How Can DBT
Strengthen Your Family?

I provide DBT-based family therapy and parent coaching in Encinitas and online throughout California. My work draws from Alan E. Fruzzetti’s DBT model for parents, couples, and families, as well as my training in Functional Family Therapy (FFT). Sessions focus on reducing escalation, strengthening validation and communication, and helping families create practical, lasting changes at home.

  • DBT, originally designed by Dr. Marsha Linehan, helps people manage emotional difficulties. Dr. Alan E. Fruzzetti took DBT further by applying it to support parents, couples, and families. This approach focuses on reducing conflict, building understanding, and improving emotional balance.

    1. Better Communication
      Ever felt like no one is really listening in your family? DBT teaches how to talk and listen in a calm, clear way. It helps you express feelings respectfully, reducing shouting or shutting down.

    2. Managing Emotions
      Emotions can sometimes feel overwhelming. DBT shows families how to handle intense emotions like frustration or anger, preventing arguments or blow-ups.

    3. Understanding Each Other
      Feeling misunderstood by parents or siblings is common. DBT teaches families to be more supportive and understanding, without trying to “fix” everything immediately.

    4. Setting Boundaries
      Healthy boundaries are important. DBT helps families set boundaries in a way that respects everyone’s needs, whether it's about space, privacy, or stress management.

    5. Handling Conflict
      Fights happen, but DBT teaches how to resolve conflicts without making things worse. You'll learn how to deal with disagreements respectfully and move forward without holding grudges.

  • DBT can help any family facing:

    • Emotional ups and downs

    • Constant fighting or tension

    • Communication struggles

    • Stress from life changes or challenges

    • Parents facing relationship problems

    Whether you're having a tough time with your parents, siblings, or want a more peaceful home, DBT helps families come together and work through tough issues.

  • DBT provides real tools that families can use in their everyday lives. These aren't just quick fixes but lasting skills to help manage emotions, strengthen relationships, and handle stress more effectively. Families grow stronger, more understanding, and better equipped to deal with life's challenges.

  • If your family is feeling stuck in cycles of conflict, shutdown, or misunderstanding, support is available. I provide in-person family therapy in Encinitas and online throughout California. Schedule a consultation to discuss how I can help.

References

  • Fruzzetti, A. E., & Payne, L. (2015). DBT family skills training. In R. D. Friedberg & J. C. McClure (Eds.), Cognitive therapy with children and adolescents: A casebook for clinical practice (pp. 175-191). Guilford Press.

  • Fruzzetti, A. E., Shenk, C., & Hoffman, P. D. (2005). Family interaction and the development of borderline personality disorder: A transactional model. Development and Psychopathology, 17(4), 1007-1030. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954579405050479

  • Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive-behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. Guilford Press.