E294 - Busting Myths About Personality D...

In this episode, Dr. Andy Cutler and Dr. Lois Choi-Kain review common myths about personality disorders beyond borderline personality disorder (BPD) and what clinicians may miss when they focus on BPD alone. They discuss dimensional approaches to diagnosis, clinical clues that personality pathology may be present alongside other psychiatric conditions, and how challenges in clinical trials shape the evidence base for treatment. The conversation also explores how to discuss a diagnosis without blame or stigma, the role of medication management, and practical ways to build therapeutic alliance, maintain boundaries, and respond to challenging interpersonal dynamics. 

Lois Choi-Kain, MD, MEd, DFAPA, is director of the Gunderson Personality Disorders Institute at McLean Hospital and is affiliated with Harvard Medical School. Her work focuses on evidence-based, scalable approaches to treating personality disorders, including General/Good Psychiatric Management, mentalization-based treatment, transference-focused psychotherapy, and other pragmatic models of care.  

Andrew J. Cutler, MD, is a distinguished psychiatrist and researcher with extensive experience in clinical trials and psychopharmacology. He currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer of Neuroscience Education Institute and EMA Wellness. He is a Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York.