24 December 2019

As we head into the Holiday Season and end of 2019, I wish to share highlights of ON-BPD’s journey over the past year and recognize the invaluable contribution of our Board, Course Leaders, Members, and Course Graduates in their support of families and loved ones with BPD in our community.

2019 has proven to be pivotal year for the ON-BPD as we have expanded our team of volunteers, delivered 6 Family Connections courses supporting 72 families, successfully piloted Teleconnections (thanks to the generous grant received from Bell Let’s Talk), and hosted 3 well-attended Continuing Connections sessions for graduates. We were also privileged to top off our spring Annual General Meeting with a Public Lecture featuring the new CEO of The Royal, Joanne Bezzubetz, sharing her vision of a “hospital without walls”- a concept of mental health care that meets clients and families “where they are.” You can read more about the event in the Fall 2019 edition of The Client’s Voice, the newsletter of The Royal’s Client Advisory Council.

ON-BPD’s voice has been strengthened through my volunteer role as Chair of The Royal’s Family Advisory Council and Family Advisor on their Board of Trustees and Quality Improvement Committee. I am also helping to support the The Royal’s efforts to connect with and reflect the voice of clients, families and the community in their strategic planning process; I will reach out early in the New Year to solicit your feedback.

Through our relationship with The Royal and other strategic partners, ON-BPD is delivering on our promise to expand the reach and accessibility of Family Connections in our community. Our influence and progress has been made possible through the compassionate, mindful and tireless contributions of our growing number of volunteers and families who, through their dedication and care toward themselves, other families and our loved ones with BPD are helping to reduce stigma, cultivate supportive relationships and improve wellness outcomes. This leads me to the exciting news that the ON-BPD has been nominated for a Community Leader in Mental Health Inspiration Award sponsored by The Royal Ottawa Foundation.

Thank You to our volunteers and families that are demonstrating the transformative power of hope, and inspired, purposeful action. I am privileged and grateful to serve you and our community of caring and will continue to do my best to represent your and your loved ones’ voices throughout your lifespan of need.

In closing, I extend my heartfelt wishes to you and your families for the holiday season offering a gift of hope and love, along with wishes for the best the New Year has to offer.

I look forward to our continued journey together and will keep you posted on our nomination.

Warmest regards,

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

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.