How to Navigate Complex Systems in Teen & YA Therapy: Practical Tools

For counsellors and therapeutic practitioners working with teenagers and young adults.

Adolescence is complex, and so are the systems that shape it.

In this 90-minute live online training, we’ll explore a young person’s inner and outer world using a starting framework of Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, taking a practical look at how environment, culture, policy, family, school and societal expectations interact - and sometimes collide - in therapeutic work.

Using a case study, we’ll examine the layers of influence impacting a young client’s life. From peer dynamics and social media to family pressures, identity, generational and cultural expectations, we’ll explore how intersectionality and context shape their world and the impact in therapy.

But it doesn’t stop there.

We’ll also turn the lens inward: exploring your role as a practitioner within this ecosystem. What systems influence your capacity to support young people, from safeguarding guidance and organisational policy to supervision structures, self-care and burnout?

Expect a thoughtful, reflective space with a mix of:

• Insightful case study exploration
• Interactive discussion and shared practitioner perspectives
• Opportunities to reflect on your own practice, boundaries and support systems

This session is grounded in clinical experience and systemic understanding, offering both theory and practice in a digestible and engaging format.

This training also includes a gentle nod to my book

‘A Practical Guide to Working Therapeutically with Teenagers and Young Adults’

, which offers further tools, scripts, and frameworks for supporting this age group with confidence and compassion.

Who it’s for:

Counsellors, therapists, support workers, educational staff and mental health professionals working with teenagers and young adults in one-to-one or group settings.

You’ll leave with:

• A richer understanding of the ecological pressures facing young clients
• Practical insights into how you can adapt and respond therapeutically
• Tools to reflect on your own practice within a systemic context

___________________________

RECORDING

This event will be recorded and you can use the ticket function to pre-purchase the recording before the event. This will be useful for colleagues who are not able to attend the event live and also for those who attend the event live and want to watch it again.

ZOOM

This event will be hosted on the Zoom meeting platform where we will use our cameras and microphones to interact with each other as a group.

SELF-SELECT FEE

The self-select fee is a radical inclusion policy to open learning for all colleagues. The guide price for this event is £20.00, however, we appreciate that income varies greatly in different locations and circumstances. Please contribute what you can to help us maintain inclusive professional training.

___________________________

At Onlinevents, we and the presenters we collaborate with are committed to working in a way that aligns with the ethical codes and frameworks of our respective professional organisations. We expect all colleagues attending our events to uphold the ethical principles of their professional membership.

If you are not a member of a professional organisation, we ask that you participate in a way that is both authentic and respectful, fostering a space of mutual learning and professional engagement.

By registering for this event, you agree to be present and interact in a manner that reflects these principles.

___________________________

Helen Gifford

Helen Gifford is a counsellor and supervisor with nearly 20 years' experience of working therapeutically with young adults. Based in Newcastle Upon Tyne, she has a degree in psychology and further qualifications in counselling and supervision.

Helen trained initially in cognitive behavioural therapy and has since developed her practice to incorporate creative, narrative and parts work.

She defines her current approach as integrative.

Helen has worked therapeutically in inner-city schools and young people’s residential settings, and is now in full-time practice, offering counselling to teenagers, young adults and adults, and clinical supervision to colleagues in the therapy professions.

Helen is committed to bridging the gap between theory and practice and equipping fellow practitioners with the tools and confidence to support young adults in their mental health journeys.

Website | https://branchcounselling.co.uk/