Brandon Marshall, a wide receiver with the Miami Dolphins, was recently diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD). BPD is a personality disorder characterized by emotional dysregulation, pervasive instability of personal relationships and a fear of abandonment. Marshall was involved with an episode of domestic violence earlier this year, when his wife allegedly stabbed him, possibly acting in self-defense. As Marshall discussed, “I have a dream home, my house is beautiful. My wife did a great job putting our house together finding the right house for us. We have two nice cars, we have three beautiful dogs. But with all that said, I haven’t enjoyed not one part of it.” Marshall has become filming an informational documentary about his struggles with BPD entitled “Borderline Beast”.

Marshall has been in therapy for years — league-mandated and otherwise — and has been consistently in trouble with the law since his days at the University of Central Florida. Since 2004, he has been arrested for assault on a law enforcement officer, suspicion of domestic violence, driving under the influence of alcohol, misdemeanor battery and disorderly conduct. In January 2007, Marshall was leaving a Denver nightclub with Denver Broncos teammates and Javon Walker and Darrent Williams when Williams was fatally shot in the neck by a man outside of the club.

Recent advances in the treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder center around Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, a cornerstone of treatment. Treatment of BPD is often difficult because persons with this psychological condition have difficulty building a therapeutic alliance and staying in therapy. An immersive program such as McLean Hospital in Massachusetts, where Marshall stayed for three weeks, offers the advantage of around the clock treatment and support ensuring that the Client stays in treatment. Similarly, Psychological Care and Healing Treatment Center in Los Angeles offers Dialectical Behavioral Therapy in an immersive healing environment.