Treating Couples with Borderline Personality Disorder, Suicidality, Self-Harm, and Emotion Dysregulation

October 1 & 2, 2026

Additional Information:
(Registration Details and other information that will be helpful for your attendees)
Couple Therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder, Suicidality, and Emotion Dysregulation (Sage)
October 1–2, 2026 | Online via Zoom | 10:00 am–5:00 pm ET (7:00 am–3:00 pm PT)

Registration link: https://www.liebmanpsychology.com/event-list
Join Drs. Skye Fitzpatrick and Rachel Liebman for a two-day workshop providing an overview of the Sage protocol; a new couple-based psychotherapy for couples wherein one partner experiences borderline personality disorder (BPD), suicidal or self-injurious behaviour, or emotion dysregulation.

What is Sage?
Sage is a 12-session treatment that integrates principles of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) and Cognitive Behavioural Conjoint Therapy (CBCT). Its unique focus targets three domains simultaneously:
· BPD symptoms and emotion dysregulation
· Relationship functioning
· Partner mental health

To our knowledge, Sage is the only couple intervention designed to treat BPD/emotion dysregulation that has been formally manualized and tested. Pilot results are showing promising effects (Read more here, here, and here) and a large-scale RCT is currently underway.

What will I learn?
Through a mix of lecture, case material, and audience role plays, workshop participants will learn a collection of strategies to reduce BPD, suicidality, and relationship distress including:

1. Couple case formulation of processes that maintain BPD and suicidality
2. Dyadic strategies to manage safety, regulate emotions, and interrupt life-threatening behavior and high-intensity conflict
3. Techniques to facilitate interpersonal emotion regulation and effective communication.
4. Strategies to address destructive intrapersonal (e.g., self-harm) and interpersonal (e.g., conflict) behaviours.
5. Adapted interventions for couples with a range of backgrounds and relationship structures.

By the end, you will leave with concrete skills to disrupt harmful cycles, enhance emotional communication, and promote long-term gains in couples impacted by BPD and emotion dysregulation.

Who should attend:
Clinicians with experience in either couple/family therapy or the treatment of BPD/emotion dysregulation. (Expertise in both is helpful but not required.)
Skill level: Intermediate–Advanced

Learning Objectives (abbreviated):
1. Identify suitable candidates for the Sage protocol.
2. Understand the evidence for involving partners in BPD treatment.
3. Develop and deliver dyadic case formulations.
4. Apply strategies for risk assessment, safety planning, and conflict management.
5. Reduce maladaptive interpersonal contingencies that sustain suicidality/self-harm.
6. Build skills for addressing challenges such as therapeutic ruptures and adherence.
7. Apply techniques to promote intrapersonal and interpersonal safety, dyadic emotion regulation, and sustained treatment gains.
(Full list available on registration page.)

How much does it cost?
**Early Bird pricing is currently available!**
$499 Professional Rate (Price will increase to $549 after August 15)
Resident/Postdoc: $349
Student: $249 (with valid student ID)
Includes 12 CPA-sponsored CE credits

Trainers:
• Dr. Skye Fitzpatrick – Associate Professor, York University; Director, TULiP Lab; developer of Sage; expert researcher and trainer in couple treatments for BPD and emotion dysregulation; published 90+ peer-reviewed articles.
• Dr. Rachel Liebman – Director, Liebman Psychology, Adjunct Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University; developer of Sage; expert clinician in treatment of high conflict couples; international trainer and consultant; published 50+ peer-reviewed articles.