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Personality Disorders

Living with a personality disorder can feel isolating, overwhelming, and deeply misunderstood. You might find yourself struggling in relationships, reacting in ways you don’t fully understand, or feeling like your emotions are either too intense or completely out of reach. Maybe you’ve been told you’re “too much,” “too cold,” or “too intense.” These labels can be painful, and they often miss the deeper truth of what you’re going through. Therapy for personality disorders can provide a space to unpack these experiences with care, clarity, and support.

At Creating Connection, we offer therapy that honours your experience and helps you reconnect—with yourself and with others. Healing is possible, and you don’t have to do it alone.

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Young woman in therapy session — DBT for borderline, narcissistic, and antisocial personality disorders in Timmins and across Ontario online.

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Therapist and client in session — online and in-person therapy for personality disorders like borderline and narcissistic, using DBT in Timmins.

Therapy for Personality Disorders

Personality disorders can affect how you think, feel, and connect with others. You may find yourself repeating patterns in relationships, struggling with intense emotions, or feeling unsure of who you are. These experiences can be confusing and painful, but they are also understandable — especially when viewed through a compassionate, trauma-informed lens.Here are a few common personality disorders:

  • Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
  • Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD)
  • Histrionic Personality Disorder (HPD)
  • Antisocial Personality Disorder (ASPD)
  • Avoidant Personality Disorder (AvPD)
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)
  • Dependent Personality Disorder
  • Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

No matter the diagnosis or the specific challenges you’re facing, you deserve support. Whether you have a formal diagnosis or are simply looking for relief and clarity, we are here to help you build insight, develop new tools, and move toward meaningful change.

Evidence-Based Approaches to Personality Disorder Therapy

Emotion Regulation Support

Many people living with personality disorders experience intense and sometimes unpredictable emotions. Drawing from Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT), therapy offers tools to manage emotional overwhelm, tolerate distress, and respond more calmly in challenging situations.

Interpersonal Effectiveness

Relationships may feel unstable, confusing, or filled with conflict. Therapy can help you learn how to set boundaries, communicate clearly, and build more secure, meaningful connections. DBT and other relational approaches support this growth in a practical, supportive way.

Identity and Self-Understanding

A fragmented or shifting sense of identity is common with many personality disorders. Therapy provides space to explore who you are, what matters to you, and how your past experiences have shaped your sense of self. This is done through compassionate exploration and reflective dialogue.

Managing Thoughts and Behaviours

Therapy also uses principles from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to help identify unhelpful thought patterns and behaviours. Together, we work to interrupt these cycles and build new ways of coping that feel more aligned with your goals and values.

Smiling woman in therapy session — DBT and online therapy for personality disorders in Timmins, including borderline, narcissistic, and antisocial traits.

What a Therapy Session Can Look Like

Every therapy journey is unique, but sessions often include a mix of reflection, skill-building, and emotional support. Depending on your needs and goals, your experience may draw from different therapeutic approaches like DBT or CBT. Here’s what a typical session might involve:

  • Setting Goals: At the start of therapy, you and your therapist will work together to identify what you want to get out of your sessions. Your goals might evolve over time, but they will always be centred around your needs and priorities.
  • Building Skills: Many therapy sessions focus on learning practical tools to help manage emotions, navigate relationships, and cope with stress. These might include mindfulness, emotional regulation techniques, or strategies for assertive communication.
  • Understanding Triggers and Patterns: You’ll work with your therapist to explore the experiences, situations, or relationships that tend to cause distress. Together, you’ll begin to understand why certain patterns show up and how to respond to them with more awareness and care.
  • Trying New Approaches: Some sessions may include gentle role-play or guided exercises to help you practice new skills in a safe, supportive space. This can help build confidence and create space for real-world change.
    Whether you’re navigating borderline personality disorder (BPD), narcissistic traits, or other challenges, therapy provides structure, support, and a space to grow — at your pace.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Book a free consultation via our online booking tool or send us a message. Offering evening and weekend appointments, online across Ontario and in-person in Timmins.

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The Caregivers Role in Child Therapy

Authored by Kelly Lamothe, MSW, RSW

Generally, children are not in therapy because they’ve requested it, rather, their caregiver, medical professional, or school has recommended they attend. Here are essential insights for caregivers to bear in mind during their child’s therapeutic journey.

Navigating the Start of Therapy
Before the first appointment, it can be helpful to prepare the child by explaining to them what they are about to do and what to expect. Offering ample reassurance, framing therapy as a positive and exciting experience, and creating positive associations can significantly enhance the child’s willingness to engage. Positive associations go a long way for helping the child enjoy and be willing to attend therapy. Pair a therapy session with a fun activity afterwards, such as allowing them a special treat or activity.

Creating a Positive Therapeutic Environment
Therapy doesn’t have to come with the same dread as going to get a cavity filled at the dentists. Therapists are committed to making the experience engaging and fun through activities like games, positive reinforcement, and creative expressions like playing with toys or art. Importantly, therapists respect a child’s comfort level and never force them to prolong a session beyond their readiness. The goal is to build positive associations that encourage the child’s enthusiasm to return. Forcing the child to stay longer than they want will not be conducive to learning new skills or building and maintaining trust.

Building Trust Over Time
Establishing trust with the therapist is a gradual process for the child. Similar to adults who may be hesitant to share inner thoughts with a stranger, it is unrealistic to expect immediate trust from a child. The initial few sessions, and sometimes longer, focus on nurturing trust, developing the therapeutic relationship, and gaining a deeper understanding of the child.

Diverse Approaches to Child Therapy
Child therapy doesn’t always appear like the traditional portrayals in the media. Unlike the image of someone on a couch in deep conversation, this is not an accurate representation of child therapy. Most children will not engage in traditional talk therapy to have deep conversations about what is troubling them as adults would. As such, the child therapist is trained to obtain relevant information and provide the child with essential skills through other modalities, such as play.

Home as an Extension of Therapy
While therapists spend limited time with the child during sessions, the caregiver plays a crucial role in reinforcing therapy at home. Just as a child needs reminders for everyday tasks, such as brushing their teeth, caregivers are responsible for prompting and supporting the child in practicing the skills learned during therapy. Like learning any new skill, practice makes progress.

Mutual Engagement in the Therapeutic Process
Caregivers are integral to the therapeutic process. The therapist may offer recommendations based on observed interactions, encouraging caregivers to manage situations and behaviors more effectively. Learning to navigate their own emotions and behaviors equips caregivers to better support their child, sometimes necessitating their own individual therapy.

Collaboration for the Child’s Success
Therapists are allies with the child’s best interests at heart. Open communication is crucial; caregivers should share thoughts and concerns, enabling therapists to tailor the therapy to the child’s unique needs and goals. If a particular approach isn’t yielding results, caregivers are encouraged to communicate with the therapist for alternative strategies. Together, caregivers and therapists form a collaborative team dedicated to the child’s success and well-being.