Narcissistic Personality Disorder Treatment
Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) can significantly affect relationships, work, self-esteem, and overall well-being.
I use several contemporary, evidence-based psychodynamic approaches to treat narcissistic personality disorder. These include Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP), Psychodynamically-Oriented Supportive Psychotherapy (POST), and Mentalization-Based Treatment (MBT) along with elements of Supportive-Expressive Therapy (SET) where appropriate. Treatment is tailored to the specific patterns, history, and goals of each individual.
About Dr. Sharpless
I am a licensed clinical psychologist and author with over 20 years of experience assessing and treating personality disorders (including narcissistic personality disorder). I received my Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Pennsylvania State University and completed post-doctoral clinical and research fellowships at the University of Pennsylvania. I also completed a clinical fellowship at the Psychoanalytic Center of Philadelphia.
Along with my clinical practice, I publish books and articles on psychodynamic therapy (e.g., Psychodynamic Therapy Techniques, Oxford University Press, 2019) and psychopathology (i.e., the study of mental disorders) and provide ongoing supervision and consultation to other therapists treating complex cases.
Who This Treatment Helps
Individuals who experience:
- Difficulty maintaining close or satisfying relationships
- A strong need for admiration or validation
- Sensitivity to criticism or perceived slights
- Difficulty recognizing or empathizing with others’ perspectives
- Underlying feelings of insecurity or emptiness
- Chronic feelings of fraudulence
- Unstable sense of self and self-esteem
What to Expect
The most important step of treatment is to determine if you are actually suffering from narcissistic personality disorder. NPD is frequently misdiagnosed for other disorders conditions (and vice versa). Following the initial assessment, therapy may commence with me or another provider. Many people find that a combination of evidence-based treatments and a strong therapeutic relationship leads to real, lasting change even if previous treatment attempts have been unsuccessful. Therapy sessions are available via secure telehealth across many states (check the status of your home state here), with limited in-person availability in Frederick, MD.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is narcissistic personality disorder treatable? It is a myth that people with NPD cannot improve. Though there has not yet been a single clinical trial for NPD, we use what is known to work for its closest neighboring condition: borderline personality disorder (BPD). While often considered challenging to treat, structured, evidence-based approaches can meaningfully improve relationship functioning, self-awareness, and overall well-being.
Do you diagnose NPD as part of treatment? Yes — if a formal diagnostic evaluation would be helpful (e.g., if you are already working with another provider), I offer dedicated NPD assessment services.
How frequent are the sessions? Given the complexity of the treatment, most people benefit from two 50-minute sessions per week.
How long does treatment typically take? This varies by individual. It is generally a mid to long-term treatment (i.e., 6 months to two years or longer), but the duration of treatment depends upon severity, personal motivation, and specific goals.
Contact Dr. Sharpless
If you are interested in an evaluation and/or treatment, please contact me here or click the Contact button at the top or bottom of this page.