A personality disorder is a deeply ingrained, long-standing pattern of thinking, feeling, and behaving that differs from cultural expectations and causes significant challenges in daily life and relationships. These patterns are not a choice or a character flaw. They are complex mental health conditions that are more common than many people realize, and each person’s experience is unique. At Lenape Wellness Center, we want you to know that there is hope. With the right support, patience, and evidence-based care, individuals can learn new skills, strengthen their relationships, and create lasting, meaningful change.
Understanding Personality Disorders
Understanding what a personality disorder is—and what it isn’t—is the first step toward reducing stigma and beginning the process of healing. It’s about recognizing patterns in order to build new, healthier ones.
What Are Personality Disorders?
In simple terms, a personality disorder affects the way you think and feel about yourself and others, and how you manage those feelings and relate to people. These patterns typically begin in adolescence or early adulthood, are stable over time, and lead to distress or impairment. The American Psychiatric Association (2022) groups the 10 types of personality disorders into three clusters based on similar characteristics:
- Cluster A (Odd, Eccentric): Includes Paranoid, Schizoid, and Schizotypal personality disorders.
- Cluster B (Dramatic, Emotional, Erratic): Includes Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, and Narcissistic personality disorders.
- Cluster C (Anxious, Fearful): Includes Avoidant, Dependent, and Obsessive-Compulsive personality disorders.
It is common for individuals to have traits of more than one personality disorder, and many also experience co-occurring conditions like depression, anxiety, or substance use disorders.
A Local Sanctuary for Healing in Pennsylvania
For residents of Ford City, Kittanning, and the surrounding communities in Western Pennsylvania, accessing specialized, long-term care for personality disorders can be a significant challenge. Many individuals find that weekly outpatient therapy is not intensive enough to address the deep-seated patterns of a personality disorder, yet the prospect of traveling far from home for residential care is daunting.
Lenape Wellness Center was created to meet this need. We provide a local, accessible sanctuary where individuals can immerse themselves in a therapeutic community, build foundational skills for emotional regulation, and receive the comprehensive support necessary for lasting change, all while remaining connected to their home region.
Residential Treatment for Personality Disorders
For individuals whose personality disorder symptoms cause significant impairment in their lives, residential treatment offers a vital opportunity for stabilization and intensive skill-building. The 24/7, structured environment at Lenape Wellness Center provides a safe container for the deep therapeutic work required to change long-standing patterns of behavior and emotion.
By stepping away from the daily stressors and relational triggers that can exacerbate symptoms, you can focus entirely on your healing. Our process begins with a comprehensive assessment to understand your unique patterns, strengths, and challenges. We then create a highly individualized treatment plan centered on evidence-based therapies designed to foster emotional regulation, improve interpersonal skills, and build a more stable sense of self.
Our Therapeutic Approach
Our approach to treating personality disorders is rooted in compassion, expertise, and the belief that everyone has the capacity for growth and change.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
DBT is the gold standard treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder and is highly effective for other conditions involving emotional dysregulation. It is a comprehensive, skills-based therapy that focuses on four key areas:
- Mindfulness: Learning to be present in the moment without judgment.
- Distress Tolerance: Developing skills to cope with painful emotions and crises without making the situation worse.
- Emotion Regulation: Learning to understand and manage intense emotions.
- Interpersonal Effectiveness: Building skills to communicate needs, set boundaries, and navigate relationships effectively.
Other Evidence-Based Therapies
In addition to DBT, we integrate a range of other powerful therapeutic modalities into your personalized treatment plan, including:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): To identify and change unhelpful thinking patterns.
- Psychodynamic Therapy: To explore how past experiences may be influencing present behaviors.
- Trauma-Informed Care: Recognizing that many personality disorders are linked to a history of trauma, we utilize therapies like EMDR to heal from past wounds.
A Healing and Supportive Environment
The therapeutic environment at Lenape Wellness is as important as the therapies we provide. Our serene facility, combined with a structured daily routine, helps to regulate the nervous system and provides a sense of safety and predictability. Our compassionate staff is trained to provide non-judgmental support, helping you to build trust and feel safe enough to do the challenging work of therapy.
Your Journey Toward a Healthier Self
We understand that the path to healing from a personality disorder requires courage and commitment. Your journey begins with a confidential call to our admissions team. We will listen with empathy, answer your questions, and guide you through the process. At Lenape Wellness, you will find a community that believes in your potential and is dedicated to helping you build a life of greater stability, connection, and fulfillment.