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If you have a loved one who is habitually overcontrolling, they may work hard with high expectations of themselves—and most likely of others around them. You may feel like you are caught in an unspoken struggle over what should and should not be done or over their attempts to make you wrong and them right. Black-and-white thinking, avoidance, and social isolation close off any consideration of your perspective. This kind of relationship can be frustrating and painful. Frequent relationship ruptures or even estrangement are not uncommon. Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO DBT) was developed specifically to treat overcontrol across diagnostic labels. Common examples of overcontrol disorders include chronic depression, anorexia nervosa, obsessive-compulsive disorder, treatment-resistent anxiety, maladaptive perfectionism and autistic spectrum neurodivergence. Borderline Personality Disorder can include behavior that is impulsive and chaotic with little self-control OR avoidant, emotionally inhibited, rigid, rule-bound, and successful at work OR jumping back and forth from one extreme to another. One pole represents undercontrol (or out-of-control) and the other pole represents overcontrol. In fact, many people with BPD who refuse treatment and deny responsibility for their problems tend to move toward maladaptive overcontrol over time. While this does reduce the frequency and intensity of emotional crises, it leaves a person isolated and lonely with impoverished interpersonal relationships. Emotional leakage still occurs, leading to more isolation. Depressive episodes may increase due to a lack of social interactions and interdependencies that are so important for feeling safe, connected, and engaged. Information, education, and skills for families who have a loved one with overcontrol tendencies are particularly important. Many of these individuals will refuse any therapeutic intervention, so understanding and responding effectively are things that you can do for yourself and your relationship. It may also help to minimize the possibility of complete estrangement. This is an introductory online class to help family members understand disorders of overcontrol and the orientation and principles of RO DBT. You will learn strategies from RO DBT to help you communicate with flexibility and openness and invite your loved to more engage in more self-reflection. Classes will be available to review online if you cannot attend.