Empty Nest
Integrative Tools from ACT and DBT to Support Shifting Parenting Roles
- Speaker:
- Keely Rodriguez, MEd, NCC, LPC-S
- Duration:
- 1 Hour
- Format:
- Audio and Video
- Copyright:
-
May 15, 2026
- Product Code:
- POS150831
- Media Type:
- Digital Seminar
Description
Many midlife clients are surprised by the emotional impact of launching children into adulthood and transitioning toward an empty nest.
And there are ways to navigate the changes well… and ways to make the adjustment of both parents and children worse.
In this session, Keely Rodriguez – specialist in women’s midlife issues – will show you the tools you need to work with the loss of identity and purpose, heightened parenting anxiety, and emotional fatigue embedded in this developmental transition. You’ll learn:
- Practical strategies from ACT to support clients in redefining identity and adjusting to a parent-adult relationship
- A powerful DBT-informed distress tolerance sequence for anxious times and triggers, like an unanswered text
- Low-pressure ways for empty nest parents to reconnect socially and build community outside of parenting
Credit
Speaker
Keely Rodriguez, MEd, NCC, LPC-S Related seminars and products
Keely Rodriguez, MEd, NCC, LPC-S, supports women navigating midlife through her private practice in Austin and the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. She integrates EMDR, Brainspotting and somatic work to help women heal, regulate their nervous system and feel more grounded and connected to themselves. Outside the therapy room, Keely is an empty nester, sharing her life with her husband of 26 years and cheering on their two adult children in college.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Keely Rodriguez is the owner of Keely Rodriguez Therapy. She receives a speaking honorarium from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Keely Rodriguez has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Additional Info
Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)Access never expires for this product.
Questions?
Visit our FAQ page at www.pesi.com/faq or contact us at www.pesi.com/info
Additional CE Info
For a more detailed outline that includes times or durations of time, if needed, please contact cepesi@pesi.com.
Objectives
- Identify how emotional distress, identity shifts, and relationship stress related to the empty nest commonly present in clinical work.
- Examine evidence based relational and developmental frameworks that support the transition from a parent-child dynamic to a parent-adult relationship.
- Utilize at least two clinical interventions to support clients experiencing distress during the empty nest transition.
Outline
Empty Nest as a Midlife Developmental Transition:
- Developmental stage, not clinical syndrome
- Common emotional response, identity shifts, and relationship changes
- Grief, anxiety, and relationship stress
Clinical Application and Practical Interventions
- Psychoeducation on developmental role shift from caregiver to coach
- ACT-based identity and values work to transition to adult-adult relationship
- Utilize client values and strengths to develop realistic micro-actions for daily life
- DBT-informed distress tolerance sequence for triggers to parental worry
- Grounding and nervous system regulation for anxiety
- Connection audit to strengthen social support and build community outside of parenting
- Limitations of the research and potential risks
Target Audience
- Counselors
- Social Workers
- Psychologists
- Psychiatrists
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Other Mental Health Professionals
Reviews
Satisfaction Guarantee
Your satisfaction is our goal and our guarantee. Concerns should be addressed to: PO Box 1000, Eau Claire, WI 54702-1000 or call 1-800-844-8260.
ADA Needs
We would be happy to accommodate your ADA needs; please call our Customer Service Department for more information at 1-800-844-8260.
PESI Mobile App
Access CE trainings on your phone or tablet through our free mobile app. Choose video or audio-only versions of online courses from the world’s best instructors, and complete your CE requirements anywhere, anytime, at your own pace.
Please wait ...