Title : Personality disorder from a lived experience perspective

As someone diagnosed with a personality disorder, and having extensive experience with nursing professionals throughout my recovery - I offer a talk on through the lens of lived experience on the way forward in terms of treatment, crisis care as well as everyday interactions in this client group.

Following on from my research paper ‘Lived experience perspective on internalised stigma and the EUPD diagnosis’ I will develop the understanding of the humanity of people with this condition and the hope for a better life with the right treatment and secure attachments - including those with nurses. I aim to challenge common prejudices including those that people like me are ‘attention seeing’, ‘manipulative’ and ‘impossible to treat’. In addition to this, I aim to empower the nurses attending this important conference through relaying positive interactions I have had in different scenarios; this includes with adult, pediatric, and psychiatric nurses - in order to shed light on what helps - from someone who ‘gets it’.

She is an author, trainer, speaker, and facilitator with a strong background in personality disorders, peer support and creative practice. Her career reflects a commitment to lived experience, co-production, and meaningful collaboration, working with notable institutions such as King’s College London, and the Evolve Peer Support Project, which she founded and directed from 2014 to 2022. Her work includes high-profile projects, including advising on mental health portrayals in Emmerdale and the BAFTA award winning Hellblade video game. she has spoken at major platforms such as the European Parliament, NHS England and the World Health Organisation.