Online Family support and DBT skills learning drop in group for those who have a loved one with BPD / challenges with emotion regulation
About this Event

For Families of persons with Emotion Dysregulation:

Having a family member with mental health challenges, particularly those related to emotion regulation, such as potential Borderline Personality Disorder traits or other diagnoses marked by emotion dysregulation, can be profoundly exhausting. The sense of helplessness that often accompanies not knowing how to provide assistance can leave us feeling hopeless. When our loved ones exhibit harmful behaviors, fear and uncertainty can compound our distress.

In this group, we offer a structured environment where we not only acquire specific skills on a weekly basis, we also gain great strength from each other as peers. The program we offer encompasses both psycho-educational components and supportive discussions. Over the course of a period of approximately 20 weeks, we systematically cover all the skills associated with Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), as originally developed by Marsha Linehan. Regardless of when you join or which session you attend, consistent participation ensures you'll eventually gain proficiency in all the DBT skills. We can say with a good amount of confidence that this group will definately help you giving you understanding, patience, peers going through the same things, evidence based skills that we know work and some validation and compassion (much needed as many of us come to this group in a crisis ourselves)

It's paramount to recognize that seeking support for yourself is essential for maintaining your own well-being. In order to provide the care and attention your beloved, sensitive family member requires, you must prioritize your mental wellness first.

We use Zoom telehealth and will send out a link prior to the group.

You will need to register each week. We will do our best to post groups well ahead so you may sign up in advance.

Also, it's a good idea to put yourself on our mailing list so you will be updated on upcoming help for both you and your loved ones and community events. Click here to be added to our mailing list! We host free webinars, workshops, coping over the holidays etc.

About this Series:

Do you have a family member who has emotional regulation challenges? Does life with your loved one often seem like a whirlwind of chaos and despair? Are you left feeling powerless, uncertain about how to offer support, and lost in terms of where to seek guidance?

Using principles of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy we will be learning skills that will help you cope/thrive better in your relationship with your special/sensitive loved one. Whether you are a new person to DBT or understanding BPD/DBT or a seasoned DBT program graduate we are sure you will benefit from these drop in groups. Priced inexpensively so that you can get the care you need and deserve!

In these groups here is an idea of the kinds of things you will be learning about and not limited to:

What is BPD and DBT

What resources are out there for you and for your loved one

How to manage your distress when your loved one is escalated

How to stay regulated using self care and self sooth skills

Reducing your fear around the disorder

Why my loved one acts out in anger or uses harmful behaviours like self harm or addiction

How to accept my reality and theirs

Decreasing pain and suffering for you and your loved one through mindfulness

How to help deescalate your loved ones using validation and other techniques

How you can help to create awareness in the community to support your loved ones

You will learn that you are not alone and gain a powerful peer experience reinforcing a supportive community

You will learn specific techniques to help:

build, repair and maintain relationships

reduce reactivity

replace unhelpful behaviours with helpful strategies

reduce fearful living

mindfulness as a regular practice

build and use a distress tolerance box in a crisis

learn how to validate self and others

emotion regulation as a part of daily living

Learning DBT can be fun! We pride ourselves in making learning FUN and interactive! We use powerpoint presentations, videos, role plays, break out groups, games, interactive activities, DBT charades, and group discussions.

These groups are taught by a Social Worker. Julie Hayden. Julie specializes in working with borderline personality disorder and other disorders where emotion regulation is a challenge. She has trained with University of Toronto, CAMH, and the Marsha Linehan Inst. She has also been trained as a family DBT facilitator through NEABPD in the US.

Come and join us and create your life worth living for you and for your loved one.

Over a period of time and several groups you will learn all the DBT concepts including core skills in each of the 4 modules (Emotion Regulation, Distress Tolerance, Mindfulness, Interpersonal Effectiveness).

Continue coming out and with patience, compassion, understanding and openness to try new things these groups will make a difference for your families' ability to cope every day.