Treating Trauma in Teens

Teens receiving trauma therapy are often treated like “big kids” or “little adults” — and neither approach is especially effective. These workshops explore a variety of field-tested and evidence-based approaches for providing teens developmentally appropriate, effective, and transformative trauma therapy.

Offerings include:

  • Treating Trauma in Teens: Core Concepts and Meaningful Metaphors
  • Beyond Surviving Mode: Field-Tested Strategies for Treating Trauma in Teens
  • Putting the Pieces Together: Teens, Trauma and Substance Use Disorders
  • One in Six: Understanding and Treating Sexual Trauma in Adolescent Males

Descriptions can be found below. Each workshop provides 3 general CEUs each and is typically scheduled to include one 15-minute break. For more details or to schedule a presentation, contact me today.


TREATING TRAUMA IN TEENS: CORE CONCEPTS AND MEANINGFUL METAPHORS
Two-thirds of all Americans experience some form of trauma by age 16. If left untreated, this can lead to a variety of emotional, behavioral, and developmental concerns — including increased mental health challenges, substance-related issues, school failures, and more.

In this highly interactive workshop, we’ll examine useful ways to conceptualize trauma among teens, identify the active ingredients for successful trauma therapy, and explore core clinical strategies for treating trauma in teens. Inspired by motivational interviewing, narrative therapy and the latest trauma research, these strategies are sure to increase engagement, improve treatment outcomes, and help teens move forward.


BEYOND SURVIVING MODE: FIELD-TESTED STRATEGIES FOR TREATING TRAUMA IN TEENS
Traumatized teens are often stuck in Surviving Mode. In other words, they’re doing the best they can with limited resources and skills to manage hyper-vigilance, intrusive thoughts, and other trauma impacts. In this workshop, we’ll explore several field-tested strategies and concepts for helping these teens develop more effective coping skills.

First, we’ll consider the window of tolerance. We’ll deepen our understanding of this important concept. Then, we’ll explore ways to help teens get back into their window when they fall out, stay there even when triggered, and ultimately widen their window. Mindfulness is essential to this process, but is often distressing for trauma survivors. With that in mind, we’ll examine approaches for facilitating trauma-informed mindfulness.

Finally, we’ll explore developmentally-appropriate strategies for addressing intrusive thought, an especially challenging part of trauma therapy — including examples of general intrusion such as triggers and flashbacks, as well pervasive anger, sticky thinking, and more.


PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER: TEENS, TRAUMA, AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS
Studies show a strong connection between substance-related problems and trauma exposure. Unfortunately, in many treatment settings this connection goes unnoticed and unaddressed — resulting in endless cycles of maladaptive behaviors, multiple treatment failures, and ever-increasing stuckness.

In this highly interactive workshop, we’ll explore ways trauma exposure and substance use disorders exacerbate each other, increase our understanding of the stuckness this can lead to, and identify practical strategies for helping trauma-exposed teens get unstuck.


ONE IN SIX: UNDERSTANDING AND TREATING SEXUAL TRAUMA IN ADOLESCENT MALES
One in six males experience some form of sexual trauma, most before entering adulthood. Frequently, these experiences are dismissed, minimized, or ignored – by both the young man and the world in general. This can lead to a variety of emotional, behavioral, and developmental, including mental health challenges, substance-related issues, school failures, and other concerns.

We’ll start by deepening our knowledge of common trauma impacts, consider ways the Guy Code exacerbates these impacts, and identify other developmental considerations. Then, we’ll explore a variety of field-tested approaches for working specifically with adolescent males. Inspired by motivational interviewing, narrative therapy, and trauma-informed approaches, these strategies will increase engagement, improve treatment outcomes, and start the process of healing.