Emotional Regulation & Relational Patterns Program
An 8-week online group program for adults who want to understand why they feel and relate the way they do -and to build meaningful and sustainable change.
You can hold it together — at work, in relationships, for your family, for everyone who needs you. But underneath, the same patterns keep repeating.
You overthink the conversation that ended hours ago. You say yes when you mean no. You feel everything intensely, then criticise yourself for feeling it. You want closeness, but often feel overwhelmed or uncertain when it's there. You keep the peace, then resent yourself for it.
You can describe exactly how you are. What you've never been given is the why.
A different starting point
Most of these patterns aren't flaws in your character. They're emotional and relational habits - learned early, run automatically, and rarely understood.
When you understand what's actually driving them, something changes. The reaction that used to feel like just who you are becomes something you can see, name, and work with. That's where change starts - not with trying harder, but with understanding the architecture underneath.
This program is built around that idea. Over eight weeks, you'll move from recognising your patterns, to understanding where they come from, to building practical skills for managing emotions and relationships differently.
Who this is for.
This program is for adults who experience things like:
Difficulty managing strong or intense emotions
Chronic overthinking or emotional rumination
People-pleasing and difficulty setting boundaries
Fear of abandonment, disconnection, or difficulty tolerating distance
Relationship instability or recurring patterns that don't serve you
Chronic shame or harsh self-criticism
Difficulty expressing needs or asserting yourself
High-functioning anxiety, burnout, or emotional exhaustion
You don't need a diagnosis to take part. If these patterns feel familiar, this program is designed for you.
What you’ll learn.
Over eight weeks, you'll develop skills to:
Understand why your emotions intensify the way they do
Recognise the relational patterns you keep repeating
Set boundaries and express needs without guilt
Respond intentionally instead of reacting automatically
Build self-trust, self-worth, and steadiness
The eight weeks
Week 1 - Understanding emotions
What emotions are, why they intensify, and why some people feel everything more strongly.
Week 2 - Emotional triggers & nervous system activation
Recognising escalation early and understanding what drives reactivity.
Week 3 - Emotion regulation foundations
Reducing vulnerability, increasing stability, and building regulation before crisis.
Week 4 - Distress tolerance
Navigating emotional discomfort without avoidance or self-abandonment.
Week 5 - Attachment patterns & relational triggers
How attachment shapes emotional intensity in relationships.
Week 6 - Boundaries, assertiveness & communicating needs
Expressing needs, tolerating conflict, and stepping out of people-pleasing.
Week 7 - Shame, rejection sensitivity & self-worth
The core emotional drivers underneath reactivity.
Week 8 - Pattern integration & sustaining change
Bringing it together and carrying new patterns forward.
The approach
This program is facilitated by Isabella Lay, Clinical Psychologist, and draws on evidence-based approaches including CBT, DBT, ACT, and attachment-informed therapy.
It’s structured and skills-based, with the focus on both learning practical tools and understanding the deeper patterns underneath them.
Isabella has completed extensive training in Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) over a 1.5-year period, including intensive training delivered through a program established by Marsha Linehan, the originator of DBT.
This training was facilitated by clinicians trained directly by Linehan and included structured teaching, supervised practice, participation in an international cohort of clinicians, and ongoing clinical consultation.
Her approach is practical, psychologically deep, and focused on helping people apply insight and skills in real-world situations.
How this fits with other support
This program can be completed:
as a standalone structured therapy program
alongside individual therapy
as part of broader emotional or relational work
following an assessment or psychological report
Many participants complete this program while continuing their individual therapy elsewhere.
Practical details
Format: 8 weekly sessions
Session length: 60 minutes
Delivery: Online via telehealth (Australia-wide)
Group size: 4–10 participants
Next intake: Commencing 22 July 2026
Fee: $135 per session. Medicare rebate: $37.80 available with a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP (group therapy specified)
A brief screening conversation is held before the group begins to make sure it’s the right fit.
Places are limited and enrolment is for the full 8-week program.
Payment is made upfront to secure your place and can be arranged in two instalments if preferred.
Please note that Medicare rebates apply only to sessions attended.
Frequently Asked Questions
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No. You’re welcome to enquire directly.
If you’d like to access a Medicare rebate, you’ll need a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP with group therapy specified.
You can also join privately without a plan.
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No.
This program is designed around patterns, not diagnoses.
If the emotional and relational patterns described here feel familiar, it may be a good fit.
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This is a structured, skills and insight-based group.
You are never required to disclose personal history or private details.
You’re welcome to share as much or as little as feels right for you.
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The program is designed as a full sequence, with each week building on the last.
Enrolment covers the full 8-week program.
If you miss a session, you may be able to attend that week in a future cohort to catch up, if space allows.
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Yes.
Many people complete this program alongside individual therapy.
It often complements and strengthens other therapeutic work.
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This program is designed for adults who are able to engage in structured outpatient group therapy.
It is not a crisis or acute-care service.
If you are currently in crisis, experiencing active suicidality, or needing intensive support, this group may not be the right fit on its own.
This can be discussed during the pre-group screening.
Want to read it later or share it with someone?
Download the program overview (PDF).
Ready to understand yourself differently?
If you’d like to register your interest or ask a question, get in touch.
Enquiries and self-referrals welcome.