irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2025
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $0Accomplished by: 1. BPD Peer Online Support Group Programs and a Closed BPD Facebook Group that helps people feel less alone and more connected to a community that promotes healing and recovery. 2. Creating materials in print, videos and social media communications from a lived experience perspective of BPD to diminish stigma, promote positive recovery attitudes and provide resources. 3. BPD Loss Bereavement Support Group to provide grief support for families that have experienced the death of a loved one with BPD, encouraging healing. 5. Network with other mental health organizations to promote our mission. 6. Encourage advocacy to advance access to BPD treatment and address BPD discrimination. 7. Wellness workshops, such as writing, art or yoga to promote emotional expression and healing. 8. An annual conference to promote peer leadership highlighting trends in BPD recovery. 9. Opportunities to connect with a BPD Peer with lived experience.
named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Art Show
Hosts an annual art exhibition showcasing work by artists with lived experience of BPD to promote public education and reduce stigma.
BPD Loss Bereavement Support Group
Provides monthly grief support via Zoom for families and individuals who have lost a loved one to BPD.
BPD Peer Online Support Group
Facilitates peer-led virtual support groups for individuals with lived experience of BPD to reduce isolation and promote recovery.
BPDFest
Annual virtual conference during BPD Awareness Month featuring panels, presentations, and workshops led by individuals with lived experience.
Wellness Workshops
Offers therapeutic art, writing, yoga, and other wellness activities to support emotional expression and healing for people affected by BPD.
activities · 5 groups
What they do
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Mental Health Education and Awareness 5 activities
- Advocacy to reduce stigma and improve access to careConducts advocacy and awareness campaigns to promote public understanding of borderline personality disorder, reduce stigma, and ensure access to treatment and support. Activities include strategic naming ("Emotions Matter") to advocate for recognition and funding, leading advocacy committees, and organizing public events that advance compassionate care.
- BPDfest virtual conferenceHosted BPDfest, a peer-led virtual conference during BPD Awareness Month in May 2022, which engaged 248 attendees and 39 volunteers. The event produced 10 educational videos, a print resource on finding a therapist, launched a pilot men's support group, and informed statewide advocacy initiatives.
- Capacity building through leadership and volunteer developmentCo-founded and leads strategic growth of Emotions Matter Inc., including board governance, committee leadership, and volunteer engagement. Supports capacity through lived experience advisory councils and trains mental health professionals in evidence-based BPD treatments.
- Community awareness events: BPD Walk and Art ShowOrganizes annual community events including the BPD Walk and BPD Art Show to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and support fundraising. The Walk for BPD has expanded to cities like New York and Chicago (planned for 2026), offering in-person and virtual participation. The 2022 art show featured 23 artists and 33 artworks from individuals with lived experience and was attended by 98 people in person and online.
- Educational programs and workshops on BPDDelivers educational programs, workshops, webinars, and printed materials about borderline personality disorder for individuals, families, clinicians, and the public. These include accredited training for mental health professionals in evidence-based treatments such as DBT and MBT, with 120 professionals trained to date, and distribution of resources via mail and digital platforms.
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Grief Support Groups and Counseling 2 activities
- Bereavement and loss support for families affected by BPDProvides monthly virtual support groups and maintains a BPD Loss Registry for family members who have lost a loved one to borderline personality disorder, with a focus on suicide prevention, remembrance, and grief support. The group is conducted via Zoom and includes structured community guidelines.
- Research on peer support models and suicide loss in BPDConducts research on its peer support programs and the impact of suicide loss from the family survivor perspective. Collects pre- and post-meeting survey data from participants in men’s and LGBTQIA+ support groups to assess experience and inform service improvements. Presented findings at the 2019 American Association of Suicidology Conference and published early findings on the design and implementation of its peer-led online support group model.
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Charity Event Organization 1 activity
- Fundraising campaigns to support BPD programsConducts annual fundraising campaigns including Giving Tuesday and Holiday Appeal, as well as event-based fundraising through the BPD Walk and Art Show. Raised over $62,000 through one walk event, with funds directed toward supporting free peer support groups, education programs, and advocacy initiatives.
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Peer-Led Mental Health Support Groups 1 activity
- Peer-led online support groups for individuals with BPDOffers free, structured peer-led online support groups for individuals impacted by borderline personality disorder, including general groups and specialized groups for men and LGBTQIA+ individuals. Each 75-minute session follows a defined format and is facilitated by volunteers with lived experience; groups are capped at 30 participants with registration limited to three per person per month. Between April 2019 and June 2022, the organization held 138 sessions and engaged 1,383 participants from 44 countries, 49 U.S. states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico.
