
Developmental Considerations In Therapy

Future dates TBD
Learning Objectives
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Understand realms of typical development and the complex interplay between them throughout development.
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Gain Familiarity with the characteristics of the three broad developmental periods and their sub-phases: Childhood, Adolescence, Emerging Adulthood
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Identify specific developmental tasks for each phase of development and the unique risks and vulnerabilities inherent therein
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Understand how developmental risk and protective factors from each phase impact vulnerability and resilience which informs how adults show up in life and therapy
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Integrate developmental information in case conceptualization and treatment planning
Day One Childhood: Birth to 11 years old (give or take a few)
8:00 - 8:30 Introduction: Types of Development
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Critical periods and vulnerabilities
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Cultural Considerations: expectations across developmental periods can look different though there is always a moving towards responsibility for self and or others.
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Emotional, Relational, Social
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Sensory, Physical: Large and small motor
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Cognitive, Language: Receptive and Expressive
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Sense of self in relation to self, others, and the world
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Spiritual, Moral, Ethical
8:30 - 10:30 Early Childhood: Birth – 5 years old - First 60 months on the Planet
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Neurodevelopment
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Attunement and Attachment
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Distress tolerance and Emotional regulation
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Sensory Integration
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Receptive and Expressive Language
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Sense of separate self
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Empathy and Theory of Mind
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Importance of Play
10:30 - 11:30 Developmental Considerations in Therapy: Seeing the child in the Adolescent/Adult
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Role/Real play and experiential
11:30 – 12:00 Lunch
1:00 – 3:00 Middle childhood: 5/6 – 10/11 years old – School Age
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Neurodevelopment - Refinement and deepening of skills
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Relationships outside the family
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Friendships with peers
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Cognitive development: Increasing complexity from concrete to more complex ideas
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Awareness of Self and Others
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Importance of Play
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Ethical reasoning: Fairness and Caring about others
3:00 – 4:00 Developmental Considerations in Therapy
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Role/Real play - experiential
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Day Two: Adolescence: 11 to 21(ish) years old
8:00 - 9:30 Early Adolescence: 11- 14/15 years – Toddlers in Bigger Bodies
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Neurology – Rewired for maximum reward from peers
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Puberty and emerging sexuality
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Distress Tolerance
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Emotional Regulation
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Identity: Who are my people and where do I belong
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Relationships with peers, parents, adults, and authority
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Cognitive and Language: Constantly shifting abilities from concrete to abstract
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Ethical reasoning: Fairness/Rules and Social Participation
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Importance of Play
9:30 - 10:00 Role/Real play
10:00 - 11:30 Social rejection/Bullying and Parenting Styles of Neglect
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Impact of social exclusion/ostracism in early adolescence
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Parenting styles of emotional under-attunement or Neglect
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Permissive: High Warmth-Low limits, Over attending and Under attuning
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Absent: Low Warmth-Low limits, Parent needs primary
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Authoritarian: Low Warmth-High limits, Compliance primary
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Chaotic: Unpredictable Warmth-Unpredictable Limits Parent mood/dysregulation primary
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11:30 – 12:00 Developmental Considerations in Therapy
Middle school gifts and vulnerabilities in older clients – Real/Role play and experientials
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
1:00 – 2:30 Late Adolescence: 15 - 19/21 years
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Sexuality in Relationship
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Individual identity: Who am I and where am I going
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Abstract and critical thinking
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Abstract Empathy
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Ethical reasoning: Justice and Beginning to balance care of self/other
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Importance of Play
2:30 – 3:30 Developmental Considerations in Therapy
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Role/real play Small group experiential
3:30 - 4:00 Questions, Cases, Considerations