Beyond Dependency Program

Beyond Dependency Program (BDP): Helping Parents And Caregivers Step Back So Their Adult Children Can Step Up

Who This Program Helps

• Parents or Caregivers who want dedicated coaching and support.
  We help parents learn effective strategies and practice real-life exercises designed to help move their adult children toward independence.
• Adults (18+) who are struggling to take steps toward independence.
  Sometimes referred to as experiencing “Failure to Launch” or being “Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET),” this program supports caregivers in making environmental changes at home that empower adult children to live with more structure and self-direction. Note: this program does not directly treat these adults but instead provides coaching and support for their parents/caregivers.

Why Choose The Beyond Dependency Program (BDP)?

• Initiate Treatment Rapidly – When an adult child is stuck in a place of dependence, it can leave parents and caregivers feeling helpless. We understand how frustrating it is when progress seems out of reach. Our program is designed to help jumpstart change by meeting twice a week during the initial stage of treatment.
• Access to a Specialized Team – Despite rising rates of adult dependent children, few treatment programs focus on empowering parents and caregivers of these populations. The BDP is modeled after an evidence-based treatment developed at Yale University’s Child Study Center by Eli Lebowitz, PhD. Our clinicians are trained in the SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) model, and have also completed the advanced training iteration of SPACE for highly dependent adult children.
• Tailored, Practical Support – You’ll receive frequent and focused support to implement individualized changes in your home environment and family dynamics. With multiple sessions per week, our team provides tools and coaching to help your adult child get unstuck and begin taking meaningful steps forward.
• A Supportive Learning Environment – Throughout the program, caregivers gain insight into the patterns that contribute to maintained dependence and how to change them. You’ll learn to:
  • Understand and validate your adult child’s challenges while expressing hope in their ability to grow.
  • Speak in ways that foster collaboration and motivation.
  • Provide structure, expectations, and choices that promote independence.
  • Shift the home environment to better support long-term change.
• Connect with Others Who Understand – You’ll have the opportunity to participate in our “Supporters Group,” where parents and caregivers learn from each other’s experiences. This group adds another layer of support and normalization throughout the treatment journey.

Program Structure

Stage 0: Evaluation & Pre-Treatment

The BDP begins with a comprehensive evaluation, including a semi-structured clinical interview and parent-report questionnaires.

• Evaluation results are reviewed in a feedback session, where the family and clinician determine whether to move forward with treatment.
• Caregivers then receive an overview of the program via an on-demand video or a live 1:1 psychoeducation session with their BDP clinician.

Stage 1: Program Participation

If treatment is recommended, caregivers begin Stage 1, where they learn and apply strategies to support their adult child’s move toward independence.

• Duration: 4.5 weeks
• Format: Two individual 50-minute coaching sessions per week (9 sessions total)
• Mode: In-person or virtual

Stage 2: Maintaining Progress & Supporters Group Participation

After completing Stage 1, caregivers can choose to continue with Stage 2, which focuses on maintaining progress, troubleshooting setbacks, and building community.

• Duration: 8 weeks
• Format:
  • One 50-minute individual session per week
  • One 60-minute group session per week (Supporters Group)
• Families may continue with up to 8 total rounds of Stage 2 (each lasting four weeks), for a total of up to 12 months of ongoing support.