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Suicide Prevention Programs 1 activity
- Safety planning tools for suicide preventionProvides a downloadable safety plan template designed to help individuals at risk for suicide identify warning signs, coping strategies, and emergency contacts. The tool is available for personal use and integrated into peer support programming.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$293K
Contributions & grants$293K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$1010%
Other revenue$693
expenses
Total expenses$280K
Program expenses56%
Admin / overhead27%
Fundraising17%
Salaries & benefits$205K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$362K
Cash$353K
Investments$0
Liabilities$39
Net assets$362K
Liquid reserves15.1 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -2.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
paid leadership · 3
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paula Tusiani-Eng | Executive Director - 2025 | 40 | $84K |
| Kimberly Gradisher | Associate Director | 5 | $24K |
| Sara Rosenberg | Board Co-chair | 3 | $11K |
board members · 19
- Akanksha Vir — Board member
- Alexander Sheppe — Board member
- Alexandra Stein — Board member
- Andre Grant — Board member
- Antoinette Del Rio — Executive Director - 2026
- Cheryl Kempinsky — Board member
- Christine Bondhaus — Board member
- Dan Hofert — Governance
- Deborah Strong — Treasurer
- Jessica Daggett — Board member
- Jillian Papa — Board member
- Kimberly Hickey — Secretary
- Margaret Davis — Board member
- Mary Sheenan — Board Member
- Melissa Ferdinando — Board Co-chair
- Oliver MacDonald — Board Vice Chairman
- Paul Collins — Board member
- Richard Berkley — Board member
- Sussel Ibarra — Board member
relationships · 26
Who they work with
- American Association of Suicidology Partner — Presented research on BPD and suicide loss at the organization's conference.
- Beyond Blue Partner — Lists Beyond Blue as a resource for suicide, anxiety, and depression support in Australia.
- Candid Network — Member of Candid's transparency network, as indicated by the Guidestar Transparency Seal.
- Columbia University Department of Psychiatry Partner — Collaborates on research and training initiatives related to BPD treatment and stigma reduction.
- Consejo Ciudadano Partner — Lists Consejo Ciudadano as a crisis support service in Mexico.
- Crisis Text Line Partner — Lists Crisis Text Line as a mental health and crisis resource for users.
- Emotions Matter Partner — Organization offering the LGBTQIA+ BPD peer support group in collaboration with volunteer facilitators.
- Founding Community Partner Partner — Organizations invited to partner in launching the inaugural Walk for BPD event in Chicago.
- Fox 5 News Partner — Covered the Emotions Matter art show in October 2022.
- Good Day New York Partner — Covered the Emotions Matter art show in October 2022.
- Guidestar Network — Displays Guidestar Transparency Seal, indicating participation in Guidestar's nonprofit transparency platform.
- Kiran Partner — Lists Kiran as a suicide and mental health crisis support service in India.
- Lifeline Partner — Lists Lifeline as a suicide, mental health, and crisis support service in Australia.
- National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder Network — Cheryl Kempinsky, a board member of Emotions Matter, previously served on the Board of Directors of the National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder.
- National Education Alliance for Borderline Personality Disorder Network — Member of national coalition advancing education and support for BPD.
- Not specified Partner — Collaborates with clinician-researcher volunteers to support grant prospecting, editing, and submission advising.
- Personality and Mental Health Partner — Published research on Emotions Matter's peer-led support group model in its journal.
- Samaritan Partner — Lists Samaritan as a suicide and crisis helpline in the UK.
- Shout Crisis Text Line Partner — Lists Shout Crisis Text Line as a text-based crisis support service in the UK.
- Silver Hill Hospital Partner — Jonathan Coico, a board member of Emotions Matter, serves as Outpatient Services Clinical Lead at Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, CT.
- Talk Suicide Canada Partner — Lists Talk Suicide Canada as a mental health and crisis support service.
- The Trevor Project Partner — Lists The Trevor Project as a crisis resource for LGBTQIA+ individuals.
- Yale University School of Medicine Partner — Dr. Maggie Davis, a board member of Emotions Matter, is an Associate Professor at Yale University School of Medicine and director of the UPLiFT lab, which focuses on trauma-related psychopathology including BPD.
- Zoom Partner — Uses Zoom as the platform for hosting the online BPD Men's Peer Support Group.
- info@emotionsmatterbpd.org Partner — Contact email for questions and concerns about peer support groups.
- info@emotionsmatterbpd.org Partner — Point of contact for questions about Community Meeting Guidelines
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Crisis Safety Planning and Structured Peer Environment Designmethodology: safety_first_peer_spacesBy implementing personalized safety planning and structured community guidelines—including onboarding, controlled access, and intentional facilitation—the organization creates emotionally safe environments for vulnerable individuals because proactive risk mitigation enables participation without retraumatization.
- Lived-Experience Integration in Organizational Governancemethodology: lived_experience_governanceBy integrating individuals with lived experience of BPD, family members, and bereaved individuals into decision-making through advisory and leadership roles, the organization ensures programs are grounded in real-world needs and values, increasing relevance, trust, and impact because shared leadership produces more authentic and responsive outcomes.
- Peer-Led Support and Lived Experience Leadershipmethodology: peer_led_supportBy centering individuals with lived experience of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in program delivery, governance, and content creation, the organization fosters authentic connection, reduces stigma, and promotes recovery because peer leadership builds trust, models resilience, and validates recovery as possible.
- Stigma Reduction Through Public Awareness and Educationmethodology: stigma_reduction_through_educationBy developing and disseminating stigma-free educational content co-created with clinical experts and people with lived experience, the organization increases public and professional understanding of BPD, leading to greater validation and resource allocation because credible, human-centered narratives shift perceptions and reduce misinformation.