Resisting the Righting Reflex When Supporting System-Involved Youth and Families

Marya Wright, MSW, ASW

Training Description

This course will focus on the utilization of Motivational Interviewing (MI) skills when working with system-involved youth and their caregivers. This course will provide practical skills and strategies to resist the righting reflex when met with resistance. Participants will increase their understanding of the righting reflex. The content explores MI four guiding principles, represented by the acronym R.U.L.E. Participants will gain a general understanding of how resistance may show up when working with system involved youth and their caregivers. The course will provide training participants with strategies on appropriate responses to resistance as well as statements and ways to respond to resistances rather than using the righting reflex. The material will be delivered by PowerPoint presentation, short video clips, group discussion, breakout (small group) discussions and participant workbook (handout).

Learning Objectives

Training Participants will be able to:

· Identify 5 examples of how to respond when “coming alongside” a system-involved youth or caregiver that is ambivalent or expresses resistance to change;

· Explain at least 2 impacts of the righting reflex on engagement of caregivers of system-involved youth; and

· Explain the difference between inappropriate and appropriate responses to resistance.

Agenda

1:00-1:10pm  Welcome and Agenda

1:10-1:20pm  Objectives and Learning Goals

1:20-1:35pm  Overview of the Righting Reflex

1:35-1:45pm  Brainstorm experiences of this occurring when working with system-involved youth and families.

1:45-2:00pm  R.U.L.E.

2:00-2:15pm  Coming Alongside system-involved youth and families

2:15-2:30pm  BREAK (CE Hours will not be offered during this time)

2:30-2:45pm  Resistance

2:45-3:00pm  How does resistance show up for system involved youth and their families?

3:00-3:15pm  Types of resistance

3:15-3:30pm  Signs of resistance

3:30-3:40pm  How to respond to resistance?

3:40-3:50pm  What do you say to resistance?

3:50-4:00pm  Questions/Answers & Closing

Meet Our Trainer

Marya Wright Consulting provides innovative, high-value, and culturally responsive training content for professionals. Marya offers continuing education training (CEUs) for agencies who service system-involved youth, foster youth, children and families. Marya Wright, MSW, is a nationally distinguished social worker, consultant, educator, international trainer, and facilitator with experience in organizational leadership, child welfare services, and curriculum development. She is the President and CEO of Wright Community Services LLC, a company that strives to empower system-involved families through awareness, services, and education while also providing consultation, training, and system specific facilitation to the agencies that services these communities. She is a registered Associate Clinical Social Worker (#81167) with the Board of Behavioral Sciences working to become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW). Marya holds a Master’s in Social Work from California State University, East Bay with a focus on Child Welfare Policy and Research and a Bachelor’s in Social Work with a focus on Child Welfare Services and Motivational Interviewing from San Diego State University. Marya is a qualified expert witness and private dependency investigator for children, youth, and family services as it relates to family law court, juvenile and dependency court. She is an elected Board of Director for the California Society of Clinical Social Work (CSCSW). Marya has conducted considerable research on Child Sexual Exploitation, Foster Care, and published an article on the use of algorithmic decision-making in child welfare. In addition to her clinical social work, Marya is a seasoned lecturer. She has taught in the Sociology Department at Cal State East Bay since Spring 2020. Her course load includes Sociology of Sexualities, Child Welfare Policy, Sociology of Family, and Sexual Violence.

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.