Embedded Files
A Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health, Parent Partner Training Academy Sponsored Continuing Education Training Event, Hosted by the Los Angeles Training Consortium
Teen Development:
What Adults Need to Know
Adolescence is a time of significant brain, emotional, and relational development, often marked by increased autonomy-seeking and boundary testing. For parents—especially those raising teens with histories of trauma, neglect, or attachment disruption—these changes can feel confusing and overwhelming. This training is designed for mental health professionals who support and coach parents of teens. Participants will gain a trauma- and attachment-informed framework for helping parents understand teen development, interpret challenging behaviors, and respond in ways that strengthen attachment while promoting independence, regulation, and resilience.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
> Support parents in understanding adolescent brain development and its impact on behavior
> Coach parents in attachment-focused strategies that strengthen the parent-teen relationship
> Identify trauma-related challenges in teen development and guide parents in effective responses
> Interpret attachment-deflecting behaviors and help parents respond therapeutically
Two Opportunities to Attend:
1. Tues., Feb. 10, 2026, 10am - 12pm (2 hours)
2. Wed., Feb. 18, 2026, 10am - 12pm (2 hours)
Presented by Allison Maxon
Presented by Allison Maxon
Allison Davis Maxon, M.S., LMFT is a nationally recognized expert in the fields of child welfare and children’s mental health specializing in Attachment, Developmental Trauma and Permanency/Adoption. She is the Executive Director of the National Center on Adoption and Permanency and was the foster care consultant for the Paramount Pictures movie Instant Family. Allison was honored in 2017 with the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute ‘Angels in Adoption’ award and is the co-author of Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency: A Guide to Promoting Understanding and Healing in Adoption, Foster Care, Kinship Families and Third Party Reproduction, Jessica Kingsley Publishers (2019) and The Seven Core Issues Workbook for Parents of Traumatized Children and Teens: A Guide to Help You Explore Feelings and Overcome Emotional Challenges in Your Family, Jessica Kingsley Publishers (2022). Her newest book is The Seven Core Issues for in Adoption and Permanency Workbook for Children and Teens: A Trauma-Informed Resource, Jessica Kingsley Publishers (2023).
IMPORTANT- PLEASE READ BEFORE REGISTERING:
This training will be presented in the ZOOM platform (please be sure you have the most up-to-date version).
You MUST attend the entire training. Any early sign-offs will result in no credit for the training. Any late logins or early logouts that result in more than 15 minutes of missed time in relation to the total presentation length will result in no credit given for attending.
Your camera MUST be on the entire time of the training. Please use a computer that has a functioning camera--test out your camera before attending.
DO NOT share your confirmation link with anyone. Each link is unique to the individual registered to attend. Sharing your link will result in either you or the other person not receiving credit for attending.
It is recommended that you sign on a few minutes early to avoid connection difficulties.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse