Full Course Description

Suicide and Self-Harm in Adolescents: Effective Assessment and Intervention Strategies for Young People in Crisis

Helping young people heal is your greatest reward.

But when treating adolescents with depression, anxiety, and trauma the full extent of their suffering is not always obvious. Many in distress wear a mask of strength while secretly harming themselves or hiding their struggle with thoughts of suicide. You worry that you could be missing critical signs.

This seminar will provide you with the assessment tools you need to unmask self-harming and suicidal thoughts, adapt interventions from DBT and CBT to work with the distinct challenges of treating suicidal and self-harming adolescents, and manage the specific confidentiality and liability issues that accompany working with minors.

There’s too much at stake to be unprepared!

Sign up today and leave this critical program confident and capable in using these vital assessment tools and treatment techniques to bring hope and healing to vulnerable young clients!

Program Information

Objectives

Employ clinical screening and assessment tools to help you determine which clients present the highest risk for suicide.
Apply motivational techniques that engage resistant suicidal and self-harming teens in the therapeutic process.
Develop strategies for incorporating schools and peer groups into your treatment plans for suicidal and self-harming clients, and communicate how this multi-systemic approach can improve treatment outcomes.
Articulate how alternative coping strategies can be introduced in-session to help self-injuring clients manage triggering situations without engaging in self-harm.
Communicate how clinicians can foster support among family members with techniques that promote problem solving and communication, and help young people feel in control and part of the therapeutic process.
Utilize therapeutic interventions from Dialectical Behavior Therapy to improve your client’s coping skills and interpersonal effectiveness.

Outline

Suicide and NSSI

The relationship between suicide and self-injurious behavior
When clients present with depression, anxiety, trauma
Confidentiality, documentation, and legal considerations

Assessment Tools for Adolescents

Formal assessment tools for NSSI
- Recency and frequency
- Severity
- Triggers
- Who’s aware
Suicide risk assessment
- SAFE-T
- C-SSRS
- Ideation, plan, means, intent
- Level of risk, intervention and when to hospitalize

Motivational Interviewing Techniques That Engage Young People in Treatment

Tips to quickly establish rapport
Using the Stages to Change/Motivational Interviewing Model in Treatment
Overcome therapy interfering behaviors
When parents are ready for change NOW!

Adapt DBT for Use with Adolescents

Track suicidal and self-harming urges with diary cards
Reduce emotional reactivity and improve distress tolerance
Identifying emotions and triggers
Mindfulness practices and relaxation techniques
Reproducible handouts and checklists

CBT Interventions to Build Coping Skills and Manage Crisis

”Thought flipping” to maintain positive focus
Address body image issues
Create opportunities to build resilience, self-efficacy and self-control
Handle suicidal crisis – self-soothing and distraction techniques

Effectively Work with Parents, Peers and Schools

Interpersonal effectiveness skills for adolescents
Training exercises to convey feelings/read the feelings of others
Integrate parents into treatment
- Parental behaviors that can do more harm than good
- Means restriction strategies for safe home environments
Involve schools and peers
- Learn to build “Trusted Adult” support networks
- Peer education approaches that create support
- Minimize the impact of bullying

Target Audience

Social Workers
Psychologists
Counselors
Teachers
School Administrators
Case Managers
Marriage and Family Therapists
Addiction Counselors
Therapists
Nurses
School Counselors
School Social Workers
School Psychologists
Other Mental Health Professionals School Counselors

Copyright : 08/14/2025

Culturally Responsive Suicide Prevention: Helping Marginalized Youth Move from Risk to Resilience

Suicide among marginalized youth is a growing crisis, disproportionately affecting Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Many clinicians lack culturally competent strategies to assess risk, intervene effectively, and provide long-term support.

In this training, Dr. Webb will teach you:

Unique risk factors and warning signs of suicide in marginalized youth
Culturally responsive interventions tailored to diverse populations
Actionable strategies to foster resilience and support systems within your practice

Through real-world case studies, interactive discussions, and trauma-informed approaches, you’ll leave equipped with tools to identify at-risk youth and provide evidence-based, compassionate care.

Program Information

Objectives

Identify the social, cultural, and systemic risk factors contributing to suicide in marginalized youth.
Apply evidence-based and culturally competent assessment and intervention strategies.
Develop collaborative prevention plans incorporating family, community, and school-based resources.

