Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment
in Fresno, California

Specialized Treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder

At Sierra Meadows Behavioral Health, we provide compassionate, evidence-based treatment for individuals living with borderline personality disorder (BPD). Our team understands how overwhelming and isolating the symptoms of BPD can feel—especially when emotions seem out of control or relationships feel unstable. That’s why we offer personalized care in a supportive environment designed to promote healing, emotional regulation, and long-term well-being.

Located in Fresno, California, we are proud to serve individuals across the state who are looking for trusted borderline personality disorder treatment centers in California. Whether you’re local to the Central Valley or traveling from elsewhere, our comprehensive mental health programs are here to meet you where you are and guide you toward a healthier, more balanced life.

What is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)?

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex mental health condition marked by intense emotions, unstable relationships, a fragile sense of self, and impulsive behaviors. People with BPD often experience emotional swings that feel out of proportion to the situation, and they may struggle with fears of abandonment, self-doubt, or episodes of anger or despair. These symptoms can lead to patterns of chaotic relationships, difficulty trusting others, and a constant feeling of emotional instability.

BPD is classified as a personality disorder because it involves long-standing patterns in how a person thinks, feels, and relates to others. These patterns typically begin in adolescence or early adulthood and can affect nearly every part of a person’s life. BPD can feel like a “new” diagnosis because, for years, it was widely misunderstood—even within the mental health field. Its symptoms often overlap with trauma, mood disorders, and even ADHD, which can make it difficult to pinpoint. This has contributed to delays in diagnosis and a lingering stigma around the condition. Today, with greater awareness and more research-backed treatments, people with BPD have more hope than ever for meaningful recovery.

What Are BPD Symptoms?

Borderline Personality Disorder affects how a person experiences emotions, perceives themselves, and interacts with others. While every individual is different, there are certain hallmark symptoms that guide mental health professionals in making a diagnosis. These symptoms are often intense, long-lasting, and disruptive to daily life. Understanding the core traits of BPD is the first step toward recognizing when it’s time to seek help. Here are five symptoms commonly seen in people with BPD, based on clinical diagnostic criteria:

Emotional instability

People with BPD often experience intense mood swings that can last for hours or days. These emotional shifts may be triggered by seemingly small events and can feel overwhelming or difficult to control.

Fear of abandonment

A deep fear of being left or rejected—whether real or imagined—can lead to frantic efforts to avoid abandonment, including clinging behaviors or emotional outbursts in relationships.

Unstable relationships

Individuals with BPD may have intense and short-lived relationships, often swinging between idealizing someone and then devaluing them when they feel disappointed or threatened.

Distorted self-image

Many with BPD struggle with an unstable sense of self. Their goals, values, or identity may change frequently, leading to confusion or feelings of emptiness.

Impulsive behaviors

Engaging in risky activities like substance use, binge eating, reckless driving, or self-harm can be common. These behaviors are often attempts to cope with emotional pain or gain a sense of control.

Recognizing these symptoms doesn’t mean someone has BPD, but it does signal that professional support may be helpful. With the right treatment, many people with BPD are able to build healthier relationships and more stable lives.

Treatment Options for BPD at Sierra Meadows

At Sierra Meadows Behavioral Health, we offer a comprehensive and compassionate approach to treating Borderline Personality Disorder. Our programs are designed to meet each person where they are, blending structure with flexibility so that care feels supportive—not overwhelming. Here’s what BPD treatment may include at our Fresno-based center:

Psychiatric Evaluation

Every individual begins with a thorough psychiatric evaluation. This allows our clinical team to understand your mental health history, current symptoms, and any co-occurring conditions. From there, we can determine which types of support will be most beneficial.

Individualized Treatment Plan

No two experiences with BPD are the same, which is why we create personalized treatment plans tailored to your needs, goals, and lifestyle. Whether you’re entering at the inpatient, PHP, IOP, or outpatient level, your care will be adjusted as you grow.

Medication Management (If Needed)

While not everyone with BPD benefits from medication, it can be helpful for managing co-occurring symptoms like anxiety, depression, or mood swings. If medication is part of your care, our team will walk you through the options and only recommend what feels right for you.

Therapy Structure

Therapy is at the heart of our approach to treating Borderline Personality Disorder. At Sierra Meadows, we incorporate a range of evidence-based therapies that help individuals develop healthier coping skills, manage emotional distress, and build more stable relationships.

Group and Peer Support

Healing doesn’t happen in isolation. Our programs include structured group therapy and optional peer support opportunities that allow you to connect with others who understand what you’re going through. These spaces help build trust, communication skills, and a sense of shared progress—key elements in long-term recovery.

With the right environment and a supportive clinical team, it is possible to manage BPD and live a more stable, fulfilling life. Our goal is to help you get there.

