DBT Friends & Family Program

We at CBT California are aware of the difficulties of having a loved one with emotional and behavioral difficulties. While many of these people are often described as “difficult” or “manipulative,” the CBT California team perceives them differently and understands the core of their emotional struggles. Our Friends and Family program is designed to help the friends and family members of individuals with medical and behavioral problems learn skills to cope better with the chaos that can accompany these problems. The program covers the following topics:

• Education on emotional regulation problems and DBT
• Family Perspectives and Experiences
• Mindfulness Skills
• Emotion Regulation Skills
• Effective Communication Skills
• Distress Tolerance Skills
• Validation Skills

Our Friends and Family Program also utilizes the Family Guidelines, published by the New England Personality Disorder Association, to teach friends and families the following:

• Set realistic expectations
• Manage the family environment
• Manage crises
• Address problems
• Observe limits