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Live Webinar

From Escalation to Connection: Treating Dysregulation and High Conflict in Couples with Third-Wave Cognitive Behavioral Couples Therapies

Kayla Jimenez, Psy.D.
Ethan Hoffmann, Ph.D.
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Information

Date & Time

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Describe 3 core principles of acceptance and mindfulness based cognitive behavioral couples therapies relevant to high-conflict couples.

  • Identify key markers of emotion dysregulation and intimate partner violence (IPV) in couples presenting for therapy.

  • Describe assessment strategies for differentiating situational couples violence presentations appropriate for couples therapy from intimate terrorism presentations inappropriate for couples therapy.

  • Explain how an active therapeutic stance can support containment and de-escalation in sessions with high-conflict couples.

  • Demonstrate at least 2 intervention strategies drawn from DBT, IBCT, and CBCT to interrupt harmful interactional patterns and promote safety.

Educational Goal

The educational goal of this workshop is to equip clinicians with practical, evidence-based strategies for safely and effectively working with high-conflict couples, particularly those impacted by intimate partner violence and emotion dysregulation. It aims to enhance assessment, intervention, and therapist engagement to promote safer, more constructive couple dynamics.

Description

This workshop explores third-wave cognitive behavioral couples therapies for high-conflict couples, especially those affected by intimate partner violence (IPV) and emotion dysregulation. Such couples are often excluded from treatment or receive inadequate interventions. Drawing from DBT, CBCT, and IBCT, the workshop offers evidence-based strategies to assess appropriateness for therapy, support containment, de-escalate conflict, and promote safer communication. Emphasis is placed on the therapist’s active role in addressing risk, shifting entrenched patterns, and enhancing engagement. Clinical examples and research-based guidance will support real-world application, helping therapists work more effectively with challenging dynamics in couples impacted by IPV and emotional dysregulation.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Kayla Jimenez, Psy.D.
Kayla Jimenez is a licensed clinical psychologist in California (PSY33732) offering individual, couples, and family therapy. She is currently accepting new clients. She serves as Clinical Assistant Professor at Stanford School of Medicine and is the co-founder of Palmetto Psychology Clinic in San Francisco. Kayla supports clients facing stress, trauma, anxiety, identity concerns, and the impact of social injustice. Her approach is evidence-based, integrating behavioral, mindfulness, and systems strategies tailored to each client’s needs. She is trained in DBT, ACT, and trauma-focused therapies (CPT and PE). She earned her doctorate from the PAU-Stanford Psy.D. Consortium and completed her residency and postdoc at VA Sepulveda and Stanford, respectively. At the core of her work is culturally responsive, relational, and compassionate care that fosters insight, resilience, and growth. Kayla also enjoys teaching, consulting, and spending time in nature, traveling, and reading fantasy novels.
Ethan Hoffmann, Ph.D.
Ethan Hoffmann, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine. He is the Program Director for the Stanford WellConnect Couples Coaching Program, a six-session coaching program for Stanford physicians aimed at promoting relational health and reducing the negative impact of work on personal relationships. His clinical interests include couple and family therapy, health care worker mental health, anxiety-spectrum disorders, and sexual functioning. His scholarship focuses on the social context and consequences of social scientific theories of masculinity and program evaluation for preventative relationship interventions for health workers and their partners. He is the co-author of the textbook The Psychology of Men in Context (2019) and is the lead-editor for the forthcoming Oxford Handbook of Masculinities and Mental Health.

Financially Sponsored By

  • APA Division 18: Psychologists in Public Service