Helping System-Involved Youth and Families Cope with Holidays

Nicole Kelly

Training Description

While the holiday season can be a joyous time for many, it can also be a difficult time. It is a time of year that many experience depression, loneliness, and increased pressure. For many system-involved youth this can be exacerbated if they are not with their families. This training will discuss risk factors and contributing factors for holiday depression and anxiety. You will also learn strategies to support system-involved youth who may be struggling during this time of year.

Learning Objectives

· Participants will be able to identify at least 1 factor that contributes to holiday depression and anxiety.

· Participants will be able to identity at least 1 strategy to help system-involved youth cope with holiday depression and anxiety.

· Participants will be able to identify at least 1 strategy to help system-involved youth cope with grief and loneliness associated with not being with their families during the holiday season.

Agenda

1:00-1:15pm   Introduction

1:15-2:30pm   Challenges during the holiday season

· Increased depression

· Separation from families

· Lack of exposure to cultural holiday traditions

· Financial stress

· Grief and loss

2:30-2:45pm  Break (CE hours will not be offered for this time)

2:45-3:45pm  Strategies to support system-involved youth

· Providers’ self-awareness

· Identifying potential triggers

· Creating a coping plan

· Talking to caregivers about how to support system-involved youth

3:45-4:00pm  Closing and Wrap-up

Meet Our Trainer

Nicole Kelly is a clinical psychologist who has worked with trauma survivors for 14 years. She currently consults with agencies on trauma-informed care, programming for commercially sexually exploited youth, vicarious trauma, and leadership development. Nicole has been training multidisciplinary audiences on trauma-related topics since 2015 and provides guest lectures at local universities on human trafficking.

This course meets the qualifications for (2.75) BBS CE hours for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.