Outline

Part 1 – Youth Mental Health

Trauma and attachment
- Neurological effects of trauma exposure
- Observable signs and symptoms of trauma and traumatic stress in students
- Behavioral manifestations of trauma and traumatic stress in students
- Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) scores meaning and their impact
- The impact trauma and attachment has on children’s relationship with adults
- Interventions for adults to build trust-based relationships with children
Anxiety disorders
- Sources of anxiety and DSM-5® classification of disorders
- Self-management skills for stress and anxiety regulation
- Coping skills for youth
Managing challenging behaviors and extreme emotions
Suicide and self-harm

Part 2 – Navigating Youth Mental Health in Today’s Educational Setting

Integrating student mental health into virtual and/or physical classrooms
- The impact of routine disruption on mental health
- Individual interventions for students struggling the most
- Connecting students and parents/caregivers with outside resources for counseling and support
Provider self-care and support

Risks and Limitations

Target Audience

Licensed Clinical/Mental Health Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
Marriage & Family Therapists
School Administrators
Teachers/School-Based Personnel
Case Managers
Nurses

Copyright : 08/14/2025

Navigate Adolescent Addiction Through Developmental Neuroscience

Substance use disorders are a leading cause of death and disability. While multifarious, the strongest predictor of addiction is drug use during adolescence, when individuals are neurobiologically primed for risk, experimentation, and salience.

This session will demonstrate how critical periods of brain development intersect with innate predispositions, opportunity, and childhood trauma to catalyze substance use disorders, and how translating developmental neuroscientific research for patient care can help reduce the risk for addiction and promote individual flourishing.

Program Information

Objectives

Demonstrate how genetic vulnerabilities, socio-cultural influences, and developmental changes intersect with critical periods of brain development to give rise to substance use disorders.
Assess how addictive drugs exploit neural circuits that ascribe meaning, thereby undermining healthy development and enhancing the risk for addiction.
Describe how neural plasticity during adolescence serves individual developmental goals and benefits society as a whole.
Apply findings in developmental neuroscience to help clients take advantage of the enhanced opportunities for flourishing that are encoded in the adolescent brain.
Demonstrate comprehension of the complex interplay between genetic vulnerabilities, socio-cultural influences, and developmental changes, elucidating how they converge with crucial phases of brain development to contribute to the emergence of substance use disorders.
Employ evaluative skills to analyze the manipulation of neural circuits by addictive substances, thereby impairing the formation of constructive neural connections that facilitate healthy development, ultimately elevating the susceptibility to addiction.
Objective: Present a detailed account of the role of neural plasticity in adolescence, highlighting its contributions to individual developmental milestones and its broader positive impact on societal progress.
Objective: Translate insights derived from developmental neuroscience research into actionable strategies for guiding clients, enabling them to capitalize on the heightened potential for growth embedded within the adolescent brain, and fostering an environment conducive to optimal flourishing.

Outline

Overview of Adolescent Neural Plasticity

Dual impact of the final surge of neural plasticity during adolescence
Neural plasticity’s role in promoting healthy development and triggering substance use

Recognize Risk Factors

Risk factors associated with drug use disorders in clients
Neuroscience-informed strategies to minimize susceptibility

Balance Vulnerability and Resilience

Delicate balance between heightened vulnerability during developmental phases and the concurrent potential for remarkable resilience, supported by empirical research

Harnessing Developmental Interventions

Developmentally-informed interventions and their disproportionate influence on shaping adult trajectories, drawing from the current scientific landscape

Target Audience

Psychologists
Licensed Clinical/Mental Health Counselors
Addiction Professionals
Social Workers
Marriage & Family Therapists
Case Managers
School Administrators
Schoo-Based Mental Health Professionals

Copyright : 10/28/2023

Non- Suicidal Self-Injury

A framework-driven approach to identify functions of NSSI and guide effective intervention
Proven CBT and DBT strategies to address the shame, secrecy, and stigma that make things worse
Clear scripts, first-response protocols, and practical tools for schools, clinicians, and caregivers

“Why would they do that to themselves?”

If you’ve ever asked that question after learning a teen is cutting, burning, or harming themselves in other ways – you’re not alone.

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is more common than most realize, with studies estimating up to 1 in 5 students have engaged in some form of self-harm. And while teachers, counselors, and clinicians are increasingly on the front lines of this silent epidemic, most feel unprepared to respond.

And the truth is, your response can change the outcome.

In this training, you’ll learn:

What drives adolescents to hurt themselves – beyond the myths and misconceptions
How to respond to disclosure in ways that reduce shame and build trust
CBT and DBT strategies, coping plans, and school-based supports to provide both immediate and long-term safety

Led by behavioral neuroscientist and seasoned expert, Dr. Nicolle Carr, this course gives you practical tools to spot warning signs, engage compassionately, and work in partnership with students, families, and mental health teams to build hope and healing.

Whether you’re in the classroom, the counseling office, or clinical practice, you’ll leave with a clear, actionable roadmap for supporting teens who self-injure – without judgment, fear, or helplessness.

Program Information

Objectives

Differentiate between misconceptions and evidence-based reasons for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and their impact on occupational participation and performance.
Identify the four primary functions of NSSI using the 4-Function Model and how these functions influence intervention planning within school and clinical contexts.
Select in-the-moment responses and school-based interventions that promote safety, reduce stigma, and support therapeutic relationships to enhance student engagement and regulation.

