Intense emotions can make it incredibly difficult for parents to show up as they want to with their kids. This program is designed to help clinicians better understand the challenges that parents face so that they can more effectively assist the parents with whom they work. Specifically, drawing on decades of research on child development (Casey et al., 2008), parenting (Greene & Winkler, 2019; Wilson et al., 2012), and emotion regulation (Abramowitz et al., 2001; Linehan, 2015), this program outlines a theory-driven approach called Emotion-Savvy Parenting that aims to support parents by empowering them to focus on changing the only behaviors they truly have control over: their own. It also dives into a number of evidence-based skills adapted from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT; Linehan, 2015) to help parents better accept, regulate, and tolerate their emotions, as well as their children’s, thereby helping them become their ideal, most emotionally adept selves.
About Presenter
Alissa Jerud, PhD is a mom of two kids, a licensed clinical psychologist, a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and author of Emotion-Savvy Parenting: A Shame-Free Guide to Navigating Emotional Storms and Deepening Connection. In her private practice, Dr. Jerud specializes in highly effective, exposure-based treatments for anxiety-related disorders, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, specific phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder. Additionally, she specializes in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills training and particularly enjoys helping other parents learn research-backed strategies for accepting, regulating, and tolerating their emotions, as well as their children's. Dr. Jerud also trains other clinicians in exposure-based treatments and frequently gives workshops on anxiety, stress, mental health, parenting, and social support to companies large and small. More at https://www.alissajerud.com/parenting-book-1
CE Learning Objective(s)
Following this presentation, participants will be able to:
Describe the three skills of mindfulness, emotion regulation, and distress tolerance from a DBT perspective
List one way each of these DBT skills may be helpful in the context of parenting.
Target Audience
This workshop is designed for licensed professionals & advanced graduate students with clinical experience who anticipate seeking licensure as mental health professionals. The instructional level of this presentation is BEGINNER and will be followed by an INTERMEDIATE CE offering in winter of 2026 for those who implement procedures.
- Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists*. Philadelphia Behavior Therapy Association maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
- This program provides ONE (1) hour of CE credits.
- * PBTA now offers CE to licensed psychologists licensed in the state of New York. Attestation of full attendance and provision of license number post-event required to obtain certificate that meets NY criteria for CE.
- PBTA is also an authorized provider of CE credits for Professional Counselors, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Clinical Social Workers licensed in the state of Pennsylvania. Non-psychologist licensees in other states should confirm with their respective boards if this meets criteria for CE in their specific non-PA states.
- Full attendance with video display is required to obtain CE credit for this program. APA guidelines do not permit PBTA to issue partial CE credits. No refunds are provided for CE programs. No exceptions allowed. Registrants can log in and cancel up to 48 hours before event when registration closes.
Required Reading
Everett, Y., Frigoletto, O. A., O’Brien, J. R., Byrd, A. L., Stepp, S. D., & Zalewski, M. (2025). How mothers with severe emotion dysregulation use DBT skills in parenting contexts: observational coding of skills use in a DBT skills training group. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation, 12(1), 5.
Download Open Access article at
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40479-025-00279-2
Suggested Readings
Eeles, J., & Walker, D. M. (2022). Mindfulness as taught in dialectical behavior therapy: A scoping review. Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, 29(6), 1843–1853. https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2764
Greene, R., & Winkler, J. (2019). Collaborative & proactive solutions (CPS):
A review of research findings in families, schools, and treatment facilities. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 22(4), 549–561. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-019-00295-z#@#_WA_-_CURSOR_-_POINT_#@#
Jerud, A. (2025). Emotion-Savvy Parenting: A Shame-Free Guide to Navigating Emotional Storms and Deepening Connection. Taylor & Francis.
Linehan, M. M. (2015). DBT skills training manual (2nd ed.). The Guilford Press.
van der Storm, L., van Lissa, C. J., Lucassen, N., Helmerhorst, K. O. W., & Keizer, R. (2021). Maternal and paternal parenting and child prosocial behavior: A metaanalysis using a structural equation modeling design. Marriage & Family Review, 58(1), 1–37.
https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2021.1927931
