back from the borderline

mollie adler

You can perform emotional alchemy and I will show you how.

The idea of alchemy is to reduce something with fire – burning it down so that something new can rise from the ashes. You can do this with your personality, too. You’ve always had the power; you just didn’t know that. Now you do.

Highly sensitive, emotional, and intuitive children are often impacted most severely by dysfunctional family dynamics, childhood emotional neglect, sexual abuse, grooming, generational trauma, and inherited toxic shame. As adults, these same children often find themselves with a disorder or dysfunction label, as mainstream psychiatry tries to convince them that the root of their suffering is due to a disordered personality or chemical imbalance.

Our current medical model of mental health is quick to pathologize. Psychiatrists and therapists operating within this model often ask, “What’s wrong with you?” but rarely, “What *happened* to you?” Personalities are not cancerous tumors; psychological suffering cannot be accurately understood or treated through the lens of a purely medical model. We have to go deeper. And that's exactly what we do here on Back from the Borderline.

A path toward healing exists, even though I know it can feel impossible when you’re looking up from rock bottom.

Through working with and integrating the concepts we explore in each episode together, you’ll learn to:

✧ Better regulate, name and process your emotions

✧ Understand and reduce chronic feelings of emptiness

✧ Confront and uproot your toxic shame

✧ Put an end to recurring patterns of self-sabotage

✧ Connect with your Higher Self

✧ Break the cycle of generational family trauma

✧ Set healthier boundaries with yourself and others

✧ Recognize the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships

✧ Heal from a chronic need to please and seek validation from others

Tune in and prepare yourself to be standing in the ashes of the person you used to be. New episodes drop every Tuesday.

As for me? I'm Mollie Adler. A disillusioned millennial, podcaster, writer, creative, existential thinker, obsessive researcher (huge nerd), and fellow f*cked up human desperately trying to find meaning in a society and culture that seems to be devoid of it. To read my Substack articles, access my Amazon book recommendation list, submit a voicemail, or contact me for collaborations, visit https://linktr.ee/backfromtheborderline.

Anyone – even you – can come Back From the Borderline. 𓆩ᥫ᭡𓆪

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begin your transformation

back from the borderline

07/10/21 • 29 min

I don’t want to talk to your personality; I want to talk to your soul. The idea of alchemy is to reduce something with fire – burning it down so that something new can rise from the ashes. You can do this with your personality, too. You can perform emotional alchemy. You’ve always had the power; you just didn’t know that. Now you do.

Welcome to Back from the Borderline, a place to unhook from your overextended life to explore, understand and integrate the darkest parts of your soul. On this podcast, there is no finish line, no quick fix or “cure.” There is no outcome, only eternal unfolding. More than 50% of us will be diagnosed with a mental illness at some point in our lifetime. Many of my listeners identify with various psychiatric labels (BPD, EUPD, bipolar, CPTSD, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, depression, etc.) The medical model of mental illness tries to convince us that the root of our suffering is due to chemical imbalances in our brains – that the best we can hope for is to numb or suppress the symptoms of these disorders, dysfunctions, and imbalances into remission.

The definition of “savior” is: “one that saves from danger or destruction.” What if we viewed our symptoms as saviors? Through this new lens, we can begin to see painful mental health symptoms as natural responses that we can learn to become fully conscious of and slowly change. On the podcast, you’ll learn to view your symptoms as saviors; as alerts from your body, mind, and spirit that want to let you know when you’re out of alignment with the deepest yearnings of your soul. From chaos comes clarity. Through working and integrating the concepts we’ll explore together on the podcast, you’ll emerge transformed, standing in the ashes of the person you used to be.

FULL ACCESS // CLICK HERE to unlock full future + past episodes and hundreds of hours of bonus content (including voice notes from me) as a Premium Submarine on Patreon.

CONNECT WITH ME // CLICK HERE to email me, submit a voicemail, read my Substack, check out my book recommendation list on Amazon, follow me on IG, or listen to my sleep + meditation podcast Night Night Bitch (or visit backfromtheborderline.com)

PURESPECTRUM CBD // CLICK HERE to get 15% off your first order or visit purespectrumcbd.com/BFTB

Disclaimer: The information contained in this podcast episode is for educational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for treatment or consultation with a licensed mental health professional.

