Desiring a healthier, more stable relationship? Needing more effective ways to communicate? Trying to get unstuck from patterns that don’t help you or your loved one to feel better?
If you are a family member or friend of someone with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD), learning dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can help you to save your relationship.
Living with and loving someone who has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder can sometimes be challenging. When one family member is suffering with intense and ever-changing emotions, many family members are thrown into the chaos that results from unrelenting crises.
Dialectical behavior therapy isn't just for the person with the problem; it's for anyone who has a desire to cope more effectively with their own anxiety, anger, and frustration.
Learning just a few DBT skills can help you feel more relaxed, be in control of your own reactions, and mindful of your emotions. If your son, daughter, spouse, or sibling is learning dialectical behavior therapy with a trained mental health professional then you can begin to share a unique therapeutic language that will lead to greater understanding, trust, and healing.
Beginning Tuesday, November 26, 2019 at 7:00 pm Eastern/4:00 pm Pacific, I'll be offering a 12-week online DBT skills class designed just for family members and friends. (If you are outside the US, you can convert the time zone difference by clicking here.) Each live, interactive webinar is one hour in length and all sessions will be recorded for future listening. The investment for this course is just three monthly payments of $129 each per person.
Through the four modules of DBT—Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and Emotion Regulation—you will learn how to:
• validate your family member
• successfully cope with threatening or abusive behaviors
• engage in collaborative problem-solving
• de-escalate arguments and prevent misunderstandings
• practice dialectical thinking to build empathy
• establish limits when necessary
• make smart treatment decisions together
• create your own life worth living
I highly recommend Amanda's 12 week online Family DBT & Communication Skills Class. 2 years ago when my then 18 year old daughter was diagnosed with BPD, I felt like I was drowning in misinformation about BPD and I felt helpless and alone. I stumbled upon Amanda's website, which led to my finding several helpful books that she recommends for families, as well as information about online classes designed specifically to help families & loved ones understand BPD and communicate more effectively. Learning these skills has truly been a game changer for our family and having the weekly support from others, as well as from Amanda was just the support we needed to make positive changes in dealing with our daughter. We found resources to be lacking in our area, especially when it comes to family support. The online course makes the tools readily available, no matter where you live. Thank you Amanda for all your hard work and dedication to not only those suffering with BPD, but their families, who are a very important piece of the recovery and healing process.
—AB, South Carolina
Who Am I?
Hello! My name is Amanda and I have been intensively trained in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) through The Linehan Institute's Behavioral Tech. I’ve been helping families and individuals with a diagnosis of BPD since 2007.
You’ve Got Questions, I’ve Got Answers
Q: What is DBT?
A: Dialectical behavior therapy is an evidence-based treatment designed to help people take control of their emotions and behaviors. DBT was developed by Marsha Linehan, PhD and you can read more about how DBT helps people by clicking here.
Q: Will DBT help me?
A: I believe that DBT can be beneficial for anyone who would like to better cope with life’s challenges.
Sometimes those challenges include our relationships with our family members or other people we love who are struggling with their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.
Q: Who takes this course?
A: People all over the world!
I’ve now had individuals from six continents join us for this 12-week course. (I’m waiting from someone from Antartica to sign up!)
Hundreds of spouses, parents, partners, friends and children of individuals with a diagnosis of BPD have found that these skills have helped them to improve their relationship. My hope is that that can be true for you and your family as well.
Q: Is this course live or are the webinars prerecorded?
A: Yes, this is live. We meet each and every week for one hour. You will always be given an opportunity to ask questions and receive immediate feedback so that you can get the answers and support you need as quickly as possible.
Q: Do I need to download any special webinar software?
A: No. You can access the webinar each week through whatever web browser you already use.
Q: Is my privacy protected?
A: Yes. You will have a unique username and password that you will choose when you register for this course. Additionally, you will never be asked to share any information with others that may personally identify you or a family member.
Some individuals may feel more secure when they create a separate email address (via an encrypted account such as ProtonMail) to sign up for this course.
Q: My family member has not been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder. Can I still take this course?
A: Yes! If you have any questions about how this course might be helpful, please contact me for additional information.
Q: Will this course help me if my family member is not in DBT?
A: Definitely. This course was designed to help families get the help and resources they need.
Most participants who join us do not have a family member who is currently in DBT or a treatment program targeted toward borderline personality disorder.
Q: Will this course help me to get my family member to go to therapy or seek treatment?
A: This is one of the topics that comes up again and again for family members. During our 12 weeks together, we will address the issue of increasing motivation to get help for BPD, anxiety, depression, and addictive behaviors in a way that is both sensitive and validating.
Q: Can couples participate in this course?
A: Yes! I frequently have couples who take this course so that they can learn these relationship-saving skills together.
Q: Can my daughter/son participate in this course?
A: While this course is not intended for individuals with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder nor those who have traits of BPD, I’ve had several parents use this course with their teen or young adult child as a way of learning the skills together. Please note, however, that this online course is not a substitute for working with a licensed mental health professional or participating in a comprehensive DBT program.
If you are interested in a referral to a local professional or a residential treatment program, please send an email to me at amanda@hopeforbpd.com.
Q: I have a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder. Can I take this course?
A: At this time, I do not have a course for individuals with a diagnosis of BPD but I’d love for you to check out My Dialectical Life—a self-help tool for learning these life-changing DBT skills.
Q: What if I find that this course isn’t for me?
A: That’s perfectly okay! I still want for you to get the help you need. Contact me at amanda@hopeforbpd.com for more information so that I can get you pointed in a direction that will be most helpful to you and your family member.
Questions about me or my work? You can learn more about me and my work by clicking here.
You can always reach me at amanda@hopeforbpd.com or you can call me at (941) 704-4328. I'd love to learn more about you and your family.
I thought I should send you an update to let you know how much your family skills course has helped my family and I! Since I completed the course, things have been significantly calmer. My husband has still had some high-intensity moments, but I haven't lost control or hope like I used to. I have been able to separate him from the illness, and not take his behaviour so personally. I have a lot more empathy for him now, but also a lot more confidence in him.
—KS, Canada
Why not make a life-changing investment in improving your relationship today?
Registration will reopen in mid-November. Please email me at amanda@hopeforbpd.com to be added to my notification list.