Personality Disorders: Insights from Leading Psychologists.

Personality disorders are intricate conditions that pose unique challenges for those affected. To shed light on this complex topic, we turn to the wisdom of prominent psychologists who have dedicated their careers to understanding and treating these disorders. In this blog, we'll explore key insights from these experts that provide a comprehensive view of personality disorders and the paths to recovery.

Defining Personality Disorders: Dr. Theodore Millon, a pioneer in personality theory, provides a foundational understanding: "Personality disorders represent enduring patterns of inner experience and behavior that deviate markedly from the expectations of the individual's culture. They affect cognition, emotion, interpersonal functioning, and impulse control."

The Impact of Early Experiences: Dr. John Bowlby, a renowned attachment theorist, highlights the significance of early relationships. He states, "Our early attachment experiences shape the foundation of our personality. In the context of personality disorders, understanding the impact of these early relationships is crucial for developing effective therapeutic interventions."

Cognitive Patterns and Distortions: Dr. Aaron T. Beck, the father of cognitive therapy, delves into cognitive distortions associated with personality disorders: "Individuals with personality disorders often harbor distorted thought patterns. Cognitive therapy can be instrumental in identifying and challenging these distortions, fostering healthier ways of thinking and responding to life's challenges."

The Role of Trauma: Dr. Judith Herman, a trauma expert, emphasizes the link between trauma and personality disorders: "Many individuals with personality disorders have a history of trauma. Recognizing and addressing the impact of trauma is essential in helping individuals navigate the path to recovery and healing."

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): Dr. Marsha Linehan, the developer of DBT, discusses its relevance: "DBT provides a comprehensive approach for treating personality disorders. By combining cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness and acceptance strategies, individuals can learn to regulate emotions, improve interpersonal skills, and build a life worth living."

Personality Disorders as Adaptive Strategies: Dr. Millon further notes, "It's essential to understand that personality disorders often develop as adaptive strategies to cope with life's challenges. Viewing them through this lens allows clinicians to approach treatment with empathy and a focus on building healthier coping mechanisms."

Well one may ask "How many personality disorders can a person have?"

Well Histrionic personality disorder (HPD) is one of the rarest personality disorders, occurring in only 0.83% of the population. HPD is one of 10 personality disorders listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Anything above that is highly unlikely and I would put it down to attention seeking now that's another blog I'll leave for another time.

The STOP Trick for Instant Emotional Control

Discover the #DBT STOP skill for #emotional regulation. Learn to Stop, Take a step back, Observe, and Proceed mindfully in #stressful situations for better emotional control and #mental wellness

Mastering Emotional Regulation: The DBT STOP SkillAs a psychotherapist, I often find myself delving into various therapeutic strategies to aid clients in managing emotions effectively. One such powerful tool from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is the STOP skill, an acronym that stands for Stop, Take a step back, Observe, and Proceed mindfully. This skill is particularly effective for…

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Unlocking Emotional Balance: The Power of DBT - Dialectical Behavioral Therapy

Navigating life's complexities and emotional challenges can be an uphill battle. At Sage Point in California, we offer a transformative solution through Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). DBT is a holistic and evidence-based approach designed to empower individuals to achieve emotional balance and resilience.

A Journey to Emotional Wellness

DBT is not just a therapy; it's a journey toward emotional wellness. It equips individuals with a toolbox of skills that enable them to manage emotions, cope with stress, and build healthier relationships. With the guidance of our experienced therapists, you can cultivate a balanced and fulfilling life.

Key Components of DBT

DBT encompasses several key components, including mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills help individuals gain greater control over their emotions, navigate crises, and make informed decisions in relationships and daily life.

Personalized Guidance

What sets our DBT program at Sage Point apart is the personalized guidance provided by our skilled therapists. We understand that everyone's journey is unique, and our therapists work closely with individuals to tailor the therapy to their specific needs and goals.

Your Path to Wellness Begins Here

If you're ready to embark on a path to emotional wellness, DBT at Sage Point in California is your gateway. Whether you're seeking support for emotional regulation, relationship challenges, or life transitions, DBT equips you with the tools to thrive. Discover the power of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy and unlock the balance and resilience you deserve.

At Sage Point, we're committed to helping you transform your life and embrace emotional wellness. Your journey begins here, and we're here to walk it with you.

What is a DBT Skills Group?

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a research-supported treatment for anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems. The main goal of DBT is to teach skills to help clients cope with intense emotions and negative thoughts. DBT is based on four modules that teach clear, actionable skills in mindfulness, interpersonal effectiveness, emotion regulation and distress tolerance. Many of these skills are rooted in research in social psychology and spiritual teachings. DBT Skills Groups are psychoeducational training groups where you will learn and practice the core skills taught in Marsha Linehan's DBT manuals (Mindfulness; Distress Tolerance; Emotion Regulation; Interpersonal Effectiveness). These skills can improve your ability to manage emotions, cope with difficult experiences and develop your desired life.