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07/10/21 • 29 min

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mental illness is not in your head: evolving beyond the medical model in recovery

back from the borderline

01/10/23 • 93 min

Join me as we explore the limitations of the medical model of disease in psychiatry and medicine. This model, which relies heavily on diagnosis and medication, does not fully account for the complexities of mental and physical illness. Instead, we should consider a more holistic approach that looks beyond symptoms and diagnosis and addresses the root causes of illness. We discuss the importance of considering environmental, social, and psychological factors in mental and physical health and how this can lead to more effective treatments and better outcomes for patients. Join us as we challenge the traditional approach to psychiatry and medicine and explore new ways of understanding and treating illness. This episode will provide information that most members of the public are unaware of. After you listen, you will be better informed, better prepared to advocate for yourself and the people you love when seeking treatment and care for mental health, and likely more than a little shocked, appalled, and saddened. We need to face brutal truths, and knowledge is power.

In his article, “Mental Illness Is Not in Your Head,” (published in May 2022), historian of medicine and psychiatry resident at Yale University Marcos Ramos, MD, Ph.D., demonstrates how even after decades of research, we have not seen improvements around diagnosis or treatment of mental illness. Ramos believes “we should look to society,” not the brain.

Recommended resources:

■ Full article from the Boston Review – “Mental Illness Is Not in Your Head” by Marco Ramos

■ Follow Marcos on Twitter (@mramos_histmed)

FULL ACCESS // CLICK HERE to unlock full future + past episodes and hundreds of hours of bonus content (including voice notes from me) as a Premium Submarine on Patreon.

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01/10/23 • 93 min

1 Listener

reclaiming your sexual agency after chronic objectification with dr. alexandra solomon

back from the borderline

05/02/22 • 42 min

On this episode of the podcast, I sat down with licensed clinical psychologist, professor, speaker, author and retreat leader Dr. Alexandra Solomon to discuss how we can rediscover what a connection to the erotic looks like for ourselves and how to become more deeply grounded in pleasure - with or without a partner.

THIS EPISODE IS FOR YOU IF YOU HAVE EVER:

■ Felt so disconnected from your erotic nature that you’ve wondered if maybe you were asexual?

■ Spent much of your life feeling like you’ve performed sexuality rather than actually enjoying sex for yourself?

■Wanted to rip your own fingernails off when you see spiritual gurus on Instagram claiming to help you reconnect with your “divine feminine energy” if only you’d just drop $4k for their “healing course”?

■ Consistently faked orgasms to make sure your partner feels satisfied, while completely neglecting your own needs, leaving you feeling resentful of sex or dreading it as some kind of forced chore?

IN THE FULL EPISODE, WE ALSO EXPLORE:

■ The feeling of having a “sexual blockage”

■ The experience of dissociating during sex

■ Feeling like we have to “perform” sexually to land a partner

■ Dr. Solomon’s view on what I call “the OnlyFans phenomenon” and “sex as self-harm”

■ The impact hard-core porn on sites like PornHub is having on intimacy and how this is enforcing “problematic gendered scripts”

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

Book | Reclaiming Pleasure by Holly Richmond

Book | Come As You Are by Emily Nagoski

Podcast | Pleasure Mechanics

CONNECT WITH ALEXANDRA:

https://dralexandrasolomon.com/

FULL ACCESS // CLICK HERE to unlock full future + past episodes and hundreds of hours of bonus content (including voice notes from me) as a Premium Submarine on Patreon.

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05/02/22 • 42 min

witches and borderline bitches: exploring the rampant sexism in psychiatry

back from the borderline

04/24/22 • 61 min

This episode will discuss psychiatry's problematic sexist and misogynistic history. According to Dr. Jessica Taylor (author of "Sexy But Psycho"), "as of today, being female is widely reported as correlating with almost every mental disorder in the DSM-V. Women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and somatic disorders. They are also more likely to be diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, general anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobias, suicidal ideation and attempts, postpartum depression and psychosis, eating disorders, and PTSD."

Questions answered in this episode:

■ Psychiatry and sexism: gender bias in BPD diagnosis

■ The impact of gender discrimination on a Woman's Mental Health

■ The history of hysteria: sexism in diagnosis

■ Why are women diagnosed borderline more than men?

■ How feminist critics of BPD offer an alternative perspective, generally viewing the diagnosis of BPD as pathologizing the ways that women respond to gendered abuse and oppression

Recommended resources:

Please Stop Using My Mental Illness to Fulfill Your Fantasy (Healthline article by Kyli Rodriguez-Cayro)

Sexy But Psycho: How the Patriarchy Uses Women’s Trauma Against Them (book by Dr. Jessica Taylor)

FULL ACCESS // CLICK HERE to unlock full future + past episodes and hundreds of hours of bonus content (including voice notes from me) as a Premium Submarine on Patreon.

