Our Interventions

The MRC believes that counseling should be brief, strength based, and focus on the present. Therefore, we utilize the most modern and researched techniques.

These interventions include:

Cognitive Behavior Therapy - which identifies maladaptive thought patterns and works to restructure (or "Re-frame") them in a way that proves to be healthier for the individual and family.

One of the most modern and scientifically researched techniques utilized by the MRC is:

Dialectical Behavior Therapy which utilizes the concepts of acceptance, validation, and mindfulness to facilitate better communication and understanding among family members and couples

To Learn More about these interventions and their effectiveness we have provided the following references.

References

Fruzzetti, A. E. (2006). The high conflict couple: A dialectical behavior therapy guide to finding peace, intimacy, and validation. Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Press

Fruzzetti, A.E., & Iverson, K. (2004). Mindfulness, acceptance, validation and "individual" psychopathology in couples. In S.C. Hayes, V.M. Follette, & M.M. Linehan (Eds.), Mindfulness and acceptance: Expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition (pp.168-191). New York: Guilford Press.

Allmon, D., Armstrong, H. E., Heard, H. L., Linehan, M. M., &.Suarez, A. (1991). Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of Chronically Parasuicidal Borderline Patients. Archives of General Psychiatry, 48, 1060-1064.

Koons, C. R., Robins, C. J., Tweed, J. L., Lynch, T. R., Gonzalez, A. M., Morse, J. Q., Bishop, G. K., Butterfield, M. I., & Bastian, L. A. (2001). Efficacy of Dialectical Behavior Therapy in Women Veterans with Borderline Personality Disorder. Behavior Therapy, 32, 371-390.

Fruzzetti, A. E., Santisteban, D., & Hoffman, P. (2007). Dialectical Behavior Therapy with families. To appear in L. A. Dimeff & K. Koerner (Eds.), Dialectical behavior therapy in clinical practice: Applications across disorders and settings (pp. 222-244). New York: Guilford Press.

Linehan, M. M. (1993). Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder. New York: Guilford Press.

Fruzzetti, A.E., & Iverson, K.M. (2004). Couples Dialectical Behavior Therapy: An approach to both individual and relational distress. Couples Research and Therapy, 10, 8-13.

Linehan, M. M., Schmidt, H., Dimeff, L. A., Kanter, J. W., Craft, J. C., Comtois, K. A., & Recknor, K. L. (1999). Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder and Drug-Dependence. American Journal on Addiction, 8, 279-292.

Fruzzetti, A. E., & Shenk, C. (in press). Validating responses in families. Social Work in Mental Health (special issue on borderline personality disorder).

Verheul, R., Van Den Bosch, L. M. C., Koeter, M. W. J., De Ridder, M. A. J. , Stijnen, T., & Van Den Brink, W. (2003). Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Women with Borderline Personality Disorder, 12-month, Randomised Clinical Trial in The Netherlands. British Journal of Psychiatry, 182, 135-140.

Fruzzetti, A. E., & Iverson, K. M. (2006). Intervening with couples and families to treat emotion dysregulation and psychopathology. In D.K. Snyder, J. Simpson, & J. Hughes (Eds.), Emotion regulation in couples and families: Pathways to dysfunction and health (pp. 249-267). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.