Kathryn de Bruin Family Therapy and Training

10/26/2026

Even the most experienced therapists need other therapists.

When we're working with complex cases, it's easy to feel that we should have all the answers. But some of the best clinical work happens when we're willing to bring others into the conversation.

A strong treatment team gives us fresh perspectives, helps us recognise what we might be missing, and ultimately allows us to provide better care for our clients.

On December 10, I'll be joining Ronda Evans for a virtual session on Collaborative Care: Building a Strong Treatment Team.

We'll explore what effective collaboration looks like and how to build the professional relationships that support both us and our clients.

December 10 | 9–11 AM Pacific Time

Join us live or catch the recording afterwards. I'd love to have you there!

10/22/2026

Before you know where to go with a client, you need to understand where they're coming from.

One of the things I emphasise when teaching therapists is the importance of gathering information. Not just the presenting problem, but the person sitting in front of you.

I like to use the CARE method to help guide that curiosity:

C — Context: Where do they live? What do they do? What does their everyday world look like?

A — Attachment: What have their attachment experiences been? What have they learned about depending on others?

R — Relationships: How do they connect with people? Is trust easy or difficult? How do they navigate conflict, rupture and repair?

E — Emotion: How comfortable are they with feelings? Do they express emotions easily, or are feelings something they rarely talk about? What emotions are most accessible to them?

These four areas give us such valuable insight into the person we're working with and help us begin to understand what they might need from us.

I'm curious, fellow therapists: Which of these four areas do you find most revealing when getting to know a new client?

10/21/2026

Two trainers from Africa, one shared passion for EFT! 🌍

I'm delighted to be teaming up with Eman for our Virtual EFT Core Skills Training in 2027!

With our shared African roots and a passion for helping therapists grow in their EFT skills, we're looking forward to creating a warm, supportive space where we can learn, practise, ask questions and deepen our understanding of this wonderful model together.

And because it's virtual, you can join us from wherever you are in the world!

Virtual Core Skills 2027

📅 January 21–22
📅 March 25–26
📅 April 15–16
📅 June 3–4

We'd love to have you join us!

Find out more and register here:
https://training.kathryndebruin.com/p/kdb-virtual-2027

10/15/2026

How do you shift the conversation from one partner to the other?

In couples therapy, there's often one partner who feels more comfortable speaking and can unintentionally take up most of the space. As therapists, we need to actively balance the conversation so that both partners feel heard, seen and included. But how do we make that transition without interrupting the connection we've already established?

In this video, I'm sharing a few ways I invite the other partner into the conversation. I'm curious what you think of these approaches. And what works well for you?

10/14/2026

We kick off our EFFT Consultation Group next week!

I'm looking forward to joining Katie Humilde from Canada for six sessions dedicated to helping therapists grow their confidence and skills in Emotionally Focused Family Therapy.

We'll have time to explore clinical challenges, ask questions, share perspectives and learn together in a supportive space.

And the best part? It's all virtual! No travel, no accommodation costs — just valuable learning and connection from wherever you are.

6 sessions | 90 minutes each | $625 CAD / approximately $450 USD

A wonderful opportunity to invest in your clinical development over the coming months.

There's still time to join us! Email [email protected] for more information or to register.

10/13/2026

Sometimes, creating safety means interrupting.

As therapists, we want to give people space to share their experiences. But when one partner dominates the conversation, the other can easily get lost. One of the most important skills we can develop is learning to take charge of the structure of a session while remaining warm and attuned.

I try to make sure I've heard from both partners within the first 15 minutes. That sometimes means gently interrupting, inviting the quieter partner into the conversation, and knowing when to shift my attention from one person to the other. Structure doesn't get in the way of connection. It helps create the safety that makes connection possible.

How do you make sure both partners feel heard in your sessions? Perhaps you have tips that I could consider in my practice.

10/12/2026

We don't have to do this work alone.

Some of the most valuable support we can offer our clients comes from recognising when we need the insight, experience and perspective of other professionals.

On December 10, I'll be joining Ronda Evans for a virtual session exploring Collaborative Care: Building a Strong Treatment Team.

We'll talk about the value of working collaboratively, how to build a trusted network of professionals, and why having the right people alongside us can make such a difference in complex cases.

December 10 | 9–11 AM Pacific Time

Join us live for the conversation, or watch the recording later if the time doesn't work for you.

I hope you'll join us!

10/12/2026

How do you explain EFT to someone who has never heard of it?

As therapists, we can become so immersed in the model that we forget how unfamiliar it might sound to someone else.

Being able to describe Emotionally Focused Therapy simply and clearly is an important skill. Whether we're speaking to a potential client, a colleague or someone curious about our work, we want them to understand not just what EFT is, but why it matters.

And we should be able to do that without a lengthy explanation or lots of clinical language!

So I'm curious, how do you describe EFT in just a sentence or two? I'd love to hear your approach.

10/08/2026

I get to teach a 1 day intro to all things EFT yay!!!!!!

Curious about EFT and how it can support your work in the therapy room?

Fundamentals of EFT offers a one-day introduction to Emotionally Focused Therapy, giving you an opportunity to explore the approach and its application to clinical practice.

Discover Fundamentals at https://bit.ly/4wXJR0l