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04/24/22 • 61 min

overcoming existential dread, death anxiety, and religious trauma

back from the borderline

04/19/22 • 44 min

In this episode, we explore the topic of existential dread, death anxiety, spirituality, and religious trauma, and offer strategies for coping with these challenging experiences. You'll join my dog Cody and me for a walk as we discuss insights on how to find meaning and purpose in life despite the inevitability of death, and how spirituality can provide a source of comfort and solace in times of crisis. We also delve into the topic of religious trauma, discussing how to navigate the pain and confusion that can arise from experiences of spiritual abuse or trauma. Join us as we offer practical tips and tools for managing existential dread, death anxiety, and religious trauma, and discover how to live a more fulfilling and purposeful life.

Recommended resources:

Movie: “A Ghost Story” (2017)

Book on the tarot that jump-started my spirituality journey: “Fearless Tarot” by Elliot Adam

Episode of the podcast where I interview Elliot Adam

Inspiring talk on the 13th century poet & Sufi mystic Rumi

Talk on St. Teresa of Avila’s Life & Teaching on Surrender

Understanding the Dark Night of the Soul & Spiritual Desolation of St. John of the Cross

Talk on The Centering Prayer Meditation from the Festival of Faiths

The Noble Journey from Fear to Fearlessness with Pema Chödrön

Ho'oponopono Mantra for Healing Everything with Dr. Kim D'eramo

FULL ACCESS // CLICK HERE to unlock full future + past episodes and hundreds of hours of bonus content (including voice notes from me) as a Premium Submarine on Patreon.

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04/19/22 • 44 min

radical self-compassion: learning to love yourself (and finding your "touch tree")

back from the borderline

04/14/22 • 36 min

In this episode, you’ll join my dog Cody and me for a walk in the witchy woods while I break in my new Dr. Marten boots. On our walk, I’ll explain why a book about self-compassion made me incredibly furious this week. After that, I’ll tell you why my spirit mother archetype is a mixture of RuPaul and Grandmother Willow from the 1995 Pocahontas movie.

Recommended resources:

■ Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristen Neff

■ The Life Coach School Podcast with Brooke Castillo

■ We Can Do Hard Things podcast with Glennon Doyle

FULL ACCESS // CLICK HERE to unlock full future + past episodes and hundreds of hours of bonus content (including voice notes from me) as a Premium Submarine on Patreon.

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04/14/22 • 36 min

channelling your emotional intensity into artistic expression

back from the borderline

03/28/22 • 57 min

Alessia Camoirano Bruges is an Italian-Colombian artist based in London. Her unique “fluid art” is inspired by its ever-changing nature – just like humans and our emotions. She combines her passion for color psychology, color therapy, fluidity, and her emotional intensity into her artwork. She sees each piece as a cathartic experience in which she can connect to her inner child and relaxed into fully embodied presence & mindfulness. In this episode, we discuss Alessia's battle with her eating disorder and her struggle with emotional dysregulation & chronic pain that led her to her personal rock bottom moment where she realized *she* was the common denominator in her chaotic life. We also discuss how she bravely decided reach out for help and found healing through DBT and EMDR and how this allowed her to begin channeling her big emotions into creative projects, which resulted in her artwork being published in massive publications and getting hired as a documentary filmmaker for Vice.

Questions answered and topics discussed in this episode:

■ Alessia’s experience growing up as an “emotionally intense” child (often being told she was “too much”)

■ How to learn to embrace your emotional intensity as an inherent strength and creative tool

■ Mollie & Alessia discuss their shared struggled with oversharing

■ Getting “the ick” (the sudden desire to rid ourselves of romantic partners or friendships)

■ Alessia’s experience trying to repress her eating disorder/depression with extreme fandom

■ Suffering in silence with “high-functioning” mental health issues (eating disorders, depression, BPD)

■ Alessia’s personal battle with chronic pain

■ How Alessia finally found a therapist that was a good match for her who took a holistic approach to treatment (treated her as person, not a disorder)

■ Alessia’s struggles with emotional flashbacks (and how EMDR therapy helped her with this)

■ How painting has become her most effective therapeutic method

■ Alessia’s early childhood intuitive relationship with color that grew into a passion for color psychology

■ Alessia’s struggle with imposter syndrome even after the critical acclaim and success of her artwork

■ Her experience getting hired to work for Vice and creating documentaries

Connect with Alessia on IG @intenseartalessia

FULL ACCESS // CLICK HERE to unlock full future + past episodes and hundreds of hours of bonus content (including voice notes from me) as a Premium Submarine on Patreon.

