Services › Personality Disorders
Personality Disorder Therapy, Steady Care.
Telehealth therapy for borderline and other personality disorders. Covered by Partnership HealthPlan Medi-Cal, with no referral.
Last updated: October 2026
What We Treat
What this therapy helps with
- Borderline personality patterns
- Avoidant personality patterns
- Dependent personality patterns
- Intense emotions that are hard to regulate
- Unstable self-image
- Volatile or painful relationships
The focus is on building workable patterns and stability, not labels. A formal diagnosis is not required to begin.
Our Approach
How treatment works
- DBT-informed skills. You learn mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
- Acceptance and change. DBT balances accepting yourself as you are while working to change.
- A consistent relationship. Treatment rests on a steady therapeutic relationship over time.
- A tool every week. You leave each session with a concrete skill to use before the next one.
Weekly 50 to 60 minute sessions by secure video or phone keep the consistency this work depends on.
When To Reach Out
Signs these patterns may be affecting you
- Emotions hit fast and hard and take a long time to settle
- Relationships swing between closeness and conflict
- Fear of being left or rejected drives your choices
- Your sense of who you are shifts depending on who you are with
- You avoid people or situations because of fear of criticism
- Impulsive actions you later regret, especially when upset
If you are having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, call or text 988 now.
What To Expect
How treatment unfolds
- Getting oriented. You and your clinician agree on goals and how you will work together, including how to handle crises.
- Learning core skills. You start with mindfulness and distress tolerance to get through intense moments without making things worse.
- Using skills in real life. You practice emotion regulation and interpersonal skills in the situations that usually go badly.
- Building a life that works. Over time, the focus shifts to stable relationships, a clearer sense of self, and long-term goals.
Progress is usually steady rather than sudden. Consistency matters more than any single session.
Why Telehealth Works
A consistent connection, week after week
Treatment for long-standing patterns depends on showing up consistently over time. Telehealth makes it easier to keep sessions going through busy weeks, transportation problems, or hard days.
Practicing skills at home, where many of the hardest moments happen, helps them become habits rather than ideas.
Try the free DBT diary card, guided breathing, and 5-4-3-2-1 grounding on our Therapy Tools page.
Myths & Facts
Common myths about personality disorder therapy
MythPersonality disorders cannot be treated.
FactDBT and related approaches have strong evidence, and many people see real improvement with consistent treatment.
MythA diagnosis defines who you are.
FactA diagnosis describes patterns, not your worth. Many people no longer meet the criteria after treatment.
MythPeople with these patterns do not want to change.
FactMost people living with these patterns are in real pain and want things to be different. They often have not had the right tools.
Coverage & Getting Started
What personality disorder therapy costs and how to start
In network with Partnership HealthPlan
PMHS is a contracted, in-network provider with Partnership HealthPlan of California. Covered sessions for Medi-Cal members usually cost nothing.
Long-term, DBT-informed therapy is covered for most Partnership HealthPlan members at no cost, with no referral and no hard annual session cap for medically necessary care. PMHS also accepts Medicare, Medi-Medi, and private pay, with sliding-scale fees available. We check your coverage before your first session.
- Reach out. Submit the short form or call or text (925) 771-0430. We respond within one hour between 8am and 8pm, or by 9am the next morning.
- We verify your coverage. We check your Partnership HealthPlan, Medicare, or other benefits for you.
- Start this week. No waitlist. Your first session is an intake, by secure video or phone from home.
Where We Serve
Personality Disorder Therapy in all 24 Partnership HealthPlan counties
PMHS is 100% telehealth, so you can start from home in every Partnership HealthPlan county, including these towns.
What PMHS does not provide
- Crisis or emergency services. Call or text 988, or call 911 if you are in immediate danger.
- Medication management or psychological testing.
- Court-ordered evaluations or forensic assessments.
- In-person appointments. PMHS is 100% telehealth by video or phone.
- Sessions while you are physically outside California.
Common Questions
Personality Disorder Therapy FAQ
Does Medi-Cal cover therapy for personality disorders?
Partnership HealthPlan covers medically necessary outpatient therapy, usually at no cost to the member, with no referral. We verify your benefits before your first appointment.
Do I need a diagnosis to start?
No. A formal diagnosis is not required to begin. Your clinician focuses on the patterns causing distress, not on labels.
What is DBT?
Dialectical Behavior Therapy teaches four skill sets: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. It is one of the most effective treatments for emotional dysregulation.
What if I am in crisis?
PMHS does not provide crisis services. In a crisis, call or text 988, or call 911 if you are in immediate danger. Part of treatment is building a plan for intense moments before they happen.
What does DBT-informed mean?
It means your individual sessions teach and practice the core DBT skills: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
What is a diary card?
A diary card is a simple daily log of emotions, urges, and the skills you used. It helps you and your clinician spot patterns and focus each session. PMHS offers a free version on our Therapy Tools page.
Related Services
Other therapy PMHS offers by telehealth
Ready to take the next step?
Stability is possible. Start this week.
Telehealth therapy across all 24 Partnership HealthPlan counties. No referral needed. No waitlist.
Get Started