How to Engage Parents in Trauma Treatment Using Motivational Phone Calls

Engaging parents and children in effective trauma treatment can be difficult in the best of circumstances. Conventionally, engagement and rapport building begins in the first face-to-face session. More often than not, it is a harsh set-up. Parents and children may enter the first session angry, frustrated, or hopeless, with their arms tightly crossed. The slightest provocation could open conflict and confrontation between parents and children.

In this two-hour continuing education web conference, Dr. Scott Sells will discuss how using the Motivational Interviewing (MI) phone call technique can help prevent conflict and create effective first sessions. Dr. Sells will explain how the MI phone call technique can help parents and older children move from anger, defensiveness, or resistance to hope, excitement, and anticipation for the first session. From this place of hope, parents may be more cooperative with the treatment plan and more willing to bring in the entire family to the first session.

This introductory instructional level web conference is designed to help clinicians:

1. Utilize a seven-question motivational phone call script and additional techniques such as “stick and move” and “complements” to quickly put parents at ease.
2. Analyze a real case which illustrates the step-by-step process of how the FST | Family Systems Trauma Model utilizes the motivational phone call to engage and lower resistance before the first session.
3. Observe the differences between a soft start-up to begin treatment and a harsh start-up and why a soft start-up is preferable.
4. Assess key concepts illustrated through audio excerpts from an actual motivational phone call.
5. Use the final question in the motivational phone call script to encourage a parent to invite their extended family to participate in treatment.

If you have any questions, please contact us here.

Continuing Education (CE) Information

2 CE contact hours will be provided by GoodTherapy for attending this web conference in its entirety. 

The live version of this web conference is approved by the American Psychological Association.
GoodTherapy maintains responsibility for this program and its content. GoodTherapy.org received APA approval in May 2011. Events after 2011 may meet APA requirements for Continuing Education credits.

The live web conference as well as the homestudy version are approved by the following organizations.
GoodTherapy is an Approved Education Provider by NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals (provider #135463). Of the eight counselor skill groups ascribed to by NAADAC, this course is classified within Counseling Services. 

GoodTherapy is an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEPTM) and may offer NBCC-approved clock hours for events that meet NBCC requirements.

GoodTherapy, SW CPE is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #0395.

GoodTherapy, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0022 and for licensed mental health counselors #MHC-0031.

To receive CE credit hours for an archived event, you will need to complete a survey as well as a 12 or 15-question exam, verifying that you listened to or watched the event in its entirety. Archived CE events generally are considered "homestudy" by licensing boards.

Registration Information

Premium and Pro Membership with GoodTherapy includes access to this web conference at no additional cost. Not yet a member? Sign up for a Premium or Pro Membership, here.

Mental health professionals who are not members can attend this live web conference for $30.95 or access the homestudy recording for $15.50. Sign up here to purchase this CE course and earn a CE certificate.

If the event is canceled by GoodTherapy, registrants who purchased the event will be notified and the charge for the event will be refunded

If you have any questions or would like information regarding disability accommodations, please contact us.

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