
  • Graduates of the Family Connections course often report reduced stress and sense of burden, along with an increase in knowledge and sense of empowerment.

About ON-BPD

The Ottawa Network for Borderline Personality Disorder is a volunteer-run charitable organization (Registered Charity Number: 829239474RR0001). The main objectives of Ottawa Network for Borderline Personality Disorder (ON-BPD) are to educate and support relatives of people with emotion dysregulation or BPD and to help family members develop skills for coping. This is done primarily through presenting the Family Connections program. Visit www.on-bpd.ca for more information.

About Family Connections

The Family Connections program is an evidence-based 12-week program designed to help adult family members and spouses of individual with emotion dysregulation or Borderline Personality Disorder with knowledge and skills for their own well-being and for better understanding of their loved one. The program in Ottawa is offered by the Ottawa Network for Borderline Personality Disorder. The program was developed by Dr. Perry Hoffman and Dr. Alan Fruzzetti of NEA-BPD. Visit www.on-bpd.ca/en/family-connections for more information about Family Connections in the Ottawa region.