Personality disorders are defined as a pervasive pattern of inner experiences or behavior that represent a deviation from an individual’s culture, are inflexible, long-lasting, and tend to emerge in adolescence or early adulthood, causing significant impairment and distress. Personality disorders are divided into three categories: those who appear eccentric or engage in odd behaviors; those who appear erratic, full of intense emotions, and have difficulty with relationships; and those who avoid others, depend excessively on others, or are obsessive. Due to their distressing quality, personality disorders often occur comorbidly with mood disorders, anxiety, and substance use.
Although personality disorders are described as pervasive patterns of behavior, there are available treatments to reduce negative emotionality and improve an individual’s ability to cope. DBT, which was originally developed to treat Borderline Personality Disorder, is a form of CBT and can be effective in treating other personality disorders as well due to its focus on reducing negative emotionality, tolerating distress, and improving one’s ability to relate to others. Other effective treatments include cognitive therapy, which can challenge distorted core beliefs and patterns of negative thinking. In either treatment, the therapist works very actively in a collaborative relationship with the patient to assist in the application of these skills to complex problems they may face.
We combine deep clinical expertise with a commitment to delivering clear, actionable results quickly. Our team’s experience, empathy, and dedication to individualized care have made us a trusted partner for families, schools, and professionals across the NY Metro Area. We take on a limited number of clients at a time to ensure focus and speed of report delivery.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Assessment Associates
