New Ways for Families Counseling Method Training for High Conflict Personalities and Disputes

Bill Eddy, Esq. and LCSW, led the training in the New Ways for Families® Counseling method, which was used to counsel both parents and their children in potentially high-conflict divorces by teaching them the “four big skills” of managed emotions, flexible thinking, moderate behavior, and checking themselves. Within these big skills were the specific skills of: 1) responding to hostile emails using BIFF Responses, which are brief, informative, friendly, and firm; 2) making proposals, asking respectful questions, and providing brief responses; and 3) managing emotions by giving themselves encouraging statements and protecting their children from the full intensity of their upset emotions.
This was a cognitive-behavioral short-term method consisting of six individual parent counseling sessions structured by a Parent Workbook, followed by three parent-child counseling sessions for each parent, including support in reducing parent-child contact problems. During the training, therapists learned about the common patterns of behavior associated with five high-conflict personalities (often involving personality disorders) and strategies for addressing frequent resistance, emotional dysregulation, preoccupation with blaming spouses and children, splitting of professionals, and recurring treatment failures. The training also included guidance on working with court orders for counseling and collaborating with lawyers.

To learn more about Bill Eddy and his work, visit the link below.