One of the primary factors in the etiology of personality disorders is believed to be childhood maltreatment. Despite this knowledge, personality disorders are among the most stigmatized, villainized diagnoses in our profession. Stigma inevitably impacts the clients suffering with these disorders; their persistent negative characterization by professionals marginalizes and retraumatizes them. This mindset also oversimplifies and generalizes these disorders.

Objectives

• Examine personality disorder stigma

• Explore both significant and lesser-known symptoms of personality disorders

• Review multiple evidence based treatments

• Learn ways to cope with countertransference and implicit biases