New Smyrna Beach · South Daytona · Deland, FL
Personality Disorder Treatment in New Smyrna Beach, South Daytona & Deland, FL
If your relationships feel like they swing between extremes, your sense of who you are feels unstable, or you've been told your reactions are "too much," you may be dealing with a personality disorder — and it's more common, and more treatable, than most people realize. We provide compassionate, judgment-free personality disorder evaluation and treatment for adolescents age 13 and older and adults across New Smyrna Beach, South Daytona, and DeLand, Florida.
A Diagnosis, Not a Character Flaw
Personality disorders involve long-standing patterns in how someone relates to others, sees themselves, and manages emotions — patterns that cause real distress or difficulty in relationships, work, or daily life. They are not a reflection of someone's character or worth. They're treatable mental health conditions, and with the right support, patterns that have felt unchangeable for years can shift.
Signs and Symptoms of Personality Disorders
Personality disorders differ in how they affect thoughts, emotions, behavior, and relationships. Not everyone experiences the same symptoms, and these experiences alone do not establish a diagnosis. Common experiences include:
Intense, unstable relationships
Emotions that feel more intense than the moment
Feeling like your emotions are "too much"
Avoiding closeness for fear of rejection
Shifting sense of identity
Deep distrust of other people's motives
Rigid perfectionism or need for control
Impulsivity that creates problems later
Strong fear of abandonment
Read more on our blog:
Types of Personality Disorders
Ten recognized personality disorders are grouped into three clusters based on shared features. A thorough evaluation helps identify which pattern, if any, fits your experience.
Cluster A: odd or eccentric patterns
Paranoid, Schizoid, or Schizotypal
Cluster B: dramatic, emotional, or erratic patterns
Antisocial, Borderline, Histrionic, or Narcissistic
Cluster C: anxious or fearful patterns
Avoidant, Dependent, or Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
Obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is a different condition from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), although the names are similar.
Who We Treat
Including years of unexplained struggle
Adults
When these patterns often first become noticeable
Adolescents, age 13+
We currently treat individuals age 13 and older.
Personality Disorder vs. Bipolar Disorder: How can you tell? Both can involve intense mood shifts. Bipolar disorder involves distinct episodes of elevated or depressed mood, while personality disorders involve long-standing patterns in relationships and self-image. The two can also occur together. See Bipolar Disorder Treatment.
How Personality Disorders are Diagnosed
Evaluation starts with listening, not a checklist alone.
Full history of your patterns
How you relate to others, see yourself, and handle emotions over time
What's already been tried
Past treatment, therapy, and medication experiences
Evaluation for overlapping conditions
Considers depression, anxiety, trauma, or bipolar-spectrum symptoms
Clear treatment recommendation
Discussed and decided on together
Our Approach to Personality Disorder Care
We provide individualized psychiatric evaluation and medication management when appropriate, and can help connect patients with specialized psychotherapy, including dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), when indicated.
Thorough evaluation
Considers overlapping conditions like depression, anxiety, or trauma
Therapy connections
Referrals for specialized psychotherapy such as DBT, an evidence-based approach
Collaborative care
Informed and involved in every decision
Medication management
May help with co-occurring symptoms like mood instability or anxiety
Personality disorders can occur alongside depression, anxiety, trauma-related symptoms, or bipolar disorder. We currently treat individuals age 13 and older.
Tell us a bit about what you're experiencing
01
Inquire
In-person appointments available, along with virtual options. A $100 deposit is required to book a self-pay/out-of-network initial evaluation, applied toward your total appointment cost.
What to Expect
Intake paperwork
Including insurance info, ahead of your first visit
02
Initial evaluation
Comprehensive in-person psychiatric evaluation
03
Treatment plan
Personalized, with close early follow-up
04
Meet Your Provider
Sandra MacSweeney, MHA, FNP-C, PMHNP-C
Holds a Master's degree in Advanced Practice Nursing with a specialization in psychiatric mental health from Nova Southeastern University. Florida board-certified to treat patients across the lifespan, with a focus on evidence-based, whole-person care.