What does DBT skills group do?

DBT skills groups are a critical part of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. They teach new skills, like mindfulness and distress tolerance, which can help people manage emotions and relationships. While DBT was developed to treat borderline personality disorder, it can also benefit people with other mental health disorders or who want to improve their emotional and relationship skills. Group sessions provide an opportunity to practice the skills taught in individual therapy with other group members who have similar experiences and challenges. Each week, a new skill is taught. This can be done by reviewing DBT Diary Cards or through various handouts, homework sheets, experiential exercises, board work, and discussions. Each member is asked to use the new skill during the week and give feedback on how it works for them. The skills are then reviewed the following week again.  Read the full article

OCD Awareness , what is OCD and recovery

Follow @pokingholes_cptsdwarrior for MORE.

Photo and Caption (below⏬) Reposted from @drannakress on IG.

Recognizing when we’re triggered and being self-compassionate can help us regulate our emotions enough to see if what we perceive to be a threat is actually a threat. Sometimes it’s a current threat that requires a healthy response (such as boundaries) and other times it’s a misunderstanding that feels way too similar to a previous painful experience. Either way, self-compassion can help support us while we sort it out. ❤️ . . . #emotionregulation #dbtskills #dbttherapy #dbt #ptsdsupport #traumarecovery #traumahealing #healingtrauma #emotionalhealth #regulatingemotions #healthyboundaries #selfcompassion #selfcompassionjourney #cyclebreakers #innerchildhealing https://www.instagram.com/p/CPpNr4dD3He/?utm_medium=tumblr

it’s finals week but I believe in u SO HARD and you’re literally rocking this life!!!! it’s okay to feel stressed and overwhelmed!!! keep doing your thang n taking care of yourself. this moment in time will soon be just a memory. I’m proud of you for everything that you are. . . . . . . . . #originalmusic #girlswhosing #mindfulness #mindfulhuman #lawofattraction #LOA #sourceenergy #spiritualgrowth #manifestation #raiseyourvibration #spiritualawakening #CBD #cannabisheals #DBT #DBTtherapy #abrahamhicks #meditation #hooping #natureheals #weightgain #girlswholift #anxiety #depression #recovery #motivatedmindset #higherself #audreykitching #cosmicshift #thevortex https://www.instagram.com/p/BrL1dTPlIfd/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=x2xu7o1lmxi0

Trust The Journey

I’ve always struggled with my mental health. It was kind of inevitable. While my dad was undiagnosed, he took his life when I was a kid, so I feel it’s safe to say that he struggled mentally as well. With all the trauma I’ve endured and my predisposition to mental health issues, it’s a wonder that I live a somewhat normal life (if one can even define “normal”). I have been on anti-depressants since I can remember. Around 18 or 19 I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder as well as generalized anxiety disorder. 

Mental health is a daily struggle for me. There have been times where I thought, “hey, I’m feeling great today. I don’t need these meds anymore”. I have gone off of my meds many times. It never turns out good. Being bipolar, I’ve learned meds are an important part of treatment. My most recent episode of being off my meds was towards the end of 2018 and into the beginning of 2019. I finally broke down and my mom helped me figure out a plan to get back to the doctor and back on my medications. I was back on them and doing okay for a little while and then my nightmares started. I would have similar nightmares every night. This turned into, at times, being unable to distinguish reality from these dreams. I was having extreme mood swings and very bad anxiety as well. I made an appointment with my doctor after a week or two of the initial start of these symptoms and got in the very next day. I told her about the different problems I was encountering and that I had read an article about borderline personality disorder (BPD). I asked her if it was possible that I also had BPD. She recommended I try out DBT, which is a therapy initially created for those with BPD. Bipolar and BPD sometimes go hand in hand, and she said that given my symptoms, I very well could be BPD as well. 

I found a place that did the DBT therapy and made an appointment immediately. This was last week. I went to my first session, an intake appointment where she learned a little about me and what I was wanting to get out of the therapy. I feel like I really clicked with this particular therapist (I’ve seen lots of therapists, so I know what I’m looking for and what I don’t want too). I am hopeful that DBT will be a beneficial part of my treatment plan and this week at my appointment she will be screening me to see if I do in fact have BPD (I’m honestly quite sure that I do, but also want a real diagnosis from a real medical professional). 

I titled this post, ‘Trust The Journey’ and that is what I plan to do as I navigate my way through my treatment plan. I plan to post updates about DBT every week and I may post here and there about other topics related to mental health issues as well. 

