Melinda Brackett | southbaydbt.com - New Build

DBT Skills Class Schedule

DBT Skills Class Schedule | Group (California)

NEXT MODULE : Interpersonal Effectiveness Starts 9/17/2026

Thursdays 5:15 pm – 6:45 pm

Virtual (secure Zoom) – available throughout California
Part of San Jose DBT’s comprehensive DBT program

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DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness: Communication Skills, Healthy Boundaries & Relationship Effectiveness

For times when emotions make communication harder than it needs to be.

Some conversations stay with you long after they’re over.

You replay what you should have said.

You worry you came across too strongly—or not strongly enough.

You agree to things you didn’t want to do.

You avoid difficult conversations because conflict feels overwhelming.

Or you become so emotional that the original issue gets lost.

When emotions take over, communication often breaks down.

DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills help you communicate more effectively, set healthy boundaries, navigate conflict, and build stronger relationships—even when emotions are running high.

Whether you’re talking with a spouse, family member, coworker, supervisor, friend, or healthcare provider, these practical communication skills can help you feel more confident and effective.

Learn Marsha Linehan’s DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills

This group follows the Interpersonal Effectiveness module developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan, creator of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT).

Rather than simply talking about relationships, you’ll learn practical skills that can be applied immediately to everyday life.

Core topics include:

  • communicating effectively during emotionally difficult conversations
  • asking for what you need with confidence
  • setting healthy boundaries without guilt
  • saying no respectfully and effectively
  • balancing your goals, your relationships, and your self-respect
  • managing conflict without escalating it
  • validating others while remaining true to yourself
  • building healthy relationships
  • strengthening existing relationships
  • recognizing unhealthy relationship patterns
  • ending relationships effectively when necessary

More Than Communication Skills—Learning Communication Strategy

Many communication programs teach people what to say.

We also teach you how to think about communication.

Before deciding what to say, we help you understand:

  • What is your actual goal?
  • What outcome are you hoping for?
  • What may the other person be feeling?
  • Are they anxious, defensive, overwhelmed, literal, or conflict avoidant?
  • Is this the right conversation—or the wrong timing?
  • Which communication approach is most likely to be successful?

The same words can produce completely different results depending on who you’re talking to.

Learning how to think strategically about relationships often changes conversations more than memorizing the “perfect” response.

Communication Skills for Neurodiverse Relationships

Communication is not one-size-fits-all.

Many relationship problems occur because people communicate differently—not because they care less.

Our practice has specialized experience working with autistic adults, ADHD, neurodiverse couples, and families.

We help participants better understand differences in:

  • direct versus indirect communication
  • interpreting social cues
  • emotional expression
  • sensory and emotional overwhelm
  • literal versus implied language
  • expectations in relationships
  • different communication styles between neurodivergent and neurotypical individuals

Rather than teaching one “correct” way to communicate, we help you develop strategies that work for the unique people in your life.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of this DBT skills group, you’ll be better able to:

  • communicate clearly during emotionally difficult conversations
  • set healthy boundaries without damaging relationships
  • ask for what you need confidently
  • reduce people-pleasing and excessive apologizing
  • navigate conflict more effectively
  • improve workplace communication
  • strengthen romantic, family, and friendship relationships
  • prepare for important conversations before they happen
  • repair misunderstandings after conflict
  • communicate with greater confidence while maintaining self-respect

Is This DBT Skills Group Right for You?

This group may be especially helpful if you:

  • struggle with difficult conversations
  • avoid conflict until resentment builds
  • have difficulty setting boundaries
  • say yes when you really mean no
  • become emotionally overwhelmed during disagreements
  • shut down, freeze, or lose your words under pressure
  • overthink conversations afterward
  • worry about disappointing other people
  • struggle with workplace communication
  • have relationship anxiety
  • are in a neurodiverse relationship
  • want practical communication skills you can immediately apply in everyday life

A Practical, Skills-Based Approach

Our DBT interpersonal effectiveness group is structured, practical, and focused on real life.

Each week you’ll learn evidence-based DBT skills and apply them to situations that matter to you:

  • family relationships
  • marriage and dating
  • parenting
  • friendships
  • workplace communication
  • healthcare conversations
  • setting boundaries
  • resolving conflict

You’ll leave each session with practical skills you can begin using immediately—not just ideas to think about.

Join Our DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills Group

Our DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness Skills Group is available in San Jose and virtually throughout California.

If you’re ready to improve communication, build healthier relationships, strengthen boundaries, and handle difficult conversations with greater confidence, we’d love to help.

Call (408) 893-4032 to learn more or get started.