Modern Teens and Classic Techniques: Getting Them to Open Up

March 2, 2026
8:45 AM - 12:00 PM
This is a remote webinar that will be held outside the CE Institute. Webinar access instructions, evaluations, and certificates will be communicated by NASW NH Chapter a day before the webinar. You must attend the live workshop to receive CEs associated.

This program is pending approval for 3.0 Continuing Education hours. NASW NH Authorization Number Pending
This workshop will explore the various reasons why kids and teens may have a hard time opening up in therapy. Generation Alpha comes with the challenges that accompany technology and the pandemic, along with the enduring challenges including suicide prevention, trauma responses, the need for communication skill building, and trust-building. Understanding the obstacle allows the clinician to employ the most appropriate strategy to engage the youth or elicit the information needed. Participants will leave with a menu of options for encouraging conversations. Conversation cards, the use of games, puppets, whiteboards, humor, homework challenges, and strategic framing will be explored. The power of incorporating siblings and other family members will also be emphasized. Presenter will share her favorite phrases for introductions, assessments, invitations, and explanations.

This workshop will be interactive. Case vignettes will include experiences from residential, outpatient, school, in-home, and a domestic violence agency setting. Particular attention will be given to guiding clinicians on how to build a rapport, convey respect, and gain trust when working with minors. Complex situations will be discussed as they relate to confidentiality and maintaining safety. Even seasoned clinicians run into challenges such as: 1. What if the youth will not even come into the room? 2. What to do with the teen who does not want therapy? 2. What to do with the teen who wants to meet every week but then does not speak? 3. What to do with the teen who talks about everything EXCEPT the topic that needs to be addressed?

This information ties into power, privilege, and dimensions of social identities because adolescents are minors with limited rites and limited autonomy in their health care choices. Ethical, cultural, and anti-racist principles will also be included.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this workshop participants will be able to:

Recognize what is behind the youth’s struggle to communicate.
Name 1-3 concrete strategies to employ when a youth is slow to open-up.
List action steps and challenges that youth may accept to practice their social skills.

If you have any questions, please email Emryn at elessie.naswnh@socialworkers.org. The Zoom link and any handouts will be sent from their email the day before the workshop. If you do not receive the Zoom link the day before the workshop, please use the search function to search for Emryn's email, check your spam and promotional folders, or email Emryn directly.

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Modern Teens and Classic Techniques: Getting Them to Open Up

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