How our service works

Guideposts coaching is a psychologically informed approach that uses engagement and a productive therapeutic alliance to create a safe space where people feel listened to, respected, validated, and not judged.

The service provides a way of ‘holding’ people psychologically. It creates an opportunity to reflect prior to the escalation of suicidal impulses and non-suicidal self-injurious acts, which helps people shape future skills and effective behaviours. Moreover, the service enables people to develop new and appropriate ways of connecting with others, by using adaptive ways of communicating distress and asking for help.

The service is underpinned by the transtheoretical model of change, which is processed into the CHIME recovery framework (connectedness, hope, identity, meaning and empowerment).

Our service is delivered by coaches that have extensive experience of working with the target group (e.g. nursing, OT, social work, psychology) and have a genuine interest in working with people with complex emotional needs. On-going specialist training and clinical supervision is integral to service delivery.

Who can we support?

Our service is designed for patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD), also known as emotionally unstable personality disorder (EUPD).

BPD/EUPD is recognized as a complex personalitydisorder characterized by a pervasive pattern of instability in regulation of emotions, identity confusion, suicidal behaviours, conflict in interpersonal relationships, and impulsive behaviour. People living with BPD/EUPD are often high utilizers of acute mental health services, including inpatient admissions, crisis, and emergency services.

We provide tailored support to help people  

• who want to reduce levels of self injury and manage frequency and intensity of suicidal thoughts   
• who live with emotional traumatic stress
• who need help with developing emotional resilience and positive mental wellbeing,
• who want to improve their interpersonal relationships.