Skills Practice: Practical Interventions with Oppositional, Defiant, & Angry Children, Adolescents & Young Adults in School & Mental Health Settings

Presented by Jay Berk, Ph.D.

Thursday, April 23, 2020 – Friday, April 24, 2020  |  Thunder Bay, on

Date & Location

Important Notice

Due to COVID-19 this event is now being offered online. This change has been made to ensure a safe learning environment for all participants. The course is available to watch starting April 20, 2020 until April 1, 2021. Participants can watch, pause and re-watch sessions to fit their at home learning needs. If you have registered for an upcoming workshop and would like to switch to this online course, or for online course inquiries please email webinars@jackhirose.com to be transferred at no additional cost.

More Information

Children diagnosed with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) can present a monumental challenge to therapists, teachers, parents and siblings. ODD and other conduct problems are the single greatest reasons for referrals to outpatient and inpatient mental health settings for children, accounting for at least half of all referrals. Complicating the success of therapeutic interventions is the high rate of comorbidity with anxiety and depressive disorders or ADHD.

Current research also correlates a variety of cognitive skill deficits including executive function, emotional regulation, language processing, and social processing. These complicating comorbidities and correlations mean that ODD often requires multidisciplinary assessment and components of mental health care, case management, and educational intervention for students and clients to improve.

This dynamic two day workshop will address a full range of behavioural disturbances, from mild to severe, in order to identify the therapeutic techniques that have proven effective. Participants will review and discuss strategies which can be immediately applied across a variety of settings including home, community, social groups, classrooms, or therapeutic.

Participants will examine the intersection of ODD with a variety of issues such as trauma, ADD, learning disabilities, bipolar disorder, and depression and discuss how these affect and alter treatment decisions. Participants will leave this workshop with a much improved diagnostic and treatment approach to ODD and other behavioural disorders.

Benefits to Attending

• Beyond behaviour charts – Truly intervene with difficult behaviours
• Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder & important DSM-5 updates
• The #1 reason families inadvertently fuel defiant behaviours
• How educators and clinicians may be fuelling exactly what they are trying to stop
• Why child/adolescent “terrorist behaviours” work
• Technology and behaviours… video games, electronic bullying, learning styles
• Case studies & experiences

Dear Participant,

I am pleased to launch a new two-day intensive on my best-selling topic Skills Practice: Practical Interventions with Oppositional, Defiant, and Angry Children, Adolescents and Young Adults in School and Mental Health Settings. During our well received one-day workshops I covered theoretical practice as well as skills. The most common feedback I received was the desire for an additional day to dive deeper into these skills, ask questions about your most difficult cases, break into groups, brainstorm and practice. The two-day format will enable the time needed to successfully achieve this skills practice. Participants will explore the targeted intervention strategies I fondly refer to as “magic dust”.

I have developed these skills based on the young clients I have treated individually or in a group setting. I currently maintain a private practice and serve as the director of an alternative education program. The skills we will practice are relevant for both classroom and clinical settings. My techniques have been successfully used in a range of environments from at school or home to institutional settings such as treatment centres and group homes. This program is designed to equip participants with applicable skills that can be implemented immediately for your most difficult students and clients. These strategies can be scaled up or scaled down in order to accommodate the needs of younger children, older children, adolescents and young adults.

From novice to expert, anyone working with oppositional defiant clients is welcome to attend. This intensive will be highly practice-oriented. The format will provide video practice and introduce some of my most difficult cases and will highlight key aspects that can make or break a treatment session. I will demonstrate proven strategies that I use with children, adolescents, and young adults, as well as strategies that can be used with family members to help enhance the likelihood of success. Opportunities for team-focused brainstorming will be provided.

Whether you are a returning participant looking to gain more skills practice or a new participant needing to acquire and practice skills for your ODD clients I look forward to the prospect of working with you this spring!

Jay Berk, Ph.D.

Recommended Reading

Who Should Attend

Education and Clinical Professionals: K–12 Classroom Teachers, School Counsellors/Psychologists, Learning Assistance/ Resource Teachers, School Administrators, School Paraprofessionals including Special Education Assistants, Classroom Assistants and Childcare Workers. All other professionals who support students including but not limited to: Nurses, Social Workers, Psychologists, Clinical Counsellors, Family Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, Addiction Counsellors, Youth Workers, Mental Health Workers, Probation Officers, and Early Childhood Educators.

Parents, Caregiver, Foster Parents, Grandparents, and Extended Family raising a child.

Agenda

Today’s Impact on Behaviour in Children/ Adolescents

• DSM-5 updates
• Diagnosis of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
• Impact of technology on behaviours
• Changes in schools systems and mental health delivery
• Non-verbal problem solving

Why Children Become Oppositional & Defiant

• Splitting issues
• Problem solving errors
• Rage cycles

The Diagnosis of Oppositional Defiant Disorder

• Impact on service delivery
• The important difference between ODD and conduct disorder

Related Issues/Disorders that Impact Oppositional Behaviours

• ASD
• Sensory processing disorder
• ADHD OCD
• Learning disabilities
• Tourette’s
• Poverty and others

The Impact of Medications

• Efficacy
• Medication trends
• Essential considerations regarding side effects
• Is there a medication for oppositional behaviours?

