Overcoming Parent-Child Contact Problems: Family Interventions

Overcoming Barriers in collaboration with William James College is pleased to announce a new
online multi-module course entitled, 

Overcoming Parent Child Contact Problems: Family Interventions

This 30-hour multi-module training provides an exciting opportunity for those working in the field and encountering these complex situations.  Mental health professionals face significant challenges trying to assist families when a child is resisting contact with a parent after separation/divorce.

Trainees will gain an understanding of the most current, cutting edge conceptualization of these issues as well as  what to consider when working with complex family resist-refuse dynamics. Through online lectures presented by experts in the field, trainees will learn how to identify the salient issues facing these families. The presenters will illustrate the importance of recognizing their own biases, holding multiple hypotheses and taking a family systems viewpoint.  The course demonstrates a deeper and evidence-informed approach to this difficult and complex work.

Dr. Deutsch working with the “family”

Video clips were specifically designed for this course to illustrate how clinical work progresses from intake to work with parents, children, the coparents and the entire family. Dr.Deutsch, playing herself in the role of the family therapist, works with the family and individual family members throughout the process of family reunification. Extending apologies and creating a new family narrative are important components of this work as well as understanding when to let go.  Drs. Sullivan, Drozd and Ward role play the individual family member’s therapists. During the course the attendees have the opportunity to follow this family’s therapeutic process and watch the experts at work.

An extensive reading list, provided in a dedicated reading module, allows attendees to receive continuing education credits learning from the most innovative thinkers in the field. At various intervals live Q & A sessions will be offered led by one of the presenters to address any questions attendees have about the content and what they are learning.

Using didactic lectures presented by experts in the field and multiple film clips created specifically for this course to illustrate a hypothetical family, participants will learn to:

      1. Identify the nuts and bolts of family reunification therapy from inception to conclusion
      2. Examine the specific concepts of multi factoral components of Parent-Child Contact Problems (PCCPs)/ Resist Refuse Dynamic (RRD) cases
      3. Identify specific issues in High Conflict coparenting
      4. Describe how traumatic stories and negative scripts impact the family narrative
      5. Assess the nature and level of severity of PCCP cases
      6. Apply best practices for intervention in PCCP cases
      7. Examine the nature of high conflict coparenting and the challenges, complexity, and areas of consensus
      8. Identify needed qualifications and the recommended training for professionals
      9. Examine potential hypotheses about parents in RRD cases
      10. Identify the importance of multiple perspectives in work with the children

REGISTER HERE.       Course fee is $800 for the 30 hour course. *

Couse Presenters include:

Robin M. Deutsch, Ph.D., ABPP
Leslie M. Drozd, Ph.D.
Barbara Jo Fidler, Ph.D., C.Psych., Acc.FM., FDRP PC
Shely Polak, Ph.D., MSW, RSW, Acc.FM
Matthew J. Sullivan, Ph.D.
Peggie Ward, Ph.D.

Teaching the following modules and topics:

  • Module 1: Part 1 & Part 2 Introduction (Drs. Fidler & Drozd)
  • Module 2: Part 1  & Part 2 Parent-Child Contact Problems (PCCPs) in Depth (Drs. Fidler & Drozd)
  • Dedicated Reading Module
  • Module 3 Overview of Referral, Screening & Intake Process (Dr. Fidler)
  • Module 4: Introduction to the “Family” (Dr. Ward)
  • Module 5: Parent Meetings (Dr. Ward)
  • Module 6: Working with the Child  (Dr. Polak)
  • Module 7: Coparenting Interventions (Dr. Sullivan)
  • Module 8: Parent – Child Work (Dr. Deutsch)
  • Module 9: Traumatic Stories, Negative Scripts and Making Sense of the Role of Memory in Narratives (Dr. Ward)
  • Module 10: Family Meetings (Dr. Deutsch)
  • Module 11:  Challenges of Team Interventions and Wrap-Up (Dr. Sullivan)

* Overcoming Barriers is offering a special promotion to teams of three who register for the course together.  For every two persons who register a free slot can be available to the 3rd member of the team.  Contact [email protected] for more details on this offer.  Free slots are limited.