You ever find yourself letting go of something that no longer serves you only to be left feeling alone, hurt, disappointed….. fun fact- two facts can exist at the same time. Two different set (opposite) emotions can be present at the same time so when you do something like set and hold a boundary it can also make you second guess yourself if it was the right thing to do. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it-TPP. 💚🤘🏻 #mentalhealthawareness #mentalhealthrecovery #dichotomy #dbttherapy #emotions #mindfulness #radicalacceptance #mentalillnessawareness #cognitivedissonance #cognitivedistortions #recoveryispossible #strongertogether #mentalhealthpodcast #aboveground #beabove #endstigma https://www.instagram.com/p/CXVy7Douf86/?utm_medium=tumblr

I’m back on social media! 💖 It’s been about 6 months, and I can say that it was a wonderful feeling to forget about the internet and the world for a while to focus on myself. I have been attending a 3x/week DBT therapy program and individual therapy, physical therapy, and seeking treatment for my overwhelming allergic reactions. Around the time I decided to quit social media I started Xolair injections for my allergies, and since I passed the 3 month mark my allergies have been improving tremendously! I’ve also spent plenty of time creating art, reading children’s literature, and finding big old trees. 🌳🌲🌷🎨💉📖☺️🤓 #dbttherapy #chronicillness #mentalhealthrecovery #mastcellactivationdisorder #ehlersdanlossyndrome #ehlersdanlosgrrrls #spooniewarrior #vogmask #xolair #xolairinjection

Dialectical Behavior Therapy Online

Step into Yourself is your go-to online mental health service, providing a convenient and affordable solution to enhance your well-being. With a special focus on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), our expert therapists are here to guide you through your personal journey toward self-discovery and growth. Unleash your true potential with Step into Yourself, making mental health support more accessible than ever before.

Another day living the dream, man. *sigh* Took my mask off for a minute to do deep breathing to tell my anxiety to shut the fck up, in the teensy tiny bathroom of the office where kiddo meets with a therapist once a week. Before that: We did an activity together. Got some homework packets on #dbttherapy. Then I left so kiddo could talk without my ears in there. I think they need a safe venting place that is.... away. Not mom and dad, or even friends, a place of their own to talk. . I love this kid more than they know. Literally. Because they don't seem to know it anymore, but I do. I love them so intensely mucho a lot. 🖤 11 years old is a tough age. Going into middle school soon, and those are the weirdest years. But the therapist seems like a rad chick, and I hope we can build some skills and guardrails and tools. And that kiddo feels more ok in their own skin again. I want them to feel confident and beautiful and strong and kick ass and to realize just how freaking RAD they truly are. 🖤 . No one should strive to be "happy" all the time. But... Content. Peaceful. Solid. Safe. Those are good goals. . #therapy #mommalife #motherhoodunplugged #motherhoodishard #storyteller #lifeisastory #wabisabi #lifeiswhatyoumakeit #synchronicity #mentallyexhausted #mentalhealth #wherethetiredgirlsare #tiredaf #anxietylife #anxietyanddepression #anxietybelike (at Yakima, Washington) https://www.instagram.com/p/CR5QUkssVwA/?utm_medium=tumblr

therapists or therapy goers of tumblr can yall teach me some helpful ways to demonstrate the distress tolerance dbt skills cuz i texted my therapist but my rsd is telling me some wack shit and i could just very nuch use it

Today was not OK.

It was really not OK.

It was frighteningly not OK.

It was out of control levels of not OK.

However

I am OK.

My life is OK.

Tomorrow might just be OK.

Reminder to be kind to yourself! You’ve come a long way 💪🏼💞😘🥰❤️💖💪🏼💖 #selfcaretips #selfsoothe #selfsoothing #edfree #fightthestigmaofmentalillness #fightthestigma #bekindtoyourmind #bekindtoyourself #kindnessisfree #selfluv #selfloveisnotselfish #challengenegativethoughts #rewardyourself #nurtureyourself #acttherapy #cbttherapy #dbttherapy #allfivesenses #emdr #emdrtherapy #engageinchange #growthmindset🌱 #growthmindset #changeforgood #changeforthebetter #calmyourmind #fightorflight #stayawarestaysafe #remindertoself #rejectionsensitivedysphoria https://www.instagram.com/p/CPHPMfGJiMS/?utm_medium=tumblr

🌱 (via @lilyfangz) . . . . . . . . . . . . #mindfulness #mindfulhuman #lawofattraction #LOA #sourceenergy #spiritualgrowth #manifestation #raiseyourvibration #spiritualawakening #CBD #cannabisheals #DBT #DBTtherapy #abrahamhicks #meditation #hooping #natureheals #weightgain #girlswholift #anxiety #depression #recovery #motivatedmindset #higherself #audreykitching #cosmicshift #thevortex https://www.instagram.com/p/BrX6ZYLl25E/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=na300y8qwon1