• Search All Courses
  • Your cart is currently empty.
(905) 889-5030 info@safeguards-training.net
SafeGuards Training SafeGuards Training
  • Your cart is currently empty.
  • All Training
    • Training Calendar
    • Online
    • On-site/ In Service
  • Customized Training
  • TCI Training
    • TCI System Overview
    • TCI Training
    • TCI Materials
  • Respite Learning Portal
  • About Us
    • Newsletter
    • Call for Training Proposals
Contact Us
I Don't Wanna Talk About It: Working with Hard-to-Engage Children, Youth & Families

I Don’t Wanna Talk About It: Working with Hard-to-Engage Children, Youth & Families

When young clients have been traumatized, they often disengage from others even helpers. Understanding the reasons underlying this “resistance” is the first step in the therapeutic process. For many clients including young children and teens, entering therapy is a fearful process. They may feel a lack of control over the decision to attend therapy or that they are being scapegoated for family problems. As a result, even the most seasoned clinicians may experience challenges and frustration trying to engage them. 

Share
  • Information
  • Download Course PDF.

Description

The first step is understanding the reasons beneath what has been called “resistance.” The second step involves engaging clients in the therapeutic process to build rapport, facilitate open communication, and help the client work through treatment goals. Participants will learn to recognize the reasons why some children and families may be “hard to reach”.  

 You will learn tips, tricks, and techniques to engage children, adolescents, and parents in therapy and maximize potential for change. Emphasis will be on play-based, expressive arts techniques for use with preschool, school-aged, and adolescent clients, including therapeutic games, art, music, and stories. Strategies for engaging parents in therapy will be outlined, as well as activities for use in child-focused family therapy sessions. 

Learning Outcomes 

  1. Describe the factors underlying therapeutic resistance. 
  2. Implement creative interventions to facilitate rapport-building with children of all ages. 
  3. Utilize innovative strategies to engage resistant, hard to serve parents. 
  4. Implement play-based and expressive arts techniques with clients who are reluctant to verbally articulate their thoughts and feelings. 
  5. Utilize activities for child-focused family therapy sessions. 

Who Should Attend  

This course is suitable for clinicians and therapists working with children and youth and with their families. 

Course Dates & Format  

There are no scheduled dates for this course at this time, however in-service is available.

This is a 6-hour training. This course consists of two 3-hour interactive virtual sessions using Zoom. 

Instructor:  Liana Lowenstein, MSW, RSW 

Liana Lowenstein is a Certified Play Therapist-Supervisor, and Certified TF-CBT specialist in practice in Toronto since 1988. She is recognized for her innovative work including numerous books on child and family therapy. Liana is frequently invited to give presentations throughout Canada and abroad. She provides clinical supervision to mental health practitioners, runs a play-therapy internship program, and consults to several mental health agencies. She served on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Association for Child and Play Therapy for nine years and is the former Education Chair of the Canadian Play Therapy Certificate Program. She is winner of the Monica Herbert award for outstanding contribution to play therapy in Canada. 

Training Fee 

Group Registration: Save 20% off individual fees with a group registration of 4 or more participants. Download the group registration form HERE.

Continuing Education Information  

Licensing boards and professional organizations will grant Continuing Education credits for attendance at their discretion when participants submit the course outline and certificate.  

In-Service  

This is available as an in-person or virtual in-service training and customized to suit your needs. 

Categories: In Service, Online, Trauma Focused Intervention Tags: Children, Family, Intervention, Liana Lowenstein, Play Therapy, Resistance, Trauma, Youth
Training Calendar
35 events found.
  • June 2025

Calendar of Events

S Sun

M Mon

T Tue

W Wed

T Thu

F Fri

S Sat

0 events, 1

0 events, 2

1 event, 3

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

1 of 2: Trauma Informed Supervision

June, 3 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

1 of 2: Trauma Informed Supervision

Advocates of trauma-informed practice have identified that effective trauma-informed teams must be supported by trauma-informed supervisors, organizations, and service systems. This workshop provides supervisors and managers the opportunity to […]

0 events, 4

1 event, 5

1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

2 of 2: Trauma Informed Supervision

June, 5 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

2 of 2: Trauma Informed Supervision

Advocates of trauma-informed practice have identified that effective trauma-informed teams must be supported by trauma-informed supervisors, organizations, and service systems. This workshop provides supervisors and managers the opportunity to […]

