Extended Adolescence - When 25 Looks More Like 18

Credit

Program Information

All members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners.  For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.

Speaker

Steven O'Brien, PsyD Related seminars and products

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Steve O’Brien, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist with over 30 years of experience working with children, adolescents, young adults, and families in his Clearwater, Florida practice. He is a respected national consultant for mental health professionals seeking guidance on the treatment of anxiety and mood disorders, ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and adjustment challenges in divorced and blended families.

 

Since 2017, Dr. O’Brien has provided continuing education and professional training for mental health clinicians, focusing on evidence-based interventions for anxiety, depression, and neurodevelopmental disorders in youth. He is the author of The Essential Guide to Treating Childhood and Adolescent Anxiety, a clinical manual designed to enhance treatment outcomes.

 

His integrative-systems approach combines CBT, interpersonal techniques, and exposure/desensitization strategies, all tailored to the developmental needs of young clients and their families. Intensive parent consultation—emphasizing psychoeducation, communication skills, and behavior modification—is a cornerstone of his therapeutic work.

 

Dr. O’Brien has worked in numerous healthcare environments, including community mental health, psychiatric, inpatient/residential, substance abuse, and medical facilities. He also served as associate professor of child-adolescent studies at the Florida School of Professional Psychology. In addition to his clinical work, Dr. O’Brien is an app developer (Life@Home by Psychtouch.com) and a frequent guest on local news outlets for his expertise on childhood anxiety. Visit obrienpsychology.com for more information.

 

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Steven O'Brien maintains a private practice. He receives a speaking honorarium, recording and book royalties from Psychotherapy Networker and PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Steven O’Brien is a member of the American Psychological Association and the Florida Psychological Association.

Additional Info

Program Information

For live CE credit, you must watch the live webcast in its entirety at its scheduled time and complete the CE quiz and evaluation within one week. You will have access for 90 days after the program for review.

Please note: There will be a 70-minute lunch and two 15-minute breaks; one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Lunch and break times will be announced by the speaker and at their discretion. A more detailed schedule is available upon request.

Visit our FAQ page at https://www.pesicanada.ca/faq or contact us at https://www.pesicanada.ca/contact-us.

Objectives

1. Evaluate relevant research on extended adolescence and emerging adulthood.
2. Determine factors which promote normative vs complicated adolescent identity development.
3. Evaluate the interplay of technological, societal, and educational stressors on the transition from adolescence to young adulthood.
4. Distinguish how DSM-5™ disorders develop in adolescents hinder the “adulting” process.
5. Choose therapeutic strategies for reducing symptom severity in young adults and for reducing systemic conflict.
6. Design clinical interventions for common disorders of the Gen Z population.
7. Employ therapeutic techniques for cultivating a growth mindset and resilience in young adults.

Outline

• Psychosocial implications of a “Check-listed Childhood”
• Plugged-in but disconnected: “The Loneliest Generation”
• Short-term gratification for the dopamine dependent brain
• Gender, race, privilege and other “identity influencers”
• Interplay of technology, society and educational stressors
• “Virtual Reality IS Their Reality”

• Tips for rapport building with Generation Z
• Mindfully managing parental involvement
• Build working alliances without alignments
• Cultivate cooperation and bypass resistance

• Model openness and flexibility with Gen Z culture
• Distinguish between pathology and generational differences
• Precursors to other disorders – are you seeing these traits clearly
• Navigate more complex Identity exploration and confusion
• Differentiate oppositional behavior from healthy identity expression

• Promote “real” interaction in a virtual world
• Facilitate flexibility by reducing device dependent behavior
• Neutralize perfectionistic worry to combat outcome certainty
• Reduce fears around healthy risk taking

• Dealing with fallout of social media and cyber harassment
• Reframe devaluing self-talk from negative online comparison
• Mood-management and preventing isolation
• Reduce desensitized views of self-harming thoughts/behaviors

• Social media boundaries to reduce impulsivity and negative consequences
• Device management to reduce distraction
• Self-structuring for time blindness
• “Appointment-Making” for better follow through

• Social coaching to reduce “passing as neurotypical” stress
• Brain-based, self-regulation strategies to manage overstimulation
• Foster flexible self-view around gender identity and sexuality
• Healthy routines to promote friendship, productivity and fun

• Teach tools for long-term resilience and self-advocacy
• Determine need for other professional services
• Advance healthy development in future generations
• Research findings and limitations

Target Audience

• Counselors
• Social Workers
• Psychologists
• School Psychologists
• Physicians
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Educators
• Addiction Counselors

This workshop is intended for professionals working with clients 15-25.