The Importance of Therapy for BPD

Therapy is the cornerstone of recovery from Borderline Personality Disorder. While medication can help manage certain symptoms like anxiety or depression, therapy is what truly allows individuals to understand and reshape the deeper patterns driving emotional pain and instability. For people with BPD, this isn’t just about managing symptoms—it’s about learning how to navigate relationships, tolerate distress, and feel more grounded in who they are. Recovery takes time, but with the right therapeutic support, lasting change is absolutely possible.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT was developed specifically for BPD and is one of the most effective tools in treatment. It teaches skills in four key areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. DBT helps people slow down, gain clarity in the moment, and respond rather than react. Many individuals with BPD find that DBT gives them the structure they’ve always needed to feel more in control of their lives.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT helps individuals identify and challenge the distorted thinking patterns that often fuel emotional suffering and self-doubt. For those with BPD, CBT can reduce black-and-white thinking, help reframe negative self-beliefs, and introduce more flexible, balanced perspectives. It’s also an excellent complement to DBT, offering tools that support day-to-day functioning.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Many individuals with BPD have a history of trauma, which EMDR helps address directly. This therapy uses guided eye movements to help the brain process traumatic memories and reduce their emotional intensity. Over time, EMDR can reduce the power those experiences hold and open space for healing and self-compassion.

Individual Therapy

One-on-one therapy sessions provide a safe, confidential environment to explore personal struggles, past experiences, and emotional patterns. The therapeutic relationship itself becomes a space where trust can be built gradually—something that’s often difficult but deeply important for someone with BPD.

Peer and Support Groups

Beyond formal therapy, peer-led support groups offer ongoing encouragement and connection. These groups can be especially helpful between therapy sessions or after formal treatment ends, reinforcing a sense of belonging and accountability.

Therapy for BPD isn’t about changing who you are—it’s about giving you the tools to live more fully, more peacefully, and with greater confidence in yourself. At Sierra Meadows, therapy is where healing truly begins.

The Truth About Crisis Stabilization for BPD

For individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder, a mental health crisis isn’t just overwhelming—it can be a genuine, urgent emergency. People with BPD often present in crisis, and this pattern is a defining feature of the disorder. These episodes may include self-harm, impulsive aggression, suicidal behavior, or even brief psychotic symptoms. They’re not simply emotional outbursts—they’re moments of intense psychological pain that can result in serious risk to the individual’s safety and well-being.

In fact, research shows that individuals with BPD are frequent users of psychiatric and acute hospital emergency services due to the severity and unpredictability of these crises.

At Sierra Meadows, we take these crises seriously. Our inpatient services provide a secure, compassionate space where individuals can de-escalate, receive immediate psychiatric care, and begin working with a clinical team trained in trauma-informed crisis response. The goal is not just short-term safety, but setting the foundation for long-term emotional regulation, safety planning, and recovery. No one should have to face a mental health crisis alone—and with the right care, no one has to.

When Is It Time to Ask for Help

If you or someone you love is struggling with intense emotions, unstable relationships, or overwhelming shifts in mood, it may be time to seek support. Living with Borderline Personality Disorder can feel isolating and unpredictable—but it doesn’t have to stay that way. Asking for help isn’t a sign of failure; it’s a step toward stability, healing, and a life that feels more manageable. Whether you’re reaching out for yourself or someone you care about, the support you need is here.

Getting Started

We know that asking for help takes courage. Getting in touch is the first step. We’re here for you, no matter what. Once submitted, our admissions team will be in touch within 24 hours.

Or call us directly to get started: 559-326-7775

Contact Us

How It Works

At Sierra Meadows, we provide personalized treatment designed just for you, ensuring a safe and supportive environment every step of the way.

Initial Assessment and Medication Evaluation

Making sure that you or your loved one are assessed for optimal care.

Individualized Treatment Plan

We craft a treatment plan tailored to suite your individual needs.

Medication Management

Our clinicians make sure that you access the medication you need.

Follow up Psychiatry Visits

We make sure you or your loved one are take care of after your stay.

Admissions Process

We know that asking for help takes courage. Getting in touch is the first step. We’re here for you, no matter what. Once submitted, our admissions team will be in touch within 24 hours.

Or call us directly to get started: 559-326-7775

Contact Us

Start Healing with Support That Understands

At Sierra Meadows, we know how painful and confusing life with BPD can feel—but we also know that recovery is possible with the right care. Our team is here to listen, support, and guide you or your loved one toward lasting change. Call us today or fill out our confidential online form to speak with a member of our admissions team and take the first step toward healing.

Borderline Personality Disorder Treatment
in Fresno, California

Specialized Treatment for Borderline Personality Disorder

What is Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)?