Stony Brook School of Social Welfare: Co-Creating with Parents/Caregivers of Youth with Mental Health Needs – 3 CEU

The School of Social Welfare is committed to building a more equitable society based on the values of human dignity, inclusiveness, diversity, equality, and on economic, environmental, and social justice.

Despite years of training and clinical expertise, many clinicians and supervisors identify engaging parents and caregivers in a child’s treatment as one of the most challenging aspects of their work. Conjoint and collateral interventions are often rife with opportunities for mistrust, feelings of inadequacy, and resistance. As a result, some providers avoid this work altogether.

Such avoidance can be detrimental — if not devastating — to a child’s treatment outcomes and long-term prognosis. Scaffolding, an educational practice designed to support the retention and application of newly acquired knowledge and skills, offers a powerful framework for clinical intervention with caregivers.

This workshop equips clinicians with practical tools and strategies to foster caregiver trust in both the clinician and the therapeutic process. Participants will learn how to support parents and caregivers in moving beyond their comfort zones, increasing collaboration, and effectively contributing to their child’s mental health treatment and healing.