CPTSD and BPD: Assessment, Formulation and the Individual Behind the Diagnosis
CPTSD and BPD: Assessment, Formulation and the Individual Behind the Diagnosis
Why understanding the person matters as much as understanding the symptoms
How do we move from identifying symptoms to developing an understanding of the person experiencing them?
This was an important question within my postgraduate Traumatology dissertation. Although the literature I reviewed explored similarities and differences between Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), it also highlighted the importance of careful assessment and individualised treatment planning.
When symptoms overlap, it can be tempting to focus on diagnostic categories alone. Yet understanding a person's history, current difficulties, relationships and ways of managing distress may provide a much richer picture.
In this seventh article in my research series, I explore what the literature suggested about assessment and formulation, and why these processes matter within trauma-informed therapeutic practice.
Why does assessment matter?
A diagnosis can provide a useful framework for understanding psychological difficulties, but it does not capture the entirety of someone's experience.
CPTSD and BPD can...