0 events, 6

0 events, 7

0 events, 8

0 events, 9

1 event, 10

2025-06-10

Peer Mentor Training: The Impact of Lived Experience

Peer Mentor Training: The Impact of Lived Experience

June, 10 - June, 11

Peer Mentor Training: The Impact of Lived Experience

This training offers a comprehensive toolkit for community-based organizations or groups looking to maximize the effectiveness of peer support initiatives in their communities. By guiding participants through […]

1 event, 11

2025-06-10

Peer Mentor Training: The Impact of Lived Experience

0 events, 12

0 events, 13

0 events, 14

0 events, 15

0 events, 16

0 events, 17

1 event, 18

2025-06-18

Trauma-Informed Practice

Trauma-Informed Practice

June, 18 @ 1:00 pm - June, 19 @ 4:00 pm

Trauma-Informed Practice

The prevalence of childhood trauma in our communities is staggering, and the implications for mental health and substance use profound. It is estimated that around 3 in […]

1 event, 19

2025-06-18

Trauma-Informed Practice

0 events, 20

0 events, 21

0 events, 22

0 events, 23

1 event, 24

2025-06-24

Trauma Informed Care: Supporting Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

Trauma Informed Care: Supporting Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

June, 24 - June, 25

Trauma Informed Care: Supporting Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

People with developmental disabilities experience mental health issues as a result of physical, emotional and sexual abuse and neglect in greater numbers than the general public.  Behaviors are often mistaken as non-compliance, […]

2 events, 25

2025-06-24

Trauma Informed Care: Supporting Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

2025-06-25

Indigenous Perspectives on the Mental Health of Children and Youth

Indigenous Perspectives on the Mental Health of Children and Youth

June, 25 @ 1:00 pm - June, 26 @ 4:00 pm

Indigenous Perspectives on the Mental Health of Children and Youth

We must consistently ask ourselves if our practices are appropriate for the Indigenous communities we work with. While strengths-based, anti-oppressive and evidence-based models may appear to be beneficial, these […]

1 event, 26

2025-06-25

Indigenous Perspectives on the Mental Health of Children and Youth

0 events, 27

0 events, 28

0 events, 29

0 events, 30

0 events, 1

0 events, 2

0 events, 3

0 events, 4

0 events, 5

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
June, 3
June, 3 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

1 of 2: Trauma Informed Supervision

  • There are no events on this day.
June, 5
June, 5 @ 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

2 of 2: Trauma Informed Supervision

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
June, 10
All day

Peer Mentor Training: The Impact of Lived Experience

June, 10
All day

Peer Mentor Training: The Impact of Lived Experience

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
June, 18
June, 18 @ 1:00 pm - June, 19 @ 4:00 pm

Trauma-Informed Practice

June, 18
June, 18 @ 1:00 pm - June, 19 @ 4:00 pm

Trauma-Informed Practice

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
June, 24
All day

Trauma Informed Care: Supporting Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

June, 24
All day

Trauma Informed Care: Supporting Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

June, 25 @ 1:00 pm - June, 26 @ 4:00 pm

Indigenous Perspectives on the Mental Health of Children and Youth

June, 25
June, 25 @ 1:00 pm - June, 26 @ 4:00 pm

Indigenous Perspectives on the Mental Health of Children and Youth

  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
  • There are no events on this day.
View Calendar
Search
Categories
  • Delivery Method
    • In Person
    • In Service
    • Online
    • TCI
    • Webinar
  • Dual Diagnosis
  • Health and Well Being
  • Respite Learning Portal
  • Sociocultural Perspectives
  • TCI Materials
  • Therapeutic Crisis Intervention
  • Trauma Assessment & Treatment
  • Trauma Focused Intervention
  • Trauma-Informed Practice
  • Treating Trauma Effects

Related Items

  • High-Risk Populations

    Implementing Trauma-Informed Care in Organizations Serving High-Risk Populations

    In Service, Trauma Focused Intervention, Online
    Learn more
  • MAMindful Awareness StabilizationST

    MTER – Mindfulness Training for Emotional Resilience, Facilitator Training

    In Service, Trauma Focused Intervention, Online
    Learn more
  • Mindfulness

    Boost Mindfulness to Promote Co-Regulation

    Health and Well Being, In Service, Online, Trauma Focused Intervention
    Learn more
SafeGuards Training

Tailoring professional development to suit your organizational needs.

Follow us!
About
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletter
  • Our Cancellation Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Handling Customer Complaints and Suggestions
Training
  • All Training
  • Customized Training
Search
Additional links
  • Therapeutic crisis intervention TCI Training System Overview
  • The Respite Service Learning Portal
Copyright © 2025 SafeGuards Training. All rights reserved.
  • Privacy Policy