Enhancing Mental Health Support for LGBTQ+ Youths

As society continues to embrace diversity, the mental health community is increasingly called upon to provide effective and affirming care for LGBTQ+ and gender-diverse youths. With over two million such children and adolescents in the United States—a number that is steadily increasing—the need for specialized knowledge and skills is more important than ever.

Compared to their peers, LGTBQ+ youths experience disproportionate rates of adversity and trauma, including child maltreatment. Well-intended professionals who do not know or understand best practices risk unintentionally perpetuating harm. This webinar serves as a starting point for bridging the knowledge gap and fostering informed discussions.

Implementing the Principles of Risk Need Responsivity: Lessons Learned as a Military Correctional Treatment Facility Transitioned to the RNR

The principles of effective correctional rehabilitation, also known as risk, need, and responsivity (RNR) have become recognized as an essential foundation for the treatment of individuals who have committed sexual offenses. While research has demonstrated the importance of these principles, many agencies face challenges in moving existing programs to this model. Examples of these challenges include:

Testifying in Juvenile Cases: A Neuroscience and Psychosocial Development Framework

Mental health professionals frequently serve as expert witnesses in court cases in which juveniles face the possibility of being prosecuted as adults. Neuroscience and psychosocial development research support the findings that adolescents are less capable of mature judgement and more vulnerable to negative external influences, but also have a greater capacity for change and reform. Research has also identified indicators of normative psychosocial maturity associated with desistance from antisocial behavior, even among serious juvenile offenders. Landmark U.S. Supreme Court cases have been based on elaborating fundamental differences between adolescents and adults that inform decisions about criminal culpability, responsibility, and sentencing. 

Innovative Approaches to Therapy for Young People Who Sexually Abuse

Young people with a history of sexually harmful behaviors tend to display a striking lack of self-regulation and relationship-building skills. In this workshop, the presenters first explore two treatment approaches: Dialectical Behavior Therapy and multi-sensory interventions employed in recreational therapy. They then introduce workshop participants to a suite of interventions that are based on those approaches and can be used to infuse group-based and individual therapy sessions with effective, ap

Suicide Prevention: Combining Compassion, Connection, and Client-Centered Solutions

Addressing suicide prevention requires a multi-faceted, community-wide effort. By working together, we can create stronger, more compassionate communities that support mental health and well-being for all.

This Suicide Prevention Month, let us recommit ourselves to being allies and advocates for those struggling with suicidal thoughts. By creating safe, supportive spaces and fostering human connections, we can make a meaningful difference in suicide prevention efforts.

A Solution-Focused Approach to Preventing Suicide 

During the six-hour training, John Henden, MBACP FRSA, offers a fresh re-examination of current risk assessment, management, and medication methods. Henden provides straightforward skills for talking frankly with clients about the subject of suicide itself. This training begins with what practitioners can do in the initial moments of a therapeutic encounter and then turns to the specialized techniques of the solution-focused approach.