Games, Manipulations, and Seductions in Counseling the Difficult Adolescent (2 CE credits)

Presented by Ronald Mah, LMFT The underlying cross-cultural and development principles of the therapeutic and life games, manipulations, and seductions practiced by adolescents (with themselves, with their peers, and with adults) will be conceptualized leading to practical interventions and interactions. This will allow clinicians to successfully meet the demands of the adolescent inter-relational “game.” Clinicians will be guided in how to validate the existential world of the teen by “playing” the game successfully (gaining respect and credibility versus losing the same), and then promoting therapeutic change leading to behavior, attitude, and value development. The presenter will discuss cases from pragmatic, therapeutic, and theoretical perspectives from experiences with teens in a variety of clinical, consulting, and personal situations. Cross-cultural and development principles will be presented to help conceptualize the adolescent world and perspectives. This will be followed by presenting the therapeutic and life games, manipulations, and seductions practiced by adolescents (with themselves, with their peers, and with adults) that reflect their world orientation. Examples of teen attitudes, values, and behaviors as they are manifested in peer, social, academic, and therapeutic interactions and relationships will be presented. Each will then be examined for: The adolescents’ existential foundation (adolescent cultural and developmental origins), The implicit requirements made of the clinician (or parent, teacher, other family member, or peers), The expected stereotypical (and unsuccessful) therapist or parental (or other adult or peer) responses, alternative theoretically and pragmatically sound responses for therapeutic growth. event page: https://www.scv-camft.org/event-5622576