Actively Recruiting
Internal Family Systems Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder
Led by Waypoint Centre for Mental Health Care · Updated on 2026-01-16
15
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
147 weeks
Total Duration
On this page
AI-Summary
What this Trial Is About
Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) involves intense emotional ups and downs, unstable relationships, impulsivity, and a poor sense of self. These challenges often lead to addiction, self-harm, and frequent use of healthcare services. While certain treatments already in practice - such as dialectical behavior therapy - can help, they don't work for everyone or address all aspects of the disorder. This study plans to explore internal family systems (IFS) therapy, a method that views the mind as made up of different "parts" - each with its own thoughts and feelings. IFS helps people build understanding and compassion toward these parts and connect with a calmer, more centered "Self." This may be especially useful for those with BPD, who often feel fragmented and extremely critical of themselves and others. This will be the first study to examine internal family systems therapy for BPD. The participants (15 in total) will receive up to 50 individual sessions over 15 months. Changes in symptoms and overall mental health will be measured at four points during the study. People with lived experience of BPD will help shape the research to ensure it is relevant, respectful, and useful for others facing similar challenges.
CONDITIONS
Official Title
Internal Family Systems Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder
Who Can Participate
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if you...
- Resident of Ontario, Canada
- Sufficient fluency in English to provide informed consent, participate in therapy sessions, and complete self-reported assessments
- Diagnosis of borderline personality disorder confirmed by a healthcare professional authorized to establish such a diagnosis in Ontario
- Willingness and ability (including financial means) to participate in the 50-session, 12-15-month intervention and the study assessments
- Capacity and willingness to provide written informed consent
You will not qualify if you...
- Current manic or psychotic symptoms regardless of diagnosis
- Substance dependence severe enough to interfere with meaningful level of engagement in the study intervention
- Cognitive impairment or neurological disorders that would preclude informed consent or meaningful participation in the study intervention
- Concurrent participation in any another form of psychotherapy
AI-Screening
AI-Powered Screening
Complete this quick 3-step screening to check your eligibility
Trial Site Locations
Total: 1 location
1
Provincewide across Ontario (intervention can be delivered virtually)
Tiny, Ontario, Canada
Actively Recruiting
Research Team
B
Barna Konkoly-Thege, PhD
CONTACT
S
Stephanie Munten-Chisholm, MSc
CONTACT
How is the study designed?
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
NA
Model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary Purpose
TREATMENT
Number of Arms
1
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