I’ve presented over 100 times at international, national, and regional conferences. These are among the most popular of those presentations. They run 90 minutes each and can be presented online or in-person. They’re excellent options for keynotes, conference break-outs, staff meetings, or other similar events.
- Putting the Pieces Together: Teens, trauma, and substance use disorders
- Comfortably Stuck: Helping teens move from ambivalence to action
- Engaging Avoidant Teens: An attachment based approach to building therapeutic alliance
- One in Six: Understanding and treating sexual trauma in adolescent males
- The Pandemic Generation
- Change is in the Cards
Workshop descriptions are below.
PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER: TEENS, TRAUMA, AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS
Studies show a strong connection between substance-related issues and trauma exposure, especially in teens. Unfortunately, in many treatment settings this connection goes unnoticed and unaddressed — which can result in endless cycles of maladaptive behaviors, multiple treatment failures, escalating substance use, and ever-increasing stuckness.
In this highly interactive presentation, we’ll explore practical, effective steps to change this — by examining ways trauma exposure and substance use exacerbate each other, increasing our understanding of the resulting stuckness, and identifying field-tested strategies for helping trauma-exposed teens get unstuck.
Learning Objective 1: Attendees will increase their understanding of trauma impacts among teens, the use of substances as an attempt to mitigate these impacts, and ways trauma exposure and substance use often exacerbate each others.
Learning Objective 2: Attendees will identify the difference between trauma-informed and trauma-specific treatment approaches, effective field-tested strategies for both, and the ethical importance of practicing within one’s scope of competence.
Learning Objective 3: Attendees will explore several field-tested clinical skills for quickly creating rapport, fostering change among reluctant youth, and applying the Stages of Change when working with trauma-exposed substance-using teens.
COMFORTABLY STUCK: HELPING TEENS MOVE FROM AMBIVALENCE TO ACTION
Many teen clients seem unwilling, unengaged, or uninterested in change. That doesn’t mean they’re resistant, though. It means they’re stuck. In other words, they simply don’t or can’t make treatment progress — because change seems too hard, dangerous, or pointless.
In this workshop, we’ll take a developmental perspective on this Stuckness — focusing primarily on the role of risk avoidance, the impact of learned helplessness, and roots of maladaptive identity formation. Along the way, we’ll consider the role of substances, behavioral addictions, and other concerns in getting and staying stuck. Packed with practical strategies, stories from the field, and a bit of inspiration, this workshop is sure to transform your work with teen clients.
Learning Objective 1: Attendees will develop a working definition of Stuckness, examine the role of functional behaviors in getting and staying stuck, and identify field-tested strategies for improving engagement, willingness, and treatment outcomes.
Learning Objective 2: Attendees will explore three reasons that Stuckness develops: risk avoidance, learned helpless, and maladaptive identity development. They will identify practical, field-tested strategies for addressing each.
Learning Objective 3: Attendees will review current research related to treatment reluctance among teens, the importance of trauma-informed strategies, and the role of therapeutic alliance when working with this population.
ENGAGING AVOIDANT TEENS: AN ATTACHMENT BASED APPROACH TO BUILDING THERAPEUTIC ALLIANCE
Avoidantly attached teens are often labeled resistant, oppositional, or stubborn. They’re likely to seem highly independent, defensive, or dismissive. They’re also likely to engage in treatment interfering behaviors, be suspicious of empathy, and consider any helper an adversary. Building effective therapeutic alliances with these teens can seem daunting to even the most seasoned counselor, yet is absolutely essential.
We’ll start this presentation by deepening our understanding of avoidant attachment style, especially among teens. Then, we’ll explore practical skills for increasing our trustworthiness, nurturing connectedness, and embodying empathy. Along the way, we’ll consider the role of self-disclosure, identify strategies for maintaining therapeutic presence, and explore other ways to become a much needed secure base for these teens.
Learning Objective 1: Attendees will review core ideas from attachment theory and attachment-based therapy, with a focus on understanding avoidant attachment style in teens. They’ll also identify relevant developmental considerations and explore practical ideas for integrating this knowledge into their clinical work.
Learning Objective 2: Attendees will examine the role of therapeutic trustworthiness when working with avoidant teens, explore behaviors that demonstrate trustworthiness, and consider the role of self-disclosure in cultivating rapport with avoidant teen clients.
Learning Objective 3: Attendees will explore field-tested strategies for creating connectedness, maintaining therapeutic presence, and increasing the willingness of avoidantly attached teens to engage in counseling.
ONE IN SIX: UNDERSTANDING AND ADDRESSING SEXUAL TRAUMA IN ADOLESCENT MALES
One in six males will 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 wide variety of emotional, behavioral, and developmental concerns, such as various mental health concerns, substance-related issues, school failures, and other lifelong challenges.
We’ll start this highly interactive presentation by deepening our knowledge of common trauma impacts, identifying ways the Guy Code exacerbates these impacts, and exploring important considerations specific to addressing sexual trauma in adolescent males. Then, we’ll examine the active ingredients necessary for successful trauma therapy and explore a variety of field-tested strategies sure to increase engagement, improve treatment outcomes, and start the process of healing.
Learning Objective 1: Attendees will deepen their knowledge of common trauma impacts — such as vigilance, intrusion, contraction, and avoidance — with a specific focus on ways these impacts commonly present among adolescent male survivors.
Learning Objective 2: Attendees will identify the active ingredients necessary for successful trauma therapy, with a specific focus on their effective application when working with adolescent male survivors.
Learning Objective 3: Attendees will increase their understanding of the Guy Code and ways it can complicate trauma therapy for adolescent males, as well as practical, field-tested strategies for addressing the Guy Code, increasing engagement, and improving treatment outcomes.
THE PANDEMIC GENERATION
The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in lasting impacts on the mental health of adolescents — including increased anxiety, a dramatic rise in behavioral addictions, and heightened existential dread (Mulkey, Bearer, & Molloy, 2023; World Health Organization, 2022). In addition, it has undoubtedly resulted in developmental impacts we’re just starting to noticed (Mulkey, Bearer, & Molloy, 2023; Center for Disease Control, n.d.). In addition, it has undoubtedly resulted in developmental impacts we’re just starting to noticed (Mulkey, Bearer, & Molloy, 2023; Center for Disease Control, n.d.).
Six years after quarantine, this presentation examines some of these impacts and identifies practical clinical approaches for addressing them — including field-tested strategies for exploring existential themes with adolescents, the role of therapeutic alliance, and trauma-informed approaches to help adolescents move forward. Along the way, we’ll also take time to consider what’s changed for us as professional helpers in this post-pandemic world.
Learning Objective 1: Attendees will identify several ways the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in lasting impacts on the mental and behavioral health of adolescents, including increased social anxiety, a rise in behavioral addictions, and heightened existential dread.
Learning Objective 2: Attendees will explore practical ideas for addressing these impacts — including trauma-informed approaches appropriate for all helping professionals.
Learning Objective 3: Attendees will engage in structured reflection on ways the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted them, both professionally and personally.
CHANGE IS IN THE CARDS
Description coming soon.