Improving Results of Treatment with Adolescents Through an Injection of Fun

Christin Santiago and Anette Birgersson have taught professionals around the world how to incorporate fun into the very serious work of trauma-informed treatment for youth and adolescents. Studies have shown that interventions that are fun and engaging increase motivation, buy-in, and improve the therapeutic alliance. Likewise, incorporating aspects of fun into our lives as professionals is also essential for mental and physical overall health and well-being. 

Christin and Anette will introduce best practices for both individual and group work that will include: utilizing games and activities, sensory-based interventions, facilitation techniques and mitigating risk. The aim of the webinar is to learn, laugh, and feel increased confidence as fun professionals!

Applying a Neuroscience and Psychosocial Development Framework to Testifying in Juvenile Cases

In this webinar, Tom Leversee will present a framework for expert witnesses that focuses on brain science, developmental age/crime trajectories, and psychosocial maturity and desistance.    

Mental health professionals in the juvenile justice system frequently serve as expert witnesses in court cases in which juveniles face the possibility of being prosecuted as adults. Many youths have been directly entered into the adult court system due to the seriousness of their offense(s), w

Being a Pro: Promoting Prosocial Development in Youths

In this webinar, Dr. Ralph will discuss the evidence behind the Being a Pro model, the outcomes studies supporting the effectiveness of the approach, and how to use the materials he has developed for treatment professionals to successfully use the approach — including the Being a Pro Teen Workbook and free supplemental materials: the Counselor Manual, Research and Theory Manual, Pre- and Post-Tests for assessing outcomes, and a training video — all available through Safer Society Press.

The Influence of Attachment on Adolescents Who Have Sexually Abused: A Conversation with Michael Miner

Dr. Michael Miner, Emeritus Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota, will discuss his research addressing adolescent males who have engaged in sexual violence. The projects — undertaken during Dr. Miner’s time at the Institute of Sexual and Gender Health — are grounded in attachment theory, a psychological conceptualization of how one’s childhood experiences with primary caregivers influence interpersonal relationships and behavior throughout one’s life.

Sex, Tech, and Teens: A Conversation with Alex Rodrigues

Internet technological advancement, while an invaluable societal resource, is not without hazards. Teens now face challenges that were unimaginable 10 years ago: unsolicited sexual messages, revenge porn, “incels” (individuals who consider themselves to be ‘involuntarily celibate’), sexploitation, online domestic violence, and doxing (the distribution of personal information against that person’s will). Online technology is unavoidable, but the risks associated with it can be minimized. That’s the message Dr. Rodrigues will bring to this informal webinar conversation.

The Evolution of Treating Adolescents Who Have Sexually Abused: A Conversation with Timothy Kahn, M.S.W.

The field of treating youth who have sexually abused others has changed dramatically across the past four decades. Where programs once imported ideas developed in adult institutions, the field is now more highly specialized, evidence-informed, engaging, and hopeful. In this webinar, Timothy Kahn (the author of workbooks such as Pathways, Footprints, Healthy Families, and Roadmaps to Recovery) will discuss the many changes that have taken place in assessment, treatment, and supervision practices over time.

Campus Dilemma: Unique Challenges of Addressing Problematic Sexual Behavior in Students

Over the past decade, increased advocacy and outrage have focused the public’s attention on sexual misconduct on college and university campuses. It is heartening to hear the public discourse and the insistence that something must be done to hold individuals and institutions responsible and provide appropriate resources for people who have experienced sexual harm. However, most colleges do not have specific resources or offices to offer support or work with students who have been accused or found responsible for sexual misconduct or choose to reach out for help.

A Look Inside Adolescent Drug Courts: Motivation and Beyond

This webinar will explore the evolution of juvenile drug treatment courts. Where the legal system has too failed many who enter it, practices that focus on client engagement and behavior change (such as Motivational Interviewing) have improved outcomes. Jennifer Wyatt and Margaret Soukup are the authors of Motivational Interviewing Skills in Action for Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Teams and will share highlights from that publication that are specific to youth and applicable to other settings. Attendees will receive a download of this document.