Outline

Myths, Missteps & Misconceptions

What NSSI is – and what it isn’t
Common forms: cutting, burning, scratching, skin picking
Why it’s not “just for attention” – the real psychological drivers
How shame, stigma, and secrecy escalate harm
Impact of misconceptions on occupational engagement and classroom participation
Misguided school responses that can worsen the problem
Understand the difference between NSSI and suicide risk
Risks and limitations

Why It Happens: Understand the Function Behind the Behavior

The 4-Function Model: emotion regulation, communication, dissociation, self-punishment
Link function to intervention planning
When trauma, anxiety, and neurodivergences are part of the picture
Red flags vs. coping strategies – know when to worry
Why typical discipline systems don’t work – and what does

Respond in the Moment: What Helps, What Harms

First-response protocols for educators, counselors, and clinicians
What to say (and not say) when a student discloses
Scripts to de-escalate shame and build trust
Steps for documentation, collaboration, and school safety protocols
Engage caregivers and support teams without breaching trust

Practical Tools & Treatment Strategies

CBT and DBT strategies for managing urges and emotions
Emotion regulation tools that can be used in school or therapy
Sample coping plans, replacement behaviors, and safety plans
School-based supports: what can realistically be done in your setting
When and how to refer for more intensive care
Case examples and handouts you can use tomorrow

Target Audience

Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
School Professionals
Educators
Occupational Therapists
Nurses
Other Mental Health and School-Based Professionals

The Teen Mental Health Crisis: How to Make an Impact for Young People

American teens today are struggling like no other time in history. Since the early 2000s, there’s been a consistent rise in suicide rates and suicidal ideation. And in the last few years, since COVID hit, nearly half of all teens in this country have reported feelings of hopelessness and persistent sadness. Theories abound as to why: social isolation, too much screentime, the stresses of a world awash in racism and discrimination, pressures to succeed, climate change. It’s a “national emergency” the headlines blare. But for therapists, the conjecture matters less than what we can do to help overwhelmed teens in our care. In this panel-led session, three experts take a close look at today’s teens and dig into how we can best alleviate their emotional distress and help them thrive. You’ll explore:

What we can do to help teens process their experience of the last few years and the larger world in general
Ways to counter the negative cultural messaging affecting teens of color and LGBTQIA teens
How to address the spikes in teen suicidality
How to help teens navigate social media and relationships with parents/caregivers and each other

Program Information

Objectives

Theorize on the major factors driving the rise of teen mental health issues.
Apply evidence-based interventions for common stressors that impact teens to improve clinical outcomes.
Formulate evidence-based strategies for address teenage suicidality to improve clinical outcomes.
Propose ways to address online bullying in psychotherapy with teen clients.
Propose specific ways to address stress affecting teens of color and LGBTQIA teens.

Outline

What’s really driving the teen mental health “crisis”?
How to help teens process environmental stressors
Countering the negative cultural messaging affecting teens of color and LGBTQIA teens
What therapists can do to address social media stress and online bullying
The most current and effective ways to intervene in teen suicidality

Target Audience

Counselors
Social Workers
Psychologists
Marriage & Family Therapists
Addiction Counselors
Physicians
Physician Assistants
Nurses
Nurse Practitioners
Other Mental Health Professionals

Helping Anxious, Isolated & Depressed Teens: What Works, What Doesn’t and What Needs to Change

There’s no escaping the dire reports about the high rates of anxiety and depression in teens and young adults. Theories about the increase are multiple and overlapping, from the pandemic to social media to parenting to the state of the world.

And while therapists obviously want to help, are we truly doing what works? Or are we buying into the same mental health trends and assumptions as the young people we’re trying to help? Lynn will question the myths, trends, and sometimes surprising approaches to addressing youth mental health and then describe how to create clear treatment goals and offer therapy that use action, connection, and accurate psychoeducation.

You’ll learn how to:

Revamp the mental health language that’s making teens worse
Use social media to increase critical thinking
Interrupt common overlapping patterns of anxiety and depression
Shift harmful mental health paradigms using research, curiosity, and homework

Program Information

Objectives

Describe the impact of self-labeling on adolescents.
Create at least 2 interventions that support social connection in adolescents and young adults.
Identify three cognitive patterns that increase the risk of adolescent anxiety and depression.
Create resources and homework assignments that promote a process-based approach to anxiety and depression.

Outline

Teens, Anxiety and Depression: Where Do We Stand?

The key patterns that define anxiety and depression
Current research on the effective approaches for teens
Process versus content: addressing the traps of triggers, avoidance, and inconsistency

The Key Components to a Plan

Frontloading FIRST
Changing the relationship to worry: the attitudinal shift most people miss
Addressing physical symptoms: do’s and don’ts and getting concrete with skills
Behavioral Activation: doing versus avoiding and the power of passivity

Stop Working with Teens Alone: Collaboration & Communication

Working with parents: a team approach and how it falls apart
Communication with outside providers/parents/schools: letters, videos, handouts, podcasts
Research limitations and risks

Target Audience

Counselors
Educators
Art Therapists
Marriage and Family Therapists
Occupational Therapists
Physicians
Psychologists
Speech-Language Pathologists
School Administrators
Social Workers