Understanding and working with adolescents: turbulence, trauma, change and challenge

Course name

Understanding and Working with Adolescents: Turbulence, Trauma, Change and Challenge

Overview

This course is designed to provide ways of thinking about the adolescent phase of the life cycle in order to facilitate direct work with young people.

Psychoanalytic theory is used to throw light on the complex adjustments to physical and social changes which constitute the major tasks of adolescence. It focuses on gaining understanding of the dilemmas which confront all young people. These can create great strains for some individuals and result in developmental delays, problematic behaviours and sometimes serious mental illness.

Aims and Objectives

To understand more about the mental processes which operate during adolescence. Understanding the emotional impact of working with young people.
To increase understanding about the adolescent task of separation and individuation.
To help develop skills in understanding the communication of adolescents.
To develop skills in understanding the emotional impact of working with young people, and to use this to help formulate treatment programmes and appropriate support for them.
For the participant to reflect on their own work with adolescents in terms of roles within an organisation and agency.
To develop an understanding of psychodynamic theories and their application to work with young people.
To develop skills in assessing, reviewing and evaluating work with young people and their families.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this course participants will have developed an understanding of:

A psychodynamic model of adolescence.
Emotional and personality development at this stage.
Collaborative working with other professionals.

Programme structure

Divided into two, five week sections, each seminar is 3 hours long (see course outline below).
Seminars are a mixture of reading and work discussion seminars.
Participants are expected to set aside time for reading and preparation of work material for seminars and independent study.

Week 1: Setting Adolescence in context

Week 2: The Inner World and its Roots in Infancy

Week 3: Psychoanalytical Concepts and some Applications

Week 4: Oedipal issues relating to the Family Context: Difficulties in Growing Up

Week 5: Exploring Psychotherapeutic Approaches to work with Adolescents

Week 6: Looked after Children

Week 7: Disturbances of Adolescence: Depression and Self Harm

Week 8: Disturbances of Adolescence 2: Eating Disorder, Sexual, Physical and Emotional Abuse

Week 9: Delinquency in Adolescence

Week 10: Organisations and their Impact upon Adolescents, Workers and Carers

Course limit

14 participants
Please note that spaces for all courses are limited to a certain number of participants to ensure an enhanced learning experience for everyone.

Cost

Please call us on 0141 331 2419 or email [email protected] if your organisation is interested in any of our short courses. The length and content can be tailored to suit the different requirements of each organisation.

Course venue

All courses can be delivered at the Human Development Scotland training suite in central Glasgow or at a clients’ workplace.

How to book

You may also be interested in:

Short courses Professional training What is psychodynamic theory?

Latest

Waiting time for counselling in Scotland

At HDS, there is currently no waiting list for our low-cost counselling service with final year psychodynamic counselling trainees. Our affordable option is £20 to £30 per session (based on what you can contribute) if you wish to work with trainees for a block of 20 or 40 sessions.
HDS Alumni gathering September

The next gathering of the HDS Alumni will take place online (via Zoom) on Thursday 26 September from 19:30 to 21:00. This will be an opportunity to network with fellow Alumni and hear from one another in our different roles and application of what we have learnt and experienced studying with HDS.
Graduation event 2024 HRC

Join our graduation event at our HDS Training Suite. This will be an opportunity to celebrate our graduates and any graduands at an in-person event.
Talking therapy may help menopause mood

Talking therapy could effectively treat menopause symptoms such as low mood and anxiety, research suggests. Some women showed, "statistically significant improvements" in anxiety and depression following talking therapies, compared with no or alternative treatments.

Understanding and working with children and young people who are fostered or adopted

This course is designed to provide ways of understanding children and young people who are fostered or adopted. Psychoanalytic theory is used to throw light on the complex issues involved in working with children and young people who have experienced trauma and loss and who may be struggling to establish new relationships.
Infant mental health: early intervention with under 5s and their parents

This course is a practical and theoretical introduction to some essential themes influencing emotional, cognitive and personality development in babies and young children in the context of their primary relationships and experiences. It aims to introduce a psychoanalytic way of thinking about parent – infant relationships, looking at why infant mental health matters, what promotes and what gets in the way of good infant mental health and cognitive development.

Human relations and counselling

The Human Relations and Counselling Programme consists of 3 parts to provide different levels of training and qualification. This includes a Dilpoma (PGDip) and Masters (MSc). The course is ideal for people who currently use elements of counselling in their day-to-day work and would like to take further steps towards enhancing their practice and deepening their professional capacity.
Therapeutic work with children and young people

MSc Psychoanalytic Observation and Reflective Practice: Therapeutic Work With Children and Young People. This modular course offers an in-depth understanding of infants’, children’s and adolescents’ emotional and personality development, the significance of primary relationships and their relevance to working with these age groups and their families.
Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

Professional Doctorate in Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. This is a practical and theoretical training course in psychoanalytical psychotherapy with children and young people. This course is the only one in Scotland which is approved by the Association of Child Psychotherapists (ACP).
Counselling Children, Young People and Families

This post-qualifying Certificate is a part-time training programme designed to prepare practitioners to work with children, young adults (up to mid-20s) and their families and is taught from a psychodynamic perspective.
Staff

Meet the team at Human Development Scotland (HDS) who work to improve the mental health and emotional wellbeing of people in Scotland.
Foundations of Human relations and counselling

An introduction to psychodynamic ideas about what it means to be human, together with experiential training in communication and counselling skills incorporating psychodynamic principles. Closing date for applications is 30 September.
What is psychodynamic theory?

We exist to improve mental health and emotional wellbeing through professional training, CPD and the provision of counselling and psychotherapy in Scotland. At the heart of our work at Human Development Scotland (HDS) is psychodynamic theory.
At a glance: courses, prospectus, fees & applications

At a glance look at the professional training on offer from HDS. Information and links to course information, including: entry requirements, fees, timings, applications and enquiries.
Training

Human Development Scotland (HDS) offers a range of professional and academic training courses, short courses and continuing professional development (CPD) opportunities. Courses currently on offer include the Professional Doctorate in Child and Adolescent Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy; MSc Psychoanalytic Observation and Reflective Practice: Therapeutic Work with Children and Young People; Diploma in Human Relations and Counselling.
What makes the psychodynamic approach different?

At the heart of our work at Human Development Scotland (HDS) is psychodynamic theory. Here we explain what makes the psychodynamic approach different?

Friends of HDS

Friends of HDS is our way of recognising groups of supporters who make a regular commitment to the work of HDS. Find out more about becoming a Friend of HDS. Read more

At a glance: courses, prospectus, fees & applications

At a glance look at the professional training on offer from HDS. Information and links to course information, including: entry requirements, fees, timings, applications and enquiries. Read more