New Zealand psychologists can improve their support for families facing emotional dysregulation with this in-depth module.
This fourth module introduces Walking the Middle Path, a DBT-informed skill set specifically developed to support families of emotionally dysregulated individuals. In addition to the four core DBT modules—Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness—Walking the Middle Path focuses on helping families navigate high-stakes emotional situations with validation, balance, and flexibility.
Dr. Ella Brent presents a practical, compassionate framework for acknowledging the emotional experiences of others—even when you don’t agree with their behaviour. This approach helps families learn how to validate feelings without necessarily endorsing actions, creating a foundation for more effective communication, boundary-setting, and emotional support
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this talk, participants will be able to:
Describe the Walking the Middle Path skills set as an extension of standard DBT modules.
Teach families how to validate emotional experiences while maintaining healthy boundaries.
Apply techniques that promote psychological flexibility and reduce invalidating responses.
Support families under stress to hold multiple perspectives and engage in dialectical thinking.