Family Dynamics CE Bundle (11 CE)

Course Level: Beginner, Intermediate

Courses Developed By: Jennifer Kolb, LCSW

Bio: Jennifer Kolb, LCSW; Social Work Consultant, reviewed and determined the course meets requirements for continuing education in the field of social work. This course is appropriate for masters and clinical level social workers. Jennifer graduated with a Master’s degree in Social Work with a specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Louisville, Kentucky. She specializes in school-based psychotherapy with children and adolescents, as well as licensing exam coaching and preparation.

Course Delivery: Online, Self-Paced

Effective Parenting Strategies: Some parents want to provide their children with the discipline, structure and autonomy to grow, but lack the knowledge or skills required. Parents may resort to inappropriate measures, either too permissive or running the risk of abuse. This course describes some general parenting styles which tend to describe in broad terms four styles of parenting. It also reviews changing parental demands as children grow. A wide variety of tools are described to promote effective parenting, particularly the positive ways to encourage, praise and model desired behavior. It also describes the issues and effective interventions for parenting challenges related to special needs children.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify, address and treat the parenting style(s) in a client and family.
2. Educate clients about the developmental needs of a child and how adjustments in parenting can be made.
3. Observe the presenting issues and intervene with appropriate tools for the family (e.g., appropriate discipline, reflective listening skills, praise and effective ignoring).
4. Integrate general parenting education and support with specific guidance for parents of children with special needs.

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Parent-Child Alienation: The healthy development of children is highly influenced by their relationship with parents and the quality of the relationship between parents. Therefore, when parents go through a separation and a child is deprived of a relationship with one parent, this can have negative consequences throughout childhood and into adulthood. Parent alienation occurs when a child becomes allied with one parent and alienated from the other parent, usually with no factual evidence of abuse or neglect. Parental estrangement, on the other hand, describes the dissolution of a parent-child relationship as the result of witnessed violence, abuse, or neglect. There is a great deal of information and a number of strategies a professional may utilize in treatment to create a healthy environment for children and parents in an alienated/estranged situation. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the difference between parental alienation and parental estrangement and exhibit a working understanding of both.
2. List three examples of how alienation/estrangement may affect children throughout their upbringing and into adulthood.
3. Assess how alienation/estrangement affects both mothers and fathers.
4. Utilize multiple treatment strategies as part of a treatment plan that are effective in mending these relationships.

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Coping With Aging Parents: Population demographics in the United States have been – and will continue – to shift dramatically toward a significantly large portion of residents being aged 65 and older. These elder years are often accompanied by increasing dependence due to disabilities, chronic illnesses, fixed incomes and the natural consequences of aging. Caregiving responsibilities for the elderly are most often met by family members. As a consequence, most mental healthcare providers will be called upon to help clients cope with the difficulties of caregiving and changing family dynamics. Mental health practitioners will need to possess knowledge related to the unique needs of this population. This course covers the various challenges and health impacts of caregiving as well as an overview of federal and state support resources for the elderly and their familial caregivers. There are also sections that offer a decision-making model for caregiving, practical strategies for coping with an aging parent and therapeutic interventions.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Address the various challenges associated with caregiving.
2. Recognize and utilize non-familial support for the elderly and their caregivers.
3. Facilitate practical strategies when dealing with aging parents and their caregivers.
4. Utilize various therapeutic approaches when treating elders and their caregivers.
5. Recognize the warning signs of elder abuse and carry out the legal obligations pertaining to this.

Approvals: