Find a Personality Disorder Therapist

A personality disorder is a type of mental health condition characterized by persistent patterns of thoughts, emotions, and behaviors that differ significantly from societal expectations. These patterns often begin in adolescence or early adulthood and affect a person’s:

• Sense of self and identity
• Relationships with others
• Emotional regulation
• Impulse control and judgment

Diagnosis is made by a licensed mental health professional through clinical interviews, psychological assessments, and a thorough review of symptoms across time and contexts.

According to the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), a personality disorder must:

• Be inflexible and present across a broad range of situations
• Cause significant distress or impairment in social, work, or personal functioning
• Not be better explained by another mental or medical condition

A qualified therapist specializing in personality disorders will take time to understand your unique history and traits—not just apply a label.

Personality disorders are grouped into three “clusters,” though individual experiences vary widely:

Cluster A: Odd or Eccentric

• Paranoid Personality Disorder: Distrust and suspicion of others
• Schizoid Personality Disorder: Detachment from social relationships
• Schizotypal Personality Disorder: Discomfort in close relationships, unusual beliefs

Cluster B: Dramatic, Emotional, or Erratic

• Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD): Instability in relationships, self-image, and emotions
• Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD): Grandiosity, need for admiration, lack of empathy
• Antisocial Personality Disorder: Disregard for others' rights, impulsivity
• Histrionic Personality Disorder: Excessive emotionality and attention-seeking

Cluster C: Anxious or Fearful

• Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD): Social inhibition, fear of rejection
• Dependent Personality Disorder: Need to be taken care of, fear of separation
• Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD): Preoccupation with order, perfection, and control

Many therapists specialize in working with specific conditions—like a borderline personality disorder therapist, avoidant personality disorder therapist, or narcissistic personality disorder therapist—to provide more targeted treatment.

Unlike disorders like anxiety or depression, which tend to fluctuate over time, personality disorders are more deeply ingrained, affecting a person’s core ways of thinking, feeling, and relating. They are not momentary shifts in mood—they are enduring patterns that can make life feel chaotic, confusing, or disconnected.

However, personality disorders often co-occur with other mental health issues like:

• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• PTSD or complex trauma
• Eating disorders
• Substance use disorders

This can make diagnosis and treatment complex, but a therapist specializing in personality disorders is trained to identify overlapping conditions and treat them together.

Yes. While personality disorders are considered long-standing patterns, they are treatable—and for many people, therapy leads to dramatic improvements in self-awareness, emotional regulation, and relationships.

Therapy doesn’t necessarily “cure” a personality disorder in the traditional sense, but it can:

• Reduce distressing symptoms
• Improve daily functioning
• Build healthier relationships
• Enhance emotional balance and identity stability
• Increase satisfaction in life

Recovery looks different for everyone, but the right therapeutic relationship can change the course of your life.

Evidence-based therapies are specifically designed to help individuals with personality disorders develop insight, skills, and self-regulation. These include:

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

Developed for Borderline Personality Disorder, DBT focuses on:

• Mindfulness
• Distress tolerance
• Emotion regulation
• Interpersonal effectiveness

DBT for personality disorders is structured and skill-based, often involving individual sessions, group skills training, and phone coaching.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT targets negative thought patterns and behaviors, helping individuals recognize and shift unhelpful beliefs that keep them stuck.

Schema Therapy

Especially effective for people with deep-rooted emotional wounds, schema therapy for personality disorderscombines CBT, attachment theory, and experiential techniques to help change lifelong patterns developed in early life.

Mentalization-Based Therapy (MBT)

Helps individuals improve their ability to understand their own and others’ mental states, reducing impulsivity and conflict.

Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP)

Explores patterns in the client-therapist relationship to reveal unconscious relational dynamics and foster deep change.

A skilled personality disorder therapist may use one or more of these approaches depending on your diagnosis, history, and goals.

Medication doesn’t “cure” personality disorders, but it can help manage symptoms—especially when co-occurring issues are present. For example:

• Antidepressants may reduce depression or anxiety
• Mood stabilizers may help with impulsivity or emotional swings
• Antipsychotic medications can be used in some cases to manage severe symptoms

Medication is often most effective when combined with therapy for personality disorders. A therapist may coordinate with a psychiatrist to ensure a holistic treatment plan.