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03/28/22 • 57 min

finding natural relief from PMS and PMDD with menstrual cycle awareness

back from the borderline

04/04/22 • 121 min

Do you experience intense mood swings, anxiety, or depression around your period? Are you curious about the impact of hormonal birth control on your mental health? In this episode, we dive into the complex world of PMS, PMDD, and hormonal birth control, exploring their effects on emotion regulation and mental health. We'll also discuss the different phases of the menstrual cycle and how practicing menstrual cycle awareness can help you manage your emotions and improve your well-being. A few months ago, I discovered the practice of "Menstrual Cycle Awareness" (MCA) through the work of RedSchool founders Alexandra Pope and Sjanie Hugo Wurlitzer. Through this new framework and awareness of my own inner "seasons," I've felt like I can better ride the inevitable waves of life and lessen (and even eliminate) some of my most severe premenstrual symptoms (which have been so severe, I’ve qualified for a diagnosis of PMDD.) This episode aims to pass on much of what our mothers (and their mothers) didn't tell us about our menstrual cycles and how we can reclaim that power together as part of our recovery from emotional dysregulation issues.

Questions answered and topics discussed in this episode:

■ Period stigma (what it is and how it manifests in our culture)

■ How hormonal birth control can affect your mood and contribute to further emotional dysregulation

■ What are the signs and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

■ "Premenstrual dysphoric disorder" (should premenstrual symptoms be a mental disorder?)

■ Getting to know the four distinct phases of your menstrual cycle

■ Exploring the mentality and rites of menstruation around the world

■ How to practice menstrual cycle awareness (MCA)

■ The purported benefits of seed cycling for menstrual cycle-related mood swings

Recommended resources:

■ Flo Period Tracking app (I use the free version)

■ Think Dirty Shop Clean App

■ Wild Power (book that explains MCA and the inner seasons)

■ Blog article by Rising Woman that breaks down the inner seasons one by one

FULL ACCESS // CLICK HERE to unlock full future + past episodes and hundreds of hours of bonus content (including voice notes from me) as a Premium Submarine on Patreon.

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04/04/22 • 121 min

when your body isn't your own: what abusive relationships and grooming taught me about love

back from the borderline

03/20/22 • 102 min

Reflecting on the Euphoria character "Cassie," Evan Rachel Wood's new documentary "Phoenix Rising" (about her alleged struggle with domestic violence, grooming, and sexual assault at the hands of singer Marilyn Manson), and recent events with Kim Kardashian and Kanye West inspired me to sit down and reflect on my own chaotic experiences with grooming, domestic violence and sexual assault throughout my teens and twenties. I realized that the thread that connected all of the chaos was an underlying disconnection from my intuition or "gut feeling." In this episode, we discuss how to reconnect to our sense of inner knowing and how to move forward and heal from toxic connections that we previously thought were love but weren't.

Questions answered and topics discussed in this episode:

■ Warning signs you've lost touch with your intuition (and how this often happens in childhood)

■ How I learned to overcome my obsession with seeking male validation

■ Sexual grooming (recognizing the signs and my personal experiences)

■ How I learned that rape isn’t black and white

■ Rebound relationships & domestic violence (rushing into things too soon before knowing the person)

■ My experience meeting my current partner and understanding that true love is “friendship first” (finally finding safety in a relationship)

■ Strategies on tapping into our intuition when we’ve lost a connection with it (practical exercises from Martha Beck)

Recommended resources:

Phoenix Rising Documentary with Evan Rachel Wood

The Gathering Room Podcast

5 Steps for Tapping Into Your Intuition (Article by Martha Beck)

“Trip Down Intuitive Memory Lane” Exercise (Lesson 3)

Intuitive Scoring (Lesson 4)

Intuition Conversation with Non Dominant Hand (Lesson 5)

FULL ACCESS // CLICK HERE to unlock full future + past episodes and hundreds of hours of bonus content (including voice notes from me) as a Premium Submarine on Patreon.

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03/20/22 • 102 min

Announcement (listen to the end to unlock bonus content ❤️)

back from the borderline

04/28/22 • 14 min

I have some very big news that I want to share with super-fans of the podcast. Make sure to listen to the very end to hear about and unlock 3 exclusive bonus episodes.

See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Join the BFTB inner circle and unlock my premium content at https://plus.acast.com/s/back-from-the-borderline.

04/28/22 • 14 min

FAQ

How many episodes does back from the borderline have?

back from the borderline currently has 145 episodes available.

What topics does back from the borderline cover?

The podcast is about Health & Fitness, Mental Health, Podcasts, Self-Improvement and Education.

What is the most popular episode on back from the borderline?

The episode title 'begin your transformation' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on back from the borderline?

The average episode length on back from the borderline is 69 minutes.

How often are episodes of back from the borderline released?

Episodes of back from the borderline are typically released every 6 days, 23 hours.

When was the first episode of back from the borderline?

The first episode of back from the borderline was released on Jul 10, 2021.

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