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WestCoast sponsors lectures, seminars and discussions on theory, technique, issues and research relevant to child and adolescent treatment. These workshops are open to all and are free or offered for Continuing Education units. WestCoast Children’s Clinic is approved as a BBS provider for MFTs and LCSWs and a MCEP Provider for psychologists.
Continuing Education Series 2009-2010
All presentations are to be held at the Fruitvale Clinic unless otherwise noted.
Psychotherapy with Children: A Legal and Ethical Approach
Presented by: Michael Donner, PhD
Friday, July 24, 2009, 9am - 4pm
Psychologists, MFT's and LCSW's are required to have periodic updates on law and ethics. This course will provide a review of new legislation, ethical standards and legal cases that effect professional work. In addition, this course will emphasize the complex clinical and professional dilemmas face by psychotherapist's who work with children. Responsible not just to the treatment of the child, they are also expected to work ethically and appropriately with parents, teachers, foster parents and social workers. The emphasis on this course will be on applying an ethical model to clinical work with the emphasis on developing a model for the relationship between privacy, privilege and confidentiality (Donner, 2005, Donner, 2008).
Case Presentations from the Advance Training Workshop on Therapeutic Assessment of Children and Adolescents
Presented by: Stephen E. Finn, PhD
Friday, September 25, 2009, 9:30am - 1:00pm
This session will consist of case presentations by participants in the advanced training workshop on Therapeutic Assessment of children and adolescents. Two cases will be described for which all standardized testing is completed and family sessions have taken place. The presenters will share their plans for giving feedback to the family and child, and attendees will collaborate and consult about these plans. In this process, the techniques and principles of Therapeutic Assessment will be demonstrated.
When Girls Will Be Boys, and Boys Will Be Girls: Treatment Issues for Gender Nonconforming Children
Diane Ehrensaft, PhD
Friday, December 11, 2009, 9-11:00 a.m.
Much harm has been done to children who are either transgender or gender nonconforming at the hands of mental health professionals in the name of shaping them to accept their assigned gender or behave in accordance with societal expectations for gender expressions. This course will present a model for both understanding and providing psychotherapy to these children that has as its goal supporting the authentic gender identity of the child and making space for that child to be able to express that identity in his or her family, school, and social environment. A critique of traditional theories of gender development, along with an exploration of an alternative theory of gender based on Winnicott’s concepts of true self, false self, and individual creativity will be discussed, as well as an opportunity to apply this model to a clinical case in which a boy wonders if he is a girl.
Working with LGBTQ Youth
Presented By: Davina Kotulski, Ph.D.
Friday, January 8, 2010. 9:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.
This presentation will address the special issues facing LGBTQ Youth including homophobia, bullying, family and peer rejection, differences in socialization, and experiences of societal developmental milestones (e.g. prom, dating, etc.). The presentation will address LGBTQ youth’s increased risk for mental health concerns, self-injurious behaviors, and other high-risk situations that stem from parental and societal rejection. Treatment issues as well as local and national resources where LGBTQ youth and their parents can find additional psychological support and social services, as well as becoming familiar with books, articles, and films addressing the needs of LGBTQ youth and their families will be explored.
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: An Update on Research and Treatment
Presented By: Stephen Hinshaw, PhD
Friday, January 15, 2010. 9:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m.
This workshop will cover core diagnostic, clinical, and treatment-related issues related to ADHD, with emphasis on both basic research and new findings in the field.
Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents
Presented By: Michael A. Tompkins
Friday March, 12, 2010
Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm (6 Hours)
Until recently, clinicians have ignored anxiety and phobic disorders of childhood and adolescence, viewing these “internalizing” problems as relatively mild, age-specific, transitory, with little impact on the young person. Recent research, however, has established the long-term consequences of these disorders on children leading to treatments that are focused, brief, and effective. Cognitive-Behavior Therapy for Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents is a full-day workshop that provides clinicians with an overview of typical cognitive-behavioral interventions for anxious youth. The workshop offers clinicians a concrete framework for implementing exposure-based interventions and includes guidelines for the teaching of coping skills, for constructing exposure hierarchies, for implementing relapse prevention strategies, and involving parents in the treatment plan.
Working with Latino Youth: An ecological model
Presented By: Yvette G. Flores, Ph.D.
Friday, March 19, 2010
The lifescape of urban Latino youth will be reviewed by analyzing their ecological context. Points of intersection: home, school, community, social services, criminal justice and the challenges posed by migration, transculturation and biculturality will be highlighted. Treatment strategies will be discussed, particularly for youth impacted by social, familial and interpersonal violence.
