Understanding Personality Disorders: Signs, Challenges & How Therapy Can Help

What Are Personality Disorders?

Personality disorders are complex mental health conditions that affect how individuals think, feel, and relate to others. They often involve deeply ingrained patterns of behavior, emotional instability, and difficulties in relationships, self-identity, and coping mechanisms. These patterns can cause distress, interfere with daily life, and make it challenging to maintain stable relationships or a positive self-image.

Joana Miranda, a compassionate counsellor in Caloundra, understands that personality disorders are often misunderstood and require a non-judgmental, tailored approach. Her client-centered therapy helps individuals navigate emotional regulation, self-awareness, and interpersonal challenges, empowering them to live healthier and more balanced lives.

Recognizing Personality Disorders: Common Signs & Symptoms

Personality disorders can present in different ways, often affecting emotions, relationships, and self-perception. Here are some common signs that support may be beneficial:

Emotional & Psychological Signs:

Intense mood swings or emotional instability
Persistent feelings of emptiness, insecurity, or self-doubt
Difficulty managing anger, frustration, or impulsive reactions
Deep-seated fear of abandonment or rejection
Struggles with self-identity or a sense of self

Behavioral & Social Changes:

Unstable relationships characterized by idealization or conflict
Risky or impulsive behaviors, such as reckless spending or substance use
Difficulty trusting others or persistent paranoia
Avoidance of social interactions or extreme dependence on others
Manipulative or controlling behaviors as a way to cope with emotional distress

Cognitive Patterns:

Black-and-white thinking (seeing people or situations as all good or all bad)
Chronic feelings of shame, guilt, or worthlessness
Distorted perceptions of reality or oneself
Dissociative episodes or feeling disconnected from emotions or surroundings

Joana Miranda’s Approach to Personality Disorder Counselling in Caloundra

Managing a personality disorder requires patience, self-awareness, and effective therapeutic strategies. Joana Miranda provides a safe and supportive space to help individuals better understand their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, guiding them toward healthier coping mechanisms and stronger relationships.

1. Skill Development for Personality Disorders (Emotion Regulation, Distress Tolerance, Communication Skills, Boundaries, Assertiveness, Schema Therapy)

Joana incorporates Skill Development to help clients with personality disorders build essential life skills, including emotional regulation, distress tolerance, healthy communication, and assertiveness. By addressing maladaptive patterns through Schema Therapy, clients learn to set boundaries, improve relationships, and develop greater self-awareness and stability.

2. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for Personality Disorders (Trauma Processing, Emotional Healing, Adaptive Coping)

Joana utilizes Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to help clients process past traumas that contribute to personality disorder symptoms. By reprocessing distressing memories, clients can reduce emotional reactivity, gain new perspectives, and develop healthier coping mechanisms.

3. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Personality Disorders (Thought Restructuring, Behavioral Change, Coping Strategies)

Joana applies Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients recognize and reframe unhelpful thought patterns that contribute to emotional dysregulation and interpersonal difficulties. By developing healthier behaviors and coping strategies, clients gain tools to manage challenges and foster personal growth.

4. Expressive Therapy for Personality Disorders (Art, Music, Writing, Drama Therapy)

Joana incorporates Expressive Therapy to support clients in exploring and expressing their emotions in a safe and creative way. Whether through art, music, or writing, this approach helps clients process deep-seated emotions, enhance self-awareness, and develop healthier ways of expressing themselves.