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In DBT Skills for Couples, we learn to more effectively cope with intense emotional patterns in our intimate relationships. These online classes teach skills that can help break the negative emotional patterns that prompt criticism, self-blame, or defensiveness. This class and the Family Skills Training provide family members, friends or partners with skills to better cope and support their loved ones. The DBT Skills for Couples online class is scheduled each year in the fall and is typically followed by the DBT Family Skills Training.
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DBT Couples Skills Course |
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DBT Skills for Couples. DBT Skills for Couples provides perspectives and strategies to more effectively cope with intense emotional patterns and disagreements, to communicate accurately and with validation, and to deepen the intimacy we desire in our couple relationships.
The Registration link is at the end of this description. Where/When: This 15-week series is held online on Tuesday evenings, 6:30-8:00pm ET. See schedule below. A feature of the course:
Learning Objectives: A description of the key learning objectives for each week of the DBT Skills for Couples can be found on this page: www.dbtfamilyskills.com/dialectical-behavior-therapy-for-couples.html The DBT Skills for Couples course is based on Alan Fruzzetti’s The High Conflict Couple: A DBT Guide to Finding Peace, Intimacy and Validation. This will be the text for the course and can be purchased from many local bookstores or from New Harbinger at https://www.newharbinger.com/high-conflict-couple. Format: Members receive handouts and worksheets for each class. Every session begins with a mindfulness exercise, followed by a 15 minute Q&A to offer additional feedback/coaching by the group leader(s). We continue with the teaching and exercises for the new skills. This is the format of a class, rather than a therapy group which features interpersonal processing between group members or members of a family. The focus is on becoming more skillful, so you will be practicing with your partner. You will not be expected to share personal information. This is a class, not therapy. Past participants have appreciated the benefit of also having their own couple/family/individual therapy while applying these DBT skills to the challenging events of the week. Participants tend to be diverse across a range of age, race, gender, therapy experience, and interpersonal styles/levels of struggle. All seek to learn, to become more skillful, and to actively apply the skills from each class. The class will be recorded and the recording will be available for additional study. An email summary of key points and additional resources will be sent each week. We understand there may be evenings when you will be unable to attend. *This course is not a substitute for a standard DBT Skills Group, a support group, process-oriented group therapy, or couple therapy. We will be happy to suggest ways to find those resources. Fall 2026 Schedule Sep 1, 2026 - Understanding Emotion in Relationships Sep 8, 2026 - Accepting Your Partner (and Yourself) Sep 15, 2026 - How to Stop Making Things Worse Sep 22, 2026 - Small Group Discussion/Skills Coaching Sep 29, 2026 - Being More Alive Together Oct 6, 2026 - Healing and Reactivating Your Relationship Oct 13, 2026 - Accurate Expression via Emotion Regulation Oct 20, 2026 - Small Group Discussion/Skills Coaching Oct 27, 2026 - What and Why to Validate Nov 3, 2026 - How to Validate your Partner Nov 10, 2026 - Recovering from Invalidation Nov 17, 2026 - Small Group Discussion/Skills Coaching Nov 24, 2026 - Managing Problems/Negotiating Solutions Dec 1, 2026 - Transforming Conflict into Closeness Dec 8, 2026 - Pulling it All Together Cost: The fee for participating in this format of the online DBT Skills for Couples 15-week course is $950 for each couple. There is an Early Registration option of a single payment of $850, if sent with registration (reduced fee ends on August 14th, if openings remain). There are openings for 18 couples. Once the class is full, we will have a waiting list. For those with limited financial resources, a reduced fee of $400 per couple, is available. We do not want the fee to be an obstacle to getting the skills you need (DBT therapists do strive to reinforce skillful asking), so please contact me if you need a further fee reduction to attend. The fee payment can be mailed to: CIP/Mader, 110 Circadian Way, Chapel Hill NC 27516 or paid using Zelle QR code when requested during registration. Complete your Online Registration with this button.
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Session 1: Understanding Emotion Dysregulation
Highly aroused, negative emotions …lead to harmful behaviors during conflict …lead to unsupportive relating And increased misery among partners Potential Solution: Learn skills to effectively manage negative emotions …lead to increased understanding and validation …lead to supportive relating And increased joy (decreased suffering) among partners Session 2: Mindfulness in Relationship
Session 4: Being Together with More Aliveness
Session 6: Accurate Expression
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Session 7: Validation: Whats and Whys
Session 8: Validation: How Skills
Session 9: Recovering from Invalidation
Session 10: Managing Problems and Solutions
Session 11: From Conflict to Closeness
Session 12: Summary, Review, and Celebration
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