Progress varies depending on the individual and the type of personality disorder. Because these patterns are deep-rooted and longstanding, therapy often requires a long-term commitment—but meaningful change is absolutely possible.

In the first few months, clients often begin to:

• Develop insight into their emotional and relational patterns
• Build trust with their therapist
• Learn practical tools for managing overwhelming feelings

Deeper changes—like transforming core beliefs, developing stable identity, and improving relationships—typically unfold over a period of one to several years, though this varies widely.

The process may be slower than with some other mental health conditions, but many people report life-altering benefits from staying engaged with a consistent, experienced therapist for personality disorders.

Yes. It’s common to have:

• Traits from more than one personality disorder
• A diagnosed personality disorder and a separate condition (e.g., depression, PTSD, substance use)

This is called comorbidity, and it can make symptoms feel more complex. For example, someone with Avoidant Personality Disorder may also have Social Anxiety Disorder. Or someone with BPD may also experience episodes of depression.

A trained therapist specializing in personality disorders will help you make sense of how these conditions interact and develop a comprehensive treatment plan that addresses all areas of concern.

Absolutely. While personality disorders can create difficulties in intimacy, trust, communication, or boundaries, therapy can help individuals:

• Recognize and shift unhealthy relationship patterns
• Develop self-worth and emotional regulation
• Improve communication and conflict resolution
• Choose partners or friends who are supportive and respectful
• Set healthy boundaries
• Learn to trust themselves and others more securely

Support from a personality disorder therapist can also include couples or family therapy if the person is in a committed relationship and both partners are open to healing together.

Loving someone with a personality disorder can be emotionally intense, confusing, and exhausting—but also deeply meaningful.

Here are some ways to offer support:

• Educate yourself about the specific diagnosis
• Attend family therapy or psychoeducation sessions to learn effective communication and boundaries
• Avoid personalizing hurtful behaviors while still setting limits
• Encourage therapy—but don’t force it
• Take care of your own mental health
• Be patient; change is possible but takes time

Some therapists offer family-focused therapy for personality disorders, where relatives learn how to support the individual without enabling or burning out.

No. This is a harmful myth that perpetuates stigma.

While some individuals with certain disorders may engage in manipulative or self-destructive behaviors, these actions usually stem from:

• Deep emotional pain
• Attachment wounds
• Fear of abandonment or rejection
• Learned survival strategies—not malice

Most people with personality disorders are not dangerous or abusive. They are often deeply sensitive, self-critical, and longing for connection. Working with a therapist specializing in personality disorders can help shift harmful patterns without shame or blame.

Not at all. The term “personality disorder” is clinical—not moral. It refers to rigid patterns that cause distress or dysfunction—not a person’s worth or character.

People with personality disorders often:

• Feel deeply
• Struggle with self-image
• Crave connection but fear intimacy
• Experience high levels of emotional pain
• Live with a strong inner critic

A borderline personality disorder therapist, for example, understands that many clients are deeply empathetic and creative but trapped in painful cycles. Therapy focuses on uncovering and nurturing the healthy, authentic self beneath the disorder.

Trauma and upbringing can contribute, but not everyone with a personality disorder has a history of abuse—and not everyone who experiences trauma develops a personality disorder.

Risk factors may include:

• Childhood abuse or neglect
• Inconsistent or invalidating parenting
• Early loss or abandonment
• Chronic emotional instability in the home
• Genetics or neurobiological factors

Therapies like schema therapy for personality disorders specifically address how unmet childhood needs may shape adult behavior and beliefs. Healing doesn’t mean blaming—it means understanding, reparenting, and choosing new patterns.

Living with a personality disorder doesn’t make you broken—it means you deserve specialized, compassionate support. Whether you're newly diagnosed or have struggled for years, a trusted personality disorder therapist can help you better understand yourself, improve relationships, and build a more stable, fulfilling life.

Reach out to a borderline personality disorder therapist, avoidant personality disorder therapist, or explore schema therapy for personality disorders. You don’t have to face this alone. Real change is possible—and it starts with reaching out.