Family Connections

A free program created by NEABPD to help family members and friend of those with emotion dysregulation

Family Connections™ is a free 8-week course that meets weekly to provide education, skills training, and support for people who are in a relationship with someone who has BPD.

Focusing on issues that are specific to emotion dysregulation, FC is hosted in a community setting and led by trained group leaders who are usually family members of relatives with BPD. Dr. Alan Fruzzetti and Dr. Perry Hoffman developed the course based on their research as well as their significant professional expertise in counseling people with BPD and their loved ones.

Family Connections provides: current information and research on BPD and on family functioning; individual coping skills based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT); family skills; and group support that builds an ongoing network for family members.

COURSE CONTENT

• Research-based program typically taught as 8-week course

• Education & Research on BPD

• Skills training for families based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy

• Skills training for families based on      

  Dialectical Behavior Therapy

• Relationship Mindfulness

• Effective Communication

• Validation

• Development of a support network

COURSE DETAILS

When: September 4th- October 23, 2025, Thursdays, 8:00-9:30 PM EST

Cost: FREE! 

Commitment: The research demonstrating effectiveness of this program is based on a 8-week commitment including 1-2 hours of homework per week. We HIGHLY encourage attending all 8 weeks.

How to Register: Email us at info@ebtcollaborative.com

Level 2: Friends & Family

Friends & Family™ is a 12-week course that meets weekly to teach more advanced theoretical concepts of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and skill application techniques to friends and family members of individuals in a DBT program.

COURSE CONTENT

  • Intro (Guidelines/Assumptions) & Review the BioSocial Model of DBT

  • Mindfulness Skills: Three States of Mind, What & How

  • Validation & Problem Solving: Core Acceptance & Change Skills - why do we stay mindful of judgments?

  • Primary Target Behavior: Functions, Response from Family & Skills

  • Secondary Target Behaviors: Biological & Social Consequences

  • Understand the functional relationship: thinking, feeling & acting

  • Distress Tolerance Skills for Family & Friends

  • Review & Role Play: Limit Setting, Observing Limits & Acceptance

  • Relationship Mindfulness: Skills for Family & Friends

  • Emotion Regulation: Sensitivity, Reactivity & Slow Return to Baseline: Now What? Skills!

  • Interpersonal Effectiveness: DEARMAN, GIVE & FAST (role play)

  • Basics of Behaviorism: Don’t Shoot the Dog!

COURSE DETAILS

When: Tuesday 5:00-6:30 PM

Cost: FREE!

Commitment: We HIGHLY encourage attending all 12 weeks.

How to register: Email us at info@ebtcollaborative.com