Intervention Strategies to Reduce Passive Aggressive, Disruptive & Violent Behaviours

• Individual/group/classroom
• Create immediate changes in behaviour
• Strategies for aggressive behaviours without restraints
• Ways to recognize and recover

Intervention Strategies That Do Not Work & How to Fix Them

• Pitfalls in behaviour plans and how to effectively revise
• Effective strategies with minimal staff time

Intervention Options in a Variety of Settings

• Creative problem solving techniques
• Methods to reduce maladaptive problem solving

Strategies to Work with Parents & Staff Members

• Resistant and non-disciplining parents
• Keeping your team effective
• Dealing with burned out staff members

Learning Objectives

• Identify oppositional behaviour and causes
• Implement strategies with the child/adolescent who refuses to talk
• Describe why “regular” strategies (rewards, punishments) don’t work and ways to improve
• Differentiate oppositional behaviours caused by ASD and ADHD
• Design and implement intervention strategies to reduce passive aggressive, disruptive and violent behaviours
• Write and implement effective behaviour plans for the classroom
• Reduce the disruptive impact and risk to other children or adolescents in the classroom, family or group

Your Presenter

Jay Berk, Ph.D.

Jay Berk, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist and an internationally recognized expert in the child/adolescent behavioural field who brings both a clinical and education perspective to his work with children, adolescents and their families. For over 25 years, Dr. Berk has been treating clients with ODD, ADHD, autism, anxiety and stress, depression, learning disabilities, Tourette’s Syndrome and individuals who have Autism Spectrum Disorder. He conducts 15 social skills/mental health groups for children and adolescents and works daily with school and community professionals, families and parents. Dr. Berk continually consults for several school districts. In his private practice, in Beachwood, Ohio, he provides therapy for children, adolescents, families, testing and evaluation, school consultation as well as designed and facilitates alternative educational program.

 

Testimonials

“I was engaged ALL day! That is a rare quality in PD. Humour was fantastic, topics were great, he met our level of understanding, covered so much, gave practical strategies, used real life examples, was relatable.. AMAZING! I wrote 7 pages of notes and was asked by several colleagues for notes because they could not make it.”
– Lethbridge, AB | October 31, 2019

“Jay is very knowledgeable and I loved how he shared all of his effective strategies and personal stories/experiences. Would be amazing to attend more workshops from Jay, also looking forward to his new book coming out.”
– Saskatoon, SK | October 28 – 29, 2019

“Excellent speaker, knowledgeable, kept audiences interest and gave practical usable suggestions. I have never been at a session in which I was so engaged for the entire 2 days”
– Edmonton, AB | May 23 – 24, 2019

“Excellent instructor – never found it boring for one moment. Learn a lot and feel more/better informed. Thank you!”
– Edmonton, AB | May 23 – 24, 2019

“This was great. Very good speaker, clear and kept all engaged. I would like to take more from Jay Berk”
– Edmonton, AB | May 23 – 24, 2019

“Great approach/style by Jay – good mix of humour/serious material. Dynamic speaker.”
– Oakville, ON | November 24, 2017

“Enjoyed. I was engaged. Felt it was relevant, realistic, practical.”
– Oakville, ON | November 24, 2017

“Dr. Berk is an exceptional presenter. This is the first workshop that I have attended and felt like the presenter has lived and worked with the material! Fantastic presenter and workshop!!”
– Oakville, ON | November 24, 2017

“Thanks! You were funny and made learning fun! You did a great job!!”
– Angie Helder | Oakville, ON | November 24, 2017

“Loved the humour he used throughout. Loved the format of audience participation, chatting with the group, slides, videos, and how open Dr. Berk is to questions. Could listen to him all day!!”
– Oakville, ON | November 24, 2017

“Presenter was very knowledgeable on the subject matter. He was entertaining and kept the audience focused and engaged.”
– Winnipeg, MB | November 23, 2017

“Dr. Berk was very funny and engaging in his presentation. I would recommend going to one of his workshop. Everything we learned will be useful in my practice.”
– Winnipeg, MB | November 23, 2017

“I thoroughly enjoyed the presenter, he was very interesting to listen to and appreciated his humour throughout the day.”
– Winnipeg, MB | November 23, 2017

“Presenter was connected to the audience. Paid attention to what was going on with the group – engaging. The clear presentation with the humour made this workshop very successful and enjoyable. Probably the most enjoyable workshop I have attended. The time went fast. Good practical strategies offered.”
– Phil Canning | Regina, SK | November 22, 2017

“Excellent delivery; humour appreciated.”
– Gwen Knoll | Regina, SK | November 22, 2017

Registration & Fees