The Clinician's Guide to Parent Training: Help End Tantrums, Power Struggles and Defiance with Realistic Interventions that Work!

CPD

Handouts

Speaker

Larry Waldman, PhD, ABPP Related seminars and products

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Larry Waldman, Ph.D., ABPP, is a semi-retired certified school psychologist and licensed clinical, forensic psychologist in Phoenix, Arizona, where he developed a successful private practice of 45 years, working with children, teens, parents, couples, and adults in a solution-focused manner. A sought-after speaker, Dr. Waldman has presented hundreds of professional seminars for psychologists, family therapists, counselors, social workers, school psychologists and school counselors; one of his signature programs is “Teaching Parents to Parent”. Dr. Waldman also provides community trainings on parenting, marriage, stress, depression and anxiety, wellness, grandparenting and psychotherapy.

Dr. Waldman was the past president of the Maricopa Psychological Society, the director of psychological services for Charter Psychiatric Hospital of Glendale and was an “Official Guide” (top expert) on Parenting for SelfGrowth.com. He is an adjunct graduate professor in the Counseling and Educational Psychology Departments for Ottawa University, and serves on the professional advisory board of Stepping Stones of Hope, a charitable organization serving children whom have lost a parent. Waldman is the co-chair of the Early Career Psychologist Committee with the Arizona Psychological Association (AzPA). An accomplished author, Dr. Waldman’s work has been featured in both local Phoenix media and national press including six books: Who’s Raising Whom? Coping with Your Adolescent; How Come I Love Him But Can’t Live with Him? The Graduate Course You Never Had; Too Busy Earning a Living to Make Your Fortune? and Overcoming Your Negotiaphobia: Negotiating Through Your Life, and the forthcoming Don’t Hate Your Ex More than You Love Your Kid. Dr. Waldman earned his BS in Education/Psychology from the University of Wisconsin; his MS in School Psychology was from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; his Ph.D. in Educational/School Psychology was earned at Arizona State University; and his Diplomate (ABPP) was received in 2003.

Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Dr. Larry Waldman has an employment relationship with the University of Phoenix. He receives royalties as a published author. Dr. Waldman receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. He has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Dr. Larry Waldman is a member of the National Association of Professional Psychology Providers and the National Association of School Psychologists.

Objectives

1. Utilize strategies to motivate parents to engage in effective child behaviour management techniques.
2. Apply fundamental principles of behavioural psychology to help parents re-structure their approach to behaviour management and improve outcomes.
3. Differentiate between the three most common parenting styles; provide psychoeducation to parents regarding how this impacts the child’s behaviour.
4. Determine the role of the “negative attention cycle” as it relates to the child’s target behaviour (s).
5. Utilize reinforcement strategies including schedules, fading and contingency contracts to improve problematic behaviour.
6. Develop behaviour management strategies with clients/families that are realistic, developmentally appropriate, and effective.

Outline

Getting Started: How to Develop a Successful Parenting Program

• Who is a good candidate for parent training?
• ”Selling” parents on the effectiveness of this program – and why they should commit to it!
• The most common mistakes professionals make when teaching parenting skills
• How to teach parenting principles in an accessible way
• Limitations of the research and potential risks

Session 1: A Short Course in Behavioural Psychology

• 8 parenting principles that drive the whole curriculum
• Why parents should focus on behaviour only
• Basic tenets of behavioural psychology – and what it means for parents
• Identify target behaviour and establish baseline
• Homework assignment #1

Session 2: Help Parents Discover Their Role in the Behaviour

• Helpful v. unhelpful parental qualities
• Parenting styles: Authoritative, authoritarian, permissive-indulgent/neglectful
• Strategies for teaching parents about themselves in non-shaming manner
• Homework assignment #2
• Case study: Young father with self-esteem on the floor

Session 3: The Negative Attention Cycle: Putting All the Energy in the Wrong Place

• Which comes first – stopping the negative behaviour or starting the positive?
• Helping parents understand the power of reinforcement
• Contingency contracting, schedules of reinforcement, fading
• ”Islands of Competence”
• Homework assignment #3
• Case Study: Behave well on Tuesday for a reward on Saturday…?

Session 4: Develop Responsible Behaviour at Any Age

• Match appropriate behaviour to developmental stage
• Teach parents how to elicit behaviour they want to see
• ”If you must make your kid be responsible, they’re not!”
• Homework assignment #4
• Case Study: Mother who does her child’s homework

Session 5: Decrease Inappropriate and Undesirable Behaviour

• Logical/natural consequences for problematic behaviour
• Is the behaviour dangerous or destructive? Principles of extinction
• Punishment – types and effectiveness
• Homework assignment #5
• Case Study: Parent who forgot the misdeed but kept the consequence

Session 6: Put it All Together, Celebrate Success, Plan for the Future

• How to debrief in a way that encourages ongoing success
• Troubleshooting: What to do when…
  • Homework isn’t completed
  • Only one parent is on board
  • Behaviour worsens
  • And more!
• Tools and strategies for ongoing prevention
• When it’s more than behaviour: when and how to refer for mental health care

Target Audience

• Counselors
• Social Workers
• Psychologists
• Marriage and Family Therapists
• Addictions Professionals
• Educators
• School Counselors
• School Psychologists
• Other Professionals Who Work with Children/